Mr. Lund's Fifth Grade Class
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Reading Update – Poetry Fridays
When you are describing,
A shape, or sound, or tint;
Don’t state the matter plainly,
But put it in a hint;
And learn to look at all things,
With a sort of mental squint.
– Charles Lutwidge Dodgson
I thought this poem was a great description for our Friday Poetry Workshop. I am lucky to be a part of Mr. Lund’s class as they explore the fascinating world of poetry. But we, the teachers, are not the leaders during class. We follow the students as they “squint” at poems and share their thoughts and feelings about what they see on the page. Their thoughts are much more eye-opening and insightful than ours and cause us to see the poems in a new light. We are repeatedly impressed at their depth of understanding and the meaningful connections they make to the poems.
Some days we share a poem as a class, on others we meet in small groups to discuss our thoughts. We add each poem to our poetry notebooks, which also contain poems students have chosen on their own. Writing poetry is also a part of the workshop. Right now, students are using an ActivBoard flipchart to learn a variety of poetic forms. Then they write their own. Can you think of a better way to learn about the power of voice in writing than to look closely at poetry?
I’d like to know how the students are feeling about our workshop. What do you enjoy? What could we do to make it better? Mr. Lund and I really enjoy this time with the students and our enjoyment of poetry has increased since beginning this weekly workshop. I’d also like to know how the parents feel about poetry!
–Mrs. Larson
16 Responses to “Reading Update – Poetry Fridays”
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November 16th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
I love poetry friday. I love how we take the poem and think abstractly. I think that it is weird that it always is somebody and death. I think that it is ocurd. I love the groups that we are in. We work great together and think good too. Thank you Mrs. Larson for teaching us this way to think of poetry. My favorite poem is Robert Frost. He is not a happy man. I think that when he was saying his poem he was very disturbed and angry. I love poetry and wish that we get the chance of doing it every day. What my goel is to take a poem that you guys choose and think that all threw and think abstractly about it. That would be a really fun thing, and difficult! Ryan
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Mrs. Larson Reply:
November 17th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Ryan, I am so glad that you are enjoying our poetry Fridays. I love them too. Teaching poetry has made me appreciate it even more. When I was in school, the teacher always told us the meaning. It is much more fun to hear all of your thoughts! Mr. Lund and I noticed that the last couple of poems have had shadows of death. We will be looking for some that have other themes too!
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November 16th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
I love Poetry Fridays, they make me let out my true feelings and opinions on the world and everything in it.
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Mrs. Larson Reply:
November 17th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Easton, I can tell in class that you are enjoying our poetry workshop. I also love the way that poetry seems to express my thoughts and feelings better than I can on my own. Have you also tried writing your own poetry? It is a great way to express yourself, even if you just keep it in a private journal.
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November 17th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
I also really like our poetry lessons because we also get to express how we feel about the poems we read every Friday. Whether the poem is sad, enjoyable, mysterious and even more types of poems I could think of make me happy to read about! We have also gotten to express how we think the author of the poem was feeling when he/she was writing it. I really enjoyed the discussion of the El Derado poem we read and all the thoughts we shared. I also agree how we had really good ideas and how we really really came out and expressed ourselves with these ideas about the poem. It was probably the best poem I’ve read because I could relate to it more and understand the concept of the poem.I can’t wait to see the new poems we read and get back in our groups at the activeboard! Thanks Mrs.Larson for teaching us about these fantastic poems and letting us read more of these poems!
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Mrs. Larson Reply:
November 19th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
Marisa, I like to think about the author too. It gives me even more to consider when I read the poem. I will try to keep finding out information about the authors to share with the class. My favorite poem so far has been El Dorado too!
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November 17th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
I love poetry Fridays. My favorite poem was October by Robert Frost. I like poetry Fridays because the poems make me think outside of the box. It lets me express my feelings and think of different ways to think about poems. Thank you Mrs.Larson for picking out these great poems to share with us!
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November 19th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
I like that you are thinking outside of the box! It is hard for both adults and kids to look at things from a different perspective. I think it is amazing how just a few words in a poem can say so much, and sometimes all the words in a book don’t say much at all!
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November 20th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
I love poetry Fridays. The best thing about poetry Fridays is Mrs. Larson and all the poems we read. I think it is crazy how most of the poems we read is about death. ( creepy ) My favorite poem is El Dorado but it is about death also. Like Mrs.Larson says just a few words in a poem can mean so much thats what I think to. I think we have good groups because, I aways love to hear what everyone its thinking and what there mood is about the poem. I think everyone is enjoying poetry Fridays by the look on there face. The sad thing is we have to leave next year and I will miss everyone who helps with poetry Fridays because thats my favorite subject not counting our main subject. I will look forward to our next poetry time on Friday.
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Mrs. Larson Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Beth, I think it is interesting that you have noticed your classmate’s faces during poetry workshop. As a teacher, I watch your faces a lot to decide if what I am teaching is reaching you. Faces show a lot! Hopefully you will get to experience more poetry next year too. You should mention it to your teacher!
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November 21st, 2009 at 1:33 pm
I love poetry Fridays. My favorite poem so far is El Dorado. I liked that poem because we all thought very abstractly and the poem to me sounded more about adventure than death because the knight was exploring the lands to find El Dorado, but as he got older he was no longer able to explore as much land as he was when he was younger. I also liked the last poem we did. The group i was in worked and thought very abstractly and thought that poem was written because maby the poet lives in the city and went out to the wild to get away from all of the stress and to relax without a care in the world. -Isabelle
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Daniel Lund Reply:
November 21st, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Isabelle,
I also liked the El Dorado poem! I thought it was amazing how the class searched for meaning by looking at the poems words and their usage! I also liked how we were able to discuss the multiple meaning of El Dorado.
As you heard, I am biased towards Robert Bly poems. I like to find peaceful places in nature and explore his thoughts about the outdoors!
Do you have a favorite poet? Do you have a favorite place to explore poetry?
-Mr. Lund
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November 22nd, 2009 at 11:15 am
I loved Robert Bly. He reminds me of Robert Frost. He likes to be outdoors with nature. I like poems that are funny and enjoying. I like the poems that we are doing, because we can think it like we have been. I love that!!
Thank you Mrs.Larson for teaching us this I really enjoy you teaching us this!
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Mrs. Larson Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Ryan, I love coming in and teaching poetry with all of you. Its my favorite day of the week. I have some funny ones for Christmas!
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December 2nd, 2009 at 7:48 pm
when are we going to see your poetry Friday Thingymabobber?
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December 5th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Hi!Mr.Lund,It’s Maddi Gardner from 6th grade!I really miss being in Mr.Lunds class,it was the best year ever!here is a poem for you it’s from old England
Cottlson,cottlson,cottlson pie
a fly can’t bird but a bird can fly
ask me a riddle and I reply
“cottlson,cottlson,cottlson pie”
Cottlson,cottlson,cottlson pie
a fish can’t whistle and neither can I
ask me a riddle and I reply
“cottlson,cottlson,cotlson pie”
Cottlson,cottlson,cottlson pie
why does a chicken,I dont know why
ask me a riddle and I reply
“cotttlson,cottlson,cottlson pie”
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