Thursday, May 30, 2019

Instruction Poems by...not me.

It's May.  

The 30th.

I think maybe I need to stop committing to a poem a day during April's Poetry Month festivities.  Or ever.  Because life makes me a liar.  :)

But today, I do have poems for you.  But not by me.  My third graders are a spectacular bunch of kids who happen to love poetry--hearing it...reading it...writing it.

Michelle, over at Today's Little Ditty, had a great interview with Elizabeth Steinglass, who gave a challenge:  write a poem of instruction to an inanimate object

My kids tried it and, as usual, did a great job.   We try to write quick poems--I give them between 10-20 minutes to write a poem and we decided to not worry about rhythm or rhyme (though some couldn't stop themselves--I totally understand!) but instead to focus on making good word choices.

Happy reading!


Instructions for Crayons

Be pink for a drink.
Be green for a bean.
Be yellow for Jello.
Be red for bread.
Be blue for clues.
Black...oh, yeah...be black for a black Cadillac.  


Jessica, 3rd Grader 
in Mrs. Hoeft's Class




Instructions for a Playground

Stuff outside, be fun.
Be a fun place to play.
People like recess.


Antoine, 3rd Grader
in Mrs. Hoeft's class





Star Instructions

Star in the sky, 
shine so bright.
Only come
out in the night.


Be sparkly 
and shiny
when you glow. 



Ani, 3rd Grader 
in Mrs. Hoeft's Class



Instructions for Video Game Controller

Move smoothly.
Don't break.
I'm awake.
Ready to play
my video game.
If somebody takes you,
if they break you...
...they're in for it.


Aaron, 3rd  Grader 
in Mrs. Hoeft's class



Instructions to a Car

Do not run out of gas
Always stay powered up
Go, drive away
Down and up.


Go, go, go, as fast as you can!
Be very big just like a minivan.



Flash your lights.
Beep your horn!
As long as you're driving in the morn.



Naomi, 3rd Grader 
in Mrs. Hoeft's class



Sun Instructions

Shine real bright.
Don't come at night.
Don't come close to Earth.
When Winter comes, knock him back to
Aunt Artica.
Be the star of the show.
Let everybody know:
you shine bright.


Isabella, 3rd Grader
in Mrs. Hoeft's class




Bike Instructions

Don't let me fall!
Hold me tight!
Don't blow your wheel!
Don't let me slide like a seal.
Don't let my feet slide.
I don't want to use training wheels.


Listen to what I say.
If you don't, 
I'll love you anyway.

Isabella, 3rd Grader 
in Mrs. Hoeft's class

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