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This week's Poetry Friday host is Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche. Visit Margaret for all of the week's poetry links.

This week’s Poetry Friday host is Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche. Visit Margaret for all of the week’s poetry links.

Welcome back to Northfied Elementary, Poetry Friday readers.

This is my thirteenth year working with third graders at this local school. It’s a special occasion that I look forward to all year. The residency is sponsored by the school PTA’s cultural arts committee, and by an Artist-in-Residence grant from the Maryland State Arts Council. Thank you!

Our first poetry workshop was a favorite form, list poems. You can read my lesson, which describes the workshop, here.

The mentor text I use is “Words in My Pillow” by Naomi Shihab Nye, from Georgia Heard’s anthology of list poems, FALLING DOWN THE PAGE.

When we’re working on list poems, the students are focusing on two important skills: choosing a topic for the poem that influences every single line; and paying attention to word choice — this poem calls for juicy, interesting words that stand out!

While you’re enjoying these list poems, I will be on my way to my native New Jersey for NerdCamp! This annual literacy conference is held each year at Chatham HS. I’m looking forward to leading a session on introversion in the classroom with educator Heather Rocco. For a full list of authors and session, visit the NerdCampNJ home page.

Here is the next batch of third grade poems, with thanks to the students’ families for permission to share.

Words on the Beach
By Max A.

I know words are hiding here.
Words that are good–

Waves
Sharp
Soft

No one can see them
but I find them waiting for me.
Like the tummy hiding inside me.
No one can see it
but I know what I see–

Sand
Shells
Crabs
Seaweed
Water and
Waves

Things that are fun are in there
Beach balls are in there.

The words are playing together
when I want to meet them.

Fun
Water
Sun
Seaweed
is in the beach.

My friends the words
go to the beach before I do.
But they never
leave me.

***

Words in the Ocean
By Jesse Z.

I see words floating on the ocean.
Words that are soaked–

Sunken ship
Boats
Coral
Seashell

Some people can see them
but I find them swimming
like a shark swimming at me.
Some people can see it
but I really know it’s there.

Rough
Calm
Wavy
Blue
Crazy

Animals are in there.
Fish are in there.

The words are floating together
when I am saying or thinking them.

Splashing
Snorkeling
and sometimes getting seasick.

My friends the words
go float and play before I do.
But they never
go away.

***

Words in a Basketball Court
By Chaitanya M.

I hide words inside my basketball.
Words that are loud.

Dribble
Dunk
Buzzers

No one can see them
but I find them waiting for me.
Like the TUMMY hiding inside my body.
No one can see it
but I know what’s in there–

3 pointer
Lay-up
Crossover
Half court
Full court
Balls

Teams are in there.
Players are in there.

The words are playing together
when I am saying or thinking them.

Leather
Rubber
Glass
Metal
is in my basketball court.

My friends, the words
never go away.

***

Words in My Gymnastics Bag
By Milan M.

I hide words inside my gymnastics bag.
Words that feel good and bad–

Leotard
Scrunchie
Socks

No one can see them
but I find them inside my brain.
Like the pain hiding inside my ankle.
No one can see it
but I know what’s in there–

Competing
Winning
Tired
Flexibility
Tricks
Flipping
Split

Entertaining is in there.
Sweaty is in there.

The words are playing together
when I am saying or thinking them.

Boom!
Thump!
Land!
Ouch!
is in my gymnastics bag.

My friends the words
go to gymnastics class before I do.
But they never, never, ever
do flips and splits!!!!

***

Words in My Basketball
By Trevor L.

I hide words inside my basketball.
Words that inspire me.

Orange
Stripes
Light

No one can see them
but I find them waiting for me.
Like the greatness hiding inside my body.
No one can see it
but I know what’s in there–

Shot
Team
Players
Hoop
Fun
Back board

Smarts are in me.

Me and the ball are playing together
when I am saying or thinking of it.

Friends
Crazy
Rough
Tough
is in my ball.

My ball, my friend
goes to the court.
But it doesn’t
go away.

***

Words in My Dog
By Emma B.

I hide words inside my dog.
Words that are good–

Dog toys
Panting
Warm

No one can see them
but I find them waiting for me.
I know what’s in there.

Trotting
Fun
Combs
Energetic
Excited
Running

Fleas are in there.
Ticks are in there.

Jumping
Dog food
Treats
Fluffy
is in my dog.

My dog
goes to bed before I do.
But the words inside her
go away.

***

All poems shared with permission.

For more of this year’s student poems, please check out:
Poems from Third Grade, Part 1 — List Poems (Ms. Spencer, Ms. Sochol-Solomon, and Ms. Scavo’s classes)
Poems from Third Grade, Part 2 — List Poems (Ms. Hilliard and Ms. Trodden’s classes)
Poems from Third Grade, Part 3 — Food Poems (Ms. Hilliard and Ms. Trodden’s classes)
Poems from Third Grade, Part 4 — Food Poems (Ms. Spencer, Ms. Sochol-Solomon, and Ms. Scavo’s classes)

14 responses to “Poetry Friday: Poems from Third Grade, Part 2”

  1. Hello poet mentor teacher nerd camp leader dear Laura –

    It is soothing in
    this world
    to see
    your nerd with words style +
    Naomi’s list poem model +
    Georgia’s huge heart tall skinny yellow Falling Down the Page (which I have thumbed way too much…)
    = young poets
    who juggle words as well as the above named top poets.

    Everyone please take a bow!

  2. Molly Hogan says:

    What a wonderful collection of list poems! I especially love these lines: “Like the greatness hiding inside my body.
    No one can see it
    but I know what’s in there–”
    There’s nothing hidden about the accomplishment of these young poets! Thanks for sharing!

  3. They are all so good, but I especially love Words in the Ocean. What a talented group!

  4. Linda Baie says:

    Those words that hide inside various things, yet each time the poem seems also to come from the heart, Laura. They’re wonderful!

  5. Oh Laura, These are a joy. I need to try this with students. Love the opening line “I hide the words”. Isn’t it so much fun to just go and teach poetry?

  6. Margaret says:

    I have this collection and love using Naomi’s poem to inspire more writing. I love poem forms that allow students freedom to choose the topic that means the most to them. They always come out strong and full of voice. Thanks for sharing your experience.

  7. Linda Mitchell says:

    Have a great time at Nerd Camp! I’m so glad you are there representing the poet authors. These poems are what I needed today. When the grown ups cannot seem to find ways of making things work….kids just get it right. Love these list poems and the kid inside each of them.

  8. Alice Nine says:

    Isn’t it great how using the form of a mentor poem enables students to focus on their topic and word choice. These are wonderful poems; I’m partial to the sea/ocean. Love the lines from Max: “My friends the words / go to the beach before I do. / But they never / leave me.” And these from Jesse: “I see words floating on the ocean. / Words that are soaked–” Have a wonderful time at NerdCamp!

  9. Wonderful! Thank you for sharing more work from these amazing student poets, Laura.

  10. Laura, by the time you read this you will have enjoyed your NerdCamp experience. I hope you share your residency and the children’s poems with the group so teachers can see that poetry is inside each child if we share the entryway. I noted that each child based their poem on their passion or love. I gravitated to Words at the Beach: I know words are hiding here.
    Words that are good–…
    My friends the words
    go to the beach before I do.
    But they never
    leave me.

    Max’s last two lines are so true.
    Enjoy your weekend.

  11. Hmmm. You’ve got me thinking which words are hiding in my classroom tadpole tank. Stay tuned! — Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/

  12. Thank your students for their poems. I’ve been away with a group of women friends this weekend. I’ll be thinking about what words might have been hiding. Not very many I think.

  13. […] Grade, Part 1 — List Poems (Ms. Spencer, Ms. Sochol-Solomon, and Ms. Scavo’s classes) Poems from Third Grade, Part 2 — List Poems (Ms. Hilliard and Ms. Trodden’s classes) Poems from Third Grade, Part 3 […]

  14. […] Grade, Part 1 — List Poems (Ms. Spencer, Ms. Sochol-Solomon, and Ms. Scavo’s classes) Poems from Third Grade, Part 2 — List Poems (Ms. Hilliard and Ms. Trodden’s classes) Poems from Third Grade, Part 3 […]

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Laura Shovan

Laura Shovan is the author of the award-winning middle grade novel, The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary. Her second book, Takedown, is a Junior Library Guild and PJ Our Way selection. Look for A Place at the Table, co-written with Saadia Faruqi, in 2020. Laura is a poet-in-the-schools Maryland.

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