Welcome to the first post in the Meet my Family Blog Tour. Laura Purdie Salas’s book gives an overview of 22 animal families with engaging illustrations by Stephanie Fizer Coleman.
My students were immediately engaged in questioning and learning about animals, from the tundra swan to the chinstrap penguin. Each entry is written in the voice of the baby animal telling about his family.
My two daddies feed me fish.
One is always next to me, strong
and sturdy and warm. Both of
them protect me and play with
me. I am double-daddy lucky.From the chinstrap penguin chick, LPSalas
Whenever we encounter a new text, I invite my students to write. For this book response, we wrote persona poems. Each student chose their favorite animal and wrote in the point of view of that animal. Research was optional. I shared a colorful National Geographic Kids Ocean Animals book. Some students chose to write about ocean animals. Some searched in Google about other animals of interest. And some had stored up research in their minds to tap into. All of my students enjoyed creating poems. For more persona poems, go to Mrs. Simon’s Sea Kidblog site.
Hi I’m Peanut, Peanut the Orangutan!
My mom’s name is Walnut.
I don’t have a dad but I’m still livin’ the life.My mom made me a new nest which is my room.
We always have fruit for dinner
but on special occasions we get juicy, delicious, BUGS!!Well, I am happy to say that
I can be as lazy as I want,
because I’m 3 years old and my mom gets my food for me.Right now I’m in my nest
watching the birds tell jokes trying to make others laugh.
I didn’t get the jokes but I laughed anyway.Can I tell you that I like and don’t like those weird humans.
Some of them like to shoot us
some like to capture us.
The nice humans like to protect us and help us,
but they’re still weird.Well that’s my story
I got to go we’re having bugs for dinner tonight YES!!!!!!–Dawson, 4th grade
The Great White Shark
I am sleek and silent.
I never chew my meals.
My favorite snack are seals.
I’m an undeniable top dog.
I am the king of the sea.
–Jacob, 4th grade
Erik the Eagle
My name is Erik
I was just born
I was fed raw meat,
it was a delicious treat.My name is Erik.
I learned to fly.
I love leaving home
and soaring the sky.My name is Erik.
I am fully grown.
I have my own wife,
and my own little throne.–Andrew, 5th grade
Next stop on March 2nd, Kirby Larson’s blog.
Oh, love these, Margaret! I’m on my phone now, but will be back later to make more substantive comments and to share this! Thank you so much for being the first stop on my blog tour!
[…] is the first day of my Meet My Family blog tour! And I’m so excited that educator Margaret Simon is hosting this first stop! The poetry her students write is amazing, and I can’t wait to see what they’ve […]
Just stopped back by to re-read these. I love how you engage students in poetry with some direction, but lots of freedom, too! Dawson’s poem made me laugh–especially the enthusiasm for bugs:>) And how the orangutan delights in his own laziness. Ha! And then how Jacob’s short, declarative lines capture the more commanding tone of a great white shark. And Andrew’s rhythm and repetition really drew my ear. They’re all so different, but they show the wonderful process of playing with words, trying on voices, and incorporating science knowledge into poetry! I love all of these, you guys. Margaret, thank you so much for sharing my book and being stop one on the blog tour!
These are ***wonderful*** Margaret and Laura! It always amazes me how brilliantly kids can write! I can tell from reading that they were engaged with the material and put their hearts into their writing! You must BOTH be bursting with pride–teacher AND author! 🙂
Engagement and heart–exactly. It’s why Margaret’s student work that she shares is always so vibrant and real! Thanks, Becky:>)
Your post today created some nostalgia in me for my former days as an ENL teacher. I found that ENL students loved poetry, and projects like yours (and mine) gave them a voice they didn’t think they had by “trying out” other voices. It was fun and I can see that your students love it, too!
That’s what I love about mask/persona poems, too!
These are so fun. There is such power in trying out other voices–as such creativity too.
I agree–power…and empathy-building, too!
Oh, these poems are adorable! I love how your students have become the animal. I wish I had you as a teacher. I would have wanted to write poetry every day in class.
DITTO!
I’ve read Laura’s book and love it, then I’ve loved that you used it as a poetry jump off for your class. The poems are clever, and wonderful nf poems. Laura’s book content inspiration must have been lots of fun!
Thanks, Linda:>) I love how Margaret connected her kids to my book AND to other animals and to research!
Beautiful review of Laura’s book, I love the trailer you shared and her poem. What fun personna poems from your students, seems like they really enjoyed writing them–down to their names and the bugs, thanks!
Thanks, Michelle, on the trailer:>) Isn’t the joy in the students’ poems fun to read?
Definitely!
I like writing persona poems–it’s a way of seeing things from another point of view. And, it definitely helps one to be more empathetic. Well done, Mrs. Simon’s class.
Exactly! And couldn’t we all use a bit more empathy these days:>)
Margaret, you must be brimming with pride over what your young writers wrote. Dawson’s opening stanza has great voice. Andrew enjoys repetition and Jacob has a great line that others might like to lift: I’m an undeniable top dog. Thanks for sharing Laura’s trailer that is so inviting.
Thanks for reading, Carol!
What fun! Thank you for introducing Laura’s book. It looks fabulous! Your students rose to the occasion with their animal personal poems, too. Well done!
Thanks, Kay!
Such wonderful techniques in those young writers’ poems.
“sleek and silent” – wow.
These teach and at the same time, the animals somehow feel like friends.
Your students are lucky, indeed. You as their great teacher AND an early peek at Laura’s fabulous book!
xx
Such a wonderful book from Laura – I recall hearing about it a while back, and especially loved that you included the video trailer. Can’t wait to get a copy! Your students poems were so fun – the diversity among them was amazing. They project their own unique voices so well.
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