Shhh! Kablang! Words are another form of play. Using sensory objects to connect words with our experiences, movement and emotions to connect our feelings with language, and a variety of bright, visual prompts, students learn about simile, onomatopoeia, metaphor, and personification. They use their memories and imagination to build word banks full of rich, juicy words to express their thoughts. They listen to poems that inspire, and they write and share and record their own poems to create a body of work that becomes part of their lived portfolio. Topics can range from community helpers, community environment, plant and animal life, urban/rural/suburban themes, and colors and shapes. Embedded social emotional learning.