7th grade Biopoems
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A Biopoem is a formula poem: in this case, students followed a specific pattern to describe a character of their choice from the novel Stepping on the Cracks by Mary Downing Hahn. This story focuses on main characters Elizabeth and Margaret, each of whom has a brother who has been drafted to fight for the Allies during WWII. In addition to dealing with their fears about the war, the two sixth graders also put up with a bully in their class, Gordy Smith...
Here is the formula they followed: Character’s first name
Four descriptive words about the character
Brother/sister of OR daughter/son of…
Lover of…
Who feels…
Who needs…
Who gives…
Who would like to see…
Resident of…
Character’s last name
STUDENT WORK:
Jeremy
STUART
little, poet, peaceful, stubborn
brother of Gordy
loves Barbara
feels hate for war because he doesn’t like to shoot others, feels bad for Gordy because his father beats him and Stuart can no longer help, feels glad for Elizabeth and Margaret (his ‘angels’)
needs medical attention, needs a home, needs courage
gives love to all, gives a ring to Barbara, gives his family protection
fears war, fears for his family’s safety, fears being found out in the hut in the woods
resident of Barbara’s house after the hospital
SMITH
Angelica & Samantha
ELIZABETH
fearless, bossy, adventurous, determined
sister of Joe Crawford
loves Joe Crawford, mother and father
feels a hatred for Hitler because he killed so many people, for Gordy because he’s a bully, and for the war since her brother is in the war
needs the war to be over, for her brother to be back from the war, and needs food for Stuart since he’s running out
gives Gordy pain when she is nosy about his business, Margaret fear, and Mrs. Wagner a hard time
fears her brother not returning from war, that Hitler would win the war, and the crazy man
would like to see the war end, Stuart go to jail, and her brother Joe come home again
resident of College Hill on Dartmoor
CRAWFORD
Karla & Yaneth
MARGARET
scaredy-cat, quiet, follower, nice
sister of Jimmy
loves her brother, mother, father
feels sorry for Stuart, hates Hitler and Gordy
needs to be braver, needs more friends, and needs to overcome her fears
gives love to her family, gives attention in class, and gives full attention to Elizabeth
fears the crazy man, Gordy, and Elizabeth
would like to see her brother out of war
resident of College Hill (1944-1945)
BAKER
Kaija & Kevonna
ELIZABETH
adventurous, brave, tough, predictable
sister of Joe
loves the adventure of war, family, Elizabeth
feels that Stuart should fight in war, that she should be in the war, and lonely without Joe
needs the war to be over, her brother to come home, and Gordy to stop picking with her
gives encouragement and love to Stuart and to Margaret, a hard time
fears the war will continue, that Gordy’s getting beat, and that Joe might die
would like to see Jimmy, Butch, and Joe return home from war
resident of College Hill, Dartmoor Avenue
CRAWFORD
Naloni & LaShauna
ELIZABETH
brave, strong, courageous, unpredictable
sister of Joe
loves her brother, the war, and Margaret
feels that she should be in the war, that Stuart shouldn’t be a deserter, and that Margaret is a scaredy-cat
needs her mother, father, and brother
gives love, friendship, and encouragement
fears that her brother might die in the war, fears Mr. Smith because he beats Gordy, and fears her new teacher Mrs. Wagner because she gives too much homework
would like to see her brother come home alive and well , her old teacher because she was nice, and Butch (Barbara’s husband who died in the war)
CRAWFORD