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Betsy Hubbard invented Chalkabration! It’s my students’ favorite day of the month (unless it’s their birthday.) We wrote poems on Friday, but didn’t have time to chalk them. Monday morning was a sunny (hot) morning, so we ventured out to chalk up the sidewalk with poetry.
I have never asked permission to do this. The only complaint came from the assistant principal who merely asked us to move the celebration to the side walkways rather than the area where the little ones sit waiting for their cars. Poor things were going home with chalked up uniforms.
No Chalkabration is ever the same. This time one student enlisted the help of the class to make a huge lettered sign. By the end of our time outside, the kids were sweaty, dirty, and happy. I know they look forward to the end of September to do it all again. (Maybe by then the air will be cooler.)
My poem promise to my students this year.
What is a friend by Emily
Fall is coming, a Who am I poem by Erin
I love that they do this in the heat! Their passion for poetry (and chalk perhaps) is stronger that the August heat.
Hurrah for your students’ NOT forgetting, & jumping right in, Margaret. Love that you’ve continued.
I adore this Chalkabration. What a wonderful project.
What a beautiful celebration of art and poetry! Happy Chalkabration!
Lovely! What a great tradition you have launched!
Beautiful chalkabrations, Margaret! Thank you for sharing them!
How cool is that photograph with the shadows standing on the words?! I appreciate the last line of Erin’s poem. Fall is a time for reflection as we come indoors and prepare for winter.
[…] the midst of a rough week of state pretesting, I celebrate Chalkabration. We went outside in the South Louisiana heat and chalked up the sidewalks with poetry inspired by […]