Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Noticing and Wondering

Did you know that there is a long underground tunnel connecting the U.S. Capitol Building with the Library of Congress? When I visited my daughter in Washington, D.C. my family walked through the tunnel but I never saw this mail cart in the hallways. Jan Godown Annino did and submitted the following photo for Laura Shovan's Found Object Poem Project. Jan is hosting the project today at Bookseed Studio.

Laura Shovan's #foundobjectpoem Day 23
submitted by Jan Goodwin Annino

The first draft poem below is based on a bit of research. Since I did not have a chance to visit the building, I searched for information on the Library of Congress before writing. 

Rolling, rolling, rolling down the hallway.
A long tunnel I travel
to sort the mail-
millions of copies of
books,
recordings,
photographs,
maps, 
and manuscripts
fill the
Library of Congress,
my prestigious home.
An important job I have.
Take a peek.
I'm full today.
©CVarsalona, 2016 

Images convey meaning but sometimes we need background information to create a piece of writing. Providing students with several unfamiliar photographs allows them to not only notice the details but wonder about them. Wonder leads to inquiry and inquiry leads to writing. Voice  is the medium that enriches the writing and engages the reader. What excitement there is in allowing students to find their voice through the written word.

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