In our school, 2nd graders spend a few months reading and writing poetry. They bring in poems from home to share and they write their own poetry. They learn how to reflect on the poems they read as well as the ones written by their friends. The unit culminates with a Poetry Cafe, for which the parents are invited to hear the students recite one of the poems they wrote this year.
The poems that the children brought in are bound into an anthology and the poems that they wrote are bound into another. The students took turns going onto the stage and reciting their poem. Zachary’s poem was called “Chanukkah.”
Dreidels spinning,
Latkes fizzling,
Doughnuts toasting,
Menorahs twinkling.
This is my favorite holiday!
The miracle of Chanukah!
After reading their poem, the student asked the audience “What did you like about my poem?” and then called on an adult to comment. Then, they picked the name of one of their fellow classmates to come up and comment on their poem as well.
I was proud of Zachary for reading his poem nicely in front of the audience!