CREATING COMMUNITY IN YOUR CLASSROOM: “I AM ME” POEMS

This lesson involves reading the book Looking Like Me by Walter Dean Myers and having students write short poems, modeled after the ideas in the book. Looking Like Me is a great read aloud, as it looks at the many ways the main character is seen in his world. He’s a brother, son, writer, city kid, artist, dancer, talker, runner and dreamer. This activity allows students to express who they are to everyone in your class and be seen for the many ways that they identify. It also provides opportunities for students to make connections with each other.