All posts in chicago public schools

Students wrote letter poems called Epistolary poems after reading Kobe Bryant’s poem, ‘Dear Basketball.’ Lesson Note: “When you make art, and you don’t know what’s going to happen, you’re involved in the mystery that […]

Students read James Tate’s poem, ‘Untitled,’ where the speaker embellishes their accomplishments…just a little. Lesson Note: “I love my funny poems, but I’d rather break your heart. And if I can do both in […]

Students wrote Odes, using personification, after reading Francisco X. Alarcon’s poem, ‘Ode to My Shoes.’ Lesson Note: “If it were up to me, everything I love would have a poem in praise of it. […]

Students read ‘Along the East River and in the Bronx Young Men Were Singing‘ by Ariel Francisco, in a nod to the opening lines of Fredrico Lorca’s ode to Walt Whitman, ‘ By the […]

‘I celebrate and sing myself…’-Walt Whitman Students explored names through a series of prompts, which began with a reading of ‘a girl named jack’ by Jaqueline Woodson. What occurs when someone or something is […]

Students wrote ‘Where I’m From’ poems investigating the real and fantastical in poetry. Lesson Note: “What I like about this exercise is that it asks poets to look at what we think and think […]

Students read ‘Thanks’ by W.S. Merwin before crafting their poems and musings on thanks! Lesson Note: “Being grateful is linked to higher levels of life satisfaction, optimism, vitality, helpfulness, empathy, forgiveness, and positive affect. […]

Our class began with a discussion of food and memory in preparation for studying Gary Soto’s Narrative-Style poem, Oranges. Nostalgia and feelings came up frequently in our discussions. What emotions are attached to memory […]

Metaphor| Metáfora Sabin Elementary School | 4th Grade Our work with metaphor! We read Nikki Giovani’s poem, “Poetry” What is poetry? Students thought about what poetry is to them. Check out some student poetry […]

Sabin Elementary School | 4th Grade Leímos el poema “fresca” escrito por Nayyirah Waheed; y toma forma interesante con el título en el fondo del poema. Hablábamos sobre el futuro, lo que venga y […]

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