Elements

How do the elements of poetry and the elements of our lives connect?

Visual Arts/ Creative Writing

Students were tasked with writing poems on the various elements of life, including the foods we l/eat, the seasons we enjoy, the fears we have that make us 'us', and our hopes and dreams. We wanted to investigate, along with the students, how the elements of poetry, commonly called the poetic devices, can align with our elements. The concept is broad, but we were able to narrow it down with a focused selection and study of poems, read-alouds, interactive video, real-world experiences, and with the creation of clay figurines to cement the overall concept in a tactile way for each student. In the primary grades, students are just beginning to learn about poetry and its elements/devices, and we both thought that a way to introduce poetry in a fun and engaging way would be to approach the topic as such. 

Initially, we hoped to design a Poet's Theater out of this project, but it became more of a Readers' Theater/Writing experience. One reason for this was that the students generated quite a bit of poetry, and lessons were peppered with various poetry books and video poetry performances. The first graders were also working on writing and revision, so poems were not just a 'one and done' version. Still, the students worked with teachers and the CAPE TA to revise their poems and place them in a self-made/self-bound book, from which they read for the final showing/presentation of their work to a broader audience/ social engagement. I would not say that because the more formalized Poet's Theater did not materialize as a performance was a case of an aspect of the project 'not working',  but rather the project allowed for changes along the way, altering the program's showing portion. It should be noted that the final showcase was 'performative' in nature, with students reading their poems and showing their figurines to the other 1st / 2nd grade classes, and even included a Q and A where students could ask/ answer questions of their creative peers. 

The students surprised me with their work on the written word. In first grade, spelling is still experimental, and I learned, as a TA, how to encourage and not overcorrect this aspect. Olga wanted to make sure it wasn't too 'inventive' while at the same time cementing some basic grammar lessons into the creative writing process. I learned by watching Olga teach. She is PRO and makes teaching 1st grade look easy. Where I might have backed away, and given in to a student's want, she pushed them toward academic/productive struggle, and to not give up, etc. 

In hindsight, I think I would have had the students produce a bit less writing and worked around movement and sound in poetry, for example, but Olga was an expert in folding in enough academic learning with the art portion that I might now better understand the capabilities of a first grader. She pushed me to 'not underestimate them.' Perseverance, I believe, is what she was teaching, which is valuable in life, academics, and in the Arts.

Assessment was ongoing and cumulative. Students were assessed on their completion of projects, understanding of poetic terms and directions, and the group discussions that followed poetry read aloud. 

As stated above, this was my first in-class program with a first-grade classroom during school hours. I really learned by observing Olga, her style, and how she taught the children. I could model some of her teaching methodology, while still wearing my teaching artist hat, as the 'fun' guest in the classroom. I was able to support her goals for the day while still keeping our overall Inquiry Question and Big Idea front of mind. Because the students were so young, one of my main goals for this project was to ensure they had a positive experience with poetry. Some students had prior knowledge, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and it was wonderful to see them apply that knowledge in various ways, by sharing their writing, putting the pencil to paper, getting involved in classroom activities, etc. 

Above: Students cut wearable crowns and decorate them in the style of Basquiat to wear in school, based on our reading of the poetry picture book!  

Life Doesn’t Frighten Me

 Poem by Maya Angelou 

Paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat

Above: Students were engaged in curiosity and inquiry from the beginning of the project. Here is a group think tank list that started us off, and to the right is a sample worksheet used to discuss the elements of poetry and the elements that make us unique. 

"Poetry has never been the language of barriers, it's always been the language of bridges."

-Amanda Gorman, Poet.