The Foundation for a Meaningful Life
Kindergarten - Grade 9 in Southborough, MA
Kindergarten - Grade 9 in Southborough, MA
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The Most Important Thing
In sixth grade, students wrote and illustrated poetry inspired by the book The One Thing You'd Save by Newbery Medal winner Linda Sue Park. In The One Thing You’d Save, a teacher asks her students to write poems about the one thing they’d save if their house were on fire.
Imagine that your home is on fire. You’re allowed to save one thing.
Your family and pets are safe, so don’t worry about them.
Your Most Important Thing. Any size. A grand piano? Fine.”
The collected poems show each student wrestling with selecting their item as they debate practical or sentimental choices, make their case for each, and sometimes even change their minds. After hearing the book presented at a young adult literature conference, English teacher Lara Gleason shared it with her sixth grade writing students and challenged them to write poems about the one thing they’d save in the same situation.
Park wrote her poetry in the sijo style, an ancient form of Korean poetry that traditionally has three lines of thirteen to seventeen syllables or six shorter lines. Lara’s students could choose to write their poetry using the classic sijo structure, adapt it as Park did in her book, or write in an entirely different style. As Park says in her book, “Using old forms in new ways is how poetry continually renews itself, and the world.”
Like the students in Park’s book, some of the sixth graders chose practical items such as phones to call 9-1-1 and let the family know that they were safe, expensive hockey equipment, or a warm blanket to wrap themselves in as they stand outside. However, many students also thought about the irreplaceable items in their home, such as a grandfather’s letters, a diary packed with memories, and a cherished teddy bear. Students wove their ideas about what is truly important to them throughout their writing, and many successfully mimicked the sijo style.
As students took turns sharing their poetry, it sparked debate throughout the class. Once students read their poems, Lara asked the class to log in to Google Jamboard, a collaborative digital whiteboard where students can share their thoughts on sticky notes and see responses from classmates. First, Lara asked them to share what they noticed about the items that their classmates chose to save. Several students highlighted the split between the practical choices and the sentimental items imbued with valuable memories. Next, Lara asked students to share their thoughts on the value of this exercise and what they took away from it. For some students, it made them more mindful of being grateful for what they have, while others were struck by the diversity of ideas highlighted in the poems.
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48 MAIN STREET
SOUTHBOROUGH, MA 01772
main number 508-490-8250
admission 508-490-8201
SOUTHBOROUGH, MA 01772
main number 508-490-8250
admission 508-490-8201
