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:

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from Mr. Merrill's class
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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

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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

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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.