Writing poems during CIS Think Summer!
Students are packing a lot of fun and learning into these six weeks of their CIS Think Summer! program*. At the Prairie Ridge Elementary School site, Kalamazoo Kids in Tune (a partnership between Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo Public Schools) have been making music and more.
Totally focused and bringing a new poem into the world!
If you visited the summer program during the last week in July and stepped into the “Italy” group, rising 5th-7th graders, you would have overheard student conversations like this:
“Is poetry considered art or is it academics?”
“It’s academic because we’re learning about it during our academic time.”
“Yea, we talked about adjectives and abstract nouns.”
“I think poetry is art. It makes me feel inside like when I do art.”
“It feels a little bit like music, too.”
“I think it’s both.”
What do you think? You can ponder this question as you read two new poems created by Sahriah and Javan. These KIT students, along with the rest of their classmates, created poems inspired by Jo Harjo’s poem, “She had some horses.” These are just two examples of the tremendous student work being done at all levels throughout CIS Think Summer!
We played some music
She played some songs.
He played his instrument that was out of tune.
She played her songs that were sounding good.
I played Barber of Seville that didn’t sound as good.
Sahriah played some orchestra music.
Gabby played in a concert with Mozart.
Ann played conga with Nathan.
Zach played the blues that sounded happy.
LaMeeka played some cello music.
Naomi played some flute music with Nyareve.
Miyah played some clarinet songs with Javon.
This was the same music.
-Sahriah Casey
I played some fragile chords of truth
I played some frantic tunes of beauty.
He played applause in dreams that were tired.
She played a measure of music that was colorful.
He played cute keys that were full of courage.
She played some waltz music.
I played instruments with care.
I played colorful measures with amazement.
He played music that moved us.
He played some chords.
She played some concert music that changed the world.
She played some beautiful tunes from the waltz.
This was the same waltz.
-Javan Harris
Cheers to all the youth development workers, site coordinators, VISTAs, volunteers, and school and community partners who are working together to provide the best CIS Think Summer! yet! Cheers to horses, poetry, and music, too!
*The CIS Think Summer! program is funded by the Michigan Department of Education (21st Century Community Learning Centers.)
Miss Viri, youth development worker with CIS, supporting students as they create poetry.
Tags: CIS Think Summer, Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo, Jo Harjo, Kalamazoo Kids In Tune, Kalamazoo Public Schools, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, KIT, poetry
