A Slam Poem and Infographics

To celebrate national poetry month, we invite you to enjoy an audio poem written and performed by Kristen O. and Olivia A. and artwork by Olivia O.

For the other side of your brain, enjoy two well-researched infographics from ninth grade students.

by Madison T., Grade 9

Works Cited

Osborn, Rick. "Best and Worst Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners." Real Food RX. RealFoodRx.com, 25 Apr. 2014. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. <http://realfoodrx.com/sugar-and-artificial-sweeteners/>.

Myers, Wendy. "Deadly Artificial Sweeteners." Live to 110. Live to 110, 2016. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. <https://liveto110.com/deadly-artificial-sweeteners/>.

Mercola, Joseph, ed. "Aspartame: By Far the Most Dangerous Substance Added to Most Foods Today." Mercola.com. Joseph Mercola, 6 Nov. 2011. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/06/aspartame-most-dangerous-substance-added-to-food.aspx>.

Gunnars, Kris. "10 Disturbing Reasons Why Sugar Is Bad for You." Authority Nutrition. Authority Nutrition, Sept. 2013. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. <http://authoritynutrition.com/10-disturbing-reasons-why-sugar-is-bad/>.

Froelich, Amanda. "Seeking Sweet? The 4 WORST Artificial Sweeteners." True Activist. True Activist, 16 Nov. 2014. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. <http://www.trueactivist.com/seeking-sweet-the-4-worst-artificial-sweeteners/>.

Axe, Josh. "The 5 Worst Artificial Sweeteners." Dr. Axe. DrAxe.com, 2016. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. <http://draxe.com/artificial-sweeteners/>.Works Cited

by Shannon W., Grade 9

Works Cited

"Elephants." WWF Global. World Wide Fund For Nature, 2016. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. <http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/elephants/>.

"The Poaching Problem." PBS. WNET, 16 Nov. 1997. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/elephants-africa-poaching-problem/11367/>.

Scriber, Brad. "100,000 Elephants Killed by Poachers in Just Three Years, Landmark Analysis Finds." National Geographic. National Geographic Partners, 18 Aug. 2014. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/08/140818-elephants-africa-poaching-cites-census/>.

"Stop the Ivory Trade." Bloody Ivory. Born Free Foundation, 2016. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. http://www.bloodyivory.org/stop-the-ivory-trade.

 by Kaycee F., Grade 9 

Works Cited

"State of Create UK." Adobe UK. Adobe, 3 July 2012. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. <http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/State-of-Create-UK-Infographic.jpg>.

Pfannkuch, Katrina. "10 Stats on Creativity That Will Change the Way You Do Business." The Kapost Blog. Kapost, 4 Dec. 2014. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. <http://marketeer.kapost.com/creativity-stats/>.

Paul, Annie Murphy. "Are We Wringing the Creativity out of Kids?" Kqed News. Kqed, 4 May 2012. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. <http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/05/04/are-we-wringing-the-creativity-out-of-kids/>.

Parekh, Rupal. "Global Study: 75% of People Think They're Not Living up to Creative Potential." AdvertisingAge. Crain Communications, 23 Apr. 2012. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. <http://adage.com/article/news/study-75-living-creative-potential/234302/>.

"Creativity and Education: Why It Matters." Adobe. Adobe Systems, 7 Nov. 2012. Web. 8 Mar. 2016. <https://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pdfs/Adobe_Creativity_and_Education_Why_It
_Matters_infographic.pdf>.

By the Sea

Think of golden sunlight and crisp ocean waves as you sail your way blissfully through this spectacular poem by Ben T.

 artwork by Blair B, 8th grade





Sunset Sailing

Where the water turns white,
Until the sun goes down,
As the fish flee in fright,
Into the endless night,
I stand at the bow like a king with a crown.

When the water flies,
So that it fills the golden skies,
Where the birds return,
Until they are lost behind the stern,
My kingdom watches as the sun dies.

When without a guiding hand,
Where light appears we must land,
If only we didn't go back to sand,
Where the only fish are canned,
My kingdom I must abandon.


by Ben T., Grade 8

National Poetry Month Has Arrived!

artwork by Lauren G., Grade 7


Here is a poem by Sabrina E. in honor of the 20th Anniversary of National Poetry Month. This piece of poetry reveals the author's conflict between lightness and darkness.

Light vs. Dark

Does light cancel dark?

Or does dark

Cancel light?

Together

They fight.

Who will win?

The sun who supports

Light,

Or the moon

Who supports

Dark?

The sun

Stands alone.

The moon

Stands with the stars.

What is stronger?

A fiery

Sun

Which keeps us warm

Through the cold?

Or an icy

moon

Which guides us

Through the dark?

Light

Or

Dark?

- by Sabrina E., Grade 7


To further celebrate national poetry month, here is an interactive article on blackout poetry which can help you to create your own short poems:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/multimedia/blackout-poetry.html?_r=1

Here is the official website of the Academy of American Poets which goes into the history and significance of national poetry month:
https://www.poets.org/national-poetry-month/home

Juan Felipe Herrera, the poet laureate, is writing a poem that will span his laureateship. Click here to learn more and to contribute a line to the poem, La Familia:
http://www.loc.gov/poetry/casadecolores/familia/