Ruth Ayres invites us the celebrate each week. Click over to her site Discover. Play. Build. to read more celebrations.
At the beginning of the week, someone noticed that we had filled the reading rocket chart. I put this on the bulletin board way back in August. The goal seemed so high then, 175 books! Each square on the rocket counted for 5 books. Every time a student had read 5 books, he/she could cut out a square and place it on the chart. And here we are with 20 days left of the school year, and the chart is full! This called for a celebration, so I bought Halos and powdered donuts and we had a feast.
My oldest student, Kielan, decided we should have a poetry slam to end our month of poetry. (Next week is testing week.) We watched two videos with appropriate poetry performances. I told them that usually performance poets tackle a social issue. Then I let them go. They formed groups, collaborated, practiced, and performed their poems on Friday. I even got into the act by collaborating with Emily and performing with her. I videoed their performances and plan to make each a DVD to keep. The only person invited to watch was the janitor, and she was so honored to be there.
This is Tobie and Kaiden’s poem. Everyone was so impressed with these boys that we are encouraging them to enter the talent show.
Eracism
Get up out your chair
you have the power to
do something in this
societyYou have the power to
Eracism
Stop the racism start
Eracism
Lower society’s bar try to
Eracism
Laws are changed just because you’re different, try
Eracism
You have the power to
EracismStop
the
Racism
Just because you’re different
Doesn’t mean you should be treated differently
lets try to
ERACISMTobie and Kaiden
Friday was also Earth Day, so we grabbed our journals and chalk and wrote Earth Day poems on the sidewalk.
Today is Shakespeare’s 452nd birthday. In celebration, Michelle Barnes is hosting 5 for Friday on her blog here.
Here’s my Little Shakespearean 5 word ditty:
The Course of True Love
begins
when the eyes
see
Reflections on the Teche 
You had quite a full, and wonderful, week it seems. Love the new word created by Tobie & Kaiden, Eracism is perfect! Congrats also on that reading goal met-wow! Have a wonderful weekend, Margaret.
I love love love the chalkabration. I remember trying this a few years ago and our interim principal shot me down. I am going to try again! Thanks for the inspiration.
I didn’t ask permission. Hopefully I won’t have to beg forgiveness.
Love every inch of this. I especially love how Kaiden and Tobie collaborated. And, Happy bday to the Bard!
Such wonderful celebrations. I love the “Eracism” poem and the chalkabrations. Coming here is such a wonderful experience. Aways so full of inspiration.
I still haven’t tried the chalkabrations, but every time I visit your blog and see it, I want to get my students out there chalking. Thanks for the reminder. Your team of poets did a great job.
Here’s to those two young poets in your class, Margaret – and to the power of their message.
Love the chalkabrations! Chalking the world and holding the earth 😉 And I like how you added the words beside the chalked ones. Congrats to your students for filling that rocket 20 days before the end of school.
What a great week of writing poetry your children had. Only 20 days left of school-that seems impossible. Where did time go? Margaret, can you please see if any of your children would like to write poetry for #SpringsSeeds Gallery? (Maybe the Earth Day poems and chalkabration would be a fun addition or the slide presentation.