Confession by Bruce Lansky

Confession
by Bruce Lansky

I have a brief confession
that I would like to make.
If I don’t get it off my chest
I’m sure my heart will break.

I didn’t do my reading.
I watched TV instead—
while munching cookies, cakes, and chips
and cinnamon raisin bread.

I didn’t wash the dishes.
I didn’t clean the mess.
Now there are roaches eating crumbs—
a million, more or less.

I didn’t turn the TV off.
I didn’t shut the light.
Just think of all the energy
I wasted through the night.

I feel so very guilty.
I did a lousy job.
I hope my students don’t find out
that I am such a slob.

After reading the first 4 stanzas who do you think is talking?

Who is really talking?  How do you know?

How does this poem make you feel after reading it?

The first time I read this poem I thought it was a student that wrote it.  Then after I finished reading I realized it was a teacher!  It reminded me that sometimes teachers make mistakes too.  I was able to  visualize everything the teacher was doing because of the descriptive language the poet used.  While I was reading I pictured a student in my head doing these things, but at the end the picture changed when I found out it was a teacher.

Posted by Ms. Vought

Class2-206 – Walking Home in a Storm

WALKING HOME IN A STORM

To the beat of the wind,

the trees dance and sway.

The rain seeps down

my raincoat neck,

dripping, dropping

every which way.

I smell the earth all soggy wet.

A boom!

A slash!

A lightning flash!

I scurry along

and slip and trip.

But then I stop

and enjoy each drop.

I taste a raindrop on my cheek.

It’s salty and it’s kind of sweet.

I let myself get wonderfully  wet

and I jump in the

next…..

big…..

PUDDLE!

During our poetry unit, we realize that poetry depends on our senses.  This poem “Walking Home in a Storm” made me visualize and experience our senses of hearing, touching, tasting, smelling and feeling all at once.

Read this poem and tell me how you feel?  Then answer these question.

l.  What senses did this poet use?

2. Tell one phrase that describes each of the senses used.

3. Are there any descriptive words that helped you to visualize?

4. What does the mood seem to be (angry, joyous,sad,silly etc.)

5. How do you think the author felt when he wrote this poem?  Have you ever felt this way?

6. Can you think of another title for this poem?

posted by Mrs.S.Naidoo – Class 2-206

What I Found in My Desk by Bruce Landsky

A ripe peach with an ugly bruise,

a pair of stinky tennis shoes,

a day-old ham-and-cheese on rye,

a swimsuit that I left to dry,

a pencil that glows in the dark,

some bubble gum found in the park,

a paper bag with cookie crumbs,

an old kazoo that barely hums,

a Spelling test that I almost failed,

a letter I should have mailed

and one more thing, I must confess,

a note from teacher, Clean This Mess!!!

Read this poem  and answer the following:

1.  Name five things that are in this desk.  Then write the  words that the poet uses to describe these things that you choose.

2.  What words help you to visualize what is in this desk?

3.  What do you  smell, hear, taste, and feel as you read the poem?

Posted by Ms. B’s  Class 2-213

Class 2-212 Sunflakes by Frank Asch

If sunlight fell like snowflakes,

gleaming yellow and so bright,

we could build a sunman,

we could have a sunball fight,

we could watch the sunflakes

drifting in the sky.

We could go sleighing

in the middle of July

through sundrifts and sunbanks,

we could ride a sunmobile,

and we could touch sunflakes-

I wonder how they’d feel.

Do you think you would like to play with sunflakes?

What other activities might you do with sunflakes? Describe them.

Do you think the author is being serious or silly?  Tell why  you think that.

Mrs. Zolna

What is Red? by Mary O’Neill

We talked about how different colors make us feel a certain way. For example blue makes us feel sad. Now we are going to look at how the color red makes us feel. Read the poem and answer the questions that follow.

What is Red? by Mary O’Neil

Red is sunset

Blazing and bright.

Red is feeling brave

with all your might.

Red is a sunburn

Spot on your nose.

sometimes red

Is a red, red, rose.

Red squiggles out

when you cut your hand.

Red is a brick

and the sound of aband.

Red is hotness

you get inside

when your embarassed

and want to hide.

fire-cracker, fire-engine

fire- flicker red–

and you’re angry

Red runs through your head.

Red is an Indian

a Valentine heart.

the trimmings on

A circus cart.

Red is a lipstick

Red is a shout

Red is a signal

that says “WATCH OUT!”

Red is great big

rubber ball.

Red is the giantest

color of all.

Red is a show-off.

No doubt about it.

but can you imagine

living with out it?

1. List a few things that the author thinks about when she sees red.

2. Do you agree or disagree with the author about the color red? For example, do you think “red is a great big rubber ball”? Why or why not?

3. Why do you think the authorsays  ” red is feeling brave with all your might”?

4. Do you like this poem? Why or why not?

5. What would another good title for this poem be?

posted by Ms. Zabar for class 2-210

Today is Very Boring by: Jack Prelutsky

Today is Very Boring

Today is very boring,

it’s a very boring day

there’s nothing much to look at,

there’s nothing much to say,

there’s a peacock on my sneakers,

there’s a penguin on my head,

there’s a dormouse on my doorstep,

I’m going back to bed.

Today is very boring,

it’s boring through and through,

there is absolutelty nothing

that I think I want to do,

I see giants riding rhinos,

and an ogre with a sword,

there’s a dragon blowing smoke rings,

I’m positively bored.

Today is very boring,

I can hardly help but yawn,

there’s a flying saucer landing

in the middle of my lawn,

a volcano just erupted

less than half a mile away,

and I think I feel an eathquake,

it’s a very boring day.

This s a poem by Jack Prelutsky who is my favorite poet. I love the way he uses his imagination and the descriptive words that he uses. When I read it I visualize many things happening. Tell me how you feel about this poem……

• What do you visualize when you read this poem?
• How do you think the author was feeling when he wrote it? Have you ever felt that way?
• What are some of the descriptive words he used to help you visualize?
• What would be another good title for this poem? Do you like this poem? why or why not?

Posted by: Ms. Dalhouse for class 2-211

HECTOR THE COLLECTOR by Shel Silverstein 2-102

Hector the Collector

Collected bits of string,

Collected dolls with broken heads

And rusty bells that would not ring.

Pieces out of picture puzzles,

Bent-up nails and ice-cream sticks,

Twists of wires, worn-out tires,

Paper bags and broken bricks.

Old chipped vases, half shoelaces,

Gatlin’ guns that wouldn’t shoot,

Leaky boats that wouldn’t float

And stopped-up horns that wouldn’t toot.

Butter knives that had no handles,

Copper keys that fit no locks,

Rings that were too small for fingers,

Dried-up leaves and patched-up socks.

Worn-out belts that had no buckles,

‘Lectric trains that had no tracks,

Airplane models, broken bottles,

Three-legged chairs and cups with cracks.

Hector the Collector

Loved these things with all his soul‹

Loved them more than shining diamonds,

Loved them more than glistenin’ gold.

Hector called to all the people,

“Come and share my treasure trunk!”

And all the silly sightless people

Came and looked…and called it junk.

———————————
This is my favorite poem by Shel Silverstein. There are so many emotions and visualizations I go through as I read it. What do you feel when you read it?
1. How do you think the author felt when he was writing this poem? Why?
2. Have you ever felt this way?
3. What descriptive words did the author use to hep you visualize in the poem?
4. What would another good title be for the poem? Why?
5. Do you like this poem? Explain.

Posted by Mrs. Luongo

Mrs. Clark’s Poetry Post

Instructions: Read the poem below. As you read, think about all the things that the poet says he has “stuffed” in him.

I Have All These Parts…

By Arnold Adoff

I have all these parts stuffed in

me

like mama’s chicken

and

biscuits

and

daddy’s apple pie, and a tasty

story

from the family

tree

But I know that tomorrow

morning

I’ll wake up

empty, and hungry for that

next

Bite

of my new

day

Can you really have a story stuffed in you?  What do you think the poet means by this?

Posted by Mrs. Clark

New Question:

How can you relate to this poem? What do you have from your family that is “stuffed” in you? Is there a special story in you from your family tree? Is there anything else in you that you got from your family?What is it?