Listening and Hearing

For my 3rd session with Swift 2nd graders, we read I’d know You Anywhere by Nancy Tillman, and “H is for Happiness,” from An Emotional Menagerie. Both poems allowed us to listen for and anticipate rhymes. Listening and hearing were the focus for the day, and many students surprised themselves with their own creativity as they wrote Sound Poems.

Ms. Amato 2nd Grade

Sounds of the World Evlin A.

When I’m at home
I hear the microwave
beep beep,
the TV turning on
with a little squeak
the faucet dripping with
a tap and a tip

When I’m outside
I hear birds chirping
with a squeak and a squeal
I hear kids yelling
hooray and yay
I hear sticks breaking
with a crunch and a click.

When I’m at school
I hear the pencil on the paper.

Friends Talking Alana S.

You should hear the sound of friends talking
Sometimes it’s wonderful, sometimes not
Sometimes they talk about sad things or serious things
or happy things or silly things or scary things.
What do your friends talk about?

Delphina O.

I like the sound of birds chirpping
It’s the first thing I hear when I
wake up
It feels relaxing
I like the sound of kids reading
it’s like they are talking to the book.

Mishika S.

The sound of pencils scratching
when it’s writing time
and we are thinking
and letting our feelings out
to express and be free
the sound of pencils scratching

Avani R.

At home I hear the door opening
I hear the TV beginning and I hear
the chairs being pushed

Outside I hear police sirens
I hear cats meowing
I hear church bells

At school I hear knocking on the
desks
I hear children talking
I hear teachers teaching.

Ms. Urquiza 2nd Grade

The sounds I hear Ayza U.

I hear the sound from the
upper floor at home tok tik tok
And outside I hear the cold
wind shshshshh
At school the noises of people
talking blah blaaahhh

The sound I hear Lohi A.

I hear my family talking at the Phone
talking to me at home
I hear my mom scrubbing dishes
at the sink
I hear birds tweet tweet
outside.
I hear wind blowing trees to make
a sound outside.
I hear people talking to their friends
while they walk outside.
I hear people talking to their friends
at school
I hear people reading at school.
I hear people stomping at school
sometimes
I hear people singing at school
sometimes.

Sound Poem Samip N.

I hear the sink dripping out water
I hear the freezer door closing
I hear the birds singing
I hear branches break
I hear cars driving
I hear my friends talking
I hear people walking
I hear pencils writing

Sounds in the forest Sumin K.

I hear the snakes hissing shhh
I hear lions roaring ROAR!
I hear monkeys say hoho aa.hohoaaa.