Poetry Friday is with Tara at A Teaching Life.
Gifted by Nature Day was coming up, and I had forgotten that it was my job to do a poetry activity. Yikes! What would I do? Some middle school students would be doing a play based on The Jungle Book. Their teacher explained in an email to me that the theme would be Be Yourself.
I typed into Google search “Bio-poems.” I didn’t want to use the same ole bio-poem form. Up pops one of my favorite performance poets, Allan Wolf. On his website, he had this mentor I Am poem.
I created a document that outlined each line. As each student completed their art activity, they came over to my poetry table. My first question was “Do you know what alliteration is?” Most of the kids didn’t recall this term, but that’s OK. I taught them very quickly, and they said, “Oh, yeah!”
Writing that first line proved the most difficult. The students I was working with are gifted, and there’s nothing better than watching a gifted kid feel a challenge. Encouragement came from other kids who had found a first line.
Wyatt was happy to share his first line. “I am an All Star Athlete.”
Noah, who loves to hunt, created, “I am a hard-headed hunter.”
A young Laotian girl named Patra sat next to me and said with complete honesty, “I am a little, lovely lark.” I encouraged her to use that metaphor throughout her poem. Her teacher texted me a copy to feature here.
I am a little, lovely lark.
I wonder what it’s like to fly.
I hear people talking.
I see the puffy, fluffy clouds.
I want to fly.I am a little, lovely lark.
I pretend to fly.
I touch feathers.
I worry when I’m late.
I cry when–I don’t cry much.I am a little, lovely lark.
I understand Laotian language.
I say, “Ha! Ha! Ha!” (me laughing)
I dream about flying.
I try to do my best in school.
I hope to grow wings!I am a little, lovely lark.
Patra, 3rd grade
Jacob missed Gifted by Nature Day, so I presented the activity to him back at school. He decided to take his poem in a different direction and become a planet, specifically Mercury. You can read his poem here.
This form worked for multiple elementary grade levels from 2nd graders to 6th graders. If you chose to use this activity in your classroom, I’d love to hear from you.
Reflections on the Teche 
Patra, your poem is absolutely lovely….and I hear the lark singing in it. Your use of repetition is outstanding. It really adds to the beat of the poem. I. LOVE. YOUR. WRITING.
I like the mentor poems, especially the harried mom. It forms a wonderful shape that Patra uses to perfection. Great job helping the kids’ words shine.
Patra is a little, lovely lark as captured in her beautiful poem. It sounds like your nature day was a success!
I’m glad you thought to find a new bio activity. This is great. Petra’s lovely alliterative line is such a happy one.
Oh, that little, lovely poet just speaks to my heart.
What a touching poem by Patra. I also liked Jacob’s take on the prompt and left a comment for him over on the kidblog. I’m so glad you posted this today, Margaret, since I’ve been looking for ideas of poetry workshops to do connected with A Wrinkle In Time this summer. Jacob helped me to see that this exercise might work out really well! Thank you.
A touching little poem…and what an interesting way to prompt kids to write!
I do love the honesty of kids. That “little lovely lark” even has the lilt of birdsong!
I love this poetry project. So fun.
You. What you bring out in student writers. Them. Their beautiful writing. Wow.
I will have to check out gifted by nature day! Who knew? Thank you for this sweet poem.
First, Patra’s Poem is positively phenomenal, as is Jacobs! What a wonderful poetry lesson you shared with your students, from the form to the poetry examples, thanks for sharing all Margaret. Happy Mothers Day too!
This is terrific, Margaret! Patra’s poem is itself “a lovely little lark.” Thank you for the template, too. Can’t wait to share this with teachers!
Margaret, both of my children did the “I Am” poem in middle school. I’m enjoying your fresh take on the prompt. There’s so much music in Patra’s poem!