If you have not read this book, I highly recommend you give it a read. When the students were done reading, I wanted them to show me their thinking about the book. This time I had the students write an "I Am Who I Am" poem.
During my graduate program with the Ohio Writing Project at Miami University I took a class on writing multi-genre papers. One of the assignments was to write an "I Am Who I Am" poem. At first I did not think that I would enjoy the assignment. When I gave the poem a try I wrote the poem in the voice of Ivan from The One and Only Ivan. I instantly fell in love with the style. Later for my final project in the class I wrote an "I Am Who I Am" poem in the voice of Piggie from Mo Willems Elephant and Piggie series.
When I have the students write these poems I always give them a copy of my original Ivan "I Am Who I Am" poem. Here is the copy of the poem that I give to the students:
I am what I am and I am a gorilla I am what I am The One and Only Ivan I am patient as stones nine thousand eight hundred and seventy-six days in my domain put on display only company my Not-Tag, a dog, an elephant, and a little girl
I am what I am I am an artist an artist who paints to hide the pain an artist without an audience except for a little girl an artist who can see the beauty surrounded by so much ugliness
I am what I am I am a prisoner a prisoner who just realized their prison a prisoner who committed no crime a prisoner who forgot the other side
I am what I am I am a friend I am a friend I am a friend who made a promise I am a friend who made a promise he cannot keep I am a friend who lost his friend
I am what I am I am a rememberer I remember what they did to my parents I remember what happened to my sister Tag I remember the roller coaster and the trip through the drive-thru I remember the dumpster that they dumped my friend into
I am what I am I am a protector I am the protector who must not let it happen again I am protecting her to keep my promise I am protecting her to protect myself
I am what I am I am a silverback I am a silverback strong and mighty I am a silverback who must protect his friends I am a silverback who paints to gain her freedom I am a silverback with a message I am silverback with no words even though they would be easier I am a silverback
HOME
I am what I am I am scared I am scared for it is all new I am scared I miss my prison nine thousand eight hundred and seventy-six days I am scared in this new domain
I am what I am I am free I am free as a gorilla can be in a zoo I am free to be with the others I am free to be an artist I am MUD
I am what I am I am The One an Only Ivan
After that I let the students go and write their own poems. For this project I wanted the students to write their poem in the voice of Opal or Winn Dixie. Here are some of my favorite bits from the pieces:
I am who I am I am Opal a little girl who is lonely
I am who I am I am a daughter of a preacher and a mom who left me long ago
I am who I am I am lonely I am a girl who needs a little company in my life
I am who I am and I only know
ten things about my mother but the
most important thing is I know that she
loved me very much
I am who I am and I need a little company in my life
I am who I am I am a do I am
a dog named Winn Dixie I am a dog that
was lonely and lost and beat up
I am who I am I am a special dog
I am a special dog who becomes
a little girls company and friend
I am what I am I am a girl.
I am a lonely girl. I have a dog. I have
a dad that stayed and a mom that
ran away.
I am what I am a owner of a
dog A dog that looks like a piece of wet carpet
MOM
I am what I am a question asker
I ask about my mom I ask about the hurt
I know I will be happy,
My company a preacher, a girl,
two ladies, a man, and sweetie pie Thomas,
with two bald headed boys.
I am what I am I am a friend I am a friend
to a helpful little girl I am a friend
that will follow you from place to place
I cannot tell you how much I love this writing.
I hope that you are all having a great week.
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