A Spoonful of Identity

School
Shoesmith Elementary School

Poet in Residence
Joy Young

Date

This week at Shoesmith students explored the concept of identity. What main characteristics make up someone’s identity? Are these accurate representations? Students defined identity as a person’s language, physical traits, interests, gender, talents, religion, and heritage. We also discussed stereotypes, preconceived images or ideas placed on certain groups of people, that might be untrue and harmful. Students mentioned how they themselves felt stereotyped due to their fashion choices, ethnicity, and the neighborhoods they live in. Most students believe that through building positive communities that embrace diversity, we can overcome these unfair stereotypes.

This week I shared my own poetry with students. In my poem “From Scratch,” I described my own heritage written in the form of a recipe. I utilized cooking terms and measurements to describe my birth, such as a tablespoon of Irish mixed with a cup of African American from my mother and shredded Old English roots from my Great-great-grandad George. We discussed how recipes can become symbols for identity. Every recipe has its own special ingredients. As humans we are a mixture of memories, actions, and the important people in our lives. Inspired by my poem, students wrote their own recipe poems examining not only their individual identities, but those of relatives, friends, pets, and fictional characters. Enjoy reading this week’s published poems.

School
Shoesmith Elementary School

Poet in Residence
Joy Young

Date

Ms. Wesson's 5th Grade Group 1

Recipe for My Sister Peace F.

She was made with a gallon
of African American from Dad.
A splash of French from an Aunt
and a pinch of Mexican from
Mom.

1 cup of goofiness from me.
3 cups of a loud sister.
1 cup of baby cousin.
2 cups of milk chocolate came
from all of us.

If you mix these ingredients
together, you get my sister
Zola.

Recipe For Sophia London R.

I cup of Mexican from her mom.
3 teaspoons of blonde hair were
added by her cousin.

1 cup of African American from
her dad. 1 pound of braveness
from both her parents.

1/4 cup of singing comes from
both her mom and grandmother
with a 1/2 cup of her love of fruit.

She was put in a bowl and mixed
together. Then she came out dark
gold.

Recipe For My Heart, Designed By God Joshua G.

1 cup of humor came from my cousin.
30 gallons of smartness from my Uncle.
1 pound of friendless from my Mom.
100 gallons of blackness from my ancestors.
5 ounces of musical talent from my Grandpa
3 cups of chattiness from my sister.
5 gallons of love also comes from my Mom.

These ingredients mixed together, makes me!
Hi, I’m Joshua and my life is kind of crazy.

Ms. Wesson's 5th Grade Group 2

Recipe For Monica, From Friends Eniya H.L.

1 cup of smartness comes from Ross.
1/8 of black hair from her Dad.
1 pinch of cooking talent.
1 cup of craziness from Rachel.
1/2 cup of coolness from Phoebe.
2 cups of cleanliness from her Mother.
1 cup of love is from Chandler.

She was cooked in a crockpot.
A little bit too big, a bit too salty,
and a bit too crazy. She was over-
cooked.

Her brother Ross was worse, but
that’s a different story.

Recipe for Quasimodo Logon M.

1 pinch of hatred from Frollo.
1 pound of loyalty from the gargoyles.
1 cup of bravery from Phoebus.
1/2 cup of love from Esmeralda
1/8 cup of gypsy from his Mom.
1/4 cup of magic from the gypsies.
3/4 cup of acrobatics from getting
around the tower.

He was baked in a broken oven,
his back rose too high. He was taken
out after his oven was destroyed.

Recipe For A Cup of Maddy Maddysen T.

I was made from a teaspoon
of the past.

4 teaspoons of pepper added from
my grandpa. A tablespoon of vanilla
from my dad for more flavor.

1 cup of smartness came from my
cousin with a teaspoon of funniness.
I was shiny and plump, then placed
in a fryer.

When I came out, I was cute and tasty,
with a spoonful of chocolate.

Ms. Henry's 6th Grade Group 1

Recipe For Skylar Skylar R.

I was made from an old recipe.
1 cup of sassiness from my mom.
1/2 pound of brown sugar from
my dad.

1 teaspoon of mystery
from my grandpa.

2 cups of oil to make me shiny.
2 teaspoons of Indian spice from
my great-great grandma.

My family mixed me together,
but I was still clumpy. So, they
kept mixing me with a whisk.

Then I was too dry, so they put
in 2 cups of milk from great-
grandma Loretta.

I was put in the oven for 375
degrees. I was still too raw, so
I was put back in. Until I was
soft and warm inside.

My family put me in last, but
I came out the best. They put
a stick of butter in me, so now
I shine.

Recipe For Tinker Bell Eloise V.

A base of joy with a pinch
of anger. 2 tablespoons of
sassiness 4 cups of curiosity.
1/2 pound of creativity.

They say it’s too sticky and
won’t let go. But its golden,
nothing is the same.

It’s off the books and always
just right. Always perfect in
other people’s eyes.

They call this Blondie Tinker Bell.

Recipe For Veron Veron W.

1 cup of brotherly love from
Vyron, Vedell, and D.J.

2 scoops of friendships.
1 teaspoon of my father’s hair.
A pound of gaming skills.
3 pounds of coming in clutch.
in basketball.

3 teaspoons of silliness.
1 teaspoon of seriousness.

4 scoops of my sense of humor
from my best friends Caleb,
Tyler, Amir, and Gerald.

I was born in a tree from the jungle.
Always standing up for myself and
I’m not afraid to be me!! This is what
I am made of and I’m happy I was
made this way.

Born with scrappy hair, made to
play rough and hang around gorillas.
This is how I was made!!

Like it or not.

Ms. Henry's 6th Grade Group 2

Recipe For Taylor Brown Taylor B.

I was made from 99 gallons of dancing.
10 pints of competitions.
1 pound of training.

100 gallons of brown chocolate from
my mother.

A pinch of meanness from my brother.
6 pints of loyalty from my grandmother.
2 cups of silliness from friends.

I was fried on the stove. When I came out
my dad thought I looked like a pancake.
My mom knew I was 16 teaspoons of a
Hershey bar.

When mom took me off the stove,
I was 100 pints of brown chocolate.
She left me well done.

Recipe For Earth Caleb J.

Earth was baked in a golden
pot with plenty of colors.

Earth was made with 80
pounds of water. 15 pounds
of land and 100 pounds of air.

Earth came with humans
who build and destroy.

Earth was made with
1,000, 000, 000 gallons
of humans and happiness.
and 3 cups of depression.

Recipe For My Family Aubre P.B.

I was made from 1 gallon of African
American spices from my mom and
Puerto Rican spices from my dad.

50 cups of Indian came from my GG
and 50 cups of African American.
first grandma is 2 quarts and 16
cups of African American!

My second grandmother is 50
gallons of Puerto Rican spices.

My three cousins and I are
the odd ones out. We’re light
skin and very undercooked.

As soon as I came out the oven,
people were surprised. But I
fit in with my caramel family!

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