Name Poems

Attention spans were running short today, so I kept my introduction brief and simple: What are some of your favorite names? Do you have a nickname? A special name that's only used in your family, or with your friends? If you could choose a name for yourself, what would it be? What about the person you were yesterday; the person you'll be tomorrow? I told them about how members of some tribes change their names frequently over the course of a lifetime to reflect how they themselves have changed.

I provided a word bank of nouns, adjectives, and color words to guide their writing. To help them practice using it, I asked them to use those words to create a name that described them today, even if it didn't seem to make sense. One boy called out, "Dancing Black Pumpkin!" and the writing began. I thought the word bank would be a helpful tool, but most didn't seem interested in using it. The vast majority, however, did use the format I provided:

Today my name is Hungry Bear.
Yesterday my name was Playing Carrot.
Tomorrow my name will be Chicken Wing.
My parents think my name is Fartun.
My friends think my name is Nobody.
My secret name is Pink Fish.
-Fartun

Today my name is Akhmad.
Yesterday my name was Mohamed.
Tomorrow my name will be Kemran.
My parents think my name is Sarah.
My friends think my name is Troy.
My secret name is Emily.
-Makhmud

Today my name is Vanessa Hejin.
Yesterday my name was Gabriella.
Tomorrow my name will be Hannah Montana.
My parents think my name is Samira.
My friends think my name is Sarvina.
My secret name is Pocahontas.
-Samira