For their third week of poetry, Twain 4th graders explored the meaning of family. I asked students “Where do you fit in your family?” Students thought about the positive and negative aspects of being the oldest, middle, youngest, or the only child. We even discussed how families can be created through marriage (stepparents/ step siblings) or through adoption. Friends and pets can also be considered part of a family as well.
Together we read the poem “Genetics,” by Jacqueline Woodson. In her poem Woodson uses similes to describe her family, how they are similar and different. Similes are comparisons between two unlike things using the words “like” or “as.” While Woodson has a dark brown complexion like her mother and grandfather, her little brother Roman is a lighter skin tone, which she describes as pale as dust. Often when people meet the poet’s family, they don’t think her brother belongs to them. Despite this difference, Roman shares a special physical trait with his family, a beautiful, gaped-tooth smile.
Woodson shows us that families come in all shape, sizes, and colors. All families aren’t perfect, not everyone looks or acts the same Inspired by Woodson’s poem students wrote their own poems describing their unique families using similes.
Make sure to read these poems and look at the artwork below with your own family.
Ms. Williams 4th Grade
Group 1
My Family
by Julian C.
My sister’s hair is brown like a cookie.
My brother acts funny like a clown.
My dad is strong like a boxer.
My mom is patient.
My team and I are good baseball
players like the Cubs team.
My Family
By Angel P.
My cousin plays like El Cristiano Ronaldo.
My dad is rough like John Cena.
My mom is kind as a teacher.
My sister is sly like a fox.
My dog is as lazy as a cat.
My dog is as playful as me.
My bird is as joyful as me.
My dad play like Cristiano Ronaldo.
I am as lazy as a cat.
I Have a Sports Family
By Valentino R.
I fit in my family cause we role
and play sports.
My dog is fluffy like a blanket.
My brother is fast like time.
My mom is nice like a helper.
My dad is interesting like a book.
My cousin is slow like a turtle.
Ms. Hayes 4th Grade
Group 2
My Family
By Adrian A.
My mom is as soft as a marshmallow.
My cousin is as bright as the sun.
My dad is fast as a cheetah.
My big sister is as old as grandma.
I’m as good as a professional player.
my other cousin has long hair as a girl.
My dog’s fur is as hard as a rock.
My family is loud when watch a game.
Sometimes I play baseball in the house,
that’s why I always get in trouble, but
always loud.
I broke a window when I was tossing
a baseball in the house.
And that’s why my house is always loud.
How I Feel About Being In the Middle
By Selina A.
How I feel about being in the middle,
is that I always have to do things
and my siblings always bother me.
My mom is telling me what to do,
like I have to get my brothers up
and sometimes do lunches.
But sometimes I wish I was the oldest.
But sometimes I wish I didn’t have
siblings because they make me happy,
but also make me mad.
But if I was the only one, who
would I have to play with?
And who would I talk to?
But sometimes it is good to be the middle.
This is how I feel about being the middle child.
The Oldest Child
By Szymon W.
It is hard to be the oldest child.
You mostly have to do stuff by yourself.
While the youngest gets everything.
You manly do stuff by yourself,
like sports and games.
It does not feel good inside.
But sometimes it’s good, you do
not get in fights like WWE
Its ok and not sometimes,
but I am good with what I am.
Ms. Soldat 4th Grade
Group 3
I’m the Youngest in My Family
By Adolfo H.
I am the youngest just like Peter Parker.
My dad is the worker bee.
My dog is as fast as Lightening McQueen.
My older sister is as short as an ant.
Me, I’m the youngest.
I am tall like a giraffe.
My mom and I’s hair is blacker than my backpack.
I am still as a water bottle.
I am crazy as a bull.
My sister is as calm as tree.
My dad is as lazy as a couch potato.
My Crazy Family
By Alejandro P.
My Dad has a lighter skin than all of us.
All of my siblings have skin tone,
but I’m the only one who has my mom’s
skin tone.
My sister has hair that is curly, like a
pig’s tail. she gets it from my mom.
But my brother and I’s hair is straight
like the edges of paper.
We get that from our dad.
I have a gap in my teeth,
as long as a marathon.
I get that from my mom.
That’s my crazy family.
My Kind Animal Family
by Janayla R.
My fishes’ scales look as shiny as glitter.
So does my sister’s fish.
My past cat was as sweet as honey.
My Uncle’s pet dog died because he was sick.
but did not make it.
I love and miss him so much.
Ms. Carther 4th Grade
Group 4
My Family
by Leonardo G.
My family has so many different people.
My big brother is as big as a bear.
My little sister is small as a mouse.
My little brother is loud as an explosion.
My dad is as funny as a comedian.
My stepbrother is as crazy as a monkey.
Those are just some of my family.
I’m the First Child
By Barbara G.
I’m the first child, so I’m the oldest.
I’m the tallest on my mom’s side.
My brother is the middle child.
He is autistic. I help him with
his anger issues.
I have another brother,
he is as crazy as a monkey.
He jumps up on the counter
to the table.
Describing My Family
By Jairo M.
Myself, in a family, it’s like a mixed bag.
My mom is as itchy as wool
and still cares about beauty.
I am private, like an introvert
at a college party.
My brother is also like me.
My dad is as tough as Rambo.
Is bald too.
My dog is as tiny as a pillow.
and can attract boy dogs.
