A major goal of the Middle School at Jackson Academy is to deepen subject matter expertise. Fifth and sixth grade English teachers Grace Simmons and Mallory Gnemi took that challenge to another level. They chose to take their study of National Poetry Month within their poetry unit beyond the classroom with hands-on and interactive learning.
In fifth grade English, students created their very own Poetry Café. On Thursday, April 14, fifth and sixth graders gathered in the Performing Arts Center auditorium for the fifth grade’s rendition of a poetry slam. Donning costumes and carrying props, all fifth grade students participated in the slam, either citing an original poem or work by a famous poet. Shel Silverstein and Mother Teresa were two of many poets quoted.
The day prior, sixth grade students lined the learning commons as Middle School and Upper School students visited their poetry wax museum. Each “wax figure” represented a famous poet that students researched during their poetry unit. To activate the “wax figures,” guests were prompted to donate as if they were in a real museum activating real wax figures. All donations collected by the entire sixth grade wax museum were donated to the Literacy Garden at the Mississippi Children’s Museum.
