It's National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month and we're happy to post our kindergarteners' experience with the wonderful words of Langston Hughes.

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This month gave Ms. Breneus a chance to fulfill a Common Core Standard twice over, because poetry is considered to be poetry, of course, but also nonfiction as well.

It was mostly a wonderful opportunity to have the kids talk about rhymes and images.  They could see how words can make you feel something inside.  Once they had finished discussing Hughes' poem, Dreams, they wrote and drew about their own dreams.  See some of the results below.

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Hold on to your dreams, kids, make them happen.

It's Spring!

Sadly in Boston, you can't always tell it's spring by looking through the window.  Or, by the date on the calendar.  Or, by the jacket you choose to put on.

If you look at the front hall in the Perkins School, however, you can see signs that spring has sprung.

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 First, there's Mrs. B working in the hallway, assembling the belts for Dragon Tail Tag.  

 

There are so many variations to the game.  It could be two or four teams of one color against the others or every dragon for her- or himself, dashing around snatching as many Velcro'ed tails as possible to win.  The important thing is the running, the dashing, the dodging--fun and exercise outside.

 Baseball is another sign of spring.

 

It gave Ms. Harden's class a more exciting way to learn to make diagrams than flowcharts or electrical systems.

If you still had any doubts, here is a plea posted in our hallway--a poem by Valerie, one of our second grade students.

Thank goodness, the weather has finally cooperated.

Goodbye, Mr. Murphy! Stay safe.

Eddie Murphy is one of the Facilities Coordinators for Boston Public Schools. It's his job to help maintain and improve several schools in the system, including the Perkins School.  He is also a member of the Navy Reserves.  

Mr. Murphy is being called up and sent to Afghanistan, where he will be for the next year and a half.  He recently came to the Perkins for a meeting with Principal Brawer.  Although he didn't know it, he was also coming for a surprise presentation from our two third grade classes, who wanted to thank him for his help and wish him well.

 

It started with Anjonelys introducing the Pledge of Allegiance song.
 

Ms. Lynch was ready at the keyboard to start the music and lead the song.

Mr. Murphy, Principal Brawer, and Ms. Bishop salute the American flag during the Pledge.

 

They weren't alone!

The third graders and Ms. Alert were all behind them singing the Pledge of Allegiance.

 







 

Danelle recited a poem the class dedicated to Mr. Murphy.

Next came the second song, America the Beautiful.

Mr. Murphy got a goodbye package to take with him.  

Good luck, Mr. Murphy!  Stay safe.

 

Mother's Day, Part 2

Moms should know that they aren't just appreciated one day a year on Mother's Day. The first and second graders at the Perkins made sure their moms knew by holding a Mother's Day Tea!


Signs were put up.


Tables were set with flowers and hats (crowns, actually) and tea cups--all of which, the moms could take home.




















Many moms, those who could, came to enjoy their day at school. Tea was actually served at the tea, of course, although moms who were coffee drinkers had that choice. Some dads came and chipped in by helping to serve.


















Delicious cookies and cakes filled each classroom.


















As they were sipping and munching, moms got to listen to songs their children had prepared.


















They heard poems and essays about how great they are.























Sweets, presents, love--who wouldn't like a day like this one!?!

Every Month Should Be Poetry Month

Langston Hughes and Emily Dickinson were wonderful poets. So are the kids in Ms. Leverett King's class. These first graders tackled acrostic poems. An acrostic poem uses the letters in one special word to start each line of the poem. All of the lines of that poem should make sense together. That's not always so easy.

It's worth trying hard, though. Especially when that special word is your very own name. Here are some of their creations! If you can't read them easily, you can click on the picture to make it bigger.




















































































































So, as David asks, "Do you do your work?" How about trying an acrostic poem? We bet your own name could produce something beautiful.

Art and Poems--A Great Combo!

Perhaps you remember that just about every kid at the Perkins School painted a tile to help decorate the new Tierney Community Center in the New Old Colony. If you don't, you can find out the backstory by clicking here and here.

Our tiles have been up for a while. Now they have company.



















Another community project had people in our neighborhood make tiles too. They sound like poems, don't they?
























These are only a few examples. We'll post more later, including some in foreign languages. We have people who all over the world living in our community and visitors from all over the world who our blog (from over 60 countries). So maybe someone will be able to read and enjoy them.