Where are you from?

Describe “your people.” These are the people that you identify with the most.

 Think about your roots and where you are from. Do you believe in the idea that If you don't know where you're from, then it’s difficult to know where you're going.

Think about the experiences have you had with people from other ethnic groups, religions, genders, and communities? How might these experiences impact your future classroom? Think back to the most influential people in your life. How did those people feel about people who were of a different culture than you? Do you remember the kinds of comments made? Read George Ella Lyon’s Poem where i’m from. 

You are invited to create your own where i'm from poem. You may wish to consider the template below, or just go with "your gut."

I am from _______ (specific ordinary item), from _______ (product name) and _______.

I am from the _______ (home description... adjective, adjective, sensory detail).

I am from the _______ (plant, flower, natural item), the _______ (plant, flower, natural detail)

I am from _______ (family tradition) and _______ (family trait), from _______ (name of family member) and _______ (another family name) and _______ (family name).

I am from the _______ (description of family tendency) and _______ (another one).

From _______ (something you were told as a child) and _______ (another).

I am from (representation of religion, or lack of it). Further description.

I'm from _______ (place of birth and family ancestry), _______ (two food items representing your family).

From the _______ (specific family story about a specific person and detail), the _______ (another detail, and the _______ (another detail about another family member).

I am from _______ (location of family pictures, mementos, archives and several more lines indicating their worth).

Enjoy! Let's all post our poems to our blogs!

the drum

daddy says the world is
a drum tight and hard
and i told him
i’m gonna beat
out my own rhythm

by Nikki Giovanni