I am so excited about the 2014 Poetry Summit! We have some really great schools joining us and the kick off event with Professor Mary Brancaccio which you can watch here was so much fun! I can not wait for May 16th! If you want more information about the event check out this smore below! There are tons of ways that you can join in. From the Edmodo Group, to the Padlet! 
To learn more about this event check out the website!

It all started with a post on Edmodo the free social learning network that we use at SOMS. 

The library has an Edmodo group that all the students at SOMS can join. It is the one place where 6th,7th and 8th graders can talk about books, school and life in general. 

Most of the time it is me starting discussions about different books or technology topics but students are allowed to post "notes" to the group. A few days ago a student posted a note saying,  "Happy Poetry Month." 

To be honest, I have been so busy that I forgot to do something about it. That first post led to students starting to post their favorite poems by their favorite authors like Shel Silverstein. But quickly my library group has become a place for students to post their own poems. Poems that blow me away with their creativity, raw emotions and at times humor. I did nothing to make this happen but allow them a place to post their poems. 

Edmodo made this happen. Without it I and the over 200 students and staff in the group would not get to see these poems by our students. Without it I would not get to read the amazingly supportive comments by other students. Without Edmodo I would not get to see a student who barely talks in class write profound, heart touching poetry, see a student who is constantly in trouble write funny, creative poems or a special education child who struggles in school open up.  

Thank you, Edmodo -- learning certainly does happen there! All you need to do is step back and give the students the place to make it happen. 

Here are a few of the amazing poems:

Watched the waves crash on the shore, 
and you watched the seagulls fly and sore, 
Waded in the water up to your hips, 
let a smooth stone brush your finger tips, 
Went along with the water and its tide, 
nature was the only thing on your side, 
Then I found you and all words didn't sound the same, 
ever since I was here, ever since I came, 
and now you and I are the best of friends, 
we'll stay with each other right 'till the end. 
-Shayla K

Turn the pages, take a look,
there's dragons and bad guys running amok.
Prancing horses, running by
eagles flying in the sky
Witches laughing all around,
snakes slithering on the ground.
Foxes chased by a hound.
Lions roar, lions pounce,
rescued by a tiny mouse.
Nights are here to save the day, 
cows in fields just sleep away.
A zoo of animals just come and look. 
But all these creatures run amok,
when i open up a story book.
-Lola F

Don't cry Just try!!!!
we sometimes wish to stand in the rain 
and wish for all our pains to fade away.
Some wish and wish till they couldn't speak.
Some wishes come alive but some......
You can't just wish sometimes
You sometimes have to run after what you want.
Like hunting for a box of treasure.......
-Derby C

you love them
you hate them
you share them 
you keep them
you dare them
friends
-Arrindale L

Water
Oh how that word rings mellifluously
Something that is part of your life
That is so refreshing and liquidy
That you can drink during hot times

Untouched, it's like a sheet of glass
Reflects the sunlight like a mirror
Unless if someone throws a rock and SPLASH!
Ripples spread out, never getting nearer

Water is very wet, yet it's smooth
It's colorless, transparent and clear
Sometimes it gets sucked out of food
Only when you're not eating it here (Earth)

Water comes in many different forms
It flows wherever it can with liberation
Sometimes, water is very forlorn
Yet, it provides some contribution
Life, to everything and everyone
Destruction, to everything and everyone
Water is water
Flowing
Lifegiving
Water
-Rebekah A

There's a Needle in my Foot

There's a needle in my foot
I don't know where it is,
There's a thorn in my arm
I'm getting really pissed.
There's a pin in my ear
I don't know where it's from,
There's a stinger in my leg
and I'm not having fun.
-Mary A

A crack, 
A sliver,
A tear,

That's all it takes to awaken the birds
For the sun to fill the air

This little shine,
This little sparkle,
Will the Sun even dare
To bring morning and to fill the sky till there’s nothing left to share

To awaken the people, 
To bring the morning, 
Is a hard burden it must bare

But it will bring the morning and it will fill the air
Because that’s how life works 
And we all must do our share 

-Sophie K