Me I Am by Jack Prelutsky

As the school year draws to a close, I didn't want to start a new MeVille to WeVille Unit. We complete Unit 1 a week or so ago. Since then, realizing we only have about 15 days of school left (now about 11 days), I decided to include some of the "enrichment" activities. As I flipped through the manual, I saw several activities, but the activity that suggested an internet search for the poem Me I Am! was interesting to me. (Great suggestion, if you are doing MeVille in your class, please complete this activity!) I have to admit, I don't often think about introducing poetry. I often get so focused on "sight words" or "picture identification", that I forget that all types of literature deserve to be introduced.

Here is a picture of few of the students' Me I Am! collages. I traced hands and feet, then students help measure them from top to bottom. The adults cut them out (so they maintained they original shape) and students assembled collage. They turned out really nice!

This poem was so appropriate for the classroom and for our whole school. We do our best to embrace the uniqueness of each student and I believe that we succeed. The students have made so much progress this year. I have enjoyed learning from them as much as I hope they have learned from me. I just had to share this poem. I hope you enjoy!

Me I Am !

I am the only Me I Am
Who qualifies as me,
no Me I AM has been before,
and none will ever be
No other Me I Am can feel
the feelings I’ve within,
no other Me I Am can fit
precisely in my skin
There is no other Me I Am
who thinks the thoughts I do,
the world contains one Me I Am
this earth shall ever see,
that Me I Am I always am
is no one else but Me!

by Jack Prelutsky