Poetry Madness: Game 6

Read Game 6 poems. 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. 

Poetry Madness: Game 5

Read Game 5 poems. 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, Who has Seen the Wind, is about how no one can see the wind, but you can feel it. Especially when the trees bow down, and that is when you know that the wind is there.

If~ is about a dad giving his boy advice. For example, if he does all things like "don't look too good or talk too wise," then he will be a man no matter what.

I chose If~ as the winner because it had a deeper meaning, and it has a good rhythm. The rhyme scheme was AAAABCBC, and it gave the poem a good beat. The author used repetition to emphasize the meaning of the poem. For example, he began each line with the word “if.” The writer’s craft and message of the poem make it the true winner.

Poetry Madness: Game 4

Read Game 4 poems, If and Who Has Seen the Wind. 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 Eagle" is about an eagle flying over the sea and close to the sun. Then he is watching the mountain and swoops down like a lightning bolt to catch his prey. 

The second poem, "Casey at Bat", is about a boy whose baseball team is losing,but there are two people on base. Casey gets two strikes, and the crowd is very upset. Finally, Casey strikes out, and the crowd is outraged. 

 For the winner, I chose "The Eagle". I chose it because it had a deeper meaning and understanding for me. I also liked how used a rhyme scheme of AAABBB. Also, the author used a simile comparing the eagle to a thunderbolt, "He watches from his mountain walls, And like a thunderbolt he falls." That is why I choose The Eagle.

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.

March 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, Being Brave at Night, is about a child whose imagination runs away from then at night and is scared.  

The second poem, Wind on the Hill, is about a child thinking about the wind and where it comes from.  You cannot see it but see the results of it. 

I chose Wind on the Hill as the winner because I like the imagery of the poem.  I like the picture of the kite in the wind and knowing using that as a measure for knowing where the wind has been.  I also enjoyed the way the 2nd and 4th lines of each stanza rhymed. It made the poem fun to read. 

Happy Blogging!
Love,
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 2020, 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