Last week, I went to Marshall, MN, for a young writers conference. Kids from all over southwestern Minnesota came to the university there for a day of writing fun. It was an uneventful drive on a sunny, warm, January day (in Minnesota?!) through farm country.
Becky Fjelland Davis gave a rousing keynote describing different writing methods by comparing them to animals and also telling kids some of the necessary things you need to do to be a writer:
And here are a few pictures of the poems the kids wrote during my Ode to a…Pineapple? session, shared with their permission. (I shared this lesson plan last spring.)
Aren’t those fun? The 3rd-5th graders were mostly eager to share theirs with the class. The 6th-8th graders, not so much :>) I love young authors conferences because, for the most part, the kids are?eager, but trying not to show it.
There was one awkward moment, though. I had told the kids they could read their own poems out loud, or, if they really didn’t want to (but still wanted to share), they could have a friend read it or I would read it.
One boy, who was thrumming with excitement during the whole session and was very into his poem, came to the front. He thrust the poem out toward me and whispered that he wanted me to read it. So there I was reading “An Ode to Guns” to a classroom of elementary students. Oi.
Tara at A Teaching Life?has the Poetry Friday Roundup today!
30 Responses
I love the sensory images! And a gun poem–oh, boy. Never a dull moment, right?
These are so fun, Laura! My favorite line was the one about music:
“my life would be a bore without your spellbinding noise.”
Thanks, Julie–We used a Wordle of extravagant words so that we wouldn’t get stuck in just saying something was “good” or “nice,” etc. They loved that Wordle!
I love the sensory images! And a gun poem–oh, boy. Never a dull moment, right?
These are so fun, Laura! My favorite line was the one about music:
“my life would be a bore without your spellbinding noise.”
Thanks, Julie–We used a Wordle of extravagant words so that we wouldn’t get stuck in just saying something was “good” or “nice,” etc. They loved that Wordle!
Nice to share the poems, love that ‘you taste like Disney World’. It sounds like the students enjoyed the day, so good to hear about them writing!
Thanks, Linda! Those pencils were scritch-scratching across that paper!
Nice to share the poems, love that ‘you taste like Disney World’. It sounds like the students enjoyed the day, so good to hear about them writing!
Thanks, Linda! Those pencils were scritch-scratching across that paper!
What fun! What fun! Thanks for sharing these. I, too, was caught by “you taste like Disney World food.” And, an “Ode to Dishsoap” (!) — I will definitely think of that as I wash my dishes today! In fact, I think there are still some in the sink.…
Aren’t there always (dishes in the sink?). Yeah, the kids worked hard for those sensory images:>)
What fun! What fun! Thanks for sharing these. I, too, was caught by “you taste like Disney World food.” And, an “Ode to Dishsoap” (!) — I will definitely think of that as I wash my dishes today! In fact, I think there are still some in the sink.…
Aren’t there always (dishes in the sink?). Yeah, the kids worked hard for those sensory images:>)
I think Ode to Dishsoap is getting printed out and posted above my kitchen sink!
Hi Katya–That student would be so excited to know the poem got such a response:>)
I think Ode to Dishsoap is getting printed out and posted above my kitchen sink!
Hi Katya–That student would be so excited to know the poem got such a response:>)
Such an amazing collection of poems from young kids! Thank you dearly for sharing. I love the bits about ‘you taste like Disney world’ and the ode to soapdish! And your conference also sounded very productive. Always great to meet young writers.
Thanks, Myra. It really is a treat to write with kids and see what they come up with and what they respond to…
Such an amazing collection of poems from young kids! Thank you dearly for sharing. I love the bits about ‘you taste like Disney world’ and the ode to soapdish! And your conference also sounded very productive. Always great to meet young writers.
Thanks, Myra. It really is a treat to write with kids and see what they come up with and what they respond to…
These are wonderful! My students’ odes are always fabulous, too. Nothing like writing about something you truly adore.
Thanks for sharing your “Ode to Guns” story. I have had similar moments with sharing my students’ writing. They often like to have me read their work aloud, and there have been times when I haven’t been prepared for what would come next!
Thanks, Ruth–It is fun to get kids focused on the things they love. So many times, their (and my) first instinct is to get sarcastic or talk about what’s wrong. But once they get focused on the positive, they have a a fantastic time!
And glad I’m not the only one on the awkward read-aloud moment:>)
These are wonderful! My students’ odes are always fabulous, too. Nothing like writing about something you truly adore.
Thanks for sharing your “Ode to Guns” story. I have had similar moments with sharing my students’ writing. They often like to have me read their work aloud, and there have been times when I haven’t been prepared for what would come next!
Thanks, Ruth–It is fun to get kids focused on the things they love. So many times, their (and my) first instinct is to get sarcastic or talk about what’s wrong. But once they get focused on the positive, they have a a fantastic time!
And glad I’m not the only one on the awkward read-aloud moment:>)
Just ONE awkward moment?!? I’d count that as success!! 🙂
Yeah, could’ve been worse, I suppose:>)
Just ONE awkward moment?!? I’d count that as success!! 🙂
Yeah, could’ve been worse, I suppose:>)