Today my classes read the poem Famous by Naomi Shihab Nye. Before we read, I asked the kids to name some ways people get famous. Not surprisingly, they focused on entertainment and sports celebrities. We took a vagabond's side trip into infamy before we ever made it to political leaders, social activists, inventors, artists, and plain old heroes.
Would you like to be famous? I asked them, and their replies were mixed. They were aware of the downside of fame, but they wanted the associated fortune. "I want to be recognized for my accomplishments," one sensible child said, "and rich," she added, "but I don't want paparazzi following me around."
After we read the poem, I asked them to add some lines of their own. Here are a few:
The principal is famous to the bad kid.
The cleat is famous to the soccer ball.
The dandruff is famous to the shoulder.
The hands are famous to the clock.
The pencil is famous to the page, as is the eraser to the pencil.
The home run is famous to the fans, but not as famous as the home run hitter.
I want to be famous like a blanket is famous to the bed--
covering it softly and keeping it warm.
Would you like to be famous? I asked them, and their replies were mixed. They were aware of the downside of fame, but they wanted the associated fortune. "I want to be recognized for my accomplishments," one sensible child said, "and rich," she added, "but I don't want paparazzi following me around."
After we read the poem, I asked them to add some lines of their own. Here are a few:
The principal is famous to the bad kid.
The cleat is famous to the soccer ball.
The dandruff is famous to the shoulder.
The hands are famous to the clock.
The pencil is famous to the page, as is the eraser to the pencil.
The home run is famous to the fans, but not as famous as the home run hitter.
I want to be famous like a blanket is famous to the bed--
covering it softly and keeping it warm.
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