SPRING TIME: Poetry & Painting

Hello From Sunny Florida! I am Robin from Class of Kinders. I am so excited you have found this fabulous blog that was designed just for us Kindergarten teachers. 

I mean REALLY, there is NO other grade quite like Kindergarten! Wouldn't you agree?

 I have been teaching for 11 years ...and all of those years have been in Kindergarten with the exception of this year. This year, I had the opportunity to loop with my Kindergarten class to First Grade. And let me just tell you, it has been magical! When I have a minute to just sit and reflect about these last two years with them... I am simply amazed at how much these 6 and 7 year olds have achieved!

Have you looped? Did you love it? If you have not ever looped, and by chance are given the opportunity, I would highly recommend it. 

REALLY….JUST DO IT!

Earlier I mentioned I was from Florida. And well, being from Florida - we don't really have "SEASONS." Our Winter goes from Spring to Summer in the blink of an eye.  Seriously. A cool (Winter) turns to a hot (Summer)…it is like we skipped right over Spring. 

But, that is just the way it is! So, in honor of our March calendar saying it was the "First Day of Spring," we spent some time enjoying some Spring time poetry. Then, I wanted the kiddos to try their hand at an acrostic poem. You know, the one where the word goes from top to bottom down the page and then the line of poetry begins with each letter from the word. We began by jotting down as many words/phrases as we could that reminded us of Spring. 

It is not a pretty graphic organizer …but, it IS the real thing. 

There are some pretty good thoughts going on, wouldn't you say?

I asked them to turn and talk to their partner about which

thoughts were meaningful to them and how they would use them in the lines of their poem.

The room was a 'buzz!

Then I gave them a piece of paper to help guide their poem. They got busy writing a rough draft and sharing it with a friend or two. Once they got it just the way they wanted it… 

they published it, by writing it neatly.  

Then we decided that these Spring poems needed a little artwork to jazz 'em up! I was hoping they'd say that because I had seen this REALLY cool idea from Pinterest! 

(No surprise there, huh?)

I took out some metal forks and gave them to the kids. 

Yes, I did say forks.

 They had a strange look on their faces and wanted to know what we were going to eat. I explained that forks were not JUST for eating. Let's paint, I announced!! 

So, I quickly took out the tempera paint. By this time they were squirming in their seats. I showed them how to dip the fork into the paint and then onto a piece of paper while gently rocking the fork back and forth. As I lifted the fork, it revealed a "tulip like" flower.

 (I heard a few ooooohs & ahhhhhs!)

Then I added the stems, leaves and grass with a paint brush.

Then they went to work painting...the competed project looked something like this:  

And there you have it - a little Poetry & Painting.

They loved, LOVED, loved it!!

I really wanted to hang them in the hallway because I thought they turned out so nicely, but

the kiddos convinced me that these beauties should go home as Easter/Spring gifts for their families. 

 So, I gave in …and well, they never made it onto the hallway walls. 

If you would like to give this a try, click the link below for a copy 

of the template I used to guide the poem:

ACROSTIC POEM TEMPLATE FREEBIE

 (Includes one for SPRING & SUMMER.)

I hope you have fun with it. Thanks for joining me for Show-N-Tell Saturday!!

I am really looking forward to next time,