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methow grist 2011-2014 archive
 
 


WordSpot

Talking about the Garden
By Ms. Stevie’s Sixth Grade Class

Talking about the garden inspires me
The vivid colors, textures and shapes
Faded but bright
Grasshoppers camouflaged in the grass
Brilliant shades of purple eggplants and flowers
Interesting angles
of sunflowers, peppers and carrots

Talking about the garden indulges my senses
Mint leaves floating in a glass of cold ice tea
Fresh strawberries sinking into fluffy whipped cream
On flaky shortcake
Sauteed mushrooms on fresh veggie patties
with cheddar cheeses,
lettuce and tomatoes
Crunch, Crunch,
salty corn chips hit my teeth from top to bottom
Outraged tomatoes, cilantro, peppers and lemon juice
go down my throat into
my stomach.

Talking about the garden fascinates me
Learning plant cycles
Watching plants grow day by day
Changing colors as they grow
From dull greens to bright red
Chemical reactions
The garden always changing.

Talking about the garden elates me
Spiritual and beautiful like a shimmering glow in the desert
The nutrients that keep us strong
Truly a gift from above
Did our ancestors know about this place?
Should we tell anyone or save it for ourselves?

 

 
Talking About the Garden
By Mr. Dixon’s Sixth Grade Class

Talking about the garden
Makes me hungry
The strawberries burst with flavor
Juicy red raspberries
Delicious carrot cakes
Hot chili peppers explode
“Splatacious” red tomatoes squirt in my mouth

Talking about the garden
inspires me
Dragon snaps come alive
Snapping, Arguing
Royal purple eggplants peek out from between
their rough leaves
Smiling sunflowers dance to the tune of the afternoon sun
Pollen snows down through the air
Buzz, buzz
How could I paint that?
Pretty birds eat soft plump raspberries
Blooming, blossoming
Ideas bounce around in my head.

Talking about the garden
intrigues me.
Every year plants mature at different rates
Millions of colors,
Plentiful varieties,
Prunus Virginiana
Ribes Aureum
Sambucus caerulea
Sunflower as large as serving plates
While the garden needs sun, it also needs rain
Corn of many colors,
Animals feast on the nectar of fruits

Talking about the garden
Makes me feel blessed
Berries, fresh off the vine now,
Dried in the winter when we eat them.
We cut up the rhubarb stalk and eat it;
Beware the leaves are deadly!
We are lucky that the great spirit has given us much
to feed us.
Memorize the landmarks!

These two poems were written by the Methow Valley’s two sixth grade classes, explained educator Anne Andersen. “We talked about looking through multiple perspectives, they spent time in our school garden and then wrote about what they would think about the garden through different lenses,” she said.  “There are four voices in each poem ... an artist, a scientist, a native American and a chef.”  The kids worked in groups to create the different stanzas. Andersen is interested to see if readers can tell which stanza in each poem was in which voice.