A Chapter Book Writing Lesson from WritingFix
Focus Trait: VOICE Support Trait: WORD CHOICE

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So Much Depends Upon...

sixteen-word imagery poems to inspire stories and poems

The writing of author Sharon Creech and poet William Carlos Williams is inspiring student writers to try new techniques with the traits of voice and word choice.

Your students can self-publish their writing done with this lesson by clicking here.

Student Samples: Early Elementary

You Will Never Know
by Kamryn, 2nd grade writer

So much depends upon
chocolate fudge hunks of
cake with ice cream
with thick yummy frosting

also with a bunch of
M & Ms on top with
yellow and green gumballs too
with cherry red and orangey orange

Sugar Daddies and Sugar Babies
with candy balloons too
I'm sorry it's so deliciously yummy
You will never know.

That I am Alive
by Stephen, third grade poet

So much depends upon
a kiss upon my
cheek to take a
safe breath each day
to wake up in the morning
and remember to be thankful
that I am alive
and may God hold us in his hand.

 

Life on this Planet
by Blake, third grade poet

So much depends upon
The steaming hot sun
The earth's crust breaking
Life on this planet
Without these three gleaming stars
In the sky
We would be nothing
Nothing at all
Just ash floating upon space
Waiting for a new planet
I know this because it is coming
From this day forward consider this
Watch your back

(Click here to view and print these three early elementary So Much Depends Upon poems)

Student Samples: Upper Elementary

Change
by Cassy, fifth grade poet

So much depends upon
Love, life and feelings,
Feelings that affect others
Open eyes, open heart,
Open mind...keep kind
Who said life didn't
Hurt?
New life...new death
All have their rewards
Occasions change
Life is gone

 

The Little Blue Boat
by Taylor, fifth grade poet

So much depends
Upon
A little blue
Boat
Taking me to
Possibilities
And many new
Adventures
New sights, smells, and waves of
Solvable mysteries
Every day so unpredictable and with
A future ahead
Twists and turns, new friendships, and creations
Fear nothing and always look ahead
Keep trying, don't look back and
Keep an eye out for the little blue boat.

Student Samples: Middle School

Destiny
by Amy, seventh grade poet

So much depends upon
The silver moon wolf
Running swiftly through the trees
Never forgetting his destiny
With a pelt full of luminous colors
And his eyes deep with wisdom
He carries with him a heavy burden
One that will affect his pack and forest
One that will affect the earth itself
Around his neck lies a necklace
Strung with onyx beads of holiness
With a statue of a moon goddess
Holding a parcel within her hands
Running through fields of sorrow
He keeps going
For he knows
He knows that his destiny
Will hold mysterious effects
For him
His pack
And the world itself.

(Click here to view and print Amy and two of her classmates' So Much Depends Upon inspirations)

 

Leaving Me
by Auston, seventh grade poet

So much depends on
A sweet, gentle kiss,
A hand to hold,
And someone to miss.
The departure
Of a loved one
Tears you apart
And makes you want to run,
Away, from home,
Family and friends.
My love for her
Never ends.
Forever
I give her my love.
In this poem
I show her my love.

Student Samples: High School

Cityscape
by Mike, twelfth grade poet

So much depends
upon

A sleep swept
cityscape

Polluted with midnight
air

Entrancing its inspired
seed

Supporting one’s whole
future

With bright breathing
lights

Spurting springs of
insight

Take it all
in

Just breathe, just
breathe.

 

Second Seat
by Erica, twelfth grade poet

So much depends upon
The second seat back
Talking in English class
The teacher’s seating chart

This is where it started.
This is where the rollercoaster began,
The friendship and the trust,
The tears and the betrayal,
The laughs and the lies,
The good memories and the bad,
The desperation and the annoyance.
The cruel realization you actually did
that to me. It all started in that
second seat.

(Click here to view and print Mike and Erica and five of their classmates' poems)

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