The decorating theme at one of my schools this year is books, so I chose to depict one of my favorite books, The Dot. I celebrate Dot Day every year with my students, but this year I adopted the whole school, sort of. I sent out an invitation to teachers to sign up to send 4 kids to my room at recess time. (I only have 4 chairs around a single table.) I had wonderful participation and have had so much fun working with a variety of grade levels. With the older kids I opened up sets of watercolors and set out paper plate dots. For the younger ones, I gave them a coffee filter to decorate with markers. I then sprayed them with water so that the ink spread for a cool looking result.
With my gifted students, I made Dot Zeno Zines. In the spirit of “making a mark and seeing where it takes you”, we drew a design on plain paper. Then we wrote Zeno poems. Zeno is a form created by J. Patrick Lewis that uses the sequence 8, 4, 2, 1, 4, 2, 1, 4, 2, 1 with each one syllable rhyming. I’m not sure which should come first, the first 8-4-2-1 sequence or the rhyming words. We’ve tried both ways. I let the kids struggle somewhat to just figure it out. Sometimes it’s hard to say what you want to say with so many constraints. It’s a process. Process can be messy and imperfect, but when you’ve puzzled it out, it’s rewarding.
Dot Day Zeno
Polka-dotted wings emerging
Mrs. Simon with help from Avalyn, 3rd grade
color-filled spots
red, green,
blue
orange, purple
polka-
dew
flying homeward
toward
you!
To see more student Dot Zeno poems, check out these Fanschool links:
Reflections on the Teche 
I have not heard of Dot Day, but it’s now on my calendar for next year! That could be a fun sub activity promoting creativity and courage. I love the little book you made with your students. I teach every class I sub how to make this little book that requires no tape or staples. They love it!
I bet the kids love it when you are the sub!
Thank you. I try to make the day productive but positive for all of the kids. 🙂
This is so wonderful! I love it!
Such fun and delight! I love “polka-dew”!
One of the advantages of using a fixed form is creating surprising words!
đź’• this poem brava/bravo to all! And such juicy creativity in your project Margaret!!!!
What a rich experience you’ve created for all these students, Margaret! Love it!
Margaret, what fun that you invited other students in at their recess to paint dots! I love Dot Day, and, sadly, I haven’t done anything with it for two years now. I was interested in that new poetry form, the zeno. I’ll have to try that. Sweet photos, ideas, and poem that you and Avalyn wrote.
Margaret, what an excellent Dot Day project with your students and I love the how you invited other students to experience it. I would love to be a fly in your room. Such great books and photos! I love seeing the joy in your students faces! Thank you for sharing your inspiration.