The 7th week of poetry for 5th graders involved imagining an ideal day for themselves. I asked students, “What does the perfect day look like to you?” Some students responded with ideas such as playing volleyball on the beach with friends, visiting New York City, or listening to music alone in their rooms.
Together we read, “A Quiet Day,” by poet Amy Ludwig Vanderwater. In Vanderwater’s poem, she paints a beautiful picture of a day she can relax and have peace. A quiet day is like a park/You can be alone/you can play hide-and-seek inside your brain/you can dream/ you can even bring a book. After reading I then asked students if they liked spending time alone or with other people. A few students mentioned wanting to have a moment away from school or their siblings, making time to play games or do arts and crafts, or binge watch their favorite shows, while other students are extroverts, they love to hang out with friends, family, or crowded places. Vanderwater’s poem shows readers that it’s ok to make time to relax, meditate or have self-care, recharging our minds and bodies.
Inspired by Vanderwater’s poem, students wrote poems describing a special day where there are no worries about school or homework, by a day to be themselves with no distractions and the freedom to do whatever they want.
Mr. Maciasz 5th Grade
Group 1
My Perfect Day
By Amira L.
My perfect day will be sunny.
My perfect day will be happy.
My perfect day I will do volleyball.
My perfect day, I will be playing
volleyball with my friends at
my house.
A Sunny Day
By Agustin M.
My perfect day would be warm,
with a light, cooling breeze.
I would love to see,
green leaves on the trees.
I wouldn’t want to hear,
kids screaming and shouts.
I want to be alone,
running about.
I would love to play football,
catch and throw,
getting a touchdown,
letting the wind blow.
A Tasty Day
By Alejandro P.
I wake up on my soft bed.
A crispy morning breeze
breeze around my room.
I put on my clothes, I head
outside, the weather is pretty
tender.
I head to Wingstop and get my
boneless meal deal and my friends
get theirs.
And then we feast!!!
A Fun Day
By Nicole R.
A fun day is a sunny day.
You can feel happy.
You can go to the Mall.
You can go to Starbucks.
You can get your favorite
drink.
Ms. Fernandez 5th Grade
Group 2
A Cozy Day
By Emily A.
It’s raining outside with a slight breeze.
In your bed, listening to your
favorite music.
Playing your favorite games.
Eating banana pancakes with
a banana shake.
Outside making smores with the
fire crackling and popping.
Sleeping sound asleep
comfy in bed.
Your cat sitting right
beside you.
The trees swaying,
the leaves flying.
A Good Day
By Erick G.
It’s hot outside, you can see
the bird say, “Come out.”
So So cool, you can fly
in the air.
Eating ice cream,
doing homework,
being in the pool
with your friends,
like a pool parrot.
A Blue Lilac Day
By Sofia R.
Today is blue lilac day, which means no
parents for 24 hours and just yourself.
It’s darkish, lightish blue outside with
a bit of rain.
You can lock yourself in your room
and listen to music, or you
could go on the bus downtown
to the beach alone, you can
just sit and look at the waves at 4am.
or you could swim in the water.
Then you can drive to a field of. . .
lilacs with your headphones
on and just walk around the field
and twirl around.
You can sit under a tree on a hill.
You can visit and explore abandoned
places and fool around.
A Cool Day
By Mariana G.
Today, the weather was warm,
it was not that hot and not that cold.
It was the perfect weather.
This day made you feel calm and
relax, the reason why, is because
the leaves are moving, the flowers
are blooming and squirrels are
talking.
The things you can do on
this day, is sit in a tree and
read a book.
You can also sit in a tree and
watch the sunset come.
The things you can do with people
is hangout with my friends or
go to theme park with your friends
like the circus.
Ms. Respress 5th Grade
Group 3
A Peaceful Day
By Adrian B.
It would be a sunny day.
You are calm and happy.
You can play soccer and play
with your friends.
Buy your family and friends
some stuff, gift cards, drinks,
and action figures.
A Perfect Summer Day
By Isaiah M.
The day would be hot like a pot.
A day full of energy and sports.
But you have to do more chores
and play your friend outside,
and you think that’s the right side.
You and your parents went to the beach.
You hope you don’t have a leach.
A Snowy Day
By Isaiah C.
The snowy day
is very snowy.
This day makes you feel
cold and freezing.
You can build a
snowman and make
snow angels.
You can have a snowball
fight with friends.
I could make a snow
angel with my grandma
for the last time.
A Silent Day
By Viktoria K.
You can find a nice place that has a view of the
sunny day and blue sky and find a beach that’s
full of happiness.
You can watch people play volleyball.
You can sit in the sunshine, thinking
what you should do with your life.
You can go to the churro stand,
and get a churro.
You can feed the birds bread.
You can be yourself.
Sometimes when people make noises
when you want peace and quiet,
but you can grab a book and move
somewhere else.
Ms. Bell 5th Grade
Group 4
A Gaming Day
By Bryan B.
What’s the weather like on this day?
It’s a sunny day.
How does this day make you feel?
Very very happy day.
What type of things can you do alone
on this day? Just play games like
Call of Duty, FC2 S Football,
College 23, NFL 25, Gta.
What types of things can you do
with others on this day? Just play
play games like Call of Duty, FC2 S
Football, College 23, NFL 25, Gta.
A Random Day
By Jairo M.
The weather is 93 degrees, the sun beaming
on anyone who steps foot in sunlight,
so, you stay inside refreshed.
you go back to sleep for another two hours,
wake up and be alone for half an hour.
You can be an Arby’s dumpster,
You can be on the moon.
You can steal the moon.
You can get fired at McDonalds.
Can’t put the fries in the bag anymore.
A Sunny Day
By Noire U.
You can get sunburned.
You can get happy and excited.
You can tan alone.
You can play volleyball alone.
You can listen to music alone.
You can go to the park.
You can go to the pool.
You can play sports.
You can play with water balloons.
You can go to the beach with
your friends.
A Lazy Day
By Elizabeth L.
You can lie in bed and sleep
for the day.
You can fall asleep by the
rain outside for the day.
Your rabbit can sit
in your lap.
You can create a playlist.
You can read a book.
You can scroll on your phone,
while wrapped in your blanket.
