As the class read and analyzed The Crossover by Kwame Alexander, a novel in verse that binds together poetic forms to tell a moving story, our 8th grade students embarked on a creative journey of their own: crafting a personal anthology of poetry. This End of Module Task challenged students to explore and experiment with a variety of poetic forms used by Alexander, including Odes, List Poems, Definition Poems, Epistolary Poems, Elegies, Found Materials Poems, Shape Poems, Free Verses, Haikus, Tankas, etc. At the heart of each anthology is the student’s personal story showcased through their creative cover design, cover letter, and a reflection page -- weaving the poems together and revealing the power of poetry as a medium for self-expression and storytelling.

S. Jane Marie

8th Grade ELA

A forest, a place where people can experience God’s Creation

Where people can also do some deep reflection.

Trees climbing to the sky.

A treat to the eye.

Forests have been burning down more and more lately.

And is something we should stop immediately.

Animals running, jumping, and flying everywhere.

And they can’t be found elsewhere.

Save our forests, they are a wonderful place.

To go for some space.

Red, yellow, and pink flowers

nestled in the soft green grass

against a cloudless blue sky.

Imagine a world without 

all the colors of the rainbow.

A world with only black, white, and gray. 

I am thankful for the colors

that light up a world,

a world that would otherwise be boring. 

I am thankful for

the bright green leaves in spring

that turn red, orange, and yellow in autumn.

I am thankful for 

the ocean with a gradient from

almost purple to a vibrant teal.

I am thankful for the colors

that give us a chance

to be unique.

A grove of redwoods

silent sentinels of life.

Bows stretching above

all, a mighty cathedral

now besieged on every side.