Matt is hosting today at Radio, Rhythm, & Rhyme.
Yesterday was our last day of school. I decided what better way to celebrate and send off the year than to write chalk poems. I only could round up three of my students (all boys). We started as usual by discussing a theme. Here is where my students always surprise me. I’m thinking the usual topics such as summer, end of school, May. Well, not these guys. They had outer space on their minds. So outer space it was. We each chose a topic out loud: black holes, Mars, galaxies, and stars. I couldn’t find paper (all packed up), so I pulled out sticky notes and some pens from my purse. We wrote, shared, then headed outside to chalk it up!
And to top it off, it was Betsy Hubbard’s birthday! Do you know who she is? She’s the inventor of Chalkabration. So my students added a birthday wish. Betsy usually posts a roundup of Chalkabration on the last day of the month. We’re early, but it was the last day. Check out her site on May 31st.
Galaxies by Tyler
Never ending
billions of stars
lighting up the night
different styles
amaze mankind.
Stars by Mrs. Simon
Mars by Jacob Mars is red And the only red planet Red planet Super cold!
Why did God create
this destructive force
that eats galaxies?
Why did God create
black holes?
by Matthew
Creating chalkabration
We appreciate that a lot
Happy B-day,
Mrs. Betsy!
More Poetry Goodness:
Amy Ludwig VanDerwater is gathering notebook ideas for summer. I sent in two, one from me here, and the other from my student Tyler here.
Michelle Hendrick Barnes put out a ditty challenge from Nikki Grimes. My poem was featured here.
Reflections on the Teche 
[…] Chalkabration time at Reflections on the Teche, where Margaret Gibson Simon shares some poems in chalk that her students wrote just as the school […]
Oh, wow! I just got distracted…been to some of your links and got taken all around the Internet…then realized I’d never finished with a comment! I love the concept of Chalk-a-bration, but I REALLY love knowing that you don’t care what you write on when it’s time to write! Post-its in the purse is perfect!
I couldn’t let go of the idea of a drafting stage. One student lost his post it in the process of moving outside, so he had to recall his words. It’s all good!
What a great way to end the school year and blast off into summer vacation!
Your young poets are stars! What a perfect way to end the school year.
Happy end of the school year to you! 6 more days for us!
Welcome to summer break, Margaret, and way to insist on poetry through the last minute! I think there will be chalk for our last day, too–but not until URRK a foolish half-day on Monday June 15. (I’m hoping no one comes so I can pack for my move to 2nd grade boo hoo.)
Also, “within” is indeed a powerful One Little Word. Go Tyler go!
Wonderful! Happy Summer’s Start!