The moon sleeps me: Personification Part II (3rd grade)

We devoted a second week to these challenging, complex, and diverse personification poems. One class got caught up in writing about their hands, I believe after Daniel wrote his stunning piece (which is below).

Also, the students have taken to drawing on the borders and bottoms of their poetry, which I've begun encouraging them to do once they are finished writing their poem. This assignment especially prompted an explosion of illustrations.

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Ms. Vilchis, Rm. 202, 3rd grade

The Moon and The World
Zamira M.

The moon said, “You should
be enjoying things.”
“Why?”
“Because you always are sad.”

There is a world to see.
You are in a world. Do you
see things?”
“No. It’s always dark.”

“It’s because your glasses
are dirty.”


(My right hand said)
Daniel R.

My right hand said, “Get to
work to be smarter. If you write
a lot you may get better in writing
and they will know what you are
writing in the paper. And they will
understand you. Because you will get smarter
and you are better and you will get A+
in writing. And you will be one of the
good spellers.”


The Moon Sleeps Me
Karina V.

The moon sleeps me at night
to be tomorrow a good day
for me to do. I can sleep
at night to do a day to play.
The moon is all the night. If you
sleep at night, the stars are
staying when the sun comes up.

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Ms. Vazzana, Rm. 104, 3rd grade

The Sun and Me
Jhoan B.

I talk to the sun. The sun
talks to me.

I take him to a date which he
destroys.

He gets sleepy. I get sleepy.
The sun goes to sleep. I go to
sleep.

In the morning, the sun
says, “Good morning.” I say,
“Good morning.”

At day the sun shines like
flowers.

At night the sun is dark and
not there.


When My Plants Grow
Angelica V.

I see the flowers and the sky raining
so the flowers can grow big and smart.
The flowers say, “I want water. And a sun
too.”


Good Night Says Moon
Andrea R.

When I go to sleep I say to the moon, “Good night.”
The next day I say to the moon, “You go to school for me."

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Ms. Hamdan, Rm. B15, 3rd grade

The House
Jordy D.

The house started to talk to me
and it said, “It’s not easy carrying lots of
things.”

I said, “I could carry at least six
small objects.”

The house said, “I carry over 100 things.”

I said, “Really?”

The house said, “I carry everything
you own plus more.”

I said, “WOW.”


The Moon
Marcos B.

The moon said, “I am like a light and
bright like him.” In the middle of the
moon shines his face. I see him every
night at midnight. He sees me when I go to
sleep. And tomorrow I will see him again.


The Car
Joel D.

The car is laying by
the tree. While the car is
asleep. While the car
sees. While the car
falls in the sea.

Talking to Suns and Trees--3rd graders

We had a good time reading "A True Account of Talking to the Sun on Fire Island" by Frank O'Hara, and "Four Skinny Trees" by Sandra Cisneros, then imagining objects we could spy from our own windows and endow with human characteristics. We found everyday objects giving advice, singing songs, scolding, and listening patiently to complaints. I found that one group of kids actually wanted to write poems about their own hands, which yielded some intriguing results. I plan to take next week to do second drafts of these poems, since this is sort of a sophisticated assignment, and a good opportunity to spend some time revising.

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Ms. Vilchis, Rm. 202, 3rd grade


The Star
Maricela E.

Last night a star told me, “Make
a wish, make a wish that tells
about your big brother being nice
and to never hit someone. Or maybe
to never fight with your sister,
brother and you. And tell me your
poem please.”


Left Right
Jennifer N.

How the left hand is smart.
“You write fast,” said the right
hand to the left hand. “I’m fast
because I go to school,” replied the
left hand.


Untitled
Carlos L.

I have a toy that
talks to me at night.
He’s scary. In sun
he’s gone.

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Ms. Vazzana, Rm. 104, 3rd grade


The Sun
Kevin C.

I say to the sun, Go away,
I have to go to sleep.

You are shining too much light
on me

and I have to go to school.


Four Skies Came
Maricarmen J.

The four skies came and said
to me, “Go to bed.”

The sky told me, “Come outside
and run.”

Also the sky told me, “Keep keep
jumping.”

And I am the only one that
understands them.

The four skies, they say to me, “Do
your homework.”


Untitled
Joaquin M.

The sun says, “Don’t touch me
because I am hot.”
I play with the sun every day and
he gives us light.

The sun is big and I am
little.

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Ms. Hamdan, Rm. B15, 3rd grade


The Wind
Sebastian C.

The wind comes when we come
out. The wind comes in your face with its
feet and red glowing eyes that glow
in the dark. A mouth with big sharp teeth
that are very shiny. I think that’s the sun
but really that’s the wind. The wind has arms
and pointy elbows. The End.


A Star that Talks
Giselle H.

Tonight I see twinkling stars.
It is like if they are playing a music
box. The twinkling star said,
“Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder
what’s your name?” I said, “My name
is Giselle Herrera.” It is if like
the twinkling star put glitter
on. Then the twinkling star said,
“Make a wish and I’ll grant it.”
I said, “I wish there was more than
one twinkling star.” The twinkling star
took out its wand, out of
her room, and she granted my wish.
The moon said, “The next night when
you look out your window, you’ll
see lots of twinkling stars.”


The Wind
Sergio P.

The wind tells you to shut the
window or else it’ll be cold. The wind also
tells you to put on a sweater and jacket
before going outside. When you go outside
you don’t know who is following you.
The wind is. The wind pushes you
and tells you: Walk faster, or run.