Middle School Mistakes

For their 7th session of poetry Twain 6th graders learned that sometimes life can be messy and we make mistakes, but we can overcome them. Some mistakes are small like accidently burping after drinking soda or as major as forgetting your mom’s birthday.

Students read the poem “Haiku for How to Screw Up Middle School,” by Liz Garton Scanlon. Usually, haikus are written about nature and follow a 5/7/5/ syllable pattern. Scanlon decides to use haikus to describe the mistakes she made as a pre-teen. Pass notes in science/learn more than you wanted to/on cause and effect/Apply mascara /in your locker’s reflection? / You’ll get a black eye. Despite embarrassing and sometimes bleak moments in Scanlon’s poem, she offers hope to the readers. Will this ever end? / Middle school is not forever/ You can do this thing. Scanlon advises readers that despite what she experienced in middle school, she survived those moments and so can they. By making mistakes we can learn and grow as individuals.

Inspired by Scanlon, students wrote their own haikus, describing the mistakes they’ve made in the past. Enjoy these published poems.

Mr. Barr 6th grade Group 1

How to Screw up Science by Kevin M.

I don’t understand.
I don’t care about science.
science takes too long.

I can’t understand.
I don’t care about cycles.
It is confusing.

I don’t like homework.
It is very difficult.
I’m also hungry.

I’m very tired there.
In class I wanna go home.
Just sleep in bed.

 

How to Screw up taking down the Dirty Clothes by Sophia O.

Clothes on the room floor.
My dog chewed up all my clothes.
I take down my clothes.

I have little clothes.
Pieces, fabric everywhere.
7:00, till Mom’s home.

 

How to Screw Up Taking A Test by Alejandro P.

The room was silent,
took a gulp of my water,
friend told me a joke.

Made me start to laugh,
I looked like a tomato,
could not hold it in.

Teacher looked at me,
split the water on the floor,
people stared at me.

They started to laugh,
the teacher looked very mad.

 

 

Mr. Barr 6th grade Group 2

School Haiku by Erick G.

So, Mr. Barr was
going to get me two
smarties, I was scammed.

I lost my pencil
so, then I got really sad,
so, I got a pen.

 

How to Screw Up Your Heart by Valeria G.A.

I didn’t like him.
But one day I started to,
it was small at first.

Then he liked me too.
But then he stopped liking me.
Yet I like him still.

I keep liking him.
I didn’t want to like him,
this lasted a year.

He moved on long ago,
and I tried liking others.
I went back to him.

I keep trying this,
the cycle keeps repeating.
It’s not over yet.

 

How to Screw Up like Sitting on a Countertopp by Maya J.

My biggest mistake?
Sitting on a countertop,
stitches coming up.

Hospital no fun.
Hospitals are the enemies.
Never going back.

The scar never left.
Questions flooding me at school.
Never will forget.

Mr. Barr 6th grade Group 3

My Mistake by Martin G.

I fell when walking.
I got a bruise on my leg.
I watch my step now.

I put ice on it.
I went to go check my leg.
My leg was okay.

Bleach Spillip by Mayrin G.

Slipped and fell on bleach.
My feet had bailed on me. So
the bleach had stained the

back of my shirt,
this is a lesson not to,
run on shiny floors.

How to Get Screwed Over In a Relationship by V (if ykyk) by Sofia M.

Get introduced by
someone who thinks it can work.
Meet that somebody.

Join the Chair Club
Syart sitting and talking to
her once in a while.

Start to become
friends with her whose name is V.
Then start to date her.

Find out she’s very
self-centered & ignorant.
She is using you.

Cuz apparently
she’s bored & can’t find a life.
She’s a narcissist.

If you know, you know.
We’re both currently single
She’s in 20#.

How to Screw up About a Bowl of Cereal by Leonardo G.

The milk is pouring.
What cereal do I pick?
I pick lucky charms.

I screw it all up.
This bowl of cereal sucks.
Max is watching me.

This can’t go to waste.
I slide it over to Max.
Trial and Error.

I pick Lucky Charms.
This bowl is gonna be my best.
The milk is pouring.

Mr. Barr 6th grade Group 4

How to Screw Up a Drink by Isaiah C.

You spilled your fruit punch.
Now you have a stained tee.
I was not careful.

Three days missed of school.
I had to finish the work.
I felt so stressed out.

Made Fun of My Aunt by Jaylah F.

Made fun of my aunt.
Got yelled at by my own mom.
Had to say sorry.

She said it was fine.
It was not fine for my mom.
She was pretty mad.

Untitled by Julian C.

I play the wrong song
on the guitar and got a D
on my math test.

Did not do good in school.
I got phone taken away
for three weeks and could

not play the ipad
for 14 days. When I get
good grades, to try my

best in my work and
study in math and guitar.
Do my very best

to have good grades
in school and get more smarter.

Air Ball by Sebby H.

It flew through the air
and missed the hoop and hits the
ground and rebounded.