Viewfinder: Norup Students Put Poetry First

The first-grade students at invaded the in Berkley late Wednesday afternoon to show off their prolific prose to a full house of family, friends, Beanery patrons and educators.

The poetry reading event was the highlight conclusion of the school's IB unit – How We Express Ourselves – in which students spent about a month learning about poetry and writing their own. They proudly read some of their work at the Woodward Avenue coffee shop.

"To get the community involvement is why we came to the Coffee Beanery," first-grade teacher Lindsay Schindler said, noting community involvement is a large part of the IB curriculum. Schindler, Kristina Scholl, Courtney Harden and Shannon Kairis coordinated the event for their first-graders.

The students also enhanced their poems with drawings made in art class. The poems hung on the wall of the Coffee Beanery, where they will remain for about a month.

"I think it is really nice," parent Jennifer Taub said. "It's good for the kids."

Parent watched, most with cameras, as their children read their poems. Some of the poems were about super heroes, some were about helping Japan and some were just plain silly.

"I think it's really cool and fun," said first-grader Claire Wolfe, adding she was very happy and excited to read the poem she wrote about her cousin, Chloe.