Although second period was interrupted for a wonderfully entertaining Orange Ribbon convocation, Poetry Island began with a variety of mood music presentations in the other three Language Arts periods. Music was provided by some students playing their band instrument at all the right spots while their poem was being read. Chris Cooper played his saxophone, Bret Lawson played his trumpet, Caylee Reid played her flute and Brooklyn played her clarinet. Other groups selected music from CD’s or cassette tapes.

Each student labeled a page in the notes section of their Writer-Reader’s notebook with the name of a poet being represented on Poetry Island this week. The notes taken during the week will be very important when the essay writing assignment is given on Friday. Today students presented several interesting facts about the poets:

William Shakespeare has no middle name and most of his family was illiterate, which means they couldn’t read or write.

Edgar Allan Poe married his cousin Annabelle Lee when she was only 13 and most of his poetry is very dark or Gothic. He joined the army at 18 but lied and told them he was 22.

E. E. Cummings is a boy not a girl.

Robert Browning‘s group forgot to give any interesting fact.

Robert Frost had one of his poems in the book Eclipse.

Edward Lear was never married but had lots of partners.

Emily Dickinson never married and was obsessed with death.

Walt Whitman was born May 31, 1819 and died March 26, 1892.

Voting was done on moodle and the results will be posted for each class as they come into the classroom tomorrow.

We reviewed the point scale for performances and everyone had a little time to practice for the Frozen Tableau presentations tomorrow.