ACTIVITY: Creating poems about quiet winter activities

BOOK: Owl Moon by: Jane Yolen

In the story, Jane Yolen describes her own experiences with her father when they went owling. She always had to be very quiet while owling!

Note: This activity was completed over three days.

As a culmination project to our Jane Yolen study, I read Owl Moon to my class once again. We focused on the beautiful language and similies included in Jane Yolen's writing. We also noticed how she described her quiet wintery activity using the senses. The watercolors in the book created a dramatic winter effect in the book. After concentrating on the crafts Jane Yolen used in the book, we discussed quiet winter activities that we enjoy.

We began by each student thinking about a quiet activity that they like to do in the winter. We brainstormed a list of similies that could be used in the poems we were going to write. Some of the students came up with "quiet as a mouse", "quiet as falling snow", "quiet as a shadow" etc.

I modeled writing a poem using all of my five senses to help me be descriptive. I made a chart on a piece of paper that looked like the following:

The students had to pick a quiet winter activity and then write it at the top of the page in their Writer's Notebooks and then create the chart below it. Under each of the senses they had to write two to three phrases describing their activity.

After making their lists, each phrase became a line in their poem.

Students then wrote their poems on colored paper and glued it onto a bigger piece of white construction paper.

We had a discussion about the illustrations in Owl Moon. The children then created winter scenery around their poems using watercolors just like the illustrator did in Owl Moon.

The children then read their poems to the class!

"Playing in the Snow"

When I
go to play
in the
snow I smell
my hot cocoa
steaming hot
when it's all ready
I drink my hot cocoa nice and
hot. I go play
to make my
very own snowman
but then
I heard a bird chirping
I see the bird
high up in the
tree. I look
at her and she looks
at me.

*********************************************

"Drinking Hot Chocolate"

I'm drinking my hot chocolate
with marshmallows that are just
as hot.

My spoon is as silver as metal.

It is just as hot as a nice summer's day.

My marshmallows are as white
as clouds.

My hot chocolate is as
brown as tree trunks.

I love hot chocolate!

************************************************

"Drawing a Picture"

Drawing a wintery scene
I hear the sketch of
the crayon.

I see the pictures beauty
unfolding.

The smell of the clean new
paper goes through my
nose.

Making colorful lines
on the paper.

The paper is smoother
than smooth.

*************************************************

"Falling Snow"

I could almost hear the snow falling
on the ground
The wind is blowing softly
I smell fresh gingerbread
baking
It smells fantastic
I feel snowflakes falling on
my eyelashes and face
They taste like sugar
I see the snow fall on
the ground
The snow is very quiet.

*******************************************************
"Sleeping On My Bed"

Hearing creaks and seeing
the moon.
Hearing my dad snoring it's boring
I see snow falling through
my window
Touching my pillow and hearing our
washing machine, it's too loud!
I'm happy because snow is
falling!

*******************************************************

"Walking Through the Woods"

I was walking through
the woods with
my dog. We walked on the
path then we
went in the woods we saw
birds chirping
and deep galloping. I heard
little sticks
crunching below my feet
I smelled clean snow
and my dog. I was
touching a little tree and my dog.

Language Arts Literacy

All students will speak for a variety of real purposes and audiences.
Students use listening, writing, reading, and viewing to assist with speaking.
Students participate in collaborative speaking activities, such as choral reading,
plays, and reciting of poems.
Students read aloud with meaning.

All students will listen actively in a variety of situations to information from a variety of sources.
Students will listen attentively and critically to a variety of speakers.

All students will write in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and for different audiences and purposes.
Students write from experiences, thoughts, and feelings.
Students write for a variety of purposes, such as to persuade, enjoy,
entertain, learn, inform, record, respond to reading, and solve problems.
Students write on self-selected topics in a variety of literary forms.
Students use figurative language, such as a similie, metaphor, and analogies to
expand meaning.
All students will read a variety of materials and texts with comprehension and critical analysis.
Students listen and respond to whole texts.
Students identify literary forms such as fiction, poetry, drama, and nonfiction
Students use reading for different purposes, such as enjoyment, learning, and
problem-solving.

Cross Content Workplace Readiness

All students will use critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving skills

All students will demonstrate self-management skills.
Students will set short and long term goals.
Students will work cooperatively with others to accomplish a task
Use time efficiently and effectively