Take a Walk in Our Shoes Poetry Challenge Day 7

Today's shoes belonged to someone very special, Fahris Elyse Wyand. She was a camper at my husband's camp and very dear to our hearts. She left the world way to soon, but she continues to shape our lives. Her ruby red shoes a symbol of her essence.

Ruby Red Hero

by Darlene Daley

Sweet little angel

with your ruby red shoes.

You danced into our hearts

and warmed our souls.

Never letting what was wrong,

get you down.

Your special kind of sunshine,

spread throughout the world.

Your glittery red shoes,

a symbol of your strength.

Your courage inspired.

Your smile brightened.

Your laugh contagious.

Even over the rainbow,

you continue to change the world.

Talk a Walk in Our Shoes Poetry Challenge Day 6

Today's picture made my students connect back to their Fighting for A Cause unit. In this unit, they learned about famous individuals who fought for different causes throughout our history, like segregation and women's right to vote. My students were struck with the idea (I love how their minds work) that these shoes were segregated. They were being kept outside because of their color and a poem was born. This allowed my students to grapple with this tough subject in a new way. It helped provide new insights and led to a deeper conversation.

by Ammon Simpson, Ryleigh Frarey, and Kayleigh Behun

Why do the shoes in this house

have to be segregated?

The white shoes get the best spots,

the black shoes get the worst.

Whenever the front door is opened

we get squished.

It's always freezing cold,

especially in the winter.

It's always burning hot,

especially in the summer.

It's also very boring.

We are mostly worn for dirty work.

That is why we 

do not like how we are treated.

Take a Walk in Our Shoes Poetry Challenge Day 5

It's day five of our poetry challenge! Today's picture sparked lots of conversation in my second-grade classroom because students were debating which point of view should the poem be written from. Finally, a group of students decided on the Ugg, because that was the shoe that drew their attention the most and they thought it has a story to tell. Their poem shows off their creativity, as the Ugg is having a conversation with the reader explaining his life.

Fallen

by Caleb Gurger, Mason Michaelsen, Zane Jermyn and Aischa Foster

Hi! I'm the fallen Ugg.

There's a reason why

I am down here

with punctured lungs and fractured bones.

Look up there,

that's my cousin

and he's a bully.

He is the reason 

I am down here.

Hear that squealing

that's my friend Converse

getting smashed.

I thought to myself,

"Would you rather be down here

with these stupid bones and lungs?"

Because I rather be up there

getting smashed by my cousin.

Take a Walk in Our Shoes Poetry Challenge Day 4

Today's poem by a pair of my second graders really makes you wonder what it's like to be a pair of shoes in your own closet.

Waiting

by Izzy Sheppard and Mac Stoyles

Waiting in the closet,

in the corner till you pick me.

Get me out of here already,

use your feet.

Everything is so ugly,

everything that is, but for me.

I am so perfect,

prettier than everyone else,

but nobody notices me.

My star makes me famous.

So pick me!

There is nothing worse than this!

Waiting is so horrible.

Take a Walk in Our Shoes Poetry Challenge Day 3

Today's poems was inspired by a photo sent to me by someone on Twitter (thanks PLC for your help on this project). This individual saw someone walking in the airport with these amazing sneakers and sent the picture to me. My students didn't know that story, but they did closely exmaine the photo. Besides the shoes they were focused on the floor, they felt that this tile had to be in a school somewhere. This group of poets chose to write from the perspective of the person wearing the shoes. I love how they used their creativity to play around with rhyme and rhythm. As second graders, we have been focusing on our word choice, making our writing more descriptive using adjectives and strong verbs. You can see my students employ some of these strategies in their poem.

First Day of School

by Aubree Walton, Oliver Hawkins, and Caroline Oster

Walking into school,

feet decked out in new shoes.

People start to stare,

I don't know what to do!

I'm dressed in jeans,

leather jacket,

and a pair of black speckled socks.

But it is my colorful shoes,

that cause my friends to go into shock.

Green, gold and blue,

sparkle in the sun.

Diamond eyes staring at you,

I thought they were fun.

Never mind what people think,

I think that they are cool.

Strutting down the hall,

feeling confident in school!

Take a Walk in Our Shoes Poetry Challenge Day 2

Today's poem is inspired by this gorgeous pair of heels. Several of my students created a poem for this picture. I love how they focused on the rhythm of this poem, as well as writing from the shoe's perspective. 

Miss Sparkes

by Mariela Torres-Steele, Tess Moore, and Eva Jackson

Mrs. Daley's Second Grade Students

I finally met my match.

He is handsome.

He is tall.

I love him 

to my sole.

On the inside,

he is made of velvet.

We're getting married

in a meadow.

No flower girl at all.

Though our owner is very tall,

her groom is not at all.

Hear the music,

time to go.

Nice and slow

we walk on down the aisle.

Heading toward the groom,

happy as can be.

Take a Walk in Our Shoes Poetry Challenge Day 1

Today is the first day of National Poetry Month and the first day of our poetry challenge entitled Take a Walk in Our Shoes. Each day you will see a new photo of shoes and a poem to go with. We hope that you will join our fun by reading our poems, sharing your thinking about them in the comment section below or maybe even sharing your own poem based on the picture as well. Today you will see a poem developed by my class. Our goal was to stretch our imagination for this poem. We chose to write from multiple perspectives in the poem, thinking about what would be like to be a boot sitting on this shelf. What might we (the boot) be thinking? This train of thinking helped us decide to write the poem from multiple voices as well. Enjoy and happy writing everyone!

A Boot's Dilemma 

by Mrs. Daley's Second Grade Class

The lights click on,

we're all lined up,

dusted, straightened

and ready for wear.

Doors clink open,

and in she walks.

Footsteps inching closer,

electric energy in the air,

this may be the moment,

where I'm plucked from my simple shelf,

taken from the only home I've know.

          Pick me, pick me

          I holler.

          I'm the pretty red pair,

          over here.

          I'm ready for adventure,

          I'm sturdy and wanting wear,

          Ready to gallop off into the night.

          Pick me up and put me on,

          Let our journey 

          now take flight.

         

                               Oh no, here she comes,

                               my thoughts are racing,

                               through my head.

                               Keep your stinky feet

                               away from me.

                               Pick my friend the red pair instead.

                               I like the shelf I'm standing on,

                               you better stay away.

                               I have all the adventure that I need,

                               so on the shelf, I should stay.

She stands there standing,

for eternity or maybe just a minute.

Sixty seconds of my life,

that I can not get back.

Then off she wanders, empty-handed,

Leaves us

          heartbroken.

Leaves us

                                relieved.