Special Project, part 1: My Heart

With Valentine's Day approaching, with its barrage of red frilly hearts, I wanted to take a different look at the heart. We did this with the help of "Little Clown, My Heart" by Sandra Cisneros. The students brainstormed images that they associate with the heart, which I wrote on the board. I then asked them to write their own "My Heart" poems, BUT with the rule that they must not use any of the words on the board (many of them stock heart imagery: red, love, family, pink, Valentine's Day, etc.). Amid groans, they wrote poems comparing their hearts to people, things, machines, etc. I think they were surprised by what they could come up with.

This is the first part of a special project that I am doing with these classes. Next week we will revise our poems, and made illustrations to go with them, which will be posted in the school hallway. Stay tuned for photos!

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Ms. Vilchis, Rm. 202, 3rd grade

My Heart
Miguel C.


Little computer, my heart writes
all the time sometimes and sometimes
you don't. You broke apart and then
you come in one piece and you
work again.


Little Metal, My Heart
Sergio H.

Little metal, it does not move, and
jumps into the fire. My heart is not
burned, he goes to the water, steam comes
out of the water. My heart is black.


My Heart Different Colors
Jocelyn H.

I have different colors in my heart.

My heart is like my teeth, all
going to fall off, oh now, when,
today, Monday or Friday.


My Little Heart
Zamira M.

Little heart that shines in the
dark. And walks in the fire. Also
swims in the purple water. It's filled with
love to my family.

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Ms. Vazzana, Rm. 104, 3rd grade

My Heart is a Snowman
Maricarmen J.

Little snowman heart,
sometimes you jump a lot.
Sometimes when you are happy you
like dancing the song of Frosty.
And she said to me, if I tell her
something bad she is going to
get out from me.


The Heart that is an Angel
Hazael G.

The angel heart always
helps me and tells me not
to be afraid. And to be brave.


Untitled
Kevin C.

My heart is an eagle and
flies around my body.


My Heart
Luis M.

My heart is funny.
My heart plays the piano.
My heart is blue.
My heart rides a car.
My heart jumps around the house.
My heart goes to school.
My heart is a clock.
My heart puts 100 jackets.
My heart is a volcano.
My heart is a giant.

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Ms. Hamdan, Rm. B15, 3rd grade

Untitled
Sergio P.

My heart is fun. It also has friends:
my lungs and brain. When my
heart hates me it turns black
and kicks my lungs. My heart thinks
it's smarter than my brain.


The Heart
Joel D.

My heart fights, drives.
My heart lives. My heart
explodes when it cries. My heart
is a box of chocolate.


The Heart that Plays Soccer
Moises A.

My heart is green. When it sees a ball it
goes and kicks it. It is also filled with red stuff.
When I roast marshmallows it gets hot. My heart
does cartwheels. It also jumps around. I feel good
about many different things my heart does. It is also
fun.


My Heart Pumps Blue Blood
Judith G.

When I bleed it's red blood. When
I bleed it's red sangre, it hurts sometimes.
Mi corazon me da mis wesos sangre. Then my
blood gives my skull blood. Mostly my body
is water, when I sweat I lose a little
water, then I drink water and go to sleep
so my bones can get stronger and stronger.
That's what my heart does.