Today is Chalkabration day and Poetry Friday! See more Poetry Friday posts at the round-up at Miss Rumphius Effect.
Join the Chalk-a-bration over at Teaching Young Writers
We returned to school after two days off for an ice storm, unheard of in South Louisiana. We collected words about ice and snow and cold. Then wrote our poems, chalking them on the sidewalk and playing in the ice still left in the shade. My students were so happy when they realized today was Chalkabration Day. Thanks to Betsy Hubbard for keeping this going all year long.
Icy steps
crackle crispy
under my feet
tingles my fingers
white winter frost.
–Margaret Simon
Snow falling outside
Ice storm Leon gave me time
for fun and lots of
Gumbo!
–Brooklyn
White ice falling
in the winter
exciting fluffy balls
delicious to eat
slippery to walk
freezing fun.
–Tyler
Reflections on the Teche 
I just love that the kids were inspired by the natural world right outside their door. I also love all the i’s in crispy, tingles, fingers, and winter.
Love the chalk poems! And I like gumbo, too, for the record….
I always look forward to seeing what your students have been up to! The chalk poems are fabulous. I wrote a poem over at I Think in Poems today with a wintery scene all around me as well!
Love the chalk poems you and the kids managed to create despite the frosty weather that visited your doorsteps!
Love that you did it right on the freezing sidewalks, Margaret-wonderful. They’re all so good to read aloud, “crackle, crispy, gumbo, & fluffy balls to eat”.
You can feel the kids’ excitement in their poems 🙂 ! Great sensory details in all of them.
Lucky you. You could get to the sidewalks! More snow forecast here! ARGHHHHH!!!
You’ve made some wonderful memories with them doing chalk poems still surrounded by the ice and snow! Glad you made it through safely and have wonderful poems to remind you of the 2014 “snowpocalypse”!
Gumbo on a snow day. Sounds divine! These were great, Margaret. Kudos to your kiddos.
Your students’ poems are terrific, Margaret! Love that you seized the moment and wrote about the ice and snow.