Modified Cinquains

In continuing with our poetry introduction... and block classes...

We learned about cinquains today.  Well, a modified first step suggested in the book I am using...

Rather than counting syllables we started out by counting words.  I hadn't mentioned sticking to sort of a theme on each line...but they picked up on that rather quiclkly themselves.

WINTER

Winter

Slippery, Icy,

Snowmobiling, Skiing, Sledding

Smartwool Socks, Snowmobile Coat, Warm Boots, Snowpants

Cloudy

CHICKENS

Chickens

Fluffy, Chicks

Pullets, Hens, Roosters,

Feathery, Pretty, Smooth, Soft

Eggs

MOVIE NIGHT

Movie

popcorn, pork rinds

DVD, VHS, Blu-Ray

Couch, Comfy, Blankets, 1/2 circle

Together

CANDY

Candy

Tasty, Yummy

Sugary, Sweet, Sour

Twix, Smarties, Kit Kats, Mints

Crazy

TRAINS

Trains

Whistle, Bell

Fire, Smoke, Steam

Lionel, MTH, RailKing, American Flyer

Thunder

 

Block Classes and Poetry

There are so many educational experiences I'd like to expose the kids to but don't necessarily need to spend an entire year or even quarter.  As I was thinking about how to do this without adding stress to our already busy schedule,I remembered taking Block Classes when I was younger.  We would take one class for 2 weeks and stop.  We got to choose from a list what we'd like to sign up for .

Poetry is one of those things I'd like to expose them to.  Some may run with it, some may be happy when we are done.  My 8th grader writes beautiful poetry.  Honestly, I'm not sure where she picked this up.  Maybe the Shel Silverstein books her grandma bought her? 

I'm not set on two weeks per class though.  I suspect poetry will take us a month or so but we'll see where it takes us.  I would also like to spend some time this year on Art Appreciation.  I intend to use a couple things I already own like Mommy it's Renoir, and our 7 year old's  "Katie" series books.

I started out teaching my K, 2, 3, and 5th graders about Acrostic Poems (hmmm...even my 8th and 9th graders learned from a distance). 

We started out with with an Acrostic Poem about their sister Anna and one about Snow

Astounding       

Nice

Noisy

Awesome

Slush

North

Outstanding

Wow

We did a few more together and after I left to start prepping for lunch they continued.  Our 3rd grader slipped through pages in The Children's Dictionary for some more ideas.  They are asking for more!!  Here's one they came up with on their own.  Do you know what MOVEMBER means?

Moustache

On

Victorious

Exciting

Men

Barber

Ended

Raising