Cinquain! - The Chicago Poetry Center

Cinquain!

I had planned a lesson on 2 kinds* of the five-line poetry form known as cinquain for my 9th sessions with Swift 2nd graders. Since they have been learning about poetry with their classroom teachers, they were eager to know if I was familiar with the haiku poetry form. One student wanted to know how many kinds of poetry I could name! We talked about some poetry forms having formulas, kind of like math. Whether we worked together or individually on poems, students quickly realized that the practice was more challenging than they’d realized. Still, students had fun exercising their creative muscles: some wrote cinquain, and others wrote cinquain-inspired poems.

Ms. Urquiza 2nd Grade

2 collaborative cinquain-inspired poems Class

poetry
fun, creative, magical
writing, reading, listening
learning new things
nice

friends
having
fun with classmates
so much laughter and joy
they make us feel so happy that
we play!

for Ms. U on her Birthday Sirisha A.

Ms. U
pretty and kind
teaching and helping us
having fun is your best birthday
teacher

Mobin M.

hoverboard
fast, cool
riding, battling, zooming
hard to ride
fireboard

Rajan R.

Farzan
tall, smart
running, walking, writing
Farzan is the best student
good

Ms. Amato 2nd Grade

trees (a collaborative haiku) Class

leafy, strong and proud
fat, hard trunk rising from roots
beautiful green leaves

soup (a collaborative cinquain) Class

soup
tasty, hot
warming, mouth-watering, tingling
feels cozy when you’re sick
broth

iHop Benicio C.

pancakes
delicious, syrupy
dipping, devouring, mouth-watering
the food is delicious
scrumptious

Alvina C.

Kitty
fuzzy, cute
prring, meowing, sleeping
fluffy, cozy, scared of dogs
soft

Dennis G.

Dog
fast, cute
speeding, eating, biting
I would like one for Christmas
fluffy