Wax Poetic – Page 4 – Blackbird and Company

Posted on May 26, 2013 by BBCo

Words Are a Great Wonder

In our world where
fast paced technological communicating is the norm, our lexicon is shrinking
hand over fist. But the potential of words is a great wonder. Words are salty goodness that pepper writing with flavor.

So this month at the Guild we are, once again, making words.

Last spring I
introduced my writers to the idea of “neologisms” coined by Lewis Carroll. I
began by asking the writers to remind me of the details from last spring’s
lesson. I was surprised that they remembered with great detail the suffixes we
explored so long ago:

» cosm  [From Greek kosmos, order,
universe.]  Universe; world microcosm, macrocosm

» esque  [F., fr. It. -isco. Cf. –ish.]  An
adjective suffix indicating manner or style Arabesque, Romanesque

» ism  [Greek -ismos, -isma noun suffix]  A
suffix used to form action nouns from verbs, distinctive doctrine, system, or
theory skepticism, truism

They even
remembered more than a handful of the words they crafted, words like: appleism,
s-e-e-ism, TVism, tablesque, pencilesque, windesque, bouncehousecosm,
balooncosm, and lollycosm

As I sat with the
group, I marveled at their retention, but more significantly at their
delight. can’t say the same
about any of the vocabulary development lessons that I’ve utilized through the
years from various curriculums that shall remain nameless!

The art of
crafting neologisms focuses the writer’s attention on the specificity of words
and their potential to enact ideas in a very meaningful way. And lessons that
are meaningful are lasting.

So we began our
exploration of suffixes, mining for meaning and application:

» able  [From Latin abilis, capable of, fit
for.]  washable, enjoyable, pitiable

ex.
Neologism – baloonable

» nomy  [From Greek nomos, system of rules
or knowledge.] astronomy, economy, autonomy

ex.
Neologism – iPodonomy

» ization  [From Greek izein, to become.]
popularization, organization, generalization

ex.
Neologism – basketballization

»
ology  [From Greek logia, to speak of, study or science of.]
biology, geology, anthropology

ex.
Neologism – pickleology

» phobia  [From
Latin phobia, abnormal fear] claustrophobia, arachnophobia, xenophobia

ex.
Neologism – flipflopphobia

» ward  [From
Middle English ward, specifics of direction] toward, homeward, backward

ex.
Neologism – chocolateward

Bonus Suffix:

» biotic  [From
Greek biotikis, of life, method of living] antibiotic, probiotic, microbiotic

ex.
Neologism – fauxbiotic

Ultimately, I challenged the
writers to create a list of neologisms for each suffix. Now I challenge you to do
the same. And as you do, keep in mind, words are a great wonder! Go and salt the earth.

-Kim

Posted on April 25, 2013 by BBCo

“Tiny Magical Spheres of Wonder”

These curious little balls commonly known as water pearls (I prefer my name) are in a word…captivating.

Their usefulness in exploring science and math are obvious and you can find tons of great ideas all over the Internet for incoroprating these little gems into your learning adventures.

Or maybe simply playing with and marveling at them holds just as much educational value.

Sometimes poetry can be found in the most unexpected places.

Posted on April 10, 2013 by BBCo

Write “Your Very Own Ars Poetica”

Q: What is the purpose of poetry?

A: Why an Ars
Poetica of course.

Q: A what?

(Now the fun begins…)

A: Well, being a Latin phrase “ars poetica” is translated
“on the art of poetry” in English. And art by definition allows the imagination to speak. Art shows.

Q: So how does poetry show?

A: Let’s explore.

To begin, compare a
poem to the unexpected and you will begin to see the art of poetry:

A poem is an orange balloon against the blue sky.

A poem is a gift-wrapped pair of well-worn sneakers.

A poem is a baby crying at the end of a nap.

A poem is a collection of musical notes.

A poem is a silver spoon diving into vanilla ice cream.

A poem is honey on the tongue.

Keep going…

Think about how the
poem infuses the senses and you will begin to “show” the art of poetry. Generate
ideas by answering the following questions:

How does poem sound?

Example – A poem is river tumbling stones.

How does a poem look?

Example – A poem is a glass tower in gloaming.

How does a poem feel to the touch?

Example – A poem is nestled in velvet and fingertips stroking bark.

How does a poem taste?

Example – A poem is cayenne smothered in chocolate.

How does a poem smell?

Example – A poem is honeysuckle on a warm spring day.

Where does a poem take the reader?

Example -…to stars hanging in night sky.

Gather
more fodder by imagining a series of “what if” scenarios…

If your poem was on the moon, how would it
survive?

If your poem was on stage, what would it
wear and how would it act?

If your poem was a bird, what would it see?

What if your poem went exploring?

Keep imagining until you have a page of
ideas.

Now, began by
crafting your ideas to single sentences that describe the art of poetry and the
essence of a poem:

Example-

A poem is the clap of rain, the trumpet of thunder and
takes me to stars hanging in the night sky.

Next, break each sentence into poetic phrases. Feel free
to make little word adjustments as you craft your line breaks:

A poem is

clap of rain,

trumpet of thunder,

and painter of stars

clinging to the night sky.

As you see, each sentence will be crafted to a single
stanza. Try another and another. Soon you will have your Ars Poetica.

Archibald MacLeish "Ars
Poetica" (1926)

A poem should be palpable and mute

As a globed fruit,

Dumb

As old medallions to the thumb,

Silent as the sleeve-worn stone

Of casement ledges where the moss has grown
–

A poem should be wordless

As the flight of birds.

A poem should be motionless in time

As the moon climbs,

Leaving, as the moon releases

Twig by twig the night-entangled trees,

Leaving, as the moon behind the winter leaves,

Memory by memory the mind –

A poem should be motionless in time

As the moon climbs.

A poem should be equal to

Not true.

For all the history of grief

An empty doorway and a maple leaf.

For love

The leaning grasses and two lights above the sea
–

A poem should not mean

But be.

Posted on June 5, 2012 by BBCo

Ars Poetica Banner

Last week we made an Ars Poetica banner to celebrate the year of poetry gone by and to usher in yet another Da Vinci Summer.

We began by crafting a single sentence that described the very essence of a poem. Next, we broke the sentence into poetic phrases, little articles and conjunctions excluded. All the poems were, at last, perfumed with rich images and a splash of device—metaphor smilie, personification.

Poetry is not extracurricular. So as you wade into the slower paces of summer why not begin to develop a habit of being, the habit of poetry?

– Kim

Posted on November 21, 2011 by BBCo

Crafting a Poem of Thanksgiving

I shrink in the company of Sarcasm. I’m admittedly deficient, two steps behind when it comes to her volley of shrill phrases. When she enters the building, I chuckle a bit but rarely participate. I acknowledge that, on edge of her spectrum, chatter is light-hearted, friendly. Still, try as I might, I can’t quite squeak a giggle in the midst of her raucous presence.

Recently two students in my guild moved on to explore new education paths. Both students had been part of the guild for many years. My idea was to provide an opportunity for closure by challenging writers to craft a farewell phrase. I decided to incorporate this exercise into our regular writing workshop. What better way to put my “writing is a gift” motto into action?

So we began, “Let’s craft kind words to encourage our friends as they set out on a new adventure.” Sounds simple, right?

As I watched the card I provided move from writer to writer, I anticipated reading the messages before posting them the old fashioned way. But later that day, when I sat down with a cup of tea excited to read the phrases inscribed on the card, my heart sank. There she was, Sarcasm, smirking in all her glory, “Have fun wandering the halls,” and “Happy Easter (jk),” and “Yeah, whatever, thanks for leaving me behind,” and “Life is good (not),” …not a single kind word. There were careless spelling, capitalization, and punctuation errors.

Decibels peaking, Sarcasm crossing over to the caustic zone, I wanted to shrink. At one point in the reading, I wanted to cry. Our guild is not a typical classroom where children come and go annually, most of these children have been learning together for many years. These children are respectful of and grateful for friendship. Still, not a single phrase in the card was crafted vulnerably. What in the world? I knew that this group would really miss their friends who had moved on. I knew this must be something else. Maybe they did not know how to craft vulnerable words.

Continue reading Crafting a Poem of Thanksgiving

Posted on October 6, 2011 by BBCo — 10 Comments

Haiku for a Change in Season

Haiku are the little powerhouses of the poetry world! They are a fun challenge involving the best of word play, mixed with a little finger counting to get the syllables just right! Here's a brief "Haiku 101" to help you and your kids get started.

1. Haiku poems consist of a three-line stanza that has a total of 17 syllables written in the following pattern:

Line 1: 5 syllables
Line 2: 7 syllables
Line 3: 5 syllables

*Slight variations in syllabication is appropriate as this helps the poet maintain "one thought in three lines"

2. Haiku poems are observations of nature, often making reference to the seasons.

3. Haiku poems are like photographs, which capture moments in time. A "haiku moment" describes a scene that leads the reader to a feeling.

4. Haiku poems were originally written as introductions to longer works of poetry and should be written as one thought in three lines.

Consider these haiku written by the Japanese poet, Matsuo Basho:

Yellow rose petals
Drop one-by-one in silence:
Roar of waterfall.

Within plum orchard,
Sturdy oak takes no notice
Of flowering blooms.

Ready to write? Try crafting three original haiku inspired by any of these photographs. Share them with us in the comments section, we'd love to read them!

Posted on September 20, 2011 by BBCo

No Rules Animal Poetry

Douglas Florian is a poet and artist extraordinaire!

Winner of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award and recipient of an ALA Notable Children’s Book Award, he is the author and illustrator of many delightful children’s books.

Douglas Florian believes there is only one rule when it comes to poetry, that there are no rules.

Your youngest students can explore scientific and silly facts about creatures of all kinds with our Douglas Florian Earlybird Guide, and even try their hand at writing their own animal poetry. The results are fantastic!

Shark

Ate a thousand fish

In the white bathtub

In the night when the people were sleeping

To grow as big as the house

– Jedd, age 5

Whale

Jumped and did a back flip

Under blue and white water

At snack time

To have fun

– Cameron, age 6

Seahorse

Met a friend

At the light blue drop off

Early in dark morning

To not have to wait as long

– Maddie, age 6

Posted on July 14, 2011September 6, 2020 by BBCo

Another Kind of Poetry

California history projects

Our Waterhouse cooperative school began in Kim’s 900 square-foot, flat roof house. We hosted a diversity of characters during those early years. There was Mikalya, the darling recumbent student who taught us about her individuality as she practiced handwriting. Here was a six-year-old who could have been employed developing elaborate fonts. When it was time to journal she spent hours and hours crafting her name in script, but this was no ordinary script, this was script straight from her imagination. The term “fanciful letters” embodied the personality of the child.

Then there was Evelyn, my daughter the Kindergarten student who contentedly spent hours tracing illustrations from an entire book. Stopping to consider the academic standards involved in this task, Kim and I realized that in this single activity Evelyn not only met, but transcended certain state standards. Tracing complex illustrations, Evelyn developed her fine motor skills, strengthened hand-eye coordination, became aware of the connection between images and words, thought deeply about character and plot development and, perhaps most importantly, completed a complex task that was personally meaningful. Fast forward to high school, Evelyn would capture that certain something that made Mikayla Mikayla in the lines of a poem, “Dreamer Girl dangles / Her feet through downy clouds / Wiggles her toes over the earth / Beaming.” I have no doubt that her ability to make this profound observation about Mikayla’s individuality is in part due to the observation skills she learned to attend to as a child.

Reminiscing on our accomplishments during those first three years in San Luis Obispo borders on poetic:

• Pumpkin quilt

• Pysanky eggs

• Embroidery and soap making

• Rug hooking, and yes, basket weaving

• Ceramic snowmen

• That cool woven stool that took so much time

• Yarn dying and hand crafted knitting needles

• Pinwheels and the tee pee

• Lewis and Clark and US history quilt

• Little stone houses

• California quilt

• Woodshop class and glass mosaics

• Cooking cakes, breads and pies

• Taffy, cookies and Parker house rolls

• Crater experiment with marbles and flour

• Volcanoes and mapping the systems of the human body

• Bean sprouting and butterfly hatching

• Monarch field trips

• The rat maze and the rabbit’s chariot

• NASA launch and the Smithsonian

• The Saint Louis Arch

• Tide pools and deserts

• Piano keys plunking at all hours and the rat a tat tat on drums

• Pumpkin patch about a thousand times

• Elephant seals and beach clean-up on Earth Day

• Rug hooking

• Mark Twain’s childhood home

• Wilder girls in the hand sewn prairie dresses

• Visiting the pizza kitchen

• Over and over to the LA Science Center and the Natural History Museum

• Faith Ringgold slide show and giving her gifts

• Zoo trips and the whale watching boat

• Del Monte Café and the Santa Barbara Mission

• Teddy Roosevelt and the 13-year-old expert in NYC

• Civil War Sites, amestown and Williamsburg

• Clipper ships and Carnegie Hall

• D-Day and the beaches at Normandy

• Monterey Bay Aquarium

• Pigs, horses, goats, bats, iguanas, elephants

• THE GETTY!

• Misty of Chincoteague

• Mount Saint Helen’s National Park

• Timelines and maps

• Medieval history, War, and the ancient world

• Chinese history and the history of Israel

• Chumash Indians and the California Gold Rush extravaganza

I will never forget that first year we reserved the Community Room at our public library for a little open house, a time to help our students celebrate their accomplishments. My brother-in-law, Mark had one comment, ”Evelyn did more work in Kindergarten than I did in all of elementary school.”

– Sara

Posted on July 11, 2011 by BBCo

Salon des Artistes

The most inspiring and fun-filled day of the whole school year is our annual Salon des Artistes. Reveling in all that been created throughout the year we celebrating and affirm the work of each young poet, filmmaker, artist, and writer. AMAZING!!

Posted on May 10, 2011 by BBCo

The Poetry of Words

Writing begins with words.

Enacting poetry is a great way to get excited about words.

Rainy days were bittersweet when I was in elementary school. While the playground was sorely missed, watching the rain run like a waterfall down the side of our classroom that was mostly made of glass was poetic. And of course, there were the rainy day games to brighten the atmosphere. I remember one teacher in particular who introduced us to the best rainy day game of all: Dictionary. She would choose a word that none of us had ever heard and then have us write our made-up definition for the word on a slip of paper. We dropped the definitions into a basket, then she randomly read them out loud and we voted for our favorite. When she read the real definition from the dictionary, she planted, seed by seed, an appreciation for words that has not left me these many years later.

Once, while teaching poetry on a rainy day, I remembered that teacher and the classroom with the glass wall, and with a dictionary in hand, began my own lesson. We were reading a poem by William Wordsworth, I began by having my students think of the poet’s last name as a really great compound word. I went on to share my rainy day memory and began exploring vocabulary from “Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802,” Wordsworth’s famous sonnet.

We were about to embark on a game of Dictionary with a twist. I would attempt to take my students on a field trip across that bridge, enable them to compose their very own poem. When I gave them the first word to tackle, their definitions were non-specific, close to the real thing, but not precise. I opened the dictionary, flipped then ran my finger down a page, “Infuse, to fill; pervade.” I read the second definition, “To release flavor or healing properties while being soaked,” and then I infused tea in a glass mug of steaming water. The students liked this so much that we experimented. We infused darkness with light by closing blinds to slits and watching light stream in, by lighting candles in dark corners.

After our little game of Dictionary we took a few steps across the bridge, time for the real lesson to begin. I had them close their eyes and listen to the word infuse, encouraged them to let sounds seep into their ears, “The sounds of words matter, so does the shape.”

Now the students in my workshop were curious, “Shape?”

“Yes, shape.” Writers of all ages often forget the vital connection between words and image.

I led them into another room, to a table laden with jars of glitter, paint and brushes, drawing pencils, chalk pastels, scissors, glue sticks, stacks of newspaper and magazines, and a basket of Dymo label makers. It was time for my students to “find” poetry and in the process discover the power of words.

I showed the students how to begin with a random block, “Rip out a chunk of words from a page of newspaper or magazine.” I instructed them to read the block of words out of the context of the article, “Now the poet must think about the specific meaning of the words being read to discover a new, personalized, context to place the words into.” I showed them how to paint out certain words to make their new context emerge and to move from there to an original poem. Then I set them free to explore the supplies on the table. They didn’t need much instruction beyond, “Create a poetic collage.”

I am devoted to connecting writers to words by teaching them to crave what all good writers crave: Specificity.

Taking time to consider words is an undervalued skill, is often considered a tedious task. Taking the “boring” out of something ultimately involves changing the attitude about the task. Exploring words is an adventure. Learning to use a dictionary, the kind that you hold in your hands, is the skill that over time will allow young writers to infuse the worth of words into the world.

– Kim