My students and I have been looking forward to the National Writing Project’s Write Out, a writing event that takes place in October. NWP partners with the National Parks to create videos and writing prompts designed to get kids outside to write. Last Friday, I handed each student a 5×7 blank book and told them it would be their Write-Out notebook. What is it about having a new clean colorful book that makes you want to write?
After watching a short video from Ranger Chris from the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, we went outside to the playground to observe nature and write haiku poems. I wrote alongside them. I shared how I sketch in my notebook. Sketching is low-stakes art. Sketching helps to motivate and enhance writing while making their notebooks a safe place to explore.
Back inside, students were enthusiastic about sharing their poems. Because I teach multiple groups at two different schools, we use Fanschool for sharing our writing.
If you have a minute, it would be exciting to my students if you wrote comments on their first ever haiku poems:
Max wrote “The Daytime”
Kailyn wrote about a butterfly in the grass.
We found moth caterpillars near the trees. Adelyn and Sadie wrote about them.
Carson wrote about the sugarcane field.
John-Robert’s poem.
Give yourself some time today to be outside and observe nature. Share your haiku with us.
I am sharing my poems on Instagram.
Reflections on the Teche 
YAY, you’re participating in the #Write Out! I am so glad your kids are enjoying creating with the great outdoors. I had hoped to sketch outside yesterday with the students, but heavy rain deterred us. (Maybe today?) I am excited to attend the session with the fabulous Nikki Grimes. I will visit and comment and check out Instagram!
I’m going to miss Nikki Grimes. For a good reason: trip to Niagara Falls.
I couldn’t access the poetry of Sadie, Adelyn, or John-Robert. The others made my morning brighter.
I’m participating in Write Out, but I don’t have students with me. I enjoyed reading their haiku, but as Trish mentioned, I could not access all of them.
Thanks for letting me know. It has to do with permissions. I’ll look into it.
What a delight to read some of your students’ poems! They are lovely and quite evocative.
This is the first time I have heard of Write Out. I can’t wait to participate next year. There is nothing like a brand new notebook to energize our writing!
My haiku:
Gray cloud blanket cracks
Sun and blue play peek-a-boo
Cheering up the day.
Love the middle line and the incidental rhyme. Thanks for commenting on my students’ posts. They feel famous.
My pleasure. I truly enjoyed reading them.
Margaret–I love your students poems…and yours too! We might have to try some Haiku next. I also wrote about #writeout and my students’ experiences.