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Sometimes I teach a lesson in writing workshop, and the students apply it right away. Sometimes they don’t. A few weeks ago, a blogging friend (if it was you, let me know in the comments) wrote about using hyperlinks in blog posts. She was doing a research unit with her students. I thought how cool would it be to write a poem and put in a hyperlink. I made the suggestion that my students go on to Wonderopolis (which they love) and read about a favorite topic and write a poem about it including a hyperlink. One of my students even commented, “Why haven’t you taught us this before?” But none of them did it.
Choice is important to me in writing, so I didn’t freak out. On Friday, Amy Ludwig Vanderwater offered a challenge on The Poem Farm for students to write a poem about a manatee. And Friday was my last official day with my students. I thought there would be no way we could fit that in with writing a letter to me and having a popcorn and apple party. Not to mention they were leaving an hour early to go out for Character Day activities. But two students took the challenge. They read Amy’s poem, watched the video, and wrote a poem using a hyperlink.
Later in the day, I had a few other students at school #2 also take the challenge. I tweeted Amy, and she tweeted back that in honor of my students, she would adopt a manatee. How cool is that!
Manatee
You are sometimes known as sea cows.
Shallow, slow areas are where you choose to browse.
You are actually related to elephants,
and you’re big, graceful, and elegant.
The great Manatee is who you are
And truly you are the ocean’s star.
Brooklyn
Image from Wikimedia commons
Manatee, my Friend (a Fib poem)
great
what have
you done to
deserve this treatment
you will be safe soon my dear friend.
–Tyler
Since I will be out of school, I’m not sure if I should continue this round-up. What do you think? Should we keep it up over the summer or take a break and come back with full force in August? Let me know in the comments.
Link up your post with Mr. Linky. Come back and read other posts. Don’t forget to comment. That’s what makes the blogosphere go around.
Reflections on the Teche 
I hope you will keep the link-up during the summer, so we can share our dreams for and thinking about DigiLit in our classrooms. In August, we can start sharing our classroom stories again.
(Yes, it’s okay to note the irony in my use of “WE”…seeing as I haven’t yet written a post for DigiLit Sunday. My road is paved with good intentions, but I am ON the road, so I believe that counts. My story. Sticking to it.)
Margaret I am intrigued! I hope you will keep it up as I hope summer will give me time to try more and finally start my blog. I think this has so much potential for teachers and students. Plus I am also very interested in Mary Lee’s writing from NaPoMo. I am doing a lot of archive reading and catching up. Sorry we could not connect in NOLA. I want to go back.
I know you were very busy in NOLA. I found out after the fact that my principal went and she said, “Why didn’t you go?” Uh, well, I didn’t know it was a possibility.
Please start your blog soon. As they say, “Just Do It!” You’ll be glad you did.
I’ll contribute as often as I can Margaret. I was out of town last weekend so couldn’t post, but I think you’ve started a good thing, up to you, of course. I found this through Amy’s link to the manatees. How great that your students even at the end are still writing!