Young Writer's Poetry Workshop!

 

    

      The Young Writer's Poetry Workshop is a 6-week program for ages 8-14 that teaches students how to put their thoughts into words through the creative process, while exploring their own ideas and sharing them with others in a safe, fun environment. 

     Students will engage in creative expression through journaling and age-appropriate group exercises, learn public speaking skills, performance skills, and develop self-confidence while learning how to be good listeners and audience members. Each class session will meet for 1 hour, twice weekly.  At the end of the workshop, students will have the opportunity to present a body of finished work to an invited audience of family and friends.

     Topics and levels covered will vary according to the needs of the group and include:

  What is Poetry?

  I AM Poem

  Name Poem - Acrostic Poetry, Mathematical Poetry

  Themed Poetry with Art I & II/My Rainbow - Poetry and Paint

  Cinquain Poetry – 5 lined poem that describes a noun

  Diamante Poetry – Diamond shaped poem

  My Rainbow – Poetry and Painting Projects

  Spoken Word and Performance Poetry/Reader's Theater

* Cost: $200 per student includes all handouts, art supplies, and writing supplies

Well-Wishes for Taliq!

By now, most of us have seen the news or heard about the young man in Killeen Texas, Taliq Davis, who is fighting a courageous battle against an aggressive brain tumor. Taliq's mom, Tanisha Davis requested for people to send him birthday cards for his 10th birthday to lift his spirits during this difficult time. A group of very conscious students created cards and well-wishes to send his way and joined with people around the world to share love and light.

One of the core principles of Urbanartzlive is that children are naturally creative, and love to respond to other children in need. Sharing art with others is a way to give of ourselves that doesn't carry a high price tag, just a caring heart!

We continue to send Taliq and his mom the best. If you would like to send a card to Taliq, you may do so at this address:

Taliq Davis

c/o Tanisha Davis

5106 Donegal Bay Ct.

Killeen TX 76549

This is also a great Service Learning project!

Selfie T-Shirt Art

Left Upper – Goal (who am I)

Right Upper – What to improve, short term goal

Left Lower – What do you like to do, in ten years I’ll be

Right Lower – hobbies

Your sections can go in any direction, squares, diagonals, stripes or graffiti! 

This is a great way to make a vision board.

Swinging or Sliding?

Swinging or Sliding? When a group of Kinders was asked what their favorite thing to do in the park was, this is what they had to say:

Swinging makes me laugh and push myself
and it makes me laugh when I go high up in the clouds
Sliding makes me laugh when I go down.

Wish List!

Everyone has a wish list! This group of 6th graders had a special assignment: To make a wish with these elements: A cartoon/animated/anime/ or video game character, a color, and a location (city or country) They had fun with this:

I Wish . . .

I wish I was a princess, in New England, wearing a frilly pink dress, chatting with Queen

I wish the Simpsons would turn green and move to Paris, Texas.

I wish that the Blue Man Group was in New York being blue like the sky and black like the night.

I wish the Purple Pekka was in New York City.

I wish Stewie Griffin was my neighbor and wore a pink dress.

I wish Stewie in Family Guy was in NY so I could meet him. I also wish that Stewie’s clothes and overalls were zebra color. Zebra color meaning black and white stripes.

I wish that I was a blue Smurfette and all the other Smurfs would chase after me in Paris.

I wish that I would see Santa Claus on red Christmas Eve in New York.

I wish that the pilgrims would come on Black Friday and celebrate all around New York City.

I wish that I was Superman, flying in my red cape from Staten Island to Brooklyn, so I wouldn’t be late for school.

I wish that in China, people will sell authentic pink Hello Kitty products.

I wish that for my birthday present I will get white Hello Kitties from America.

I wish that on Christmas Eve, every little girl in America will get a pink Hello Kitty stuffed animal.

I wish I was blue and yellow with Minnie Mouse while swimming in the Dead Sea.

I wish I was Spongebob in a yellow suit in Las Vegas.

I wish I was Kirito holding Asuna’s hand while watching the bright blue sky in London.

I wish I as in the land of anime watching the blue sky in Paris with Natsu.

I wish I was Black Wing Armor Master in a rainbow place, also known as New York.

I wish I could make a black burrito out of Kirito while eating a Dorito in the city of Mexico.

I wish that I could go to San Francisco with Minnie Mouse, and ride on an orange cable car.

I wish that I could go to Starling City and meet the Arrow on a green roof top.

I wish that I was Alice in Wonderland riding a rainbow unicorn with a minion and the Mad Hatter.

I wish I was Goldilocks in Russia eating golden porridge.

I wish the sky was always blue and that Garfield cat and I could have a week with no Mondays in Santa Fe.

I wish that I could meet Percy Jackson in China. I would want to ride in a blue car with him and have fun.

I wish that I was yellow and blue eating lunch with Mickey Mouse in France.

I wish I could travel to England with Misaki in a purple helicopter.

I wish I had a blue cap with a picture of Big Nate on it, and if I did, I would be living in Paris.

I wish that Mary Poppins would come from North Carolina and let me ride on her gold and black umbrella.

I wish that Peppa Pig would come from London and let me ride her flying car.

Love...Think Again!

If you think that a 6th grader can't tell you anything about love, think again! This is a group project by 6 young ladies who loved to talk. They told me what they wanted to say, and I wrote it on paper. The students decided where each line belonged...I was only the scribe.

Love is a gift

and what you do with it can be your own personal curse.

True love is the key to your heart

and your heart unlocks your life.

Love is valuable

it cannot be bought with cash

but with faith.

Love is strong if you have a big heart

Some love can be fake and also ugly

Looks are not always the way you find love.

Love can complete life

Let love come to you

because if you go chasing it

it may never be yours.

And...Even More Words..

   Kids have a lot to say...if we listen. I was working with a group of students who didn't like to write a lot (except for a couple of them) but they had lots to say about everything. I decided to let them tell me what they wanted to say, and I wrote it on paper. They were the authors, and I became the scribe. This is one of their group projects:

    It reads:

Everybody has problems that upset them in many ways.

Sometimes problems make you feel lonely

and seeing angry faces make you feel unhappy.

Abandoning negative things can make a better future

And a happy ever after.

Finally, proudly sticking up for what you believe in

can change someone’s life.

(6th Grade Students - NYC)

Anti-Bullying Artwork!

Every writing workshop begins with a five minute free-writing exercise in which students may write about any topic that they feel strongly about. When they choose a writing project in later weeks, students may either select a new topic, or continue working on one of their free-write drafts. This is an anti-bullying poster started by one 6th Grade student who was very reluctant to participate at the beginning, but he found something to say in his own way that was very detailed and profound:

Poetry and Spoken Word!

     This slideshow is from a Poetry and Spoken Word project I facilitated with Middle School students in at a NYC Public School. A very dedicated group of students bravely put their thoughts and feelings on paper, and shared them with a large audience. Several students also displayed artwork that accompanied the theme of "I Am"...If you don't have a "I Am" statement for the world, the world will tell you who "You Are". The group shot is edited for student privacy.

                                   

Creative Writing & Poetry!

     This slideshow is from a Creative Writing and Poetry project I facilitated with students in New York City Public Schools. Students in this cohort chose from Realistic Fiction, Narratives, Portrait Poems, Mystery, Fantasy, Adventure, and Persuasive Writing, and worked on their topic for a 4 to 6 week period, depending on their individual progress. Common Core Standards for writing, speaking and listening were followed, and finished work was published and presented at an Open House presentation before a small audience.

                                    

Art4Joy - Creative Art & Art History

     Children love to create artwork!  It keeps them focused and has an immediate reward. Art4Joy workshops offer children opportunities to learn about Art and Art History, to know what they are creating and also find out about the origins of different types of artwork. Each session includes a short history of artists from different eras that includes vocabulary and lots of hands-on time to create art based on what they have learned.

     Although each child is encouraged to work at his or her individual level, emphasis is placed on process that they create for themselves, not the product. Each artwork is celebrated and shared with the group, and positive comments are always welcome!

     Objectives of Art4Joy are: 

     Development of imaginative ablities through the creative process; improved communications skills through reflection and positive peer critique ;and increased appreciation of art in their communities and globally.                   



Top - decoupage; Above: Geogia O'Keefe,
"Objects Big and Bold"