For the first time the fourth grade classes embarked on a field trip to Walden Pond and The Henry David Thoreau Museum. There they experienced the tranquility of a Fall day on the pond, while they captured their thoughts, reflections and observations in poetry notebooks. In addition, they toured a replica of the one room house Henry David Thoreau lived in in The Walden Woods for over two years.
They even watched a 20 minute documentary video that highlighted Henry David Thoreau’s life and the inspiration for his poetry that he found in nature. The film also touched on upcoming 4th grade units of study such as the American Revolution and the Women's Rights Movement.
Students ended the day with lunch and recess at the pond, where they were able to take in the beauty of nature and write some of our own poetry. This fantastic field trip is sure to be a favorite of fourth graders this year and in years to come.
Here is some 4th grade poetry written on and inspired by our trip:
Art
When I get a piece of paper, I can't stop myself.
My pencil goes up and down creating swirls in every direction,
The paint splatters against the paper like raindrops falling into a lake.
My hand zips and zaps like lightning shooting from the sky.
Rainbow colors coming out on me like flowers blooming right out of the ground,
Red, orange, yellow, green,
Colors so bright like gleaming specks from the sun,
Colors so bright my eyes might burn like a person sunbathing on the beach.
Colors soooooo bright I can't stop talking about them.
One piece of paper, plain, dull turning into a beautiful masterpiece,
Taking me places each and every day.
Why don’t you try making some art, a bright beautiful masterpiece.
by Minnah W
A Pond Lies Before Me
Its deep and green waters look like
Glass or a mirror showing the trees at the
Other side
Of the
Pond.
by Ben S.
Nature
Big lake, big trees
Green leaves, orange leaves
All you need to
Make a beautiful scenery.
Trees, water as smooth as glass,
Leaves nature at its best.
Flies, birds, fish, all the
Animals you will see.
The clouds crying, splattering on the
Water,making no sound.
One man swimming laps to one end
Of the lake to the other.
Fish splashing in and out of the lake.
But seeing their family go to
The hands of the humans.
Humans hungry for fish
Catching more and more
By Liliana HR
