Young Chicago Authors Visit CMS 7th Graders
Chippewa Middle School seventh graders enjoyed a four-day residency workshop during English Language Arts class this past week.
The seventh graders are currently working on a poetry unit and this experience emphasized and built on what they already have been learning.
During the four-day residency, guest teaching artists from Young Chicago Authors taught students various poetic devices and went through the writing process with students to produce original pieces of poetry.
One of the activities included drawing an object of their choice, thinking about what qualities that object has and how it can be personified.
Some of the objects they creatively personified included a car, a fire hydrant and a potato.
Students also participated in an activity in which they had to guess the form of the poem.
The types of poems they learned about included haiku, elegy, ode, prose, limerick and free verse.
After the students were done identifying the poems, they were given the opportunity to choose one of the styles and write their own poem.
The week ended with a poetry slam where students showcased their writing to their peers.
According to Young Chicago Authors, their mission is "to transform the literary experience in partnership with students, educators, and schools by strengthening youth voice. Through the study and practice of multidisciplinary art (hip-hop, poetry, visual art, etc.), participants bridge the gap between social and emotional literacy, critical thinking, and academic success in the classroom and beyond."
- Chippewa