If I Were In Charge of the World

I first found this activity in a teacher's sub binder.  It was one of her emergency activities.  When I first looked it over I thought it looked like a neat activity and I kept it tucked in the back of my mind to try some day.  That day arrived when one day music was cancelled so I was in need of an extra activity and I just happened to be in her class again.  I seized this opportunity to try it out that the students just loved it!

When I got home I knew I wanted to find the activity for myself, so I searched for it on pinterest and found a link to this blog. http://mandys-tips-4-teachers.blogspot.ca/2012/04/national-poetry-month-poetry-frame.html

Using the poem If I Were in Charge of the World as a template, students then create their own poems describing what life would be like if they were in charge of the world.  The blog I mentioned above has a great graphic organizer and template for students to create their own poems.

When I taught it, we used both the template and the graphic organizer.  While I think both are great, in the future I would probably just use the poem template and have more discussion with the students to really have them come up with some creative poems.

If I Were In Charge of the World

If I were in charge of the world
I'd cancel oatmeal,
Monday mornings,
Allergy shots, and also Sara Steinberg.

If I were in charge of the world
There'd be brighter nights lights,
Healthier hamsters, and
Basketball baskets forty eight inches lower.

If I were in charge of the world
You wouldn't have lonely.
You wouldn't have clean.
You wouldn't have bedtimes.
Or "Don't punch your sister."
You wouldn't even have sisters.

If I were in charge of the world
A chocolate sundae with whipped cream and nuts would be a vegetable
All 007 movies would be G,
And a person who sometimes forgot to brush,
And sometimes forgot to flush,
Would still be allowed to be
In charge of the world.

By Judith Viorst

What would the world be like if you were in charge?