Our Read Across America celebration last month incorporated Laura Purdie Salas‘s Wacky, Wild, & Wonderful: 50 State Poems. (Read more here) Classes chose poems from Laura’s book related to their curriculum and used them to inspire their own poetry and door displays.
Laura’s poem about our state, “Connecticut: Storm Warning,” inspired many doors, including the two above from Kindergarten.
One first grade class was also inspired by “Connecticut: Storm Warning,” while another used “Vermont: Sugar Season” as the theme for their door.
Second grade wrote acrostics about our town, while two third grades, below, connected “New Mexico: Recipe for a B-Earth Day Cake” and “Hawaii: Pele’s Fire” to their study of landforms.
Another third grade connected Connecticut’s weather poem to their study of character traits. Fourth grade studies regions of the United States and Washington, D.C. One class was inspired by “South Dakota: Mountain Men” to create their own versions of Mt. Rushmore. Another, below, used “Virginia: Tombstones” to create their own tribute to Arlington National Cemetery.
One fifth grade also used “South Dakota: Mountain Men” and linked it to their biography unit. Students wrote opinions about why their subject was worthy to be included on Mt. Rushmore.
One of the fifth grade science units is about how the Earth’s revolution around the sun causes the seasons, so they were inspired by “New Hampshire: White on Orange” to write seasonal haiku.
Sixth grade voted to determine their favorite state, and Florida was the winner. Seventh grade has been reading Shakespeare, so one class wrote couplets about our town.
Another seventh grade was also inspired by “Hawaii: Pele’s Fire” to create this festive door. Eighth grade has been studying civil rights, and “Louisiana: Cornet Survivor” inspired them to create this poem about the birth of jazz.
This was supposed to be a door decorating contest, but it was impossible to choose winners from all these amazing doors. It would be impossible to share all the wonderful poems the kids wrote in one post, so I’ll be sharing more over the next few weeks.
Laura is hosting the Poetry Friday Round Up at her blog, Writing the World for Kids, today so please be sure to head over to her blog to read more poetry.
Reading to the Core 
This looks like so much fun! That’s a truly creative process. Thanks for sharing these lovely poems.
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It’s a marvelous way to involve everyone in school, Catherine. The doors are wonderful to see.
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What a joyous celebration of poetry! I would love to walk through your school. Thank you for taking us on this happy tour. Beautiful doors! 🙂
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Wow! These are amazing! I wish I had been there to see the whole process unfold.
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I love these doors of poetry. It’s such a marvelous and joyous way to bring poetry to life.
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What fun doors. Great project and use of poetry as inspiration. 🙂
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Gorgeous–and what a great subliminal message as you greet them with poetry both coming and going!
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These are absolutely amazing. You, your teachers, and your students have done a fantastic job! I’m kind of glad you’re not picking winners:>) Wow. I am in awe.
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And I just read through the ones that are big enough for me to read–some great language here. Sigh…delicious.
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What a fun project! I like the idea of doors and doorways — portals to poetry! Yay! Of course my fave doors were the two Hawaii ones. Just a tad partial . . . 🙂
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Love seeing how your students have been inspired to write and create!
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Poetry doors all over the school! Would love a tour! This is great. Inspirational.
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Wow! What a well-done project, all the way around!
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Laura’s WACKY, WILD, & WONDERFUL really inspired everyone!
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This is all kinds of amazing!
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I love love love this idea–how on earth did someone get EVERYONE to participate? : ) I’d love to lead this, but first we’d have to get the Fire Marshal to waive that “no paper on doors” rule…no joke. Is this a public school? Thanks for sharing, Catherine!
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Catherine,
What a delightful way to bring the community together in poetry!
Cathy
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Now that’s what I call a celebration! How I would love to take a road trip down the halls of your school. 🙂
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[…] I love. Read the rest of the poem here. Finally, I’d like to share another poem from our 50 States Poem Project. Although this poem was inspired by Laura Purdie Salas‘s poem about Arlington National […]
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