Thursday, December 26, 2019

STEAM Themed poetry

Goodbye December...goodbye decade!

Are you having fun in the countdown? Scribbling lots? I hope so. Many thanks for writing friend, Michelle Kogan for hosting today's round-up on her beautiful blog.

On December 11, Teaching Authors interviewed poet-author, Kimberly Hutmacher. She shared a bit about how non-fiction and poetry writing often meet up. At the end of the interview she challenged readers to write a STEAM poem.

This year, all students in our school are involved in the district science fair for the first time in a while. I've been developing lessons to support the teacher's work in getting kids involved in Science Fair -- and having a blast. 

The challenge to write a STEAM poem met up with my recent science experiences and December's Writing Challenge at Ethical ELA.   I'm sharing a 'Skinny' and a 'Fib' poem from the week of prompts given by Glenda Funk


“The First Flight (U.S. National Park Service).” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/articles/firstflight.htm.



Kitty Hawk
December 17, 1903
Nine…ten…eleven
seconds
of
flight —
soaring                             
seconds
over
sandy
dunes
seconds
…twelve groundbreaking seconds.

(c)Linda Mitchell


Bain News Service, Publisher. Mme. Marie Curie. [No Date Recorded on Caption Card] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .


Who Was Marie Curie?
A Fibonacci poem

How
strange
that she
was barred from
learning beside boys
Maria Sklodowska was bright.
Bright
star
shining
in secret school for girls, learning
mathematics and sciences
to Sorbonne University.
One
day
she sees
new atoms–
polonium and
radium. Stunning breakthroughs.
This
great
knowledge
discovered
cannot be ignored!
A Nobel Prize for Maria.
Who
does
not hide
this learning.
Now Madame Curie–
renown atomic physicist.
(c) Linda Mitchell

13 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for both these poems. I'm especially intrigued by the fibonacci one. My granddaughter is named after Ada Lovelace, the worlds first computer programer. I might have to see what I can come up with!

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  2. The STEAM poem challenge is still on my vacation to do list. You inspired me to get moving! Love your skinny and Fib. Cheers! Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/

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  3. You are such a library nerd and I love it! These two poems matched with the images are well crafted and educational. Good models for students.

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  4. I love how you pull all these sources and influences together. You are such a good support for your colleagues.
    Have you been to Kitty Hawk? The dunes are cool!
    If you haven't seen Megan Lee's women in science art prints, you might want to check them out (Here's Marie Curie: https://www.etsy.com/listing/69607235/marie-curie-science-art-women-in-science )

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  5. Linda, I find your desire to research and write so inspiring that I imagine students are swayed to follow in your footsteps. Thanks for these intriguing photos and wonderful poems. Full STEAM ahead! We are driving home from Virginia and the ride is slow but I've got Poetry Friday to entertain me. Trying to get my post together before the clock ticks 12.

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  6. Thank you for sharing these! I am always trying to provide my daughter info on women breaking barriers like Marie Curie. I look forward to sharing this poem with her later tonight. Thanks!

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  7. Strong poems Linda, I'm especially drawn to the Madame Curie poem–for how hard she had to continuously work to get recognition–and how this dilemma still exists today for women, thanks.

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  8. I love the alliteration in Kitty Hawk. The repetition of "seconds" really drives home the smallness of this HUGE moment. And your word choice -- "groundbreaking." Indeed. Marie Curie also had a very small (literally) discovery that turned out to be HUGE!

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  9. Once again you weave together challenges and inspirations to create poetry! Wonderful! I especially like the use of the skinny form and the repetition of "seconds" to highlight that first flight in Kitty Hawk. How thrilling those seconds must have been!

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  10. Strong poems about strong women written by a strong woman! How amazing to fly even for a few seconds--and to think about how far we've come from those first few seconds. And I love how the poem about Marie Curie points out the challenges she overcame to achieve recognition. Thanks for both of these--and Happy New Year!

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  11. I just love your ability to write nuggets of history into poetry, Linda! Your Wright Brothers skinny is perfect.

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  12. Love these strong STEAM poems written about strong women!

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  13. So great! Thanks for sharing these STEAM poems! (Imagining those twelve seconds...!)

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Friendly, positive comments and feedback are always welcome here. Please let me know I'm not just whistling in the dark!