Thursday, March 26, 2009

Cinquain by Silun, Jr.

Tundra
Bears, Foxes
Freezing, Blowing, Changing
Don't forget your warm clothes
Arctic Circle

Cinquain by Silun, Jr.

Polar Bear
White, Muscular
Roaming, Hunting, Killing
Do not disturb them
Nanuq!

Cinquain by Ahparaq

Kaktovik
Village, Eskimo
Caring, Helping, Hunting
Respectful Inupiaq People
Barter Island

Cinquain by Apun

Bowhead
Long, Whale
Swimming, Eating, Diving
Spraying water from his blowholes
Agviq

Cinquain by Avu

Grizzly
Man-eating, Predator
Killing, Destroying, Distrusting
Do not get close
Aklaq

Cinquain by Tooluk

Barter Island
Village, Community
Whaling, Dancing, Living
A respectful place
Kaktovik

Cinquain by Panigak

Fox
Red, Quick
Running, Hunting, Leaping
It is a smart hunter.
Predator

Cinquain by Apun

Lemmings
Fast, Scary
Speeding, Digging, Crawling
Some people are scared of them.
Mouse

Cinquain by Meeyok

Beluga
Pod, Melon
Swimming, Training, Beaching
Big white torpedo
Whale

Cinquain by Ahluk

Lynx
Fast, Gray
Running, Growling, Sneaking
Amazing wild arctic cat
Mountain Lion

Cinquain by Apun

Snowbirds
Sing, Chirp
Caring, Teaching, Flying
They let us know spring is coming
Amaulliqaaluk

Cinquain by Nanuq

Lemming
Fast, Tiny
Sprinting, Scaring, Speeding
Reminds me of hamsters
Avinnaq

Cinquain by Atqaan

Fox
White, Brown
Hunting, Jumping, Sneaking
Uses camouflage to catch their prey
Tigiganniaq

Cinquain by Libik

Tuttu
Tasty, Animal
Eating, Running, Charging
Lives on the tundra
Caribou

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

New Beginning as a Hunter by Libik

Camping with family
At first fish hole
Springtime
Longer days

First animal
Ptarmigan
In the mountains
22 long shot rifle

Happiness
Return to cabin
Plucked feathers
Proud of me

Inupiat traditional
Given to elder
Eunice Sims
Hugs

My New Environment by Apun

Tundra puddles everywhere
Village houses standing on stilts
Cars spraying dust in the air
Kids joyfully riding Hondas
Gooey jellyfish pushed by waves
Racing waves with my friends
Chasing lemmings through the grass
Blizzards happening way too often
Snowpants, boots, gloves and hats bundled up in tons
of combinations
Umiaq boats being made
Respecting elders
Learning Inupiat every day
Butchering whales in the fall
Watching polar bears chomp on leftover whale meat
Making friends of a different culture

New Beginning by Tooluk

Snowbirds whistling
Chick chirping
Ducks flying
Ducklings learning

People hunting
Children pretending
Families camping
Kids playing

Seals swimming
Whales singing
Youth helping
People cooperating

Children sharing
Mothers caring
Fathers providing
Elders teaching

White Foxes by Atqaan


Before they learned to use camouflage, the white fox was always brown. He lived in the arctic where it was winter most of the year.

The brown fox wasn’t able to catch any prey. So, he rolled around in the snow and he turned white. He blended in with the snow and finally caught something good to eat. The snow would begin to wear off and he’d have to cover up again and again. Soon his fur began to grow in white. He liked being white automatically.

In the spring and summer his white fur was a problem. He wished that he was brown again. So, he rolled around in the mud and he turned brown. He blended in with the tundra and finally caught something good to eat. The mud would wear off and he’d have to cover up again and again. Soon his fur began to grown in brown. He liked being brown automatically.

When it was winter again his fur turned white. He liked that his fur always camouflages him now. That is how the white fox got his camouflage.

New Spring Beginning by Ahluk

Sun gets beautiful
Weather warms up
Snow melts
Tundra and beach start to show
Fish for herring and char
Flowers and grasses grow
Ducks fly by
Kids play out (no more indoors)
Picnics at the beach
School gets out
Chicks, cubs, and kits are born
Camping in the mountains
Ice cracks and moves away
Caribou are hunted
Can’t wait to go boating
Longer and longer days

NEW SCHOOL by Panigak

New classroom
New teachers
New rules
New teacher aide
New grade
New books
New bus driver
New lessons

MY NEW ARCTIC LIFE by Nanuq

Flying away from family
Landing in a village
Keeping warm when it’s below zero
Living in a small community

Hanging out at the playground
Learning Inupiaq
Playing in the Little Dribblers’ Tournament
Sledding on snow drifts

Watching whales being butchered
Watching nanuqs at the whale bones
Looking at foxes as they leap into their holes
Chasing lemmings

Walking on the tundra
Racing waves
Fishing on the ice at Ikoagvik Lake
Finding ice cracks

Riding with the dog sled team
Flying in little planes
Snowmobiling on the tundra
Riding Hondas back and forth

Staring at the Eskimo dancers and drummers
Sharing at the feasts
Getting an Eskimo name
Gazing at the beautiful northern lights

Monday, March 23, 2009

My White Dog by Avu

She loves prunes
And is as white as the moon.

She stands by my side
With absolute pride.

Every day she plays
Sometimes she’ll run for days.

When she’s been nice
We pay her a tasty price.

When she’s been bad
We send her to the pad.

But we love that dog
My white dog.

My Teacher Jill by Avu

You are so nice
Like a soothing device.

Your mind is filled with stuff
Sometimes it huffs and puffs.

But your all good
Just like you should

You are an aunt
With a dog that pants.

A busy body is okay
I’ll help you make it through the day.
We respect her in every way!

My Teacher Jill

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Why the Giraffe Has a Long Neck


A long time ago giraffes started out with short necks just like dogs and cats. One day, the giraffes gathered together and had a meeting about what to eat and also where to get it. They all agreed to try leaves from trees. So, all the giraffes went to the trees that were twenty feet tall. The leaves were too high, but the giraffes were so curious about how the leaves tasted that they tried hard to reach them. They tried so hard that all of the giraffes had ten feet tall necks. That is the answer to why the giraffe has a long neck. --By Apun