In this lesson, students had lots to day! Students shared childhood stories before writing their own poem reflecting back their younger selves, as the speaker did in Billy Collin’s poem, On Turning Ten.
Lesson Note: “I think one of the strengths of nostalgia is that even if they have not had a good childhood, most people have at least one nostalgic memory that they cherish and that they can use repeatedly. Someone once asked me: ‘How long do these effects last?’ My 11-year-old daughter said: ‘They last your entire life!’ She’s right, too. Once positive memories are instantiated they might have only represented half an hour of your entire childhood, but you can dwell on them and return to them forever.”–Dr. Tim Wildschut and Constantine Sedikides, Department of Social Sciences & Psychology,. Article: ‘Looking back in joy: the power of nostalgia.’
Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
Period One
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Aidan N.
When I woke up
I didn’t feel 12
for I felt like an adult
Not believing in unicorns
but believing in life
And knowing how it works
Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
Period Three
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Aaron N.
8. The age of misery.
The age of starting to care.
The age of starting to like.
The age of starting to want.
No more naps
No more soft punishments
No more, no more.
A fresh start.
A new beginning
A sad ending.
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Raquelle O.
I can still feel the care come to a stop.
My mother turning around, I ready to pop.
The dinosaurs on the walls lined with our fingerprints.
The smell of the cleaner in the bowl, milk
a little too full. nice boxes, filling the garbage can.
Smiles wider than the top grom. There were
bunches of happiness in the air, you can smell
it, and nobody was by themselves. I’ll tell it.
But now, I’m on a bus. I feel it so. No swing
no happiness, only I pop. It’s dark when I
arrive, no need to rhyme, gleam facer when I
leave, no smell of artificial cheese. Gum
under the desks, I can’t wait to leave. The times
have changed noticeably, So I leave you, mommy,
daddy, I really do.
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Lilly M.
I never wanted to grow up
I was waiting for Peter Pan
to fly through my 2 -foot by 2-foot window
and shoot towards the second star to the
right
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Nathan C.
I used to be oblivious to everything
but now I notice the rest of the world
When I was young it was all about me
get me this
get me that
All I cared about was me
I used to want
but now I give
now looking back
on my accomplishments
and why I have
I’m proud to
say I’m
happy with what I’ve done.
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Camila P.
I am 13 years old
13 is the age of maturity
It’s the age where you
are finally a teen
Though I used to be 7
Where I believed stuffed animals
were real. I left them things to
do when I left
No that isn’t so mature.
Though I wish I could go back
My younger self was so care free
I’d say stay young while you can.
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Vaness B.
I used to hate going to the mall and shopping
But now I love shopping, buying new things
I liked cooking in my little kitchen
for my teddy bears and dolls
Now I don’t have that same imagination
I get told that growing up is good
but I just keep looking back at how
much easier it was to be 1 or 2
being sad because I didn’t get a toy
Now I worry about school and the
future that is ahead of me
I used to fantasize about being
a princess but now I fantasize about
making a change
Got sick and went to a doctor to get healed
Now I want to be the doctor
to heal others.
Ms. Munoz, 9th Grade
Period Five
I Used To Be/But Now I Am Poems
Aaron M.
I used to be silent and adorable
But now I talk a lot and look like road kill specifically
killed by a bus
I used to watch TV
But now I go on my phone and watch whatever
I used to like animals and dislike noise
But now I like animals and dislike furries
I used to be afraid of the meatly
But now I fear no man
I used to like people
But now I care a lot.
Peter M.
I used to be skinny
But now I am thick
I used to play outside
But now I am a gamer
Yousif H.
I used to be young
But now I am older
I used to watch TV
But now I go out
I used to be afraid of heights
But now it is nothing
I used to get in trouble for staying out too late
But now I stay out too late
Anita P.
I used to be short
But now I am still short
I used to go to the park
But now I stay in my room doing work
I used to dislike dolls and girly stuff
But now I til dislike dolls and girly stuff
I used to be afraid of the dark
But now I’m afraid of what’s int he dark that I can see
I used to get in trouble for not doing homework/ school work
But now I am a good student doing school work but still struggling to do homework.
Admaris V.
I used to be small
But now I am big
I used to read
But now I don’t read anymore
I used to like chocolate
But now I don’t
I used to be afraid of rides
But now I am not
I used to get a lot of detentions
But now I don’t get any no more
Juan L.
I used to be small
But now I am big
I used to do nothing
But now I do something
I used to like something
But now I dislike something
I used to be afraid of something
But now I am afraid of nothing
I used to do something
But not I do nothing
Arianna J.
I used to be very sweet with everyone
But now I have attitude
I used to watch Netflix and listen to music
But now I watch Netflix and listen to music
I used to work
But not I am lazy
I used to be afraid of the dark
But now I am still scared of the dark
I used to get in trouble for everything
But now I still do
Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
Period Seven
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Liv S.
I used to be 11
Now I am 13
I used to care what people thought
But now I don’t
I used to like Jacob Sartorius sadly
But now I’m a normal person
I used to be short
But now I’m average short
I used to be good at math
But now I suck
I used to have fake friends
But now I have good friends
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Andy S.
No worries, not panic, no anxiety
The only thing to fear is Mother
carpets, toys, chocolates
coddling
Imaginary friends, stuffed creates, gardens
Grow up
No time, no play, no luck
Your future is looming
tests, studies, learning
childhood is a memory
Not enough time spent
and your future is looming
Run
Ms. Munoz, 9th Grade
Period Eight
I Used To Be/But Now I Am Poems
Emmanuel P.
I used to be younger than I am now
But now I am older
I used to do my homework
But not I don’t
I used to like pizza
But now I don’t really
I used to be afraid of the dark
But now I am not
I used to Vape
But now I don’t
Martin W.
I used to be fat
But now I am thin
I used to stay out and play games
But now I go outside and have fun
I used to be afraid of roller coasters
But now I am not
I used to sneak out
But now I don’t as much
Caleb T.
I used to be short
But now I am tall
I used to play video games
But now I hang out with friends
I used to like school
But now I dislike school
I used to be afraid of the dark
But now I am not
I used to Vape
Now I don’t
Leilani B.
I used to have long hair
But now I have short hair
I used to color
But now I play outside
I used to like fish
But now I don’t like fish
I used to be afraid of roller coasters
But now I can handle it
I used to get in trouble for talking back
But now I still do
Ricardo G.
I used to be short
But now I am really tall
I used to play soccer
But now I still play soccer
I used to not like to dance
But not I like to dance
I used to be afraid of rollercoasters
But now I love rollercoasters
I used to smoke
But now I used to not pay attention
But now I still don’t pay attention
Dillon W.
I used to be ugly
But now I am still ugly
I used to do nothing
But now I play sports
I used to love golf
Now I hate golf
I used to be afraid of heights
But now I am afraid of being out late
I used to talk too much
But now I still talk too much
Alejandro A.
I used to be ugly
But now I am still ugly
I used to sleep
But now I..sleep
I used to like baseball
But now I like basketball
I used to be afraid of the dark
But now I am afraid of heights
I used to not
But now I do
Jaylyn O.
I used to be ugly
But now I am decent looking
I used to do track
But now I do soccer
I used to like chicken nuggets
But now I LOVE chicken nuggets
I used to be afraid of the dark
But now I love being in the dark
I used to sometimes speak out
But now I ask permission & respect my parents
Dillon M.
I used to be lonely
But now I have a lot of friends
I used to play video games
But now I still do
I used to like hot chips
But now I like hot chips
I used to be afraid of butterflies
But now I am not
I used to get in trouble for fighting
But now I don’t really get in trouble
Marco F.
I used to be shorter
But now I am taller
I used to not go out
But now I do go out
I used to hate basketball
But now I like basketball
I used to be afraid of my mom
But now I am afraid of Trump
I used to go out with friends without permission
But now I ask
