1. Poetry and Friendship

2. Qualities of a Friend In your writer’s notebook, list as many qualities of a good friend as you can.

3. Figurative Language Figurative language is a tool that an author uses to help the reader visualize what is happening in a story or a poem. Some of the figurative language that we are going to use are Metaphor, Simile, and Personification.

4. The waves were smacking the rocks with big kisses and then ducking back into the sea.

5. Figurative Language Metaphor: A figure of speech stating two things are similar. Example: The book was a passport to adventure. Now come up with an example to write in your writer’s notebook.

6. Passport to Adventure

7. Figurative Language Simile: A comparison using “like” or “as”. Example: She floated in like a cloud. Write an example of a simile in your writer’s notebook.

8. She Floated in Like a Cloud

9. Figurative Language Personification: Giving human qualities to ideas and things. Example: Her stomach growled. Write an example of personification in your writer’s notebook.

10. Writing About a Friend You can use a metaphor or a simile as a springboard to write about your friend.

11. While listening to this book, see if you are able to pull out the metaphors, similes, and personification.

12. After Reading the Giving Tree… Go back to the list you made about your friend. Picture how he/she could be compared to something else.

13. Comparisons My friend is like a vault. Once you have the word you want to use as a comparison, list as many descriptions of that word as you can.

14. Example: Here are some words to describe the vault. Vault in a bank- savings, need a combination to get in, holds valuables, make deposits, protected by many layers, locks up.

15. Make Two Columns On the Right- Compare each quality to the object that you chose. On the Left- List your qualities of a good friend.

16. Example My friend is like a vault. 1)We share secrets. 2)We have many memories. 3) We’ve been friends for many years. My friend is like a vault. 1)No one knows the combination to get into our secrets. 2)We save memories that we have and they add up. Each memory is another deposit into the vault. 3) The many years are the layers of steel that enclose the vault.

17. What Comparison Did You Use? Let’s share ideas. Tree: We started out as a little seed, life long friends, friendship continues to grow, we change during the seasons, but our friendship never ends, shade from the hot sun, give to each other what is necessary, helps me climb to my potential with branches that get me to great heights I couldn’t have gotten to on my own, protects me from predators/enemies/worries

18. Try it Again Choose a word that you could compare your friend to. Try something from nature. Think of how it could relate to your friend. Example: a rose Mrs. Bruno is a rose in my garden of friendship. She started out as a little seed and bloomed into a beautiful friend who stands out above the others. Each petal, another layer of our friendship. Her thorns protect me from any harm that is in the way or any problems that I may encounter. She is a friend who continues to grow more beautiful each day, beside me.

19. Friendship Friendship is strong like a beaver’s dam. It lasts long and holds on through tough times. As time moves on, the dam gets bigger And so does our friendship. The water from the river in [it’s rage] Is always trying to break the dam up People who are jealous of us try to break up our friendship. But our friendship is strong and it will always prevail. Our friendship is as well-built as the beaver’s dam That not even the biggest of storms can break it up. It’s the friendships of others [who are jealous] that is not strong That’s when the dam will collapse In the smallest of storms Alejandro Barrios

20. Among the Multitude I’ve always said to bond is like trying to catch a cloud; it is often a fruitless effort, But to enlighten one is to share the bounty of your wisdom, and in return secure a fellowship, To coin a phrase, you changed me, A transcending vine enfolding the reminiscences this camaraderie has claimed, It isn’t stark where its roots are coming from, where they are going, nor what it plans to do, But may we bathe in its courtly light until its purpose become manifest, An everlasting gift from the divinity above, Amaranthine, immortal, indestructible, as perpetual as the proverbial windmill, A treasure whose caliber is known only by us, My friend, my confidant, my equal, Respect is all I have to offer, and though as it be as invisible as the wind, It is truly just as powerful with its coursing flow, A trinity in the palm of a hand, An infinity in a minute, I am ever yours - Amy Blenk