These past two weeks I’ve been trying to squeeze in Write Out opportunities for my students. Write Out is an annual event sponsored by the National Writing Project and the National Parks. This year Kate Messner was the Author Ambassador. One of her prompts asked students to take a hula hoop outside and focus on their circle when writing. Because I can’t leave well enough alone, I added paint chips and jewel loupes to the writer’s toolbox.
Our weather has been perfect the last two weeks. Cool mornings. High sun. Warm afternoons. Perfect for writing outside.
The paint chip words were just the thing to add a little twist to the poems my students and I wrote.
Purple flowers are
community of the grass,
some clustered
some isolated
in the sea glass waves.by Adelyn, 6th grade
The grass has a shine
from the blazing sun
spitting out embers
like a swarm of yellow jackets.by James, 4th grade
Looking through the jewel loupes helped us see intricate designs and stretched our metaphorical thinking. I love using the jewel loupe with my camera lens on my phone.
The blades of grass
are a kaleidoscope
reflecting after the fire
in a tangerine dream.
by Margaret Simon, draft
Reflections on the Teche 
oh I have not thought about using the loop with the phone camera! Nice idea! I will give that a try with my Grandson next week. Love your students poems! And yours as well!
This was such a neat project! I love limiting the world to the circumference of a hula hoop!
Wow, I LOVE these! And the hula hoop (or yarn circles, if space is tight) is always such a good focuser.
Wonderful poems all around! Bravo to James for “spitting out embers like a swarm of yellow jackets!” I love your photos of your students really digging into this project.
Oh my, young James captured the sunlight beautifully!
Margaret, The photos of the children looking around the grass really impressed me. You provide them with directions, tools, and nature did the rest. I think this exercise ignited their curiosity. James’ last line was fabulous. Adelyn’s poem inserted beauiful colors. Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful poems, Margaret. You were wise to include the assed tools. Wonderful words from all!
Purple flowers are community? Yes, please! Looking through the jewel loupe really shows how things are connected. What a fabulous activity. The paint color titles come alive in the poems. Bravo to the kids!
I love that you combined hula hoops with paint chips and jewel loupes to make magic!
Oh, those lucky, lucky kids! That sun like a “swarm of yellowjackets” is DIVINE!
I had the loupes, too, Margaret, delightful. I love each poem, brought wonderful images from those paint chip colors! Love “community of the grass” – a new look at our gardens!
Love this! Have you read The Forest Unseen by David George Haskell. He talks about having that small space to return to again and again. This is where I got my sit spot routine idea from.
Margaret, what a rich prompt you put together. Your student poets are lucky to have such a marvelous mentor!