under the sea

In 2nd grade we have been working on a group of related projects with "a special place" at the center.  The class voted to study coral reefs way back in November, and in addition to writing information brochures about this ecosystem, we are now writing a version of Stone Soup set on a coral reef ("Seashell Soup") and we'll make a display for Multicultural/International Night about a country where the people's culture depends on the their reef.

After all the research, I like to offer an opportunity to express understandings in another form--poetry.  As I Tweeted last Friday, part of our inspiration came from Kate Coombs's book Water Sings Blue, and you'll see echoes of her "Coral," "Shark" (what a poem!) and "Nudibranch."  And it must be said that some students did not know the factual information as well as they felt the wonder of the reef--a helpful check-up!

So here are the Diamond Miners' coral reef poems, their first "assigned" poetry writing of the year, after months of steeping in excellent models.  As always, I consider it a success when the great majority of kids blast off on their own, knowing that they are the boss of their poem, its concept, its language, its mood.  This year my young writers needed most support in bossing their poems' form--most started at the left margin and wrote straight across their chosen paper, so our revision conferences focused on arrangement.

Enjoy!

Galaxy

by Angel O.

I’m a new world, maybe a galaxy

I’m beautiful like stars

I’m like a new world to millions

I was born to shine

  

    “I want to meet you.”

        by Ollie S-F.

People call me pretty.

Thank you for the compliment.

I don’t like that much attention.

I don’t move from this spot

for my whole life.

My species is endangered

but you can help.

My name is Coral.

What is yours?

Coral Reef

     by Erick P. F. 

The polyp is big

the polyp is long

the polyp is bleaching

all day long

Coral

by Kayla B.

I am round

I have no end

I just want

to be your friend

to the end

again

                    Colorful Coral Reef Hotels

                            by Angelina H.

    Purple,                   green,

               orange,                       blue,

yellow,     red,        magenta  too

       Hold your breath until you fall

We’re like a town of underwater colorful hotels

  or even a world

Hold your breath until                        you see like a

       you rise                                            galaxy

We are corals, we are hotels, we are a world of colorful hotels

                         

          Squid

                      by James A.

              A squid is fast

but always last.      A squid is

like a tube that shoots smoke.

A squid is fast and past other

sea animals.  It is big    it is red   it is like

a big coral reef.  Some day

 it will be bright, gold, happy, and

an escaper.  If a squid was in

jail it would just flush down

the toilet, down down down into the blue

big wavy ocean and get fast again!!!!
Are you like a squid?

Who am I?

by Jacob L-M.

I am squishy

and wet

I have no shell

I live under water

who am I? ……

               a sea slug!

Sea Cucumber

by Kelly M.

organic orange

sea cucumber

I’m rough

I don’t move

I suck up the sand with my mouth

like a vacuum

The Coral Friends

by Roselyn H.

we are busy   we

are growing   we

don’t care what

you are doing    we are

growing and our friends

are too   when we

grow up we will play too.

     

Coral Shark    

     by Andy M.

I swim fast and slow...

I hide in the shadows...

waiting to attack!

  

Clown Fish

by Nathan Z.

A clown fish is a wish

granted.

When you catch

it, it shakes you

Such a glory

such a fish

When you smell it

it smells deelish

remember when

you caught that

fish.

     Sea Slug

        by Watal F.

I am a sea slug

   that is blue

that has no shell

         and

I live in a cave

      in the

       coral

        reef

          in

       cracks.

Sea Turtle

      by Joey F.

I am

a sea turtle with a shell

I swim calmly

with others

and what I see

is bright colors

and we are

different shapes

like different

others.

The Coral Flower

    by Angela S.

a bright flower

that shines

across the water

to catch the sunlight

  

Sea Cucumber

      by Madelinne A.

keeps sand clean

and it is orange

and oval

wet and squishy

smooth and bumpy

skin has circles

The Reef

by Joseph S.

He lived in a shell,

breaking out to swim.

Deep-down ocean water blue.

Salty sun light.

Star-coral loved to swim in

the reef with his colorful

fish-friends.

Don't you feel all warm and watery now?  The Round-Up today is hosted by Keri at Keri Recommends--drift on over to the colorful reef of posts!