Happy {Really Late} Valentine's Day in March!

This is especially for you AmuletHeart!

Here's one of my favorite songs perfect for crummy Valentine's Days {& any & everyday days, too}...

Happy Oh-So-Late Valentine's Day!

Love, 
Ms. Dawn

P.S.: Happy Valentine's Day to you, too, HardCandy!  Hope your new teacher is great! =)

Are You Still Writers?

Hello out there in the great big, wide world of sixth grade!  

I'm here to ask you: Are you still writers?  If for a moment words sparked your excitement last year, do they still sizzle like tiny fireworks on the page, or have they merely fizzled out?  Do you let your pencil dance upon the edge of your notebook with poems & unusual characters' names scribbled in all directions (no compass in sight)?  Have you given a happy sigh when a writing assignment has come your way, or was it a loathsome groan instead?  Do you still remember azure & zephyr?  Can you recognize a portrait of Shakespeare or do you still confuse him with George Washington?  Have you plopped down & written a play lately?  Do strong words from the narrative of your own story still move you to tears?  (I hope so.  There's healing in that - & we all need that at times.)  Has the definition of personification been lost, or is it still there sitting comfortably in your memory?  Do you know the precious power you possess when you hold a pencil in your hand?  
Never forget - no matter your answers to the questions here - that you are a writer.

Love Always,
Ms. Dawn
your writing teacher

P.S.: Can you pick out the spices?

I Heart Poetry {Do You?}

There's something magical about written verse...  Here's a poem for ya... 
Think you don't like poetry?
Can't understand - the dancing words
Somersaulting, over and over,
White fields.
Looking crazy?
Spinning brain, let out that sigh.
It's okay.  You know poetry,
But you don't -
It's in that music that's booming 
That rap that's rhyming -
It's in the breeze that's blowing
Sweet zephyrs flowing -
In flowers blooming -
Fast crimson rides zooming -
It's in waterfalls, the moon, a simple tune -
In everyday life - azure skies - delight -
Poetry, my friend, is not so uptight.
Poetry, instead, is giving breath to life.

                                    -Ms. Dawn

It's Rather A-MUSE-ing!

During our poetry study we learned a new billion dollar word: muse (click the word to learn its meaning - it's definition #2).  Now that you know the word's meaning, let me introduce our class muse board...

We learned how pretty much anything could inspire us... art, music, quotes, nature, everyday life, food, photographs, everyday objects, travel, sports, books, paint chips, candy wrappers, words, animals, architecture...

Students can use the muse board to find an idea that will spark a story!

What's one of your muses that's helped you create?

Love,

Ms. D.