Poetry Jam

Remember that Gratitude Jar I showed you how to make from an unwanted glass jar?

Turn it into the structure for a poem!

My students have a massive writing project due at the end of the year.  Before they turn it in, I have them flipped through it and highlight their favorite words or phrases.  The idea is to find things that sound really good that they are proud of writing. The students take turns saying their words or phrases out loud in a kind of "jam session," which is random, quirky, and fun. It's like a spontaneous poem.

The student write their words and phrases on circular bits of cardstock that I provided.  Some add illustrations or doodles.

Next I compile the quotes into some kind of unusual book format.  So far, I have been able to design all of the books in such a way that the students' contributions can be rearranged into any order you want.  This also represents the class -- they're the content; I am the structure.