AM I A POET?
Am I a poet? This is just one question that the Grade 7A class has been attempting to answer in their English class over the past few weeks. The purpose has been to explore the big idea that language and text can be a source of creativity and joy. My deep hope for my students is that they appreciate how poetry can be used to express thoughts and emotions, and that they are willing to risk sharing their thoughts and emotions through writing their own poems. Their poems express who they are as image reflectors of Christ. This unit also provides the opportunity for students to practice the core competencies of communication and critical thinking. They are reflecting on and evaluating their poems, and will present to an audience of people they might not know.
Poetry is one of my favourite topics to teach, because even reluctant writers often discover that they can produce wonderful, thoughtful, expressive poems. Those who enjoy writing are challenged to express their thoughts using different techniques, words and models. While many Grade 7s appreciate the brevity of poems, they rise to the challenge of inspecting the words and poetic devices used in a variety of poems. The great thing about poetry is sometimes there are strict rules and sometimes there are no rules! And every poem speaks something different to its reader. It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder; in the case of poetry, beauty is in the eye of the reader.
In class the students have explored many different types of poems (ex. Haiku, limerick) and poetic devices (ex. rhyme, rhythm, repetition, alliteration). My favourite part so far has been listening to the students talk about poems, ones they have written or read. I hope you enjoy the sample draft poems from some of our Grade 7 students below. These poems have not gone through the final revising and editing process yet, but they are a pretty good start. I enjoy reading these poems because it helps me learn more about the students and what is important to them.
Tracey Sabbagh
Grade 7 Teacher
[yt_box style="noise" box_color="#33006F" radius="7" title="GRADE 7 POETRY CAFE" title_color="#ffffff" ] Join us on April 27th from 11am – 12pm for a great hour of poetry and goodies with Mrs. Sabbagh’s Grade 7 class![/yt_box]
GRADE 7 DRAFT POEMS
NATURE THROUGH A BRUSH
By Luke Stantic
Art is nature
The eagle soars up high in the tree
The lion roars and the animals flee
The blue bird flies
Because the sun will rise
The cool water rushes
The painter still brushes
Nature is the art.
DIAMANTE
By Madi Denis
Whispers
Soft, Mysterious
Impact, Vanish, Speak
One whisper can speak louder than a scream
Yell, Shout, Shriek
Loud, Outgoing,
Scream
WHERE I’M FROM
By Maritz deVilliers
I am from the cold winters that freeze the waterfalls.
I am from the piano
The one in the study.
I am from eating out on family birthdays.
I am from reading the bible.
Praying to God.
Who changes my life
In ways I could never imagine.
I am from exploring the nature
With my Brothers & my Dad
On our dirtbikes,
One blue, three red.
I am from ‘be careful and have fun’ and ‘remember to shake hands!’
I am from a house near mountains
Where one day I will move out
When I will start adding more to where I’m from
WHERE I’M FROM
By Allison Koebel
I am made from the hands of God.
From the bright blue skies,
To the beautiful green orchards.
From the sweet smell of apples
that surround all of Kelowna.
I am from a Christian based family
since all of day one.
My family is truly a lot of fun.
From the day
My sister and I would play.
My mom would come out running
And say “dinner is coming.”
I am from the family who would go to the beach
And sit all weekend and enjoy the sun.
I am blessed to be where I am from
THE COLORFUL UMBRELLA
By Israel Gliddon
Everyone wonders why I carry my light with me
The thing that keeps me happy inside
I choose to carry my colors instead of keeping them hidden away
People use umbrellas for rain
For sun
No one said we can't use it for snow
My colorful umbrella is me
Snow is everyone else
I choose to be myself instead of going with the crowd
Issie, the colorful umbrella
WHERE I’M FROM
By Jared Hanenburg
I am from warm air with the smell of pine
from hospitality
I am from trees and trails all around
I am the flickering light
I am from loonies, dimes, water and small plastic cups
From the lighthouse
I am from hanenburg lane
From the grass that it holds, and the eagle it nests
I am from “Fox Creek!
I am from “The loser gets a chocolate”
And I am from the little candy hearts
I am from stuffing and dry turkey
From he is risen indeed
I am from greasy oily bolen
From a juicy fatburger
I am from “push ‘em back”
From working with my hands
I am from “no cake, no cake”
From Canada
I am from a christian home
I am His
From excited for when I'm called home
I am from Gods kingdom.
WHERE I’M FROM
By Jack Nyrose
I am from beautiful lights
From a big city
I am from the sweet rain
From long days
I am from the big brown couch
From the old box tv
I am from the cabinet filled with toys
From the big turkey dinners
I am from sorry does not work that way
From life's not fair
From the tooth fairy
From santa
From trail mix
From pizza
From the water slides
From getting hit with hockey sticks
To smashing my head on ladders
From canada with lots of forest
To a big city
I am from VANCOUVER
HOPE AND DESPERATION
By Doreen Wilson
Hope,
Confident, Buoyant,
Conceivably, Expectantly, Feasibly,
Wish, Ambition, Misery, Unhappiness,
Hate, Scorn, Desire,
Hopeless, Anguished,
Desperation.
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