To the Virgins, to make much of Time

I had a lot of reading this past weekend, mostly about my new batch of students.  All of it was important: from the Student Database Sheets to the Parent Essays, each of them was insightful and helpful to me as their new teacher.  However, the most important responses for me were the ones that were made to this poem:

To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

Related Poem Content Details

BY ROBERT HERRICK

Gather ye rose-buds while ye may, 

Old Time is still a-flying; 

And this same flower that smiles today 

Tomorrow will be dying. 

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, 

The higher he’s a-getting, 

The sooner will his race be run, 

And nearer he’s to setting. 

That age is best which is the first, 

When youth and blood are warmer; 

But being spent, the worse, and worst 

Times still succeed the former. 

Then be not coy, but use your time, 

And while ye may, go marry; 

For having lost but once your prime, 

You may forever tarry.

After having students summarize the poem's meaning, I asked them to tell me how I could go about the business of NOT wasting  our precious time together.  

Wow!  What responses!

Here's a little insight into where I got the inspiration for this beginning of the year activity:

Students also helped create their own groups after completing the STACK IT UP CHALLENGE.  Groups will be posted both in class and on this site next THURSDAY, AUGUST 18th.  

Until next time, gather rosebuds, peeps.

~Mr. D