Poetry Madness: Game 3

Read Game 3 poems, The Eagle and Casey at Bat . Answer each question below. Remember to explain WHY you chose the winner based on poet's craft (rhyme, line breaks, punctuation, simile/metaphor, word choice, repetition) AND your personal connection to the meaning. Don't forget to write with M.I.N.T.S.!

Your post needs to include the following:
1. What is the meaning of the first poem? (Summarize in one sentence)

2. What is the meaning of the second poem? (Summarize in one sentence)

3. Based on the criteria, which poem did you choose and WHY?

 ***Please tell me everything you think, but use your best writing. 

Here is an example of proficient writing:

The first poem, "Roger The Dog", is about a dog who is very lazy and won't get up. He uses all of his strength to eat food, so  this dog is not the healthy type.

The second poem, "The Falling Star", is about a boy who spots a shooting star falling through the sky and explains that it is priceless, memorable, and to be forever gone out of his life.

I think that the winner is the poem, "The Falling Star". The reason I chose this poem is because it has great imagery, like when the woman stated,"Blinding the north as it went by". Another reason I chose this poem is the author uses the rhyme scheme: AA BB CC. This makes the poem fun to read and gives it a rhythm.

Poetry Madness: Game 2

Read Game 2 poems, Roger the Dog and The Falling Star. Answer each question below. Remember to explain WHY you chose the winner based on poet's craft (rhyme, line breaks, punctuation, simile/metaphor, word choice, repetition) AND your personal connection to the meaning. Don't forget to write with M.I.N.T.S.!


Your post needs to include the following:
1. What is the meaning of the first poem? (Summarize in one sentence)

2. What is the meaning of the second poem? (Summarize in one sentence)

3. Based on the criteria, which poem did you choose and WHY?

 ***Please tell me everything you think, but use your best writing. 

Here is an example of proficient writing:

The first poem, Dust of Snow, is about a boy who is having a bad day until a crow lands on the tree above him, shakes the dust of snow on him, and gives his heart a change of mood.

The second poem, Mother to Son, is about a mother and a son. The mother had a rough life which she compared to a set of stairs that she had a rough time climbing.She told her son to not give up and keep moving forward when life gets hard.

I choose Mother to Son as the winner because it touched my heart and showed me that no matter if something is hard you should always move forward.Also, the author repeated lines to emphasize the message. It is a great story because it teaches you to persevere.That is why I chose Mother to Son.

Poetry Madness: Let the Games Begin!

During March, the best college basketball teams compete for the National Title. In order to be the best, each team must state their case by playing the best, scoring the most, and ultimately advancing to the next round.

To create a sense of poetry madness in our room and celebrate poetry, we will read two poems each day and advance a class winner the following day. However, like the basketball tournament, we must use specific criteria to judge a poem: meaning, poet's craft (rhyme, line breaks, punctuation, simile/metaphor, word choice, repetition), ability to visualize, and your personal connection.

You will answer the following 3 questions about the poems you have read.

1. What is the meaning of the first poem? (Summarize in one-two sentences)
2. What is the meaning of the second poem? (Summarize in one-two sentences)
3. Based on the criteria, which poem did you choose and WHY? ***Please tell me everything you think, but use your best writing.

You will complete Game 1 in class.  Please read Game 1 (Dust of Snow and Mother to Son), choose your favorite, and leave your comment below.  I left an example in the comment section.

Here is an example of an advanced/proficient post:

The first poem, I, Too, is about race and how the poet is accepted over time and is a part of America.

The second poem, Sun Song, is about a song for African-Americans to sing about the sun to bring them hope.

I choose I, Too as the winner because I like the deeper meaning of change and how the poet uses each stanza to tell the story. I also like how Hughes changes one word (“sing” to “am”) in the first and last line to show acceptance.

Happy Blogging!
Love,
Mrs. Eads

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dear students,

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a civil rights activist in the 1950s and 1960s. He led non-violent protests to fight for the rights of all people, including African Americans. He hoped that America and the world could become a place where race would not impact a person's civil rights. He is considered one of the great orators of modern times, and his speeches still inspire us to this day.

Here are some inspirational quotes from MLK:

“No, violence is not the way. Hate is not the way. Bitterness is not the way. We must stand up with love in our hearts, with a lack of bitterness and yet a determination to protest courageously for justice and freedom in this land.”

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy to a friend.”

“Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.”

Choose one quote and write the following:

1. The meaning of the quote.
2. How you can apply it to your everyday life (home, school, sports, family, friendships, etc.)
3. One way Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. inspires you.

Your response must be at least 5 sentences long and use correct punctuation and capitalization.

I cannot wait to read your responses.

Happy blogging,
Mrs. Eads

One Little Word

Dear students,

Each new year, two of my mentors challenge teachers to find their One Little Word (OLW). The OLW is one word that will represent, or symbolize, the year ahead. The word should be personal and thoughtful. My mentors spend weeks thinking about their OLW, making sure they select a word that will really guide them.

I have thought a great deal about my OLW. For 2019, I selected "trust" as my One Little Word. I selected "trust" because I don't always trust God's plan and try to make my own way. I need this word to remind me to trust not only His plan for me but also to trust in the strengths and talents He has blessed me with, rather than worry about the future. Trust can apply to my life in so many ways - through friends, work, my students, my family, myself, and ultimately, God's plan for me. I will use this word to guide me through the days of 2019.

In your comment, answer the following questions in complete sentences:

What is your One Little Word? How does this word apply to your life? How can you use your OLW to guide your year? Comment to this post with your OLW, and examples of how you can use your OLW this year. 

I cannot wait to read your posts,

Mrs. Eads

Snow Day

Dear students,

Suppose you woke up tomorrow morning, and to your surprise, everything outside was covered in fluffy white snow.  Write at least a 5 sentence paragraph describing your snow day and your snow-filled adventures.

Be sure to include:

• a topic sentence

• supporting details

• complete sentences

• correct spelling, capitalization (M.I.N.T.S.), and end punctuation.

• a closing sentence
• three of your spelling words

Happy blogging,

Mrs. Eads

Christmas Traditions

Dear students,

Most families have special Christmas traditions. Write about one tradition your family enjoys. Does your mom bake a certain kind of cookie each year? Do you assemble shoe boxes filled with gifts for needy children? Chop down your own Christmas tree? Sing Christmas carols at a retirement home?Describe this tradition in at least a 5 sentence paragraph. 

Be sure to include:

• a topic sentence

• supporting details

• complete sentences

• correct spelling, capitalization (M.I.N.T.S.), and end punctuation.

• a closing sentence

• three of your spelling words

Happy blogging,

Mrs. Eads