Students at Belding spent last week's class selecting their favorite lines from their Chicago poems and re-writing them on paper destined for a bulletin board. The bulletin board is now up on the second floor--complete with student works from Mr. Merrill's room, Ms. Navrocki's room, and Mr. Aivazian's room, and with some lines from well-known Chicago poets as well. Stop by to see this ode to our city for yourself!

Chicago

This week marked the beginning of a two-week project at Belding Elementary. Students read Carl Sandburg's Chicago, noting the parts of the city that have remained the same, the parts that feel different, and how Sandburg's own Chicago narrative gives an idea of the places he knew, the places that compelled him to write. Students discussed the tone of the poem, agreeing that it was a powerful poem, reflecting a city of hard work and industry, inhabitants who had difficult lives, but lives that were not without hope. Students then wrote their own Chicago poems, with an eye to personal experiences, and with the understanding that these poems should focus on authenticity. These were to be poems that portrayed good or bad things about Chicago, taking a cue from Sandburg and using strong, accurate, and descriptive language.

Next week, the students will be putting together a bulletin board with lines selected from their Chicago poems. All are encouraged to stop by and see these words in a new context!

A small sampling of this week's work is below:

***

from Mr. Merrill's class
***

Chicago's parts of Mexico

by Jesus

Good food great color roses for the grave
Happiness sadness everywhere scariness everywhere
Clothes. Lots of Spanish everywhere
When you speak Spanish, it's cool. Mexico in Chicago
is the best.

***

Chicago Color

by Michael

The Colors of
Chicago are cool.

People wear colorful
clothes

There are also different
kinds of colorful foods.

***

Chicago

by Caleb S.

Chicago, Chicago, Chicago. Motors running. People
walking. Corn, cucumber, watermelon, mango and ice cream
stands. Chicago, Chicago, Chicago. Delicious pizza.
Chicago style hot dogs. Great restaurants. Chicago,
Chicago, Chicago. Lots of museums. Train stations,
bike trails and lots more. Chicago, Chicago, Chicago.

***

from Mr. Aivazian's class

***

Chicago

by Daniela

Chicago is my friends, teacher, family, music air. I
walk around the museum and I see the people and
I go to Navy Pier to see the clowns when it is
Halloween. Chicago is wonderful and one thing I
don't like is winter and snow but I like
summer and spring. Fall, I go to Chinese.

***

Chicago

by Christopher

Chicago is a place for people who want to
walk around in theatres and smell
in the air, because the sun is
shining in the air. Then also they
have shopping, dining, movie theatres.
I love Chicago, Illinois.
One day we saw cars, buses, trains,
planes.

***

Chicago People

by Jocelyn

I smell oranges
and air.
The dentist cleans my teeth
with water.
My house is nice.
When I am there,
I feel happy.
When I am there
my Mom and I
watch T.V.

***

from Ms. Navrocki's class

***

Chicago

by Lareyn

What's great about Chicago is clean places, snow
is coming and nice people unlike the Philippines. When
I first come here I'm very cold cause in the Philippines
it's hot, but sometimes I didn't like here because
there is a T.V. show and I see bad things. I really
like the malls. I've never been in such malls
like here, and also I like here 'cause I can snowboard.

***

The Way I See Chicago

by Amaris

Chicago in the summer
Your summer breeze and the sound
of Lake Michigan and it is a sweet day.

Chicago in the Spring
Your beautiful-looking flowers and your joyful
rainy days where I can play.

Chicago in the Winter
Your cold snow we play in and Chicago's
ice skating rinks and Grandma's reason
to make hot chocolate.

You have bullies. Doesn't matter and
your nature of people doesn't matter.

Chicago
Your buildings and lakes your fish
and your people make us a nation.
You have a big heart
always. Chicago you're the greatest.

***

by Zak

The land hard as
a truck of steel
the land of free government
service
the lands where
buildings stand high
the land of taxes
and big bills
the land of the
free and citizens.
P.S. Don't forget the people
that border this state from Canada.

This is Just to Say

This week, students at Belding read William Carlos Williams' poem, This is Just to Say, and discussed the poem as both narrative and conversation. We talked about the tone of the poem, deciding that it might be apologetic, humorous, talkative, matter-of-fact. Students gave their opinions as to whom the poem might be written for, and where this poem might have been left to be discovered. After discussing, the class began a writing assignment based on the day's reading: create a poem that opens a conversation of apology, be it sad, humorous, or otherwise. Some examples are below.

from Mr. Merrill's class

***

A Letter to Mom

by Christon

I am sorry

I had ruined your career

This is a big problem

I will try to give you a present

The best present you ever had

I’ll give you a necklace.

I’ll try to raise money

So you’ll be happy.

If you buy me a present, it'll be a puppy.

***

Sorry

by Jordan

I ate your

Oreo cake I

Bet you were

Going to eat

It for dessert

I’m sorry but

It was delicious

It was so chocolaty

And it melted in my

Mouth

Forgive me. I

Took the last of

The milk and

Enjoyed the

Cake and

Milk.

I’m sorry!

***


Dear Mr. Merrill

by Devanta

You are the best teacher ever

Funny sometimes, happy too

I love to see your

Happiness

And

Marley

Too.

Here

Are

Years

Of

The

Class

Room

Love.

***

From Mr. Aivaizan's class:

***

By Charmaine

I'm sorry

For eating

Your chips.

I’m sorry

For cutting

Your shirt.

I’m sorry

For writing in

Your books.

***

By Chris

Dear grandma,

I’m sorry for

Breaking your thing.

Please forgive

Me. I can buy

A new one

And I will place

It for you.

I’m sorry.

***

Dear Mom

by Jocelyn

Dear Mom

I’m happy

I’m mad and I’m angry

Because you washed my clothes.

***

From Ms. Navrocki's class:

***

Sorry for the Cookies

by Jose M.

Sorry for eating the

Cookies that were so yummy

Delicious and it tasted yummier

With the decorations. Please forgive

Me. I will make more this Christmas.

***


by Shanon

I have a

Friend she

Is a big person she

Walks around

Not making

A sound but

In my heart

She feels like

She is

What she is to be.

That’s why

No one can step

Over her.

***

by Ahlam S.

I’m sorry for

All the fights

We had they

Weren’t so

Important to

Be said. I

Always think

One of the days

We play. I

Wish I can

Go to the

Past and

Play that

Game.