I work with kids from ages 4-16, and often writing is a challenge.
I think it's mostly because they have seriously amazing ideas, but getting words on the page is just painfully slow. They often struggle with revision as well, especially if it's for an assignment.
Enter...Poetry! I love poetry with kids because they never fail to wow me with their insight. They often see to the core of the matter in no time. Plus, it's such a great opportunity to practice revision, since it's so short.
Before our fall poetry tea time in the woods (which will be a day full of poetry choices for the 4-11 year old crowd, concluding with a gallery walk, snacks, tea, and sharing poems with friends and families), I am having my students write a poem about their nature name, which is the name that came on a wooden disk, pulled out of a mystery bag on the first day of class. I'm so excited to see what they come up with! Hopefully a few of them will give me permission to share their work.
Here's mine - My nature name this year is Hooded Merganser. It was so much fun to write:
Crested Diver
Gliding...
bobbing...
Vanishing in a ripple.
Eyes protected
with birdy goggles
seeking silvery fish.
Resurfacing,
beak full
of thrashing crayfish.
That will do.
These stunning photos from Feather Light Photography give an amazing visual to my poem:
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