Happy Poetry Friday! For more poetic fun, hop over to Laura Purdie Salas’ site Writing the World for Kids.
Mortimer Minute has hopped over to Michelle’s place today–Today’s Little Ditty.
Chuck Savall
coral.org
Ever since I discovered the website, Wonderopolis, I have wanted to find a way to use it with my gifted students. On Tuesday, I saw the widget for the Wonderopolis link on Amy Rudd’s site. It caught my eye. The wonder of the day was the Great Barrier Reef. I got lost in the video swimming along the reef. I decided to make Wednesday into Wonderopolis Wednesday. I showed the Wonder of the Day and the video and asked my students to use at least 3 of the Wonder Words in their writing. I always write alongside them.
In walks my principal for a “walk-through evaluation.” We were finishing up the quiet writing time and getting ready to share. My normally vivacious class clammed up. No one wanted to share. What was I to do? I shared my own attempt at a rhyming poem with this disclosure, “I’m trying to write a rhyming poem and you know how hard this is for me.” When I read aloud, one student suddenly became an expert on rhyming poetry. He explained to me how I had to not only rhyme, but I had to have a consistent beat to each line. My students chimed in to help me write my poem. We continued revising the next morning. I think in the end we created a pretty good poem. But I must credit my students for their guidance.
By the way, my principal thought it was awesome that I had them critiquing me. She thought it was a little “teacher act.” But I explained, “No, I really needed the help. I’m terrible at rhyming.”
Living Treasure: The Great Barrier Reef
Discover our ocean friend.
Twenty thousand years to no end.
Golden-tailed hope rises on the wind.Coral flowers sway with the tide.
Sea turtles, stingrays gracefully glide.
Among the lacy red, a mollusk will hide.White-fingered anemone hug dancing fish.
Swimming, swaying, a rainbow swish.
A beauty, a wonder, a diver’s lifelong wish.–Margaret Simon, all rights reserved
Reflections on the Teche 
Lovely, Margaret! I love that your students helped you write this!
Six and a half years living in Sydney, you would think we’d carve out the time to visit the Great Barrier Reef… alas, no. Your scene with the principal made me giggle; to your poem I say, “She’s a beauty, mate!”
In reality, I am very fearful of diving. I think I’ll stick with letting the divers do it and video tape it for me to enjoy. Is there a way to see it without diving? You should put it on your bucket list.
No, I don’t dive either. A glass bottom boat tour is more my speed. I think I will get back there eventually– there’s still New Zealand and Tasmania to visit too!
What an awesome group effort! I especially love “golden-tailed hope.” Swoon.
Thanks for your comment. You are one of my poet-heroes.
Oooh! This is a lovely poem, Margaret, but I especially loved the way you put it all together – I shall have to try this with my kiddos, sine we use Wonderopolis, too.
Nice rhythm you have there with some of those lines – especially “Sea turtles, stingrays gracefully glide.”
What a great story to go with your treasure of a poem (love all the colors and this great line: “Swimming, swaying, a rainbow swish”). It’s neat how the kids lost their inhibitions when the focus went off them and onto you, and helping you with your poem.
I love this glimpse into your classroom! Isn’t it funny what we see from the inside and what the principal sees from the outside?
I need a critique group like yours — your poem turned out great! Love the three-line stanzas, each with their own rhyme.
Kids love to share their opinions about our writing, don’t they? In this case, the group effort paid off; your poem beautifully describes the wonder of the Great Barrier Reef.
It’s lovely that you included so many of the sea creatures, too-testimony to that Wonderopolis site, and it is fun to see what you did with your students!
You’re such a creative teacher! You had me nervous for minute — I’m glad the kids rescued you from the principal’s critical observation. A “teacher act”? Please! You respect your students too much for those kinds of games, which is why they responded so well to your invitation to help you with your poem. Now I’m off to check out Wonderopolis!
It’s so great that your kids see themselves as expert writers, dispensing advice. That’s what we all hope for our students!
This was such authentic learning! No better way to have them learn than to explain, and no better way than without a “teacher act”. This is JUST how learning should occur. There were probably a few students who honed their skills, some who learned how to teach and some who weren’t at that level before, but picked up on it with this activity! Super! Love when a “plan” comes together unplanned!