Shields

Old Town School Reading

On April 24th, students from Ms. Dennehy's class took a field trip to the Old Town School in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood. Classes from various Hands on Stanzas schools attended, as well as others from schools interested in the program and hearing great poetry. For the second year in a row, selected Hands on Stanzas poets-in-residence read, along with students chosen to read from each residency. 5th grader Michelle Wieczorek wowed the crowd (including her dad) with three of her terrific poems.

Thanks to Michelle and all the students from room 403!

All Shields Reading

The annual All Shields Reading was held on the morning of April 11th. 5th grade students from seven classrooms, as well as teachers involved in the Hands on Stanzas program attended, and a number of students participated. Everyone had a great time, and all the student readers were terrific!

A few photos from the reading are below.

Last Day of 2006-2007 Residency!

For our last class, we talked about the upcoming All Shields School Reading in April, the Hands on Stanzas Anthology to be published in June, and other end of the residency matters. What terrific students and teachers I was lucky enough to work with this year!

Ms. Graefen, Room 404

Room 404 students, hard at work ...

Ms. Hughesdon, Room 407

Students of 407 ...

Ms. Montoya (left)
&
Ms. Dennehy (right)

Room 403

... & students, practicing poetry prosperously!

 

HOS at MCA

Here's a photo from the Literary Gangs of Chicago reading, held on February 20th and featuring Hands on Stanzas student poets at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Janet Morales from Ms. Dennehy's class at Shields read two of her poems before a capacity crowd that also included her family.

Way to go, Janet!

Permutation Poems

Permutation, a variation on cut-up poetry, involves taking a phrase and rearranging it to create a new phrase or poem. Making sense is not a requirement of permutation poetry. As an example, we read Brion Gysin's "Rub out the Write Word." Then we took Carl Sandburg's famous poem, "Fog," and created brand new permutation poems from its twenty-one words.

 

 

Cat haunches, silent fog

harbor moves, little

city feet and sits

comes the over it

and on the on then on.

 

Pedro Antonino 404

 

 

Cat on little fog. Comes on silent city. Then

looking over the harbor.

It sits on haunches and moves on

feet.

 

Mariana Beltran 404

 

 

little cat feet comes on fog the city looking sits it.

silent over harbor and then and on moves on haunches.

 

Ramon Calvillo 403

 

 

The little cat feet

sits on fog looking over

harbor and city it comes

on and then moves on

silent haunches.

 

Caesar Campos 403

 

 

The fog sits looking

over harbor and cat

feet. Then little

silent haunches moves

on. City moves on. It

comes on.

 

Julian Castro 403

 

 

the cat feet

it on then

sits fog looking

little comes

and moves

on silent

on haunches

over harbor

and city

 

Mayra Diaz 407

 

 

The little cat feet on

fog

Looking on harbor and

city

Comes over silent

haunches

It sits

and then moves on

 

Araceli Escutia 407

 

 

Comes fog the

On cat little feet.

Looking it sits

City harbor and over

Silent on haunches

 

Moves then and on

 

Mayra Gallardo 407

 

 

Haunches on harbor

     Silent city fog

        It sits over on cat

             Little feet comes on

                The looking and moves and

                     then

 

Ivan Gil 407

 

 

The little cat feet comes on fog

silent haunches and city on harbor

over looking it moves on and then sits.

 

Flor Gonzalez 403

 

 

On the little cat feet fog comes.

It sits looking on silent haunches

and then moves on over harbor

and city.

 

Arely Miranda 403

 

 

little fog feet moves on

        the city looking silent

        it sits on haunches

 

                and then over harbor

                        cat comes on

                                    and

 

Janet Morales 403

 

 

silent

 

The fog moves

over harbor.

And city on

silent haunches.

Little cat feet

comes and sits.

Looking then on

it on.

 

Mayra Nevarez 407

 

 

Comes fog the

little feet on cat

harbor looking

city sits and

it on then

and

        over

                moves

haunches

     on

     silent

 

Marisol Pacheco 407

 

 

comes on

moves

over

cat's

little

feet?

The fog

on haunches

silent looking

on city and

harbor sits and then it!

 

Yesenia Pimentel 403

 

 

looking on then fog

comes little cat feet

moves on haunches city

over it and sits harbor

and on         the silent.

 

Jesus Pulido 403

 

 

Cat comes on little feet.

The city sits silent.

Fog moves on.

Looking over harbor.

And then it haunches

and

on.

 

Wendy Ramirez 404

 

 

The fog comes

 

It sits looking on little cat feet.

Over silent harbor city on haunches, and,

on, then, and moves.

 

Paola Reyes 404

 

 

the fog and

        little cat feet

                sits looking over

                        harbor on silent

                                haunches and on

                                            city comes on

                                                        then moves

                                                                    on.

 

Lorissa Rocha 407

 

 

The feet on comes and

Little fog cat

It on then and

Over silent city

harbor haunches on

Moves sits looking

 

Yovany Ruiz 404

 

 

comes on the fog

it sits looking over

little cat feet. Haunches

silent on harbor and city.

Moves on and then.

 

Jose Salazar 407

 

 

then on

comes looking little

fog the silent cat feet on

haunches over

moves

harbor sits

and it city on and

on

 

Tanya Sanchez 404

 

 

fog looking and city silent sits harbor over

then on feet on haunches comes moves

like the it cat on and.

 

Vanessa Tovar 404

 

 

Fog the comes

little feet on cat.

 

Sits it looking

harbor and over city

silent haunches on

move and then on.

 

Eduardo Vega 404

Music to Our Ears

This week, students read "The Weary Blues" by Langston Hughes; then listened to instrumental songs by such artists as Josh Rouse, Todd Rundgren, John Cale, Stereolab, Chris Stamey, Lonesome Bob, and The Beach Boys, and wrote poems based on what the music made them think of/feel/imagine, or what they heard.

The titles of poems are taken from the song titles, which they did not know when they were writing. (To hear songs that inspired students, click on the links above titles, below.)

 

Download 07_kiss__movement_3.m4a

Kiss: Movement 3 (after John Cale)

 

Music is sad

someone is dead

people cry

The person is buried

he bangs the coffin

it's too late

he still bangs

people leave

he still bangs

everyone is gone

he bangs to death

 

Pedro Antonino 404

 

 

Download 18_breathless.m4a

Breathless (after Todd Rundgren)

 

It sounds as if it's a

roller skating contest and the

2 people are impressing the

judges with their moves

 

Mariana Beltran 404

 

Download 12_2_drinks_on_an_empty_stomach.m4a

2 Drinks on an Empty Stomach (after Lonesome Bob)

 

It makes me

feel how many

people have problems.

And they start

to get better.

And still have

problems that

can't be solved.

That they drink

commit crimes

and smoke. And

then they get

into jail for

the problems.

 

Alejandro de la Cruz 403

 

Download 03_dr. Strangelove's Assistant.m4a

Dr. Strangelove's Assistant (after Chris Stamey)

 

This song is like a

cartoon song. The song

is so funny. It makes

me feel like I was at

a circus and that clowns

are throwing at each

other pies. Also it makes

me feel that I was a

TV show with my little

cousin about clowns throwing

each other stuff.

 

Itzel Garcia 407

 

Download 16_lets_go_away_for_awhile.m4a

Let's Go Away for Awhile (after The Beach Boys)

 

Some kids are looking at the stars they

start falling in love it's a special moment

for them they were about to kiss their

parents catch them, the parents whack

them.

 

Brian Garduño 403

 

Download 10_transoma_five_live.m4a

Transoma Five (after Stereolab)

 

This makes me feel happy. I feel I'm

free, that I could fly and that I

could do what ever I wanted without

getting in trouble.

 

Ivan Gil 407

 

Download 03_dr. Strangelove's Assistant.m4a

Dr. Strangelove's Assistant (after Chris Stamey)

 

It makes me feel very funny. I hear

a guitar. I imagine me in a carnival.

I imagine my brother dancing very funny

well it's not funny it's hilarious. It makes

me feel like a nerd. It makes me

picture myself in a candy shop. I feel

like a gorilla. I feel like I'm in the

zoo. It makes me feel like I'm being

chased by a lion. I am in the candy

shop but with my grandma and my

grandpa and my grandma.

 

Ruby Guzman 407

 

Download 12_2_drinks_on_an_empty_stomach.m4a

2 Drinks on an Empty Stomach (after Lonesome Bob)

 

riding on a motorcycle

your friend on a bicycle

 

    riding fast

    not being last

 

        but first

        without thirst

 

            no worries

            not being sorry

 

                for the friend that

                you kicked

 

Kevin Marin 403

 

Download 09_young_lungs.m4a

Young Lungs (after Stereolab)

 

Lost in the morning day

not knowing what to do

 

Making me sleep and

suddenly jolt out of bed

to an unusual craziness

 

I feel being watched

and trying to escape

 

But then I'm in Africa

with wild animals hearing

the wind singing while blowing

 

Trumpets are whistling

wildly

 

Janet Morales 403

 

Download 10_transoma_five_live.m4a

Transoma Five (after Stereolab)

 

This song makes

me feel like if

I am the cool one

and I am walking

down the hall

and everybody gets scared

of me but then

I slipped on a

banana and I started

to run away from

everybody and they're chasing

me watch I am running

I look back and I

bump into a locker but

I stand up and act

like it never happened.

 

Mayra Nevarez 407

 

Download 16_lets_go_away_for_awhile.m4a

Let's Go Away for Awhile (after The Beach Boys)

 

I'm in an elevator changing numbers

up and down I get to a beautiful

place quiet peaceful at last I see

water and green.

 

Yesenia Pimentel 403

 

Download 11_la_costa_blanca.m4a

La Costa Blanca (after Josh Rouse)

 

a barnyard with sheep

and cows and all sorts

of animals running around

anywhere and there's someone

in the middle of it all

playing the guitar

 

Elizabeth Salgado 404

 

Download 07_kiss__movement_3.m4a

Kiss: Movement 3 (after John Cale)

 

The Titanic about to fall everyone

screaming help but no one is there

everyone drops in the water one by one

as they are trying to put people in the

life boats as fast as they could go

as some people are left behind and

the people in the life boats float

away as they go farther and farther

 

Tanya Sanchez 404

Dream Poems

At the beginning of the year, students were asked to begin keeping a notebook at home of all their dreams. They were encouraged to write in it immediately after waking up, without stopping to think about what they were writing. Today, we read John Berryman's "Dream Song 107," from his Pulitzer Prize-winning collection, The Dream Songs. Students then wrote their own dream poems, both in groups and individually.

 

Dream

 

The pit of hell, Dark Shadows

everywhere we ran there was

the shadows

We said we were fine nothing

happened to us.

I find me in my room in

my computer, I see a monster.

In the past I see a dinosaur

coming from the stairs.

I saw myself falling in quicksand

I find myself back in a

haunted house. I see many vampires.

We are rich.

 

Pedro Antonino, Jimmy Ferreira, Erick Garcia, Gabriela Garcia, Jakelin Lopez, Luis Medina, Juan Pizarro, Wendy Ramirez & Jose Tierrablanca 404

 

 

The Time I Had

 

I have a dream I'm in Mexico. I feel like I have been

there my whole life. I have that tattoo that never comes

off. I'm in the plaza in the night just walking eating

tacos enjoying myself. I go to the arcade it's closed

today is not my day. I wake up oh it's only a dream.

I can still see the sunset half sun and half

water. I will never forget that dream.

 

Ramon Calvillo 403

 

 

My Dream

 

I was in a weird

place we're animals

could talk and

drink coffee. Then

there was a time

machine. I travel

to where people

were all rich

and had cool stuff.

Then I went

back to my real

home but everyone

was all crazy

and weird. Everyone

was dancing around.

The wild animals (people)

didn't trust me. They

thought I was crazy.

Then I couldn't get

out of there. I was

looking for the

machine. I realized

I was stuck there

for ever.

 

Araceli Escutia 407

 

 

Dream Poem

 

I woke up as a toy and my room looked

like the Grand Canyon because I'm small as a

toy. I had to jump on my pillow to go place

to place. I jumped to my tree that was small and use its

leaves as ropes and I swung myself to the cage of my

birds. So I went to my birds Polly and Molly. They look like

dinosaurs. I didn't know what happened but I was

okay with it. I felt like I was happy, it was

like I wished for it.

 

Kenneth Ferreira 407

 

 

Dream

 

I had a dream that the world was

being controlled by toys and the toys

were alive. I was scared the toys were

going to get me and tie me on top of

a volcano and drop me. Then I saw that my

toys were alive and I ran and ran and ran to

get away from them. Then they got me

and instead they hugged me and

gave me a candy.

 

Itzel Garcia 407

 

 

My Weird Dream

 

I dream that if I could be

an eagle I could fly very

far away but then when I

became an eagle I got chicken

wings and I was an eagle

it's just that I had chicken

wings and I was in the sky

and I thought if chickens

don't fly I'm in trouble and

I fell and I became a fish

but my face was a dog's

and then I couldn't breathe

so then I became a human.

 

Flor Gonzalez 403

 

 

Once I dreamed that I was

in an airplane and it was on

fire so I jumped out with a

parachute the airplane exploded

I pulled the string and the

parachute opened then I landed

in a house with lots of

money so I went to buy

a house and three dogs

a big soccer field, football field

baseball field and a

basketball court then my

mom woke me up so my dream

was over

 

Orlando Martinez 407

Snow Poems

Even though it hasn't been the snowiest winter so far, students read Wallace Stevens' philosophical poem, "The Snow Man" and used their imaginations to conjure up snow poems of their own.

 

Winter

I remember when it was winter,

I remember that winter was my favorite season,

I remember I enjoyed winter.

I remember the snow was deep.

I remember the snow was white snow.

I remember white snow flakes falling down.

I remember playing with my friend,

I remember we played snow ball fight.

I remember we played soccer in the snow.

I especially remember we had fun!!!!

Arizbel Ayala 403

Snow Man

It's fresh outside. I see kids playing

but I'm not. I see people running I

can't. I see in big, puffy

coats, I don't have one. I can't feel

anything 'cause my arms are made

with wood and I have a black hat,

orange nose, scarf and black lips.

I see someone coming my way.

“Oh no!” It's yellow, it's in the sky.

Arely Miranda 403

Snow Angels

Sometimes really cold snow

Never gets boring. All

Over

Where I go

A

Neighbor is

Going to scrape off

Every bit of snow. There is no

Light and not even

Sunshine. Also very shiny stones.

Luz Moreno 407

 

Snow

In the winter

the snow falls;

I watch it,

as it covers

many things;

I need them to

make a snowman

for I need company

I am made

of snow and

I will soon melt.

A few days is

like months to me.

I will soon disappear, as if nobody

was ever there.

Wendy Ramirez 404

The Snowy Family

The snowy family is my favorite snowy family,

He is the part of my favorite snowy family,

Ehh!! is all I can say from oh the snowy family eats,

Snowy family, snowy family their house is the happiest,

Never sad, never weak their snow is what they always eat,

Oh no is what I can say for how much they weigh,

Wait for me that's what I say because they're fast,

You are special snowy family because when you are wet you are a drink,

Family, family you are the best snowy family,

All is what you guys get you guys rock,

Monkeys, monkeys you guys like monkeys,

I love you snowy family,

Lucky family you are cool

Yes!

Daniel Rodriguez 407

Snow

As I walk into the

snow, I see the

snowflakes coming

down.

As I pick up a snowball

I start to make a

snowman. It starts

to snow hard so

I go inside and sleep

until the next day.

As I wake up I see

that the snow has gotten

heavier and has covered

my parents' car. As I

heard there's no school

today.

Nicole Villanueva 403

Partner Poems

Joshua Beckman & Matthew Rohrer are two younger poets who embarked on a collaboration that resulted in the book, Nice Hat. Thanks. Students read seven two-lined poems from the book, discussed them and then wrote five single lines, which they shared with a partner (and vice versa), creating ten poems together.

 

 

The sky

is blue with soft clouds.

 

Pedro Antonino & Jimmy Ferreira 404

 

 

Someone is spying on me

because I'm swimming.

 

Crystal Bautista & Brandon Rosario 403

 

 

My ball is on the floor.

It has been thrown.

 

Karen Bucio & Mayra Gallardo 407

 

 

The baby starts crying

so I cheer it up.

 

Caesar Campos & Nicole Villanueva 403

 

 

I do not like science.

Then become a scientist.

 

Edgar Carillo & Laura Casimiro 407

 

 

Zombies are weird because

they walk crooked and they are green.

 

Julian Castro & Flor Gonzalez 403

 

 

The ocean is big

and fishy.

 

Rigoberto Dealba & Elizabeth Salgado 404

 

 

The equator is the hottest

universe in the world.

 

Alejandro De la Cruz & Janet Morales 403

 

 

The windows

smell like windows.

 

Ivan Flores & Omar Garcia 403

 

 

The dog is running.

The dog will fall.

 

Erick Garcia & Jakelin Lopez 404

 

 

The flowers

sometimes smell bad.

 

Itzel Garcia & Lorissa Rocha 407

 

 

I scream when I go downstairs.

There's spiders.

 

Brian Garduno & Arely Miranda 403

 

 

A planet is like a

big eye.

 

Ivan Gil & Ruby Guzman 407

 

 

The room is

a mess and needs to be clean.

 

Joselino Guerrero & Paola Reyes 404

 

 

I smell the perfume.

I buy perfume.

 

Miguel Herrera & Mariela Rodriguez 403

 

 

My head is spinning

when I am dancing.

 

Andres Jasso & Michelle Wieczorek 403

 

 

The cookies are wood.

They look good.

 

Joseph Lozano & Marisol Pacheco 407

 

 

The turtle walked

on his aunt's underwear.

 

Rebecca Martinez & Salomon Navarro 407

 

 

The picture of the dog

is riding a horse.

 

Mayra Nevarez & Jose Salazar 407

 

 

One year from now I will be taller than my sister age 17.

Maybe not.

 

Efren Ramirez & Michelle Quintana 404

 

 

We are in war.

Let's go home.

 

Esteban Rodriguez & Ray Soto 407

 

 

The dog is small

and the dog is still small.

 

Anthony Quiroz & Vanessa Tovar 404

Picture This ...

William B. Patrick is a poet, screenwriter, dramatist and novelist. For his book of poems, We Didn't Come Here for This, he researched the history of his family through a series of photographs. Students were asked to bring in photos of their own and write poems about them after reading Patrick's poem, "Christmas, 1950."

 

In my picture

I see my two

sisters and my

brother.

I am in a

tree by my

house.

The tree is

so green that

flowers are

growing.

My sisters

are so happy.

Karina Bucio 407

The Family

What I see

in this

picture is

my brothers

very serious

and my little

sister is eating

chocolate. This

picture was

taken in

Mexico.

Maricarmen Carrizales 407

The Sad Dog

The dog is sitting on the couch.

She looks sad because she

broke her leg.

She is sad because she

can't play.

Mayra Diaz 407

I see a brand new

Jeep across the street.

My mom standing

outside of the door.

The leaves are

falling from the trees.

I see a bike on the

ground near the bushes.

My mom is all laughing.

Omar Garcia 403

My Picture

I see myself smiling

I can't remember why

but I look tired

I can't remember why they

took a picture of me

in the first year of school

I remember when

I blinked when that

big white flash flashed.

After that picture

I couldn't see anything

I thought I was blind

I don't know why

there is a book on

that thing.

I see blue on

the background

that is now a

big brown tree

with big black switches

to turn the

light on and off.

Andres Jasso 403

Christmas

I like the picture I look sad

Santa Claus looks happy my dad

is happy my mom to a family

is supposed to be happy my mom

told to me and my sister

a family is always happy and

happy I will be after we

were done with the picture

we were going out the

door and Santa took us back in

he said we were going

to be Santa's helpers so we

did we were helpers at

last when we were done

Santa gave us big presents

and on that Christmas day we

opened our presents and we

saw a thank you card. It said

thank you for helping me and

he wrote something else it said

P.S. Don't forget a family is always

happy I don't like to see you unhappy.

If next time you come

here I want to see happy faces.

Jakelin Lopez 404

My Picture

I was the little girl on the

bottom of the picture I was

4 years old. I was there because

it was Christmas. It was in

California. We took a family picture

but not including a kid at

the end. I don't know that

boy. He scares me. We were partying

all day we slept at morning

time like at 9 o'clock in the

morning. The next day we left. We

were there for a week.

Arely Miranda 403

Downtown Chicago

I can see my dad

holding the camera and my

mom holding my hand. I

am in downtown where the

fountain is and waiting for

the baby to come out.

It was a sunny day

to go outside and

play. I see all the

buildings that look like giant

toys. I was happy to

be with my family and

see all the rocks. My

dad wants to take a

picture of me and my

mom while she is carrying

a bag.

Maria Muñoz 403

I see myself in my house sitting at the edge of the sofa.

In a happy mood. I'm in my living room. Wearing

a Timberland. Behind me is an air conditioner. And

house curtains. I call it The Mood of

Me in '06. So I feel different from now.

Salomon Navarro 407

My Picture

I was in Mexico.

I was only thinking

of the steps.

I wasn't nervous

because I knew my

friends were there

and then I was

next. First I changed

into my shirt and

skirt. Boys were on

the side and when the

girls stopped dancing they

sat in chairs and they told

us we're next again I

danced with him he's 11 years

old. They said I looked

like an 11 year old. Anyway

I danced Durangense

everyone wanted to dance too.

I think next year I'm

going to dance too if I

go to Mexico. My friends they

were nervous too but then

everything was finished, but then

a new dance for 100 Pecos

here is $10 and I'm going

in too and I was like oh

no because I needed to dance

regular and I won and a boy

too 50 and 50 Pecos each. In the

picture I see my

friends are super nervous

but we still had fun. Everyone

was clapping. I danced 4 times.

It was called los bailaors

that means the dancers in

English.

Michelle Quintana 404

Flood, 1998

I'm holding on to a rope

afraid to let go

for if I let go

the water will take

me.

I am there with

a couple of people

who are also afraid.

Thinking of what will

become of me.

Hoping for someone to

rescue me. I stay

at the water

holding on to the

rope.

“Imagining what it will

be of me if they don't rescue

me.”

Wendy Ramirez 404

Me & Dad

That day was

sunny. It was

a fun kind

of day. We were

picking my dad

up from work.

I was trying

to carry his tool

box. I was wearing

a skirt a yellow top

and sandals. I was about

4 years old. That day

I think I was going

to go by my grandma's

house. I went over there

to go visit all of my

cousins and my aunts &

uncles. Also I took

another picture with

my grandma & all of the

rest of my family. I

was playing with

my cousins and

having fun that

was the best

day ever!

Lorissa Rocha 407

This picture is

a misunderstanding

I am looking

straight ahead

Before I see

who is in

front of me

a flash falls

into my eyes

I can't see

all I see is

shadows. All is

okay now I

see my teacher

with my camera.

Weird.

Brandon Rosario 403

Catfish

My family went fishing and we caught a catfish

my little brother touched the fish so did I

my little sister didn't touch it she was scared

of touching it so she just touched the string

my mom took the picture when my brother

touched the fish he had to take a bath

my sister didn't she just touched the

string I had to take a shower.

P.S. My mom cooked the fish

my little brother didn't eat at

all.

Jose Tierrablanca 404

Second Grade

I see me laughing

in my second grade

year. The background

is blue like water.

I have my favorite

shirt that says

“hip.” I have crystal

clear earrings that

I love too!

I see the photograph

light in my eyes.

My hair was brown

like my desk. This

was in November 2003

in Chicago.

Michelle Wieczorek 403

The Two Dogs

The trees are small

some are tall. The dogs

are talking to each other.

The ground is nice the

tall tree is in the

middle of the yard.

They are having

fun talking to each

other. She is standing

on the ground.

The tall dog is like

brown and the small

is like yellow and

white.

The weather looks

like it's almost

morning or it's

morning already.

It is like

they are talking

in private and

maybe they are

talking about them-

selves.

I think Ms.

Hughesdon's dog is

having fun with

his friend.

I think someone

is hungry.

Edwin Zamudio 407