Reading Response #14

3/20/2016

Here is an amusing poem that is written as a "conversation" between a dog and a squirrel. You'll have to figure out which lines are from the point of view of the dog, and which lines are from the point of view of the squirrel.

Dog and Squirrel: Steps in a Flirtation

This Week's Prompt:

Describe what happens in the poem in kid-friendly language. Support your thinking with specific evidence from the text.

Then, tell what your favorite part of the poem is and explain why.

I look forward to reading your thoughts on the poem. Remember, there are two parts to the prompt!

54 Comments

Julia

3/21/2016 08:57:37 pm

Dear class,
I think that the writing in italics is the squirrels perspective, because there is evidence such as, "O, large, clumsy one, have you any idea how fast I can run?" This is evidence because, the dog would not call itself clumsy. Also, the squirrel is saying "large, clumsy" and the squirrel is small compared to the dog. Plus, it writes, "I must flee." and the poem is about how a dog wants to catch a squirrel, so the squirrel is thinking abut running away. Therefore, the writing in regular font is from the dogs perspective. I know this because in the regular font it said, "I can taste the silk of your tail," and the dog probably wants to eat the squirrel, so the dog is thinking about it. Also, it says in regular font, " a bushy flick of your tail," and the dog is talking about looking at the squirrels tail.
My favorite part of the poem is the end where the squirrel says, (and I know it was the squirrels perspective because it was in italics) "Gone of course! My heart beating. See you tomorrow?" because I found it funny how the squirrel just kind of left casually after the dog was just about to catch it.
Sincerely,
Julia

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 12:42:45 pm

Dear Julia,

I like how you really tried to back up your thinking with evidence. But could you summarize what happened between the dog and the squirrel, just focusing on the main ideas?

I agree, I thought the casual ending was cute.

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Julia

3/31/2016 05:33:39 pm

Dear Ms. Kimball,
Sorry! I thought that we were supposed to identify the point of view on the story. In the story, a dog sees a squirrel. Since dog and squirrel are common enemies. The dog spots the squirrel and suddenly directs its attention to it. The squirrel sees the dog as well, but isn't super interested. So they have a stare off, the dog focused on catching the squirrel, but the squirrel gets distracted by the dogs fur and eyes. When the dog is right about to pounce, the squirrel gets away, as stated in paragraph three, "all escape routes are intact." so the squirrel runs away just in time. The phrase, "See you tomorrow?" makes me think that this battle happens often.
Sincerely,
Julia

Elizabeth

3/22/2016 05:29:31 pm

Dear Class,
In the first stanza the dog realizes there is a squirrel near by. For example, "The bushy flick of your tail catches my attention." The dog notices the squirrel and is mesmerized by the flick of it's tail. In the same stanza the squirrel already knows the dog is near. For example,"I am aware of your presence, but am ignoring you." The squirrel doesn't mind(or care) that the dog is close by.

In the second stanza the dog has made a target, the squirrel, and is anticipating the chase. For example,"You are now my bull's-eye. This will be a fine game." In the same stanza the squirrel decides to create the game. For example,"It may be a game, but I set the rules." The squirrel thinks he is in charge.

In the third stanza the dog is moving forward whenever he thinks the squirrel is not ready. For example,"Whenever you lower your guard, I step forward." The dog is trying to get the upper hand in the "game". In the same stanza the squirrel disagrees with the dog and is ready to run. For example,"I never lower my guard. All escape routes are intact." The squirrel is ready for the dog, and has a plan.

In the fourth stanza the dog is racing towards the squirrel. For example," My body is an arrow pointing at your heart." The dog is super close to the squirrel. In the same stanza the squirrel is almost mocking the dog. For example,"O large clumsy one, have you any idea how fast I can run?" The squirrel is using it's knowledge against the dog.

In the fifth stanza the dog is at the squirrel, there is no way the squirrel can run. For example," I draw closer. The space between us is nothing." The dog is at the squirrel, poor squirrel. In the same stanza the squirrel is amazed at how the dog's dark fur shines so brightly. For example," Odd how the sunlight kindles your dark fur." The squirrel wonders how the dog's dark coat can shine so brightly.

In the sixth stanza the dog is so close to the squirrel, and fantasizes about the silky taste of it's tail. For example,"I can taste the silk of your tail. You can't possibly get away now." The dog is not doubting the squirrel's escape. In the same stanza the squirrel knows the exact moment when to run, but then looks into the dogs eyes. For example," I know the precise point of which I shall flee. Still, those eyes..."The squirrel is questioning the decision to flee the dog.

In the last stanza the dog jumps onto the squirrel. For example,"Gaze locked, I pounce! And you are ...?" The dog is confused because of the squirrel's sudden disappearing act. In the same stanza the squirrel has fled the dog. For example,"Gone, of course. My heart pounds! See you tomorrow?" The squirrel has escaped and is asking the dog if they will see each other again tomorrow.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 12:52:26 pm

Dear Elizabeth,

What a very thorough and extremely detailed response! You didn't have to go that in depth!

I like your choice of the word "fantasizes" to describe how the dog wants to eat the squirrel, as well as the word "mocking" to describe how the squirrel treats the dog. Words like that make the poem see more realistic!

You forgot to say what your favorite part of the poem is! Can you please do that?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Elizabeth

3/31/2016 03:38:46 pm

Dear Mis.Kimball,
I'm sorry I didn't mention my favorite part, but I'll tell you now. My favorite part was when the dog pounces, and the squirrel is,"gone of course!"

Thank you for the feedback!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth

Trisha

3/22/2016 06:02:40 pm

Dear Class,
The first stanza in kid friendly language means, the the squirrel and the dog see each other because the squirrel sees the dog's tail. The second stanza means, the squirrel is the dog's target meaning the dog wants to get the squirrel. The next stanza means when the dog isn't looking, the squirrel tries to run away from the dog. But the dog says that the squirrel can't escape. The fourth stanza says that the dog wants to be friends with the squirrel but the squirrel thinks the dog can't catch the squirrel because the dog is clumsy and the squirrel is too fast for the dog to catch. The next stanza says that the dog moves closer to the squirrel and there they and not far apart. Then the squirrel says to the dog how odd it is how the sun lights up your dark fur. The next stanza says that the squirrel is to close to the dog now. It can’t get away. The squirrel responds I know when to escape. I must go. In the last stanza the dog says I know where you are and where to pounce. Then I pounce. But where are you squirrel? The squirrel says back to the dog I’m gone. The squirrel is happy and asks if it will see the dog again tomorrow.
What I liked most about the poem was the ending because the squirrel and the dog are happy and want to play again tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Trisha

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 12:56:16 pm

Dear Trisha,

I like how you described the ending as happy, and suggesting that the poem is about "playing."

Your description of what happens is very literal, meaning you retell the meaning of every line. It may be a bit much for a description.

Pretend you are a person watching the dog and the squirrel from afar --so you don't know what they are thinking. Describe what you see. Can you write that type of description for me?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Trisha

3/31/2016 07:23:48 pm

Dear Ms. Kimball,
Thank you for the feedback. From a far, I think it would just look like a dog and a squirrel chasing each other and playing and running around.
Sincerely,
Trisha

Cordy

3/31/2016 07:51:47 pm

Dear Trisha,
I liked how you explained each and every stanza clearly in kid friendly language. I'm confused on your thinking of the third stanza. Could you explain it a little more? Also I liked that you said it was a happy ending, because I agree.

Sincerely,
Cordy

Ben

3/22/2016 07:01:46 pm

Dear Ms Kimball,
I think that the first section is the dog talking. For example it says "The bushy flick of your tail gets my attention." The second selection is the squirrel talking because it says "you are now my bulls eyes." The bull is the dog cause he'll be going at the squirrel. The third selection is the dog saying it because he thinks that he has all of the escape route. the fourth selection is the squirrel talking because it says "O large clumsy one." The squirrel is calling the dog large and clumsy. The fifth selection is the dog speaking because he says "odd how the sunlight kindles your light fur." I know its the dog speaking because squirrels have dark fur. The sixth selection is also the dog speaking because he says "I feel the silk of your tail, you can't possibly get away now." I know this because the dog is trying to attack the squirrel. The last selection is also the dog. For example it says "Gaze locked, I pounce! And you are . . .Gone of course.' I know this because the dog went and tried to jump on the squirrel.
My favorite part was when it say "I know the precise point at witch I must Flee." It made me laugh because what it saying is that he has a flee that he needs to itch.
Sincerely,
Ben

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 12:59:46 pm

Dear Ben,

I think you confused the word, "flee." It's not a "flea," which is the little bug that bites animals. "Flee" with 2 "e"s means to run away.

It seems like instead of describing what happens between the dog and the squirrel, you explain who is speaking. That's not quite what I was looking for. Try this: Imagine you are a person watching the dog and the squirrel. What do you see? What does it look like they are doing> What does it look like they each see?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Ben

3/31/2016 09:53:08 pm

DEAR Mr Kimball,
Thank you so much for the feed back. I am sorry on my mistake about the flea and flee. Also what I would see is a big dog trying to get the squirrel, while the squirrel is trying to get away from the dog without getting distracted. The dog sees war. For instance "my body is an arrow." And the squirrels sees a mean dog with a nice fluffy tail. Thank you for your feed back.
Sincerely,
Ben

Anthony

3/23/2016 04:36:53 pm

Dear Ms. Kimball,
I am going to describe what happened in the poem. The dog is attracted by the squirrel's bushy tail. The squirrel knows the dog is there, but ignores him.

Then the dog thinks they are playing a game, so he thinks of the squirrel as a target. The squirrel is making this game safer by making up some rules, meaning he doesn't want to be targeted.

The dog thiks that when the squirrel has no guard, he will attack. But then the squirrel thinks that he won't be unguarded. He has exits even if he tries to attack.

The dogs body is acting like an arrow, about to kill the squirrel. But the squirrel says that he is faster than the dog.

The dog comes closer. The distance between the dog and the squirrel is very little. The squirrel thinks about how the dogs fur is being burnt by the sun.

The dog senses the silk of the squirrels tail. He can't possibly get away right now. He knows the right time when to jump. But he admires the dogs eyes........

The dogs eyes are locked onto the squirrel and he suddenly pounces. The squirrel is gone.... The squirrel's heart was beating very fast. Maybe we'll see each other tomorrow?

I think that my favorite part of the poem was how the squirrel and the dog were having a conversation. I'd never be expecting them to have a conversation just by thinking of thoughts that the other animal understood. It was kind of confusing at first, but then I got the hang of it.

Sincerely,
Anthony

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 01:04:36 pm

Dear Anthony,

I agree that it was fun to hear a conversation between a dog and a squirrel. Glad you got the hang of it. You seem to understand what happens in the poem.

When you wrote, "The dog senses the silk of the squirrels tail. He can't possibly get away right now. He knows the right time when to jump. But he admires the dogs eyes........" I was a little confused. Can you clarify what you are saying here?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Anthony

3/31/2016 06:31:45 pm

Dear Ms Kimball,
Thank you so much for the feedback. I really appreciate the feedback. What I meant to say was," The dog could almost taste the squirrels silky tail because he was really close to his tail. He was so close, that when he jumps, he couldn't get away. The squirrel knows when to jump. But he admires the dogs eyes........." I thought that the dog was very focused on the squirrel, but the squirrel was very distracted but he had to focus. But those eyes.... That was very funny.
Sincerely,
Anthony

Emily

3/23/2016 04:45:04 pm

Dear class,
15:Is the squirrels point of view because it says "O large clumsy one, you have know idea how fast I can run. A dog is lager then a squirrel and all dogs can run pretty fast.
The first section is the dog becuase is says "bushy tails" and dogs don't have bushy tails, squirrels do.
Paraghraph 10 is the dog becuase "I step forward" dogs step squirrels hop, scatter or squirm. Also"All escape routes are intact" Dogs take up more space then Squirrles do.

Paragraph 20 is the dog becuase dogs don't have silky tails. Squirrles do.Also you can't possibly get away that was written before this paragraph.

Paraghraph 25 is the squirrel becuase they ounce around unlike dogs.Also it says "Gaze locked" the squirrel knows it's locked. Sincerely
Emily

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 01:07:52 pm

Dear Emily,

Instead of describing what happens between the dog and the squirrel, you explained who was speaking in each paragraph of the poem. That's not quite what I was looking for.

Can you describe what actually happens? Just think about the main action, not necessarily every thought in each animals' head. Pretend you are a person watching the dog and the squirrel from afar. What do you see?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Emily

3/31/2016 06:44:04 pm

Dear Ms Kimball,
Sorry I dident understand it at first!I do now.The bold is the dog and the italics are the Squirrel.The dog is more interested in the squirrel and isen't getting distracted.While the Squirrle is wondering off looking at tree's until "Still those eyes" the Squirrel is looking at the dogs eyes and dark fur. When is says "see you tomorrow?" That means they will play this "game" they were playing.

My Favorite part is "Gazed locked, I pounce and you are... Gone of course .My heart ponds. See you tomorrow?" That is when the dog try's catching the squirrel but the squirrels races off then days see you tomorrow. I like this part becuase it means they dog really likes the squirrel and the squirrel wants to play again tomorrow or the next day.

Sincerely,
Emily

Ben

3/31/2016 09:57:38 pm

DEAR Emily,
Great job. One thing that I got confused on was when you said "15:is". Did you mean paragraph 15? One thing you could do better is reread. That helps me a lot. One thing you did great on was adding evidence, it really made your point even clearer. Once again great job.
Sincerely,
Ben

Kate

3/23/2016 05:36:14 pm

Dear Mrs. Kimball,

The line "the bushy flick of your tail catches my attention. I am aware of your presence but I am going to ignore you". I think this part "the bushy flick of your tail catches my attentions” in the dogs perspective because a squirrel has a bushy tail and the dog is describing the squirrels tail. I also think that this part “I am aware of your presence but I am going to ignore you” is in the squirrels perspective why would the poem say “ the bushy flick of your tail catches my attention.” But then write “ but I am going to ignore you” so it has to be the squirrel perspective.

The part "you are my bulls-eye. This will be a fine game. It may be a game, but I set the rules.” I think “ you are my bulls-eye” is in the dogs perspective, and the part “This will be a fine game. It may be a game, but I set the rules” is in the squirrels perspective. The part “ you are my bulls-eye” I think means that the dog is saying that the squirrel is hard to get because a bulls-eye is the center of a target, and it is really hard to hit the center of the target, so a squirrel can run up trees and all around but it would be really hard for a dog to catch a squirrel. The part “This will be a fine game. It may be a game, but I set the rules” is the squirrel’s perspective because the part “This will be a fine game” the squirrel is saying to the dog that it will be a ok game because a squirrel can run really fast and run up trees. “It may be a game, but I set the rules” is in the squirrels perspective because the part “but I set the rules” the squirrel only has the power to run away up trees and other places. But the dog can snatch the squirrel and kill it.

The section “When you lower your guard, I step forward. I never lower my guard, all escape routes are intent.” I think the part “When you lower your guard, I step forward” is in the dogs perspective and the part “I never lower my guard, all escape routes are intent” is in the squirrels perspective. “When you lower your guard, I step forward” is in the dogs perspective because a dog will keep its eye on a squirrel and then when the squirrel doesn't look the dog will step forward so he can get closer to the squirrel. “I never lower my guard, all escape routes are intent” is in the squirrels perspective because the part “I never lower my guard” a squirrel has a sense when to run at the right time away from danger so he will always know when to run away. The part “all escape routes are intent” means that the squirrel knows were they are going to escape.

The section “ my body is a arrow pointing at your heart. O large clumsy one, have you any idea how fast I can run”. The part “my body is a arrow pointing at your heart” is in the dogs perspective, and the part “O large clumsy one, have you any idea how fast I can run” is in the squirrels perspective. The part “my body is a arrow pointing at your heart” is in the dogs perspective because the dog is going to attack the squirrel. The part “O large clumsy one, have you any idea how fast I can run” is in the squirrels perspective because the part “how fast I can run” the squirrel is saying he can run really fast and also a squirrel and real life is really fast.

The section “I draw closer. The space between us is nothing. Odd how the sun light kindles your fur.” The part “I draw closer. The space between us is nothing” is in the dogs perspective. The part “Odd how the sun light kindles your fur.” Is in the squirrels perspective. The part “I draw closer. The space between us is nothing” is in the dogs perspective because the dog thinks that he can get the squirrel and he is not that far away from getting it. The part “Odd how the sun light kindles your fur” is in the squirrels perspective because the dog must be lighting up from the sun and the squirrel is saying how light the dog is. It cant be the dogs perspective because a squirrel is a dark brown and grey.
The section “ I can taste the silk of your tail. You cant possibly get away now. I know the precise moment of when I should flee. Still, but those eyes…”. The part “I can taste the silk of your tail. You cant possibly get away now” is in the dogs perspective because a squirrel has a silky furry tail and the dog is saying that because he can taste the squirrel tail because he is ready to get the squirrel. The part “I know the precise moment of when I should flee. Still, but those eyes…” is in the squirrels perspective because the part “ know the precise moment of when I should flee” is in the squirrels perspective because a squirrel has a special se

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 01:11:23 pm

Dear Kate,

Woah! That is a very thorough and detailed explanation of every line in the poem. Impressive analysis of each line with quotes. However, that's not quite what I was looking for. I just wanted you to "Describe what happens in the poem in kid-friendly language." Pretend you are a person watching the dog and the squirrel. What do you see? What happens between them? Just think about the main ideas!

Also, you forgot to describe your favorite part of the poem.

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Kate

3/30/2016 05:34:53 pm

Dear Mrs. Kimball,

I thought I did right what my favorite part. If I was watching the dog and squirrel I would see the tension between the dog and squirrel. I would see the fierceness in the dogs eyes and the intenseness in the squirrels eyes. I would see the dog staring at the squirrel, and the squirrel doing his thing but keeping a sharp eye on the dog.

Sincerely,
Kate

DeAngi

3/23/2016 05:43:04 pm

Dear class,

I had a hard time understanding this at first but when I reread the text it made a little more sense to me. Now that Ms. Kimball told me, I don't need to explain the whole thing. I think the Italicized ones were the squirrel and the normal text is the dog. The reason why I say that is because in the third stanza, it says, " all escape routes are intact.And I don't think a dog will run away from a squirrel. It also says, O large clumsy one. The dog is bigger than the squirrel so only the squirrel will say that.

My Favorite part of the poem is when it says, my body is a arrow that points to your heart. The reason why I like it is because some people might say, aaaahhh they love each other. But it is really his teeth piercing the squirrels skin. I just like how misunderstanding it is.

Sincerely

DeAngi

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 01:14:03 pm

Dear DeAngi,

I agree, I like the line about the dog pointing like an arrow to the squirrel's heart. Does the dog actually get the squirrel?

One thing you still need to do is describe what happens between the dog and the squirrel. Pretend you are a person watching the two animals from afar. What do you see? What do you think each animal is doing?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

DeAngi

4/1/2016 07:18:00 am

Dear Ms.Kimball,

Thanks for the feedback!

If I was a person from far away then I will think it is like a normal day. The dog is growling at the squirrel and the squirrel is not afraid. The dog sits there for a moment and then pounces. Of course he wouldn't get the squirrel, but he did seem close.

The dog does not get the squirrel because because on the text it says, " my heart pounds". It is also after the dog pounces

Sincerely,

DeAngi.

Whitney

3/23/2016 05:44:47 pm

Dear Class,
In this poem, the dog and the squirrel are having a conversation. The dog talks about capturing the squirrel, while the squirrel talks about how he will get away. The dog is progressively getting ready to pounce, whereas the squirrel is finding escape routes. The poem ends with the dog pouncing and the squirrel escaping. My favorite part of the poem is when the squirrel says "same time tomorrow?" because it finishes the poem off by implicitly telling the reader that this happens everyday, and that the squirrel always wins. Also, it's funny.
Sincerely,
Whitney

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 01:18:26 pm

Dear Whitney,

I agree, I like the ending. Great job realizing the implicit meaning of it.

Your wrote an easy-to-follow description of what happens. You say that "the squirrel is finding escape routes." There are a few lines that seem to be from the squirrel's point of view that say something different. They are, "Odd how the sunlight kindles your dark fur," and "still those eyes..." What do you think those lines mean?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Whitney

3/30/2016 05:04:04 pm

Dear Ms.Kimball,
I think that those lines mean that the squirrel is trying to stay focused but is mesmerized by the dog's appearance. And, it doesn't say this, but I think that the dog is secretly trying to take advantage of this. I hope that answers your question! Thanks!
Sincerely,
Whitney

Maggie

3/30/2016 07:06:45 pm

Dear Whitney,
I loved your response! It was amazing! I just have one question. Why do you think the poem is funny?
From,
Maggie

Whitney

3/31/2016 09:01:05 pm

Dear Maggie,
I more meant that I thought that line was funny, not so much as the whole poem. Thanks for replying!
Sincerely,
Whitney

Ryan

3/23/2016 06:09:13 pm

Dear Ms Kimball,
What happened in the story is a dog sees a squirrel, then the squirrel sees the dog. The squirrel describes the dogs eyes. The poem then talks about how the dog approaches the squirrel and the squirrel becomes on guard. Next it talks about how the dog is almost ready to pounce. The squirrel is ready to run now. After that it says that the dog is so close that he can smell the squirrel. The dog is ready to pounce. Finally the dog leaps but the squirrel gets away just in time before the dog can catch him. My favorite part of the poem is when the dog tries to pounce on the squirrel. I like this part as it is the climax of the story and an exiting journey.

Sincerely,
Ryan

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 01:21:17 pm

Dear Ryan,

You got the basics of the poem correct. You wrote, "After that it says that the dog is so close that he can smell the squirrel. The dog is ready to pounce." But there are some lines in between there that seem to be from the squirrel's perspective. They are, "Odd how the sunlight kindles your dark fur," and "still those eyes..." What do you think those lines mean?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Ryan

3/31/2016 03:59:04 pm

Dear Ms Kimball,
When the squirrel says "Odd how the sunlight kindles your dark fur". I think this means that the squirrel is lowering his guard and getting distracted. Throughout the poem it talked about how confident the squirrel was and now he becomes off guard. I think when the squirrel says, "Still those eyes...", it means that the squirrel is switching between on task, and off task. Thank you for your response.

Sincerely,
Ryan

Liana

3/23/2016 08:06:34 pm

Dear 5k,
I think that the dog is trying to attack the squirrel. The dog sees the squirrel and wants to play a "game" which I think just means that the dog wants to attack the squirrel. The squirrel also sees the dog, but just ignores it. Then the dog is getting ready for the "game" , and so is the squirrel. Then when the squirrel seems unprotected, the dog gets a little closer. Then the dog is getting ready to pounce and attack, but the squirrel thinks it's fast, so it can just run away. Then the dog gets even closer and the squirrel sees how the sun kindles the dog's dark fur. Then, the dog is so close to the dog that it knows the squirrel can't get away and the dog can particle taste the squirrel's tail, and the squirrel knows it should run away, but it thinks that the dog is just so cute. Finally, the dog pounces, but the squirrel escapes.

My favorite part of this poem is when it says, " My body is an arrow pointing at your heart. O clumsy one, have you any idea how fast I can run?" I really like how they described what the dog looks like and is doing, by saying it is an arrow pointing at the squirrel's heart. It really makes you visualize what the dog's pose looks like, which is probably fierce and tough.
Sincerely,
Liana

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 03:37:58 pm

Dear Liana,

I agree, I like the description of the dog pointing like an arrow at the squirrel's heart, and then the squirrel's response. It's like the dog is this fierce weapon, but the squirrel mocks him for being clumsy and slow.

Great job describing what happens in the poem in kid friendly language. Throughout the poem, the squirrel seems to be in total control and able to escape the dog. However, it has a weakness. Do you know what that weakness is and how the poet shared it?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Liana

3/31/2016 04:08:07 pm

Dear Ms.Kimball,
Thank you for your compliment! To answer your question, I think that the squirrel's weakness is that it gets distracted very easily. Whenever the squirrel is acting all confident, it gets distracted. For example, in the text it says, "Oh how the sunlight kindles your dark fur.", and " but oh those eyes." These are examples of how the squrriel gets distracted by such little things.
Sincerely,
Liana

Elizabeth

3/31/2016 03:47:00 pm

Dear Liana,
I thought you explained the poem really well in kid friendly language. It is really clear and easy to understand.

I liked the part of the poem,"My body is an arrow pointing at your heart. O clumsy one, have you any idea how fast I can run?" also. It just didn't make it to my favorite.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth

Tommy

3/23/2016 08:09:21 pm

Dear miss kimball

First of all, that was a very cute poem! What happened first was the squirrel was saying to the dog your bushy tail attracts me, but I ignore it. Then the dog says to the squirrel you are my number one thing to chase. Next the squirrel is saying to the dog I have my escape routes are all planned out and I stand guard! But the funny thing is what the dog says next is that I can catch you fast and quick! You have no idea how fast I can run! Next the squirrel acts all flirty for some reason saying your fur looks beautiful in the gaze of the sun! Next the dog was saying to the squirrel I can just taste you now! How can you possibly get away? Then the squirrel is bombed out because he is saying dang! You left! Well, I guess i'll se you tomorrow!

Sincerely, Tommy

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 03:46:59 pm

Dear Tommy,

You definitely wrote in kid-friendly language. For a couple of lines, I think you mixed up which animal was "speaking". Try reading the poem again with this in mind: the squirrel's thoughts are in italics, the dog's thoughts are not.

After you reread, is there anything you realized that you didn't realize before? Also, you said, " the squirrel acts all flirty for some reason saying your fur looks beautiful in the gaze of the sun." Why do you think this happens? I thought the squirrel was in control.

Also, you said, "the squirrel is bombed out because he is saying dang! You left!" What did you mean by that?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Tommy

3/31/2016 04:37:20 pm

Dear Mrs.Kimball,

First off, when we looked over the poem in class, I saw my mistake with the animals point of views. Now that I see the squirrels thoughts are italicized, now I get how the squirrel is in charge.

When I just read the poem a second time, like I said, after we looked over the poem in class, I saw how the squirrel was in charge. Next, I messed up every line, so I might have made things a bit confusing. I meant to say the dog acted flirty if I read the poem carefully.

Finally, LIKE I SAID, I messed up each line. So, the dog was saying dang! when the squirrel left

Sincerely, Tommy

Cordy

3/23/2016 09:08:48 pm

Dear class,
In the first stanza of the pome you are introduce to the two characters the dog, in normal text, and the squirrel, witch is the slanted fancy text. The meaning of the second stanza is that the dog will never stop aiming to catch the squirrel, and the squirrel will never stop getting away from the dog. In the third stanza it means that the dog takes every chance he gets, and the squirrel wont ever let its grad down for the dog to catch it. Forth stanza is meaning that the dog aims always at the one squirrel and, the squirrel always doges the dog. fifth stanza means that the dog is getting closer to the squirrel, but the squirrel pertains it's nothing. sixth stanza, the dog brush's the squirrels tail with its teeth. And the squirrel knows it. In the last stanza the dog bits the squirrel.
My favorite part of the pome is in the fifth stanza when the dog is so confident that its going to catch the squirrel, but the squirrel just says," O large clumsy one, have you any idea how fast I can run?"

Sincerely,
Cordy

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 03:51:32 pm

Dear Cordy,

I agree; I also like the part where the dog is so confident but the squirrel then mocks him, calling him "clumsy." It's like the squirrel thinks he/she is too cool for the dog.

I like how you said that the squirrel never lets its guard down. I mostly agree, but I think the squirrel gets distracted by something. Can you tell from the poem what it is?

Also, you say the dog bites the squirrel. Where does the poem say that happened? I thought something different.

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

cordy

3/31/2016 07:16:59 pm

Dear Ms. Kimball,
yes, I think the squirrel gets distracted by the dogs fur, how sunlight kindles its fur. Also the squirrel gets distracted by the dogs eyes and it was at the worst time. Right before the squirrel was about to get away.

Sincerely,
Cordy

Caitlin

3/23/2016 09:21:07 pm

Dear Class,
What happens in the poem is that the squirrel makes a quick move and the dog finds the squirrel. The squirrel is trying to get away from the dog and the poem is about how they stare at each other almost saying come at me, come at me. Also. The squirrel runs away from the dog and the dog says it as he knows that he might not get the squirrel. My favorite part of the poem is the last stanza. I really like it becuause the whole poem leads up to the end and then the world just stops. Then the dog pounces and misses the squirrel. Also the dog knew that he probably was not going to get the squirrel, but he acted like he was.
Sincerely,
Caitlin

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 04:02:35 pm

Dear Caitlin,

I like how you said the dog and squirrel just "stare at each other almost saying come at me, come at me." That's so true! If someone was watching these two animals, they would probably notice a lot of staring, with the dog slowly moving closer.

You said, "the dog knew that he probably was not going to get the squirrel, but he acted like he was." Why do you think the dog doubted himself? Is there evidence for that?

Also, at one point, the squirrel says, "Odd how the sunlight kindles your dark fur," and "still those eyes..." What do you think is going on in the squirrel's mind?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Caitlin

3/31/2016 04:08:41 pm

Dear Ms. Kimball,
There is no evidence that the dog thought that he was not going to get the squirrel. But I did make an inference that the dog thought that he was not going to get the squirrel because of the way the dog responded to how the squirrel ran away from the dog. Also in the poem the squirrel was probably thinking wow look at that shiny and wonderful thing. Thank you for your questions.
Sincerely,
Caitlin

Liana

3/31/2016 04:22:25 pm

Dear Caitlin,
I loved how you captured so much, but you didn't have to write a big block of text. You basically summarized everything in the poem, but you did it in a simple way. Also, I agree with for your favorite part. I liked how the dog was so sure he was going to catch the squirrel, but the squirrel escaped. Maybe you could add just a little more detail, but I don't really have many suggestions.
Sincerely,
Liana

Maggie

3/26/2016 04:39:13 pm

Dear Class,
In the Poem, Dog and Squirrel: steps in flirtation, many things happen. In the beginning the dog sees the squirrel, but the squirrel ignores him. Then the dog starts stalk the squirrel, but the squirrel knows his plan. Then the dog pounces but the squirrel has disappeared.

My favorite part was when the dog described the tail of the squirrel as "the silk of your tail". I like this because of how the author didn't just say that the dog anted to eat the squirrel, instead it said "I can taste the silk of your tail."
From,
Maggie

Ms. Kimball

3/29/2016 04:05:45 pm

Dear Maggie,

I agree; that line about the dog tasting the squirrel's silky tail is amusing. I imagine some readers might think it means the dog is literally eating the squirrel, but that can't be true because the squirrel escapes.

Based on your summary, it seems like the squirrel had no trouble avoiding the dog. I don't think that is entirely the case. I think the squirrel has a weakness. Can you find evidence of that in the poem? How does that change the story for you?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Maggie

3/30/2016 07:02:16 pm

Dear Ms. Kimball,
Thank you for your comment. It was very helpful. I agree that the squirrel has a weakness. I think the squirrels weakness is that he is he is too risky. In the text it says "my heart pounds! see you tomorrow," that is when he nearly escaped the dog.
This changes the story for me because I know believe that some day the squirrel will get caught
From,
Maggie

Caitlin

3/31/2016 04:21:32 pm

Dear Maggie,
Great response. Do you think that the dog knew that he was not going to get the squirrel? Also, you did a good job explaining why you really liked the part you liked. Do you think that the dog really tasted the squirrels tail? Nice response. Hope to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Caitlin

Jansyn

3/29/2016 06:58:07 am

Dear Ms. Kimball
In the poem the dog and the squirrel step in flertation and a lot of things happen. Like the dog spots the squirrel but the squirrel ignores him. Then the dog is kinda like stalking the squirrel but the squirrel already knows what the dog will do. Then the dog pounces but the squirrel is gone out of site.

My favorite part was when the author describes the tail. That is my favorite part because the author did not just say that the dog just wanted to eat the squirrel. But the author could have just say that but he did not because he did not want to make the poem boring for kids.
From, Jansyn

August

3/30/2016 08:30:33 pm

Dear Class,

What happens in the poem is that the squirrel is running away from the dog. I think the dog knows he will not get the squirrel but he does not want to emit it, I think this because it says "but I am ignoring you." Then the dog sees that the squirrel is trying to play a game but the dog wants to attack the squirrel. So the dog plays along with the game then all of a sudden pounce the dog pounced on the squirrel but missed.
My favorite part of the poem is the last stanza. I really like it because the words are giving you a hint that it is coming.

Sincerely,
August

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