Social Studies Poetry: Review # 11

LIVES: Poems About Famous Americans

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Lives: Poems About Famous Americans. Harper Collins Publishers, 1999.

  Critical Analysis:

This collection of poems which was carefully selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins displays monumental facts about the lives of sixteen famous Americans who have left lasting impressions.  The poems in this collection display powerful moments in the lives of these individuals and the events that led to their admiration and influence on American History.  While each poem is unique in theme and content, the style of this collection explores many realms of poetic form.  Hopkins has included in this collection many forms of poetry which express to the reader how powerful poetry can be, as well as how diverse.  In the poem, The Whipporwill Calls, Beverly McLoughland writes of Harriet Tubman in free verse that is almost as free and refreshing as Harriet herself was.  Her comparison of Harriet to a whippoorwill is such a powerful analogy, one that exemplifies what Harriet sacrificed her entire life.  Page by page, readers experience narrative, free verse, and rhythmic biographical selections which highlight the endeavors of these famous Americans.  Hopkins has included poetry which explores the lives of famous Americans, but also poetry that is memorable and meaningful.  Readers can learn while reading, and also enjoy the power of poetry while learning.  Each poem is coupled with a complimentary portrait of the individual illustrated by Leslie Staub.  These illustrations are bright and colorful, very much like an actual photograph, and help the reader to become involved in the life expressed in the words of the poem.  The portraits seem to bring to life the lives of each individual, many whom are no longer living.  This book is a great resource for teachers of any grade level, as it offers fourteen powerful poems that are worth sharing some time during the school year, whether in a biographical unit or in celebration of a particular holiday or theme, or just in remembrance of a “Famous American”.

POEM SPOTLIGHT

Till

No roses seen.

No songbird heard.

No moonlight.

Not a single word.

Till….

                      Annie

                                                came.

Then—

Words,

Sudden, near

Pulsing,

Clear.

 Then—

Moonlight, roses, bird.

Word-wings

Felt, heart full, heard.

 
Not moon.

Not bird.

Not song.

Not word.

 

Till…

                      Annie

                                                came.

Tom Robert Shields

Analysis:

This heartfelt poem portraying the relationship between Anne Sullivan Macy and Helen Keller genuinely describes how difficult, yet worthwhile the efforts of Anne Sullivan were.  Shields has created a poem that proves to readers that even though something may seem impossible, it does not necessarily mean it is unachievable.  Readers will be personally drawn and relate to how Helen must have felt being both blind and deaf as they read the rhyming stanzas which describe what she has yet to experience.  The short phrases, beginning with the word “no” seem almost fateful, until readers stumble across the title of the poem, “till” embedded inside the poem.  The relationship of Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller is one that symbolizes hard work paying off, and until Anne came Helen was lost in a world where she saw nothing and heard, “Not a single word.”  The poem takes a drastic turn in emotion as the readers experiences hope and realizes how much Anne Sullivan was able to help Helen Keller.  Shields uses the word, “then” to describe the transition from darkness to a life full of color and sounds that are music to Helen’s ears, “Words, Sudden, Near, Pulsing, Clear.”  No matter what, readers will understand how these two individuals worked together to achieve goals that others thought were unlikely and unattainable as they immerse themselves in words that symbolize their accomplishemnts.  Alone Helen was lost,but together with Annie she, “felt, heart full, heard.”

Classroom Connections:

This poem would make a great read aloud and serve as a wonderful introduction to learning about these two individuals.  As the teacher is reading the poem sounds of birds chirping and images of roses and the moon lighting up the sky could be shown.  The teacher could then reread the poem aloud, this time having students close their eyes.  After the two reading question students as to what they thought the words of this poem were saying.  Explain to the children that Helen was blind and deaf and brainstorm how difficult this made her life.  List other things that may have been different other than those in the poem.  Discuss how different it would be to eat, sit in the grass, and feel the wind on your face.  Have students choral read the poem after the discussion and using variations in voices to describe changes in emotion presented in this poem.  Students whisper the beginning stanza, and steadily crescendo throughout the poem until the final stanza which serves as a reminder of life before, and a happy ending again.  Discuss with students how the word of this poem and the rhythm of the lines enhance the emotion.

Science Poetry: Review # 10

Comets, Stars, The Moon and Mars

Florian, Douglas. Comets, Stars, The Moon, and Mars. Austin: Harcourt, 2007.

Critical Analysis:

This book is what space is all about….weightless and pristine, while adventurous!  Florian’s creative style is evident in each and every page of this book; in the words of the poems, as well as the whimisical paintings that span every page turn.  What a great resource to use in science when students are learning about space and all of the elements of the solar system.  This book has it all, as it blasts off to the moon, and every planet in between the Sun and Pluto, by describing in detail and imaginative rhyme what makes these far off places so unique.  Many of the poems in this book are written in such lyrical format that they sound song like, flowing off your tongue, while capturing your mind and attention.  Florian has included what he calls a “galactic glossary” so students can expand their knowledge of the information shared in the poems.  Florian has used vocabulary that is succulent, demonstrating for readers the power of words!  The paintings will captivate anyone who is curious enough to see what this book has to offer, and the random page cutouts will keep readers turning pages to see what is still to come.  Elementary kids will love learning all about space while they read and discover how fun poetry is at the same time. 

POEM SPOTLIGHT

Pluto

Pluto was a planet.

But now it doesn’t pass.

Pluto was a planet.

They say it’s lacking mass.

Pluto was a planet.

Pluto was admired.

Pluto was a planet.

Till one day it was fired.

Douglas Florian

Analysis:

I enjoyed this poem so much, mainly because it stresses something that we will always remember….the mere fact that, Pluto was a planet.  Florian has taken an important event in recent history and memorialized the decision that was made by astronomers based on scientific evidence regarding Pluto’s size.  The continued repetition of the phrase, “Pluto was a planet” seems to loom over the reader acting as a constant reminder of the final fate of this once, ninth planet.  The candor expressed in the planet, “not passing”, and “being fired” make this poem relatable to just about anyone who remembers the day this decision was made.  In only eight rhyming lines, Florian questions and makes readers ponder the same concept, why Pluto is no longer a planet.  His careful attention to rhyme and detailed vocabulary allow readers to experience the event in a manner that is in a sense comical, and almost matter of fact, while at the same time a major BUMMER too!

Classroom Connections:

When I read this poem the rhythm of the words makes me want to sing.  I think this poem could be shared to a common and tune such as Old MacDonald.  The number of syllables and lines fit perfect for with the usual versing that is present with this song.  Kids today are still mystified as to why Pluto was, in the words of Florian, “fired!”  In my experience students have a hard time understanding how this happened after Pluto has been a planet for so many years before.  I think this poem would be great to use in a math/science lesson exploring mass.  Students could explore the actual size of Pluto in numbers and relate it to other celestial objects that are relatively similar.  By comparing the size and “lacking mass” as described in the poem, students can justify why astronomers made the decision to down grade Pluto.  Students could use their research and come up with one additional line that completes the following lines, Pluto was a Planet.  But now... and share their new line with the class.  Have students vote on their favorite new ending and sing the poem to the tune one last time. 

Poetry Review # 9: Poetic Form

A Poke In The I: A Collection of Concrete Poems

Janeczko, Paul B. A Poke In The I: A Collection of Concrete Poems. Cambridge: Candlewick Press, 2001.

Critical Analysis:

This unique collection of concrete poems compiled by Paul Janeczko is indeed an intriguing sight.  As if mystified by the shapes and verse within the book, readers are able to experience how clever and captivating a concrete poem can actually be.  The entire book, including the title page and table of contents are written in concrete shape form, immediately setting the tone for the reader of all the surprises that lie on the pages ahead.  Whether it be the changes in font and text size, the position of the text on the page, or the specific pattern or shape the text is presented in, everything about the poems in this collection is concrete.  The theme of the collection is diverse with poems about animals, people, and places; and it is evident that each poem has been carefully chosen to fit into this tightly interwoven collection.  The artistic illustrations of Chris Raschka have been carefully created to serve as a companion to each poem they serve.  The colorful and realistic use of collage makes the images seem to jump off the page at times.  In the poem Skipping Rope Spell by John Agard, readers can feel the spin and twist of the jump rope as they read the alliteration filled verse, “Turn rope turn, Don’t trip my feet, Turn rope turn, For my skipping feet.”  The images that have been created in the form of collages seem to be jumping along the page, making this poem very concrete and relatable to children as well.  Children and adults of all ages will enjoy looking at the poems over and over again and experiencing how real life activities and things can come to life in just a few words.

POEM SPOTLIGHT

Popsicle

Popsicle

Popsicle

tickle

tongue fun

licksickle

sticksicle

please

don’t run

dripsicle

slipsicle

melt, melt

tricky

stopsicle

plosicle

hands all

sticky

Joan Bransfield Graham

Analysis:

Without even reading a word readers become captivated by the thought a juicy, delicious popsicle by just looking at this poem!  In the shape of an actual popsicle, right down to the stick, this poem explores the feelings that eating a popsicle can bring about.  The unique design and careful phrasing of no more than two words per line is captivating, while the reader experiences what it is like to eat a popsicle form top to bottom.  In the beginning Bransfield describes the popsicle as “tickle tongue fun”, the best part is the taste of course.  But as the popsicle remains unfrozen it is an inevitable fact that it will melt causing, “hands all sticky.”  The rhyming within this poem works great with the pacing of the words in each line, and readers can in a sense feel the popsicle on their tongue and beginning to run.  It is evident why Janeczko chose this poem for his collection, what better subject matter for a poem than a POPSICLE!

Classroom Connections:

Who doesn’t like to eat popsicles?  What a fun way to share this poem with students, eating a popsicle together on a sunny day!  Kids will be mystified by all of the poems in this book, but the poem Popsicle will be a great poem to discuss and use to learn more about the elements of a concrete poem because it is so relatable.  To begin, share the poem and popsicles with the students.  After the popsicles are all gone discuss the text of the poem, the shape of the poem, and how the two work together.  It might be even helpful to share the companion poem, Eskimo Pie by John Hollander found on the opposite page as another example.  Have students pick a favorite food and write their own concrete poem about it.  Remind them to consider elements such as color, taste, texture, and shape when writing their poem.  A concrete poem should be realistic enough, that it seems like you can reach out and touch it.  Share poems with the class and discuss positive things that each poem included.

Poetry Review # 8: New Poetry Book

Every Thing On It

Silverstein, Shel. Every Thing On It. New York: Harper Collins, 2011.

Critical Analysis

As if we have not been lucky enough to share and experience some of the most wonderful and enriching poetry in Shel Silverstein’s previous works, a new inspiring collection appears out of no where.  Every Thing On It reminds readers of all ages why we all admire the man who created such witty and comical verse and drawings that make us laugh over and over again. This collection, although very diverse in theme and concept, includes poems that are short and to the point, and others that are lengthy and have more detail.  No matter what, Silverstein’s drawings compliment each poem successfully, and make the words seem even more funny than what they already are.  One example of this, that kids will truly appreciate, is the poem, The Frog.  “And here’s a bashful frog, Hiding ‘hind a log, In a muddy bog, In a very heavy fog.”  As readers read they look for a frog sitting behind a log, but instead all they see is a page full of black pencil dots, the fog.  Silverstein truly possessed a gift in his ability to rhyme, and make any concept seem funny, while taking the most outlandish subject matter and applying clever use of language he makes it hilarious.  In the poem Mustache Mo, readers see an image of Mo the train engineer, aboard the B& O engine.  Silverstein never ceases to surprise readers just as he does in this poem, “His mustache grows ten feet or so.  It got caught in the wheels below.  Now there’s no mustache An no mo’ Mo.  This brand new collection of new and never read Silverstein Surprises is sure to amaze you as you experience the  rhythm and cadence along side poems that just about anyone can relate to!

POEM SPOTLIGHT

How Hungry is Polly

“I’m so hungry I could eat a horse,”

Said Polly in the park

Ol’ Dobbin, grazin’ nearby,

Overheard her rude remark.

He shook his mane and pawed the ground,

He raised his noble head,

He snorted and looked down at her,

And this is what he said:

 “I’ve been ridden, I’ve been driven,

I’ve been raced around a track,

I’ve been photographed with little

Whiny kiddies on my back.

I’ve pulled wagons through the winter,

I’ve pulled sleighs and I’ve pulled sleds,

I’ve pulled plows in sticky summers

With flies buzzin’ round my head.

I’ve been whipped and I’ve been beaten,

I’ve been called a such-and-such—

But to think of being eaten,

Well, that really is too much!

And when I get insulted,

My appetite runs wild,

And now I feel so hungry,

I could eat a child.”

Shel Silverstein

Analysis:

Silverstein has taken the age old hyperbolic phrase, “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse” and once again created a poem that readers will get a kick out of!  In this poem readers see a little girl and horse with big teeth, dripping with saliva.  As they read, it is evident in Silverstein’s language that the horse is sick and tired of being used.  The experiences the horse comes to speak of are down right normal in the life of any horse, but the thought of being eaten, is more than he can take.  Silverstein makes readers see the perspective of the horse as he over and over again uses the word I’ve in the rhyming lines of this poem.  Readers are in for a surprise when the horse changes things all around and announces, “And now I feel so hungry, I could eat a child.”  This poem possesses so many poetic elements from alliteration, rhyme, hyperbole, tone and mood.  But most importantly, readers will take from this poem something personal that explores a phrase we can all relate to.

Classroom Connections:

In the poem How Hungry Is Polly, Silverstein has creatively introduced readers to the meaning that exists behind a well known hyperbolic phrase making this poem one that would be great to share when teaching hyperbole to older elementary age students.  Students are introduced to hyperbole at a young age, but Silverstein has created an entire poem which revolves around hyperbole, and makes readers laugh while doing it.  After students have read the poem and identified the hyperbole, have them brainstorm other forms of hyperbole such as: you snore louder than a freight train, I nearly died laughing, He sleeps like a log, I tried a thousand times, I nearly died trying.  Discuss the exaggeration found within each phrase and the fact that hyperboles are very common in our everyday language.  Have students choose a hyperbolic phrase to write about and illustrate similar to that of the example created by Silverstein.

Poetry Review # 7 Verse Novel

Where I Live

Spinelli, Eileen. Where I Live. New York: Penguin Group, 2007.

Critical Analysis:

The ordinary life of an ordinary girl, Diana, is brought to life in the various poems of this verse novel by Eileen Spinelli.  Readers become involved in the happenings of this family, especially those of Diana, the main character, and her daily interactions with her family, her best friend Rose, and her Grandpa Joe who lives six hours away.  Spinelli has created a lasting and memorable book of verse with concrete meaning that tells a story that any child in elementary school can relate to.  Her clever use of simple language and childlike meaning make this verse novel easy to read, but hard to put down!  One of my favorite elements was how the titles seemed to fit each poem so well, but even more so, helped the novel to flow freely.  Diana has the best life ever in her yellow house where she lives, a great dad who loves to tell jokes, a mother who makes the best brownies, a sister whom she claims she named, and a best friend with whom she shares everything, even her diary.  Life couldn’t be any better, she has won a poetry contest with her poem about the Sun, has been asked to attend a Poetry Workshop with a real poet during the summer and…..then the unthinkable happens.  The good is suddenly turned to bad in the poem The Bad News, when dad announces he has lost his job, and the bad becomes even worse in More Bad News, when mom announces Grandpa Joe fell and broke his arm and she has to go and stay with him for a few weeks.  As if it couldn’t get any worse, the poem titled The Worst News of All informs readers in only five words, “We are going to move”.  Spinelli has captured the true essence of what childhood is all about, the friendships and experiences that make it so wonderful, and the turmoils that can turn it all upside down, in the snap of a finger.  This verse novel is creative in so many ways, from the captivating pencil sketches of Matt Phelan, to the organization of each poem in its own special way.  Spinelli has included a diverse collection of poems including short thoughts, longer poems with more feeling, numbered lists which really help the reader feel what Diana is feeling herself, and postcards and notes.  Although there is very little rhyme, the stanzas and poems in this collection build upon one another and fit together like a puzzle as they embrace triumphs and tragedies.  No matter what, Spinelli has created a meaningful masterpiece that youngsters will read over and over again.

POEM SPOTLIGHT

Blue

When Rose and I

take a break

from painting,

Twink

Sneaks into

my room.

Slappity-Slappity

paint on the wall.

Slappity-Slippity

paint on the floor.

Slappity-Sloppity

paint on the Twink.

“Oh no!”  I shriek

when I see her.

Rose giggles.

“It’s a walking

talking

blueberry!”

“Water-based paint,

I hope,” says Dad.

Mom marches Twink

down the hall.

“Into the bathtub,

young lady.”

Twink’s tub water

turns blue….

dark…

dreamy…

like a lake

after midnight.

Twink is always

making stuff like this

happen.

Accidentally.

Eileen Spinelli

Analysis:

This poem from the verse novel, Where I Live by Eileen Spinelli is a great example of the childlike theme and meaning of the entire collection.  Spinelli takes readers on a journey of an an everyday event, painting a room, and how quickly something so simple and ordinary can become…A MESS!  Her clever use of onomatopoeia in the sound of the paint splattering on the wall and floor and Twink, is appealing to young readers, and makes the event seem realistic.  You cannot help but laugh and think of Twink, the “walking, talking blueberry.”  Spinelli’s use of figurative language in the form of a metaphor creates a vivid image in the mind of readers, “”Twinks tub water turns blue…dark…dreamy…like a lake after midnight.”  Young readers can relate to the last stanza, because siblings are always getting in their way and bothering their stuff.  Twink is just like one of those younger siblings, and “Accidentally” is how it always happens.  Phelan’s sketch of Twink in the tub and Diana sitting beside her drawing her fingers through the blue water serves as a great companion to this already heartwarming poem.  There is nothing better than being a sister!

Classroom Connections:

This poem would be a great example for teaching students about onomatopoeia.  The teacher could read the poem aloud to students and see if they can figure out just by listening what sound the words, slappity, slippity, and sloppity are describing.  Give students a paint brush to squish on the desk and discuss other words that might be used as onomatopoeia  Students could brainstorm other sounds that different objects make by exploring objects in a prop box such as a bell, a hair brush, and a hammer.  As a culminating activity students could look at the metaphor describing the blue water and mix different shades of blue to paint a canvas of how the water looked.

Poetry Review # 6: Multicultural Poetry: Pat Mora

This Big Sky

Mora, Pat. The Big Sky. New York: Scholastic Press, 1998.  ISBN: 978-0439400701

Critical Analysis

Pat Mora has once again created a masterpiece, this time with the desert and southwest being the centerpiece which has been memorialized in the minds of readers.  This poetry collection takes readers on a journey underneath the “big sky” of the hot sands of the desert and all that crawls and calls this place home.  Mora has used her personal experiences of this vast and uniquely diverse region and created fourteen poems which are almost songlike in their description.  The richness of the words and the rhythm that these poems possess is powerful and touching, as the abstract meaning behind the poems are brought to life in an entirely concrete form.  Each poem, when paired with a cut paper collage illustrations Steven Jenkins provides the reader with a perfect combination.  The imagery of these animals of this desert region and the landscapes present set a relaxing mood, one that is inviting to the reader.  Mora brings out the beauty of a place that others may consider bleak and boring, as she tells of an Indian in a mountain in snow, wildflowers, and the wind.  Her vocabulary is rich an succulent, and once again she has embedded her Latino culture into each poem with Spanish words which enhance the meaning.  In the first poem This Big Sky, Mora reaches out to her readers, using the metaphor that “This big sky is big enough for all my dreams”.  This uplifting collection is sure to help bring out big dreams in the readers as they experience the desert in vivid form.

POEM SPOTLIGHT

River-Moon

River goes sliding; sliding by.

              Río goes gliding under night back sky.

                                                River goes hiding in canyons dry.

                                                                                Río goes sliding, sliding by.

Moon goes sliding; sliding by.

             Luna goes gliding under night back sky.

                                                Moon goes hiding in canyons dry.

                                                                                Luna goes sliding, sliding by.

River-moon sliding; sliding by.

              Río and luna gliding under night back sky.

Pat Mora                            

Analysis:

In this poem collection, amongst poems that take readers on a journey into the desert, readers will be mystified by the words of River-Moon.  The simple phrasing with repetition and patterning seems to flow effortlessly as readers feel the flow of the river Mora is describing, “the sliding of the river as it is gliding under the night sky and finally hiding in canyons dry”.  The arrangement of the text and illustrations into three sections is mesmerizing to the reader, and the moon and river seem to wind and twist before your eyes.  Mora has cleverly intertwined the Spanish terms luna and rio in italics throughout the poem, and again in the conclusion as a combination, allowing the reader to understand how these two pieces of the desert landscape are companions.  Together, Mora and Jenkins have created a masterpiece that allows readers to experience the relationship of the river and the moon in a lyrical representation.

Classroom Connections:

This repetition and patterning within this poem make it worthy of being read aloud to students.  Students in grades second through fifth could listen to the words and experience for themselves the flow of the words Mora has used in relation to the slow of the river. 

Students could listen to the poem with their eyes closed during the first reading.  After they have heard the entire poem they could write down or draw what they heard.  Then students could read the poem aloud together, and write or draw what they heard different this time.  On the final reading the teacher could share the poem again, this time showing the image from the book.  Together students could discuss how each reading enhanced the words Mora was using to describe the river and moon in the desert at night.  They could list the rhyming and repetitive phrases they observed. 

Students love to learn about the moon and how it lights the night sky.  Mora’s poem is an ideal resource for promoting poetry in science.  Students could predict and discuss how the moon and the river might appear differently when the moon is in a different phase, other than full which is presented in the illustration.



Poetry Review 5: NCTE Award Winning Poetry of John Ciardi

Doodle Soup

Ciardi, John. Doodle Soup. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1985.  ISBN: 978-0395616178

Critical Analysis:

Doodle Soup is a comical collection of poems which range in style from rhyming to riddle like verse, but the entire collection will tickle your funny bone.  Ciardi has put together a collection of poems that serve one primary purpose, to entertain readers and make them laugh! He has truly capitalized on experiences that young children can relate to from pets, to baths, to baby brothers.  There are lessons on manners, tales of adventure, but above all Ciardi’s poem make reading FUN!  Each poem has a concrete theme, which is generally fitted with a clever title to catch reader’s attention.  Ciardi includes rhyme in every work, even the one titled, Why Pigs Cannot Write Poems, which cleverly states “because nothing rhymes with oink.”  Students can relate to the simple organization and themes present in this collection and will become overwhelmed with vocabulary or mood that they find hard to understand.  The illustrations of Merle Nacht although simple in design, provide just enough insight and imagery that the reader needs, without stifling their imagination and the imagery they may have already perceived.  Ciardi has masterfully compiled a collection of poems that promote humor and will definitely promote poetry in a positive manner with kids of all ages!

POEM SPOTLIGHT

The Dollar Dog

I had a dollar dog named Spot.

He wasn’t much, but he was a lot

Of kinds of do, plus a few parts flea,

Seven parts yapper, and seventy-three

Or seventy-four parts this-and-that.

The only thing he wasn’t was cat.

He was collie-terrier-spaniel-hound

And everything else they have at the pound.

Yes, some might call him a mongrel, but

To me he was a thoroughbred, pedigreed mutt.

A middle-sized nothing, or slightly smaller,

But a lot of kinds to get for a dollar.

John Ciardi

Analysis:

Hilarious is one word you could use to sum up this poem and everything it provides readers!  John Ciardi has truly captured the essence of a dog of many breeds in this rhyming rendition full of synonyms which describe a dog.  Whether it be yapper, collie, terrier, or hound, a mongrel, or a mutt from the pound, this dog is everything but……CAT.  Kids of all ages will get a kick out of this witty poem which they themselves can relate to.  The black and white illustration is basic in design, but allows readers to imagine what a dog that is made up of so many things would actually look.  Ciardi describes this cheap dollar dog as “not costing much, but made up of a lot” and when considering that this dog is part flea you cannot help but smile as you read!  To most kids what makes a great pet is not in how much it costs, but how much love that the bond brings.  Ciardi has revealed this everyday experience for reader of all ages in this charming poem about Spot, the dollar dog.

Classroom Connections:

This funny poem provides students with a theme they can relate to, having a pet dog.  The simplistic style of this poem as well as the relatable theme, make The Dollar Dog, a great poem for amateur student poets to experience in the beginning.  This poem is a great example of end rhyme and students could have fun identifying the rhyming words and coming up with more words of these same patterns. 

There are many poems with this same theme, and this would be a great way for the teacher to share a collection of poems about a dog such as, Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech. 

Students could extend the poetry break into a writing activity and write and draw about a pet they have or have had in the past.  Students could write about the kind of pet, how they acquired the pet, and things they do or did with the pet to make it special like the dollar dog.  Students could bring in photographs of the pet to share with the class as they read their writing about their pet.