Statue of Liberty Poems

Posted on October 25, 2015 by Mark Silberberg

This week the class finished up final edits of their poems about the Statue of Liberty. Merging what they learned about the history of the monument with what they experienced on the day of the field trip, fourth graders wrote some poetry to be proud of. They also spent a few sessions celebrating these poems by taking turns reciting them for classmates – some students even stood on a chair in the middle of the meeting rug with one fist in the air and their poem clutched in the other hand. It was a fun time.

_________________________________________________________
Welcome Immigrants

By Alfredo

The Statue is big.
No, it’s not big it’s huge!
I hear boats,
I hear helicopters,
I hear the water.
I look down,
I see tiny people
And everything around them
From up on the pedestal
Of the Statue.
I look up
I see all seven spikes,
from her crown,
As the breeze goes past me.
Chop chop chop
goes the helicopters
Splish splash splish
goes the water
I look around
But we’re super far away from
The statue’s original home.
I wonder how far away
The statue’s original home is?
The Statue is 129 years old!
_________________________________________________________
LIBERTY IS HER
BY Beckett

Beneath her, she was like a giant,

and her shadow was as dark as a gloomy day.

Her stone dress was so detailed that it looked like it could wave in the wind.

151 feet tall, super tall like a jumbo long line,

Liberty for all because of Auguste

She took 8 years to build,

Swish, swish goes the water.

How long did it take to climb to the top?

She holds the torch for hope and freedom.

The pedestal was made in America,

Faith in Freedom
Lady Liberty
_________________________________________________________
Liberty is Here!
by Cassidy

Liberty is 151 feet high,
seven spikes,
seven continents,
mighty crown,
jump right in,
enjoy the view,

Hear the waves hitting the shore,
the loud wind,
the noisy planes

splash, woosh,
zzz

Many small replicas,
many trains and boats to get her here,
I wonder how many people it took to build her?

She shimmers in the sunlight

Freedom and Liberty
For All!
______________________________________________________
Liberty Smiles
by Dennis

Light in the dark
Imagination
Brave and proud
Erase bad thoughts
Rain soft and sparkling
Terror is gone
Your fear is gone

Large
Admirable
Daring
You have seen her before

Years ago you’d hear
the wind blowing as you
enter Ellis island by boat.
Whooo whooo.
You could imagine
a better life here back
when you were on the boat.
Now you seem
worried.
Whoo whoo.
You were scared ‘til
you saw Liberty
smile at you.
A smile of greeting.
You could see the
seven spikes on her crown
wondering what
they mean.
Whoo whoo.
Standing strong
151 feet tall and proud.
____________________________________________________
The Statue
By Elijah

300 feet of historical awesomeness towering over the harbor.

Sleek copper green
rusty inside
clean inside

1776, the Declaration
1884, the Statue
July 4th, the Declaration

Seven spikes
seven continents
seven seas.

seven spikes on a
mighty crown of allegiance.

covered with a mother’s mask,

I feel the ocean breeze
and see a w world.

How did they
construct this?
I wonder

A mighty light
shining in the dark
of night.

See the light.
Feel the light.
BE THE LIGHT.

WOOOOOSH! I hear a helicopter
and wake up from a dream.
Never to be had again.

LIBERTY.
PEACE.
PASSION.
LOVE.
FREE.
FREE.
FREE.

____________________________________________________________

Finally Free
By Ella Lille Yerington

Ships surrounding buoys, buildings
And a bridge, seagulls flying, water swaying

Swish Swish CAWK! CAWK!

Light reflected off the river
That shines bright on the pedestal the Americans made

Swish Swish

Helicopters fly up in the sky

Click VROOM Click VROOM

Like a princess in a castle who is alive

The torch that says
“ I AM LIBERTY ENLIGHTENING THE WORLD!”

Our special gift from the French
A 151 foot statue

Is our present happy here?

________________________________________________________
Lady In Green
by Grace

You could see the Statue,
as the ferry sped past the island,
sun glinting off it,
like a quarter on the ground.

The green patina made it look like a grape,
still a little brown
from the copper it was made from.

The first thing you see,
when you enter the Museum,
is a replica of her torch.

“I wonder when we’ll get there?”
I thought,as we huffed and puffed
toward the balcony.

Sounds of seagulls fill the air,
while you look off the statue,
out onto liberty island.

When you walk down the stairs you think,
“Wow, this is much easier than climbing up them.”

The workers who built the statue,
brave to be up so high,
spent 8 years of their lives
because it was so important.

You could hear
the sound of the waves
splish, splash,
walking back onto the ferry.

“It was a once in a lifetime experience!”
said Violet,
as we waved goodbye to the Green Lady,
feeling the breeze from the River.
__________________________________________________
FREEDOM
by JETT

A statue created in 1886 with liberty and justice for all
the seven spikes represents the seven
continents and seas.

I hear a loud vrooom!!!

A jumbo sized torch covered in gold
with a massive responsibility for
freedom and for all!

A huge pedestal made by Americans
with a, overlarge statue and a giant
responsibility!

Why is the statue of liberty so gigantic?

_____________________________________________________
Free Country = Free Liberty
by.Kate

She’s a tall green statue molded
out of copper feeling proud and mighty,

Looking over tiny people
from 151 feet in the air on
her beloved pedestal,

Seeing all of the boats coming
into the harbor,
splish splash,
she wishes she could say,

“Hello, welcome to America!”

Feeling her crown spikes getting
stronger each day representing the
seven continents and the seven seas
with all of her glory,

Lighting up the night with
her powerful torch brushed with fine gold.
Can she light up the whole night with her torch?
__________________________________________________

America’s Awesome
By Madiba

Big green and bright,
All the colors right,
How did she make it on
that long trip at night?

300 Feet 5 inches tall,
She looks like she will fall,
We wish she would answer
to our continual calls.

We now have to leave,
We hear the silent sea,
Swish,Swish,Swish,Swish,Swish,
We wish we could stay
and lay and lay and lay.

Honest, Beautiful and Strong,
It would be unsafe to fall,
But after all…
This has been a great trip to
LIBERTY.
________________________________________________

Lady Liberty

by Myles

She stands tall
She watches over New York harbor
She’s graceful
Liberty’s torch lights our way wherever we go. I know that she will guide us to destiny
I hear clicks from the cameras
Wind blows
my mind thinks about
The French making Lady Liberty
I feel like the French should make a statue of her in France

___________________________________________________

My Welcome from Liberty
by Ren

Liberty stands in the sunlight,
With only justice no fight,
Her torch to light the way,
Seagulls hooting away,

She welcomes you to stay,
The one who made,
Auguste Bartholdi fully accomplished,

Enthusiastic immigrants,
Liberty coming in pieces,
Shiny copper gold to moldy green,
Makes our city very keen,
To have her in front of our faces,

So important,
we don’t even tie our laces,
But why do we think of her this way?
___________________________________________________

Light The Way
By Rubie

There she stands big and tall

Towering

300ft above the water

Copper,

Strong

holding a torch

guiding the way

to freedom,

Bringing liberty

enlightening the world .

I wonder if her crown gets too heavy for her head

then her head gets too heavy for her neck

which gets too heavy for her body

I wonder

If you get close enough

ask her a question

and if you’re lucky

she might answer

She was made in France

Brought to New York in 214 crates

Swooooooooooooosh

the wind flies around her

Water waves crash all around

Someone named Bartholdi decided to make her

I see the water in front of me

I smell the ocean breeze

I follow her light

as she leads you

to freedom
__________________________________________________

High In The Sky
by: Shoshi

Liberty
Justice and Liberty
freedom and Liberty

Lady Liberty
the torch symbolises
Liberty

it is so close,
but so far
How far is
the ground?

I can hear
birds chirping
helicopters circling
tzz,tzz,tzz,tzz

Lady Liberty
representing
The alliance between
France and
America

the rock is chipped,
Copper that’s green,
the rock is cracked,
The green is grimy

1881-1884
Were the years that
Liberty was
Born

the sun is
Beaming down
on Liberty

Freedom

Liberty

Freedom and Liberty

Justice and Freedom
___________________________________________________

Wish
Wonder
Want
by Sofia

Why is liberty 309 feet?
Why does liberty hold a torch?
People wonder why.
The boats lay on
the shore staring at the mighty woman
we call liberty.

she brings hope and wisdom
to America. She brings
freedom and hope
to all immigrants and
Americans.

She is a extraordinary green lady we call liberty.
She is America’s liberty!
Her lips do not move the
same time she speaks
freedom
caka caka!!
__________________________________________________

Freedom, Peace, Justice
By Tess

Her silent mouth says freedom as she holds
The torch
As a guiding light,

Liberty

She guides all immigrants
Coming from a new land,

Liberty

240 feet tall towering over us
As lady liberty,

Liberty

Liberty means justice to me.
What does she mean to you?

Liberty means hope

Her crown is froggy green,
Splash, I hear the silent waters,

Liberty

I smell nature,
I feel the thin air,

Liberty

3 years of being built, age turns copper green,
She was finished October 28

I hear small birds chirping,
I taste the muffin I had for lunch
But my tummy rumbles because I am
Still hungry

Liberty

I feel hot and tired
Like I am going to faint, but the view is so
Pretty that my eyes don’t want to
Close

Liberty

Her tablet says July 4

Liberty lives among us

Liberty
_______________________________________________

Green Dreams
By Verity Berthelsen

Freedom,
Liberty,
Justice,
Happiness.
Hello liberty we have been waiting for you.
Come place yourself
On the throne
We have made for you.
Sit down spread liberty, freedom, justice,happiness, and wonder.
Immigrants from all over will throw their hats in the air when they see you.
As you look up you see the seven spikes that represent the seven seas of the world [She sailed across]
The green copper skin used to be brown copper but now the air has tinted Her skin Deep sea green.
We all shout her name as we go by in our ships hoping for a better life
Liberty
Liberty
Liberty
Liberty!
I wonder if our dreams will come true.

__________________________________________________

Dressed In Green
By Violet

151 feet above me,
Towering like a queen,
As she whispers soothingly but silently,

Shhhh, shhhh, shhhh.

Seven spikes spill out from above,
Sliding carefully,
Those points are something special,
They are the crown,
The justice.

Would she create even more liberty if she was alive?

168 steps,
300 feet,
Take the pieces apart,
Then fit them back together.

Rain pours down,
But still she stands.
Sun shines through,
But still she stands.

She will stand,
She will stand,
She will stand,

DRESSED IN GREEN!
____________________________________________________

Green Liberty
by Zach

You can see this statue
from far far away
With its shining torch
standing tall making lights
for the boats
The copper body
of this green statue
represents freedom
France gave it to us
as a present
and we use it
in different ways
Some ways we use it are
lighthouse
art
and just a giant museum
But I wonder
how tall is it
how long did it take to make it
and how long did it take to get to New York City
in one piece
The seven points on her crown represent
the seven seas
or maybe the continents
nobody knows except the man who made
the Statue of Liberty
If you’ve ever been to the top of the Statue of Liberty
Do you hear talking from down below?
Do you hear the sounds of waves going?
splish,splash,
splish,splash
against the island
The green lady up above
sculpted by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi

You’ll learn the same as me if you go there

HAWTHORNE VALLEY FARM DAY 3: PS My Boots are Covered in Poop

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Mark Silberberg

Dear Mommy and Dad,
I am having a good time and we are just about to have quiet time. At 4:00 I will be milking a cow! Right now I see a rainbow on the ceiling. Tell Carter that I will be back in one day, so have a good time. Bye!
Love, Myles

Dear Pop and Dad,
Thank you for the letter. I thought it was very creative and funny. (A word which here means silly and exciting) ((Lemony Snicket reference))
Love, Elijah

Dear Mom and Dad,
I am having a good time at the farm and I miss you. I got to make apple cider. I got to make butter and clean the cow barn.
Love, Jett

Dear Mom and Dad and Kiyomi,
I have been good this week. The lunches at the farm are really good but I still would like some meat. My favorite thing so far has been the lasagna. We have had lots of jobs like having to clean out a poopy and smelly barn. We get to milk cows and walk sheep. We get to feed the pigs and make and eat dinner. Our room is a lot bigger than last farm trip. I will see if I can get some recipes.
Love with lots of hay, Madiba

Dear Mom and Dad,
The farm is great and yes, there are horses. I missed you a lot and I am going to be happy to come home but I also really liked the trip.
Love, Dennis
PS: Can we get ice cream when I get back?

Dear Mom, Dad and Isabella,
I am enjoying being a vegetarian. I didn’t get to ring the bell at mealtime. I fed animals like pigs, horses, sheep, and cows. I have picked many vegetables. The farm looks the same as it looked last time.
Love, Alfredo
PS: Can I have a cheeseburger when I get home?

Dear family,
I miss you a lot. And I want to come back but I also like it here. The food is pretty good and the activities are fun. I liked feeding pigs apples and making apple cider.
Love, Beckett
PS: When I get back I want a big cheeseburger.
PSS: I didn’t walk a dog on a leash but I walked a sheep.

Dear Mom, Dad, Will, Rico and Lola,
I didn’t like the farm as much as last year but it was better than I thought it would be. I like the food but I also miss meat. I’ve been doing a lot of activities, one of my favorites is horseback riding.
Love, Zach

Dear Mom, Dad, Freddie and Ringo,
The farm is fun. I got to hike up a hill and there was lots of poop. So far lasagna has been my favorite meal. I miss sleeping in my bed with my dog.
Love, Shoshi

Hello family,
Guess what! I lost a tooth. I have my tooth in a little bag. I am in a room with Rubie, Kate, Ella, Ren and Shoshi…pretty nice. I think you would like the food here – it’s all very healthy. Have I had desert? No. For snack, we normally have fruit or popcorn. We have playtime. We have rest time. We also have sleep time and work time.
Love, Grace

Dear Daddy, Mommy, and Jack,
I have had a lot of fun on the farm trip. I have milked cows, made butter, picked up a chicken, cleaned a poopy barn, herded the cows, and gone on a night hike. We also went on another hike on the same day. The food is really good. Today we had lasagna with eggplant in it. Yesterday we had burritos, I ate five of them – they were really good. I share a bunk with Grace, Ren, Shoshi, Kate and Rubie. I am really excited to ride the horse. I have gotten over my fear of climbing wooden structures. I am still afraid of climbing trees. I am glad I have not gone to the garden yet because Sofia said there were lots of spiders there. The other day I freaked out about a baby spider because it’s web was stuck on my leg. I started running around screaming and I cried the tiniest bit.
Love you, miss you and can’t wait to see you soon,
Ella

Dear Mommy,
I really like being with the animals because the pigs are really cute and the cows are really funny because they always stop in the middle and poop. I am in the pink room in the farmhouse. The kids in my room are Ella, Shoshi, Grace, Ren and Rubie. We’ve been having so much fun. All of the meals are really good. I always try something at the meals even if I have never had it before. I can’t wait to see you and give you a huge hug. I love you.
Love, Kate

Dear Mommy and Daddy and Alejandro,
It’s been really good. I got to ride horses. I love vegetarian food. I went on a hike and Ella and I went to a fire pit. So basically I love the farm.
Love, Sofia

Dear Family,
I have been having a good time on the farm – it’s really fun. There are horses and cows and calves and sheep. Sometimes you have to get up at 5:30- it makes you really tired. It’s really pretty here. I am enjoying my bunk group because I get a whole bunkbed to myself. How is Snoopy? I tricked one of the farmers that my name is Taylor, he believed me. We did watercolors of the garden and the farm. And I rode a horse.
Love, Violet
PS: I got horse poop on my pants and I have a new best friend named Three Fingers.

Dear Mom, Dad, and Gray,
We got to walk to sheep. Mine had a black nose with a white dot. We put a leash on it. We went to the Hawthorne Valley School with Cassidy and Dennis. My sheep really liked eating grass so it was slow. Dennis’ sheep liked to pee and while it was peeing it liked to have a snack of grass. Cassidy’s didn’t pee or eat but it was very slow at walking. In the end, mine got there first and then Dennis’ and then Cassidy’s. I will tell you the rest at home I miss you.
Love, Ren
PS: Can we get pizza from the store when I get home?

Dear Mommy, Daddy, Sylvie, Chase, and Baby,
I have been having a lot of fun even though there is no meat and I don’t really like the food. I have collected chicken eggs, scooped up horse and cow poop, and I fed pigs. I won a sheep race. When I get back for dinner please can you make rice and lentils and lots and lots of chicken? Can’t wait to tell you more when I get back.
Love, Rubie

Dear Mom, Dad, and Zoe,
I miss you a lot and I have been having a great time. Cassidy, Tess, Sofia and Violet are in my cabin. Last night Violet was snoring and I couldn’t fall asleep. I am really excited to see you. I have been climbing a lot of trees and I know that you love when I get to do that.
Love, Verity

Dear Taetles,
I loved the letter you sent me. And I love you guys so much! I am having a great time on the farm. The food is really delicious. And the chores are really fun. I am getting to know a lot of my friends a lot better. There are really beautiful hikes here.
Love, Tess
PS: My shoes are very muddy.

Dear Mommy and Daddy and others,
I am having fun on the farm. I share a room with Verity, Tess, Sofia, and Violet. I am still having trouble sleeping. I can’t wait to see you. As you know, I am not eating much. We went on a hike in the dark and it was really pretty. There is a baby cow named “Lick” and he is adorable.
Love, Cassidy
PS: My shoes are covered in poop.

HAWTHORNE VALLEY FARM: DAY 2

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Mark Silberberg

Heard on the farm on day two:
6:00am:

Aedín: “My alarm is the duckie and then I heard a rooster and I thought in my sleep what is going on?!”

Rubie: “I woke up and heard, ‘Everyone is awake in the bunk except you’ but I was having a dream where I was eating fudge and chocolate. It’s hard to pay attention to your surroundings when you are eating fudge and chocolate in a dream.”

Aedín: “Did you sleep well?”

“You interrupted her unicorn dream!” Cassidy about Violet

“I did?” Aedín to Violet

“Yeah but I feel like I’m going to have a sequel tonight.” Violet

Tess: “This morning at 5:45 I took care of the chickens, cows, and pigs.”

Eli: “You take care of the animals by milking the cows, feeding the pigs milk, grain, and excess scraps. We tried to get eggs from the chicken coop but there were none.”

8:30am: House chores…

Beckett: “Where do we beat the rugs up?”

9:30 am: Lesson on grains

Ren: “We made a bread out of grains. I thought it tasted like chicken. We worked in a line and added flour from wheat, meal from corn and rice meal into the dough.”

Aedín: “How was the barn?”

Grace: “It was really messy.”

Cassidy: “I am not poop person.”

Grace: “We learned that it’s hard to be a farmer.”

10:00: snack

Cassidy: “We almost ran over tiny children.” (…on our way to popcorn and cider snack).

Aedín: How was the barn?

Madiba: If I took my mind off the poop, cleaning and smell it would actually be ok.

11:00 In the garden:

Matt the farmer: “Imagine yourself as the roots of a plant. You want to go down into the earth. The best way to go down is if the soil is loose.” Students listen and push hard with their feet stepping on the pitchforks.

Jett: “To get it in deep Sofia, this is what you do” (he demonstrated the stand-on-the-fork over the soil technique).

Zach: “I really want to taste a mini-tomato!”

Alfredo: “But they are green.”

And then during raspberry picking time in the garden:

Alfredo: “The darker it is, the better.”

Later Matt shares a favorite joke: “What kind of vegetable should you never bring onto a boat?” (…a leek)

Near the barn:

Grace: “We saw a fly getting wrapped up by a spider outside the barn when we were washing our brooms.”

On the playground:

Verity: “I’ve noticed, the older we get the more we become friends.”

12:30: At lunch

Grace: “I set this table!” and then…”Let them eat burritos!”

Verity: “The end of the burrito is the best – that’s where all of the cheese is.”

Rest time:

Myles: “I am not tired.” (Five minutes later, Myles took a nap).

Herding cows:

Verity: “Without cows there wouldn’t be milk cheese.”

Madiba: “If these cows were moooving we’d be all the way down there by now!”

Ella: “That cow’s just hanging out, acting regular, eating some trees.”

Beckett: “Pearl (a cow), stop being a sassy pants.”

4:30pm:

Up on a hill overlooking the farm with watercolors:

Ella: “If you run really fast (down the hill) it feels really good.”

Sofia: “It’s so beautiful up here. What shall I paint.”

Kate: “There are so many buildings down there, which ones should I paint? I am starting with trees.”

Shoshi: “How do trees stand tilted if humans can’t stand tilted?” and later….”Wait it’s already fall! Nobody told me.”

9:00pm:

After the night hike:

Dennis: “I liked seeing the Big Dipper.”

Madiba: “I liked looking at the stars.”

HAWTHORNE VALLEY FARM: DAY 1

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Mark Silberberg

Time to start our journey and say good-bye to families and LREI…

Time to say good-bye to NYC…

Time to unpack…

Time to eat lunch…

Time to tour the farm and meet the pigs…

Time to meet the chickens…

Time to meet the horses…

Time to cook dinner…

Time to scoop some poop…

Time to loose a tooth…

Time to swing…

Time to play four square…

Time to be on top of the world…

Time to make some butter…

TIME TO SAY GOOD NIGHT!

A Field Trip to the Statue of Liberty

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Mark Silberberg

Fourth graders Cassidy, Eli, Ella, Grace, Ren, and Violet report:

On Tuesday, September 28th, a class of fourth graders from LREI set out on an adventure to the Statue of Liberty. They went because they are learning about immigrants and the Statue
of Liberty. They got there by boat which the immigrants did also. As the ferry sped around the island on its way to the dock, the students could see the Statue of Liberty. Grace noticed that the sun glinted off it like a quarter on the ground.

Upon their arrival, the students were very hungry. They found a shady spot on the island to have lunch because it was a very hot fall day. Then students of Deborah and Jacob’s class went into the pedestal where they saw many objects in the museum including the original torch and some big toes. In the museum, they saw a replica of the Liberty’s foot and Violet said, “I want to hug it.” “I can’t wait to see the model head!” said an excited Verity Berthelsen.

They found some answers to their questions about the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty was started in 1881 and finished in 1884. The class wanted to find out why she is green and how tall she is. They discovered she was made out of molded copper. The Statue of Liberty is green because when copper gets exposed to air it experiences chemical reactions that forms layers of corrosion. This is called patination. The Statue of Liberty is 151 feet tall. In the museum, students also noticed that the artist who created the Statue, Auguste Bartholdi said upon her completion, “The dream of my life is accomplished.”

After touring the museum the fourth graders climbed to the top of the pedestal. They counted the steps. Once they reached the pedestal they could walk all around the Statue of Liberty. When they looked down they could see people who looked like ants. They could hear the river waves. When they looked up they saw the little triangles of her crown. They stared out at the open sea and wrote poems about what they saw, heard, and wondered. One line was “We wish she will answer to our continual calls.” Another student wrote: “Big green and bright/ All the colors right/ Everything is perfect with/ The Statue in our sight.” While another fourth grader was writing, “Liberty stands in the sunlight/ With only justice no fight/Her torch to light way.”

All the students agreed that if she were alive she would give freedom to many more immigrants.

The students all had many questions, many answers, and much fun. They learned new things and did new things. As Grace MacGillivray put it, “It was an extraordinary experience.” As the students stared out at the harbor suddenly the teacher told them it was time to leave. As they boarded the boat, they knew their voyage would soon come to an end.

Deborah and Jessica's Fourth Grade

"Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” ~ Mary Oliver

Monthly Archives: October 2015

HAWTHORNE VALLEY FARM DAY 3: PS My Boots are Covered in Poop

HAWTHORNE VALLEY FARM: DAY 2

HAWTHORNE VALLEY FARM: DAY 1