Scientific Poems

Knowing that the students were working on science projects, I thought they might enjoy using a stereotypical scientific formality and using it as a form of poetry. They used the old saw of "Observation; Hypothesis; Findings; Conclusion" as a poetic form, as a springboard for seeing what's poetic in the world, and therefore is a form of fact.

That said, some students went for the outright realistically silly:

Chipmunks
by Kayla A.

Observation: Chipmunks are made of walnuts.

Hypothesis: Chipmunks are made of walnuts because they crack themselves up.

Findings: Chipmunks hate walnuts.

Conclusion: I learned that chipmunks and walnuts do not go together.


Paper Flowers
by Sophia P.

Observation: Flowers are made out of paper.

Hypothesis: I think goats and rabbits eat the flowers because they are made of paper.

Findings: They use the paper flowers as food when there’s nothing else to do.

Conclusion: Flowers are not made out of paper, they’re made out of candy—that’s why they taste so good.



Others went towards the serious real and surreal:

Cat Ears
by Caitlin C.

Observation: A cat’s ear works better than a human’s ear.

Hypothesis: Cats have more muscles in their ear than the human ear.

Findings: Cats have 32 muscles in their ear and humans have only six muscles in their ear.

Conclusion: Cats and human ears have a different number of muscles and cats’ ears work better.


Dolphins
by Anjalae A.

Observation: Dolphins are made of water.

Hypothesis: Dolphins are made of water so they don’t need fish.

Findings: Dolphins are made of water because they swim underwater.

Conclusion: Dolphins are not fish.



Some saw in the actual gestures and things of the world behaviors that had a biological and/or social meaning. They recognized that behaviors have a context that is as important as the behavior.

Here is one involving animals:

My Freaky Animal
by Madeline G.

Observation: Cats are made of water.

Hypothesis: Cats are made of water so you don’t need to give them water—they just lick themselves when they’re thirsty.

Findings: They even shed their skin and drink it.

Conclusion: Cats are made of water so they can live.


Amazing. We've all seen cats lick themselves--little did we know why they were doing so...


Here's one about the perennial mystery of the uvula.

The Dangly Thing
by Jackie C.

Observation: The little dangly thing at the back of your throat: is it decorative or an important part of you?

Hypothesis: I think it might be important because I touch it and I start coughing.

Findings: I found out that your dangly thing is important.

Conclusion: It is important since it makes you get a brain freeze.


Again--so true that it creates a truth.


Here, though, the poet makes an important social observation, and uncovers what we didn't know but already felt to be true:


The Truth About Green Grass
by Jesus R.


Observation: Green grass is made of thousand dollar bills.

Hypothesis: Green grass is made of thousand dollar bills because grass like rich people.

Findings: People mow the lawn and then rake the grass up and put it in the trash. Then the garbage truck picks it up and takes it to Washington DC and gives it to the President.

Conclusion: Green grass is made out of money because grass is born from trees’ roots.