“I Am” Poems:

  • Students identify with a trait or activity that they enjoy or feel describes them (e.g., I am a kid who loves to play hockey.)

  • This will be the topic of their poem and each line will relate to the theme.

  • Every “I am” line will be a repeat of the first line.

  • After students have written their first draft, challenge them to add descriptive detail to put a more detailed picture in the reader’s head.

  • Model this with students.

  • When their poem is complete, have them create a border that further shows symbols or drawings that go with their theme of who they are.

“Where I’m From” Poems:

  • Start by having students brainstorm in jot note format all of their ideas for each section.

  • Next, model taking ideas from a section and turning it into a sentence that starts with “I am from…”.

  • Once students have rough sentences for each category, challenge them to make each sentence more descriptive so it puts a picture in the reader’s head.

  • When they are happy with their sentences, they can put them in an order that they feel works best for their poem.

  • When their poem is complete, have them create a border that further shows symbols or drawings about who they are and where they come from.

Read Aloud and Resources