The poem "More White" is my model of a writing activity that I have done with my class for 4 years now. It is a great opportunity for students to notice details from one spot using details organized from near to far. It would be interesting to do the reverse although I never have.I usually choose this assignment as a homework on the night before a potential snow day so it gives the children something to focus on while they are home rather than sitting in front of the tv or playing video games all day as often happens. I give them a model to follow which is about 8 lines. My expectations are certainly not that their poems be as long as mine. I also post my previous window poems and then, of course, get busy the next day on my new one to share. (I am running out of windows with different views which may pose a challenge or signal time to retire!)The children's results are usually very impressive. I always take about 4 photos to show the near to far that I saw but the children do a great job illustrating theirs after their poems are typed up. This lesson lends itself instructing how to take a paragraph, which most end up writing first, and format it as a poem. There are lots of teaching opportunities here, from noticing details, to similes, strong verbs, personification, metaphors and of course, how to set up a poem. One activity that I plan to do this year will be to take that same window and do a poem in the Spring. WOW! What a difference a season will make with what we see or don't see!Hope you enjoy this idea and will try it yourselves or in your classroom.
I continue to be:1 teacher writing; for myself, for my students, for others....
Cheryl