Investigating Poetry: Ages 11+ by Teacher Superstore

RIC-6276 6.8/94

Additional titles available in this series: INVESTIGATING POETRY (Ages 7–8) INVESTIGATING POETRY (Ages 9–10)

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Internet websites

In some cases, websites or speciﬁc URLs may be recommended. While these are checked and rechecked at the time of publication, the publisher has no control over any subsequent changes which may be made to webpages. It is strongly recommended that the class teacher checks all URLs before allowing students to access them.

View all pages online PO Box 332 Greenwood Western Australia 6924

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Foreword r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

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Investigating poetry is a fun and innovative series, designed to help children learn and practise the English language. It is not a series purely to teach poetry, but rather a means to study language through the medium of poetry. Most strands of the English curriculum have been covered. With the ever-increasing burden placed on them, teachers will find these lessons practical and enjoyable, with structured lessons to include all key areas of the curriculum, and to develop all the necessary skills. Poetry is a child-friendly way to approach the teaching of language through reading and listening to and writing poetry, which will not only benefit the child’s language awareness but also increase his/her confidence. There is a selection of humorous and relevant poems on familiar topics. Many different types of poems have been included, which will give students the opportunity to experience and explore different types of text and settings. Children enjoy poems with rhythm and rhyme and many of the included poems contain these elements. Since poetry requires a certain amount of fluency, children’s reading skills will be developed, in a more exciting and interesting way, through reading, practising, reciting and learning poetry. Comprehension skills will also be enhanced. The shorter texts and flexibility of lessons make this book suitable for both mainstream and special needs students. The shorter written tasks will prove less daunting and will enable students to complete work in which all their learned skills will be utilised. Through studying poetry, students will be given the chance to explore feelings—their own and the feelings of others—and will, in turn, be able to express their own feelings on a range of subjects, while drawing on their own personal experiences and their imagination.

we see is life.

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The books in this series are: Investigating poetry – (Ages 7–8) Investigating poetry – (Ages 9–10) Investigating poetry – (Ages 11+)

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Robert Penn Warren

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Investigating poetry

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Curriculum links TS3.1, TS3.2, TS3.3, TS3.4, RS3.5, RS3.6, RS3.7, RS3.8, WS3.9, WS3.10, WS3.11, WS3.12, WS3.13, WS3.14

Vic.

ENSL0401, ENSL0402, ENSL0403, ENSL0404, ENRE0401, ENRE0403, ENWR0401, ENWR0402, ENWR0403

LS4.1, LS4.2, LS4.3, LS4.4, R4.1, R4.2, R4.3, R4.4, W4.1, W4.2, W4.3, W4.4

4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 4.10, 4.11, 4.12

Qld

Refer to curriculum documents on http:/www.qsa.qld.edu.au

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NSW

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Investigating poetry

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Contents r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

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Curriculum links .................................................................... iv Developing cognitive abilities through Teachers notes ................................................................. vi – vii language ............................................. 82–115 Receptiveness to language ...................... 2–35 Power ..................................................................................62-63 Sum it up! ...............................................................................2-3 Ask away!.............................................................................64-65 Make sense ..............................................................................4-5 Popular or not? ...................................................................66-67 Don’t be boring! ......................................................................6-7 Listen up! ............................................................................68-69 Make a noise! ..........................................................................8-9 False freedom ......................................................................70-71 Uddled mup! .......................................................................10-11 Learn it ................................................................................72-73 Cheese please ......................................................................12-13 Recite a poem .....................................................................74-75 Classroom zoo.....................................................................14-15 What is your response? .......................................................76-77 Silence!..................................................................................6-17 My poetry list .......................................................................78-79 The A-Z of your town ..........................................................18-19 Let’s go shopping ................................................................80-81 Watch the teacher ...............................................................20-21 Remember! .........................................................................82-83 What do you think?.............................................................22-23 Can you read it? ..................................................................84-85 Cut it out .............................................................................24-25 You need evidence...............................................................86-87 For someone special ...........................................................26-27 Dinnertime..........................................................................88-89 Be positive! ..........................................................................28-29 Fact or opinion? ..................................................................90-91 You can do haiku! ..............................................................30-31 Octopoem ............................................................................92-93 Write about it ......................................................................94-95 Competence and conﬁdence in using

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through language ............................. 116–139

Speaking up ........................................................................96-97 Recipe for life ......................................................................98-99 Good friend .....................................................................100-101 Have fun!.........................................................................102-103 ‘Tis the season.................................................................104-105 At the dinner table ..........................................................106-107 What’s the difference? .....................................................108-109 Respond to it ...................................................................110-111 Choose your own ............................................................112-113 Listen and enjoy..............................................................114-115 Special moments ............................................................116-117 Problems .........................................................................118-119 Feelings ...........................................................................120-121 Not yet! ............................................................................122-123 Do you agree?..................................................................124-125 Interpret ..........................................................................126-127 Listen and write ..............................................................128-129

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Parts of speech ....................................................................32-33 Do it! ...................................................................................34-35 By yourself...........................................................................36-37 Poetry book .........................................................................38-39 What interests you? .............................................................40-41 Monday blues ......................................................................42-43 Concrete poetry ...................................................................44-45 How are you feeling?...........................................................46-47 Autobiography ....................................................................48-49 Near perfect .........................................................................50-51 Make it better ......................................................................52-53 Write for younger readers ...................................................54-55 Help each other ...................................................................56-57 Seasoning! ..........................................................................58-59 Grafﬁti .................................................................................60-61

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Investigating poetry

Teachers notes Teachers page A teachers page accompanies each student worksheet. It provides the following information: Indicators/Activities covered Most strands of the English curriculum are covered in this book. A list of activities is also included for easy reference.

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Before the lesson – the teacher is made aware of what needs to be done before the lesson. Some materials and tasks are required for the lesson to be conducted; others are suggestions that will enrich the lesson.

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Background information for each activity is included for the teacher.

The lesson – gives suggested step-by-step instructions for using the worksheet. Often, a list of words contained in a poem that may require clariﬁcation is included, as it is important that all words in a poem are understood by the students.

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Answers – for the activities are included. Some answers will need a teacher check, while others may vary depending on personal experiences, opinions or feelings. Additional activities – can be used to further develop the objective of the worksheet. These activities provide ideas to consolidate and clarify the concepts and skills taught in the lesson.

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Recommended reading – provides a further example of the type of poetry being studied. Poetry books should be available in the classroom and school library for the students to access.

Homework suggestions – are included on many teachers pages. The aim of the suggested homework is to provide a link between school and home; therefore, the work often involves elements of the lesson being shared or practised with a family member.

Websites – are suggested on many pages to help teachers and/or students ﬁnd other examples of poetry. Websites were current and appropriate at the time of printing; however, teachers should check before allowing the students to use them, and refer to their school’s Internet policy. vi

Investigating poetry

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Teachers notes r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

•

Through the lesson, the students will learn that poetry comes in a variety of forms, but always expresses important personal feelings and gives a unique insight into the mind of the creator.

•

If the poem is to be read aloud, the teacher should use much expression to promote enthusiasm, as some children have a negative view of poetry.

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The activity may: – introduce or reinforce a topic – allow for expression of thoughts, feelings and moods – allow for discussion of personal opinions and interpretations of a poem – promote a love of words.

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© R. I . C.Publ i cat i ons In the activities, the students will be given the chance to explore and express feelings (their own and those of others) on f or evoni e pur p osesonl y• a range• of subjects, whiler drawing theirw own experiences and imagination.

Activities •

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Student page Poem A poem, usually on a familiar topic, is found on each student page. Many different types of poems have been included to give the students the opportunity to experience and explore a variety of texts and settings and to motivate them. Poetry forms used include concrete poetry, haiku, cinquain, list, clerihew, sense, sausage, chant and tongue twister. Children enjoy rhyming poems with humour and a strong rhythm, and many of the poems in this book contain these elements. The importance of rhyme and rhythm could be emphasised by having the students beat out their rhythm by clapping or using musical instruments.

Discussion is a vital part of lessons and may include class, group or pair work. This will give the students the opportunity to share their efforts and experiences.

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Students are encouraged on many of the worksheets to check or self-assess their work.

•

Interesting facts, jokes or common sayings have been included on many of the worksheets. Teachers could use these as a springboard for further discussion or writing tasks.

Further ideas •

It is suggested that the students keep a ‘poetry portfolio’. This will allow the teacher to quickly see what worksheets have been covered.

•

The students’ poetry efforts should be praised and their work displayed on a regular basis in the classroom, around the school, in the school newspaper or in a class anthology. This should occur in an atmosphere where criticism is both positive and constructive, encouraging the students to be innovative and to take risks with their writing.

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Sum it up!

Teachers notes

Indicators • Develops receptiveness to oral language • Experiences the teacher’s use of challenging vocabulary and sentence structure

The lesson 1. Read the poem as a class. Discuss some of the more difﬁcult words; e.g. ‘competing’, ‘savouring’, ‘zillion’, ‘mastered’. 2. The students answer questions about when time goes quickly/slowly for them. 3. The students underline keywords in the poem. 4. The students summarise the poem in three sentences. 5. The students summarise their day so far. 6. Discuss the poem and all their answers as a class.

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Background information This lesson should contain much discussion about whether the students agree with the poet or not, giving examples to back up their opinions. Students should be understanding of the opinion of others and should show tolerance. They should be made aware that we summarise in our everyday lives; e.g. when someone asks us what we did on the weekend, we do not state every single activity but just the most important activities.

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• • • • •

Activities covered Reading a poem Discussing a poem Answering questions Summarising a poem Summarising the day

Before the lesson Prepare other examples for the students to summarise.

Answers 2. (a), (b), (c) Teacher check (d) Possible keywords: beach – race, dentist - not case, holidays – zooms, working – last, zillion – get done, marches, people, mastered, few (e) Possible summary: When we are enjoying ourselves time goes quickly. When we are not enjoying ourselves, time drags. Very few people have mastered time. 3. – 4. Teacher check

Recommended reading

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Summarise the following: poetry with different expressions, newspaper articles, reviews, information in other subjects, letters etc. 2. Retell a heard story or poem. 3. Summarise an episode of a TV program, or a commercial or a movie.

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Homework suggestion The students ask a family member about their views on time. They summarise them and discuss them the following day at school.

(for retelling) Escape route by Brian Moses A story of snowballs by David Harmer (summarising) Come camping by Daphne Kitching

Investigating poetry

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Sum it up! In this lesson, you are going to summarise a poem, which means you will shorten it by including the most important information only.

 Read the following poem as a class. Tick tock

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When we’re on a sandy beach, it’s competing in a race. When we’re lying in the dentist’s chair, this is not the case. When we’re savouring our holidays, it always zooms right past. When we’re chain-locked to our working desk, all it does is last. When we have a zillion things that we have to get done, It doesn’t give an extra second, no, not even one. It marches on regardless, of what we have to do, People who have mastered it, are just but a few.

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S Time ﬂies when you’re having fun!

The most accurate clock is an atomic clock. It is accurate to about one second in 100 000 000 years.

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 Answer the questions about the poem. Write another suitable title for the poem.

(b)

When does time go quickly for you?

(c)

When does time drag for you?

(d)

Underline the keywords or phrases in the poem.

(e)

Summarise what the speaker is saying, using three full sentences only.

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(a)

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 Summarise your day so far using two sentences.

 Discuss all your answers and the poem with the class. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Investigating poetry

Make sense Indicators • Develops receptiveness to oral language • Takes part in games in which unseen objects are identiﬁed from descriptions given by other students

Before the lesson Provide an example of how something is described using all the ﬁve senses, without making it too obvious. The lesson 1. Have the students choose an object in the classroom. They should be given time to quietly look around the classroom and should not choose the most obvious objects. 2. The students write a sense poem describing their object. They may have to use their imagination for taste, smell, sound etc. 3. The students can take away the ‘I smell’, ‘I taste’ etc. and be left with their own phrases. 4. The students read their ‘senses poem’ to the class. The class tries to guess what the object is. 5. The students write a good description of their least favourite food and describe it to the person sitting next to them. They can use the senses here, too, to describe it. 6. The students can write their poems out neatly and decorate them. These should be displayed in the classroom.

Background information In this lesson, the students will get practice in describing an object using all their senses. They should try to be original in their descriptions, using as many descriptive words as possible.

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. red pen, teacher check 3. – 5. Teacher check

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Activities covered Choosing an object to describe Writing a sense poem about a chosen subject Reading a sense poem to the class Class to guess object Writing and reading out a description of their least favourite food

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Teachers notes

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Play ‘I spy...’ (using different senses; e.g. ‘I spy with my little eye something that feels cold/smells musty’.) 2. Give ‘feely’ bags with different textured objects to small groups. Each student can describe an object by feeling it while the group guesses what the object is. This object is then taken out of the bag for conﬁrmation.

Homework suggestion The students write a poem in the same format describing something in their bedroom.

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Make sense! You are going to describe something using all your senses. Do not make it too easy now!

 Choose an object in the classroom. It can be anything! I choose:

Insects have taste buds on their feet, antennae and mouthparts!

 Describe the object by writing a poem, using the example

below. (If your object is something you do not eat, imagine what it would taste like!).

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What do you think this poem is about?

 Write your poem.

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I see............something see-through and red I smell.........trouble if there’s too much of it! I hear.........scratching on paper sounds I feel......... hard plastic, long and thin I taste...... something crunchy which pokes my mouth I think...... my teacher can’t live without it!

This leaf is tasty!

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I taste

I think

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I feel

 Read your poem to the class. They must guess what it is you are thinking of.

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Did they guess correctly?

Yes

 Write a description of your least favourite type of food. Read it to the person sitting next to you and see if he or she can guess what it is.

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Investigating poetry

Don’t be boring! Indicators • Develops receptiveness to oral language • Is continually aware of the importance of gesture, facial expression, audibility and clarity of enunciation in communicating with others

The lesson 1. Read the poem ‘‘Feelings’ with no expression and in quite a mumbled voice to the class. 2. Discuss what was wrong with the reading of the poem as well as the importance of gesture, facial expressions and expression in reading to make the poem more interesting. 3. The students read the poem in their groups, and decide how they could make the poem sound more interesting. They can make notes on the poem to remind them. 4. The students practise reading their poem in their groups, using expression, facial expressions and gestures to make the different feelings in the poem clear. 5. The groups perform their poems for the class and assess their performances. 6. Still in groups, the students write more lines to go with the poem, keeping the style the same. They should be using similes and rhyming couplets as in the example, but use different feelings; e.g. I’m as bored as …, I’m as mad as … The meaning of a rhyming couplet may need to be explained. 7. The group reads its poem to the class using expression. 8. All verses can be put together to make a class poem.

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Activities covered Listening to the teacher read a poem Underlining feelings in a poem Practising reading a poem with a group Reading a poem to the class Assessing performance of a group poem Writing more lines for a poem

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Before the lesson Divide the class into groups.

Background information When reading aloud, the students should keep the following in mind: gesture, facial expressions, pronouncing words correctly and reading clearly and loudly enough. The students should be told that if they want to be heard in life, they will need to speak clearly, politely and make what they say sound interesting!

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Teachers notes

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Practise using vocal expression when reading from the class reader. 2. Take part in poetry reading competitions. 3. Practise a poem as a class and read it for another class or visitor.

Homework suggestion The students concentrate on using expressions, gestures and polite tone of voice all day at home when speaking to their family members. See if their family members notice the difference!

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Recommended reading What’s that noise? by Steve Turner Down with ﬂu by Matt Simpson for reading with expression – Life doesn’t frighten me by Maya Angelou

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Don’t be boring! The best way to get someone to listen to you is to speak clearly and with expression!

 The teacher will read this poem without expression or gestures.

Feelings

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Underline the different feelings in the poem. In a group, discuss how you can make this poem sound interesting. Consider the following:

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I’m as happy as an elephant, rolling in the mud, I’m as excited as a shark, smelling fishy blood, I’m as lonely as a camel, walking on desert sands, I’m as frightened as a bird, cupped in your hand, I’m as joyful as a bee, on a sweet and pretty flower, I’m as cheerful as a hippo, in a mid-September shower, I’m as sad as a donkey, left in a field alone, I’m as surprised as a puppy, with a giant, juicy bone, I’m as angry as a cat, when the mouse got away, I’m as weary as a fruit bat, who’s upside down all day,

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Take note of the different feelings in the poem!

• facial expression • gesture

• audibility (speaking so everyone can hear you) • clarity (speaking clearly and pronouncing words correctly)

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I have so many feelings, but I think I’ll pick just one, I think I’ll choose the elephant, he’s having the most fun!

You can make notes on the poem to show how you will read it.

 As a group, read the poem to the class, taking all of the above into account.

 Rate how interesting you think your group

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hot

warm

cold

freezing

 Still in your groups, write more lines for this poem, using similes and rhyming couplets.

 Read your lines to the class. Use expression when you are reading! R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Always speak to your teacher in your kindest voice!

Investigating poetry

Make a noise! Indicators • Develops receptiveness to oral language • Learns how sound effects enhance the content

• • • • •

Activities covered Group work – underlining sounds Adding sound effects to a poem Answering questions Performing a poem Self-assessing a performance of a poem

Before the lesson Arrange a collection of school musical instruments. These can be shared among the different groups. The lesson 1. The students read the poem ‘Silence is not golden’’’ in their groups and underline the sounds in the poem. 2. The students add sound effects to the poem and practise it. (If possible, they can practise outside.) The students can discuss what would make the sounds they require and make use of anything in the classroom or any musical instruments the school has. They should also be making some noises themselves! 3. The students perform their poem for the class and then assess it. 4. The students answer Questions 4–5. 5. All answers can be discussed as a class.

Answers 1.–5. Teacher check

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Background information We are often oblivious to the sound effects being used on television and in the movies. The lesson is about making the students aware of how sound effects add to the mood and atmosphere of a story.

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Teachers notes

Additional activities Students can: 1. Watch parts of a movie or TV program without sound and then with sound to see the difference. The same can be done with commercials. 2. Add sound effects to parts of the class reader/their own stories/plays etc.

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Homework suggestion The students choose one advertisement or TV commercial and list the sound effects used. These can be discussed the following day.

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Recommended reading

Who’s that on the phone? by Pie Corbett The sound collector by Roger McGough The dragons are back by Nick Toczek Websites

<www.cenyc.org/HTMLPE/noise.htm> <www.nonoise.org> for ‘Peter and the Wolf’ <http://library.thinkquest.org/17321/data/pandw.html>

Investigating poetry

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Make a noise! We are surrounded by sounds and noises every day. Hopefully there aren’t too many in your classroom!

 In a group, read the poem below and underline the sound words.

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S The house is crowded with shattering, crackling, shrieking sounds of children running, talking, whispering, shouting, calling. ‘Bang’ goes the door, feet on the wooden ﬂoor. Plates are rattling and glasses tinkling, water running, cutlery clanging, music blaring, TV chatting, drawers are squeaking and skateboards scraping. Soon the windows will shatter with the fullness of it. The noise will go spilling out onto the street. And the house will be quiet, and the comfort, gone.

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Silence is not golden

Silence IS golden.

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Normal talking is about 40 decibels.

 Practise reading the poem in your groups and decide what you could use in the classroom to make the sound effects needed. Once you have it practised in your group with all the necessary noises, perform your poem for the class.

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 Rate your group performance with a symbol.

 How do sound effects make a difference in a commercial/movie?

 Discuss, in your group, what sounds you could use to depict the following. (a)

thunder

(b)

a supermarket

(c)

an amusement centre

(d)

a hospital

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Investigating poetry

Uddled mup! Indicators • Develops reading strategies • Achieves proficiency in word identification by refining different word and identification skills

• • • •

Before the lesson Prepare examples of spoonerism. The lesson 1. Discuss examples of spoonerism with the students. 2. The students read the sentences in Question 1 and correct them. 3. The students read a four-line poem and rewrite it correctly to answer Questions 2 and 3. 4. The students write a nursery rhyme and change some of the initial letters or sounds of words to answer Questions 4 and 5. They then write the new rhyme and read it to themselves. 5. These can be read out to the class or displayed in the classroom.

Background information The students should already have knowledge of certain strategies when reading a difﬁcult word, and should be putting these strategies into practice. They should occasionally be presented with difﬁcult words to read. This lesson requires the students to rely on their knowledge of phonics.

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Activities covered Discussing spoonerism Correcting sentences Correcting a poem Writing and changing a rhyme

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Teachers notes

Answers 1. (a) I’ve got a cold and a runny nose. (b) The black cat chased the mouse into my bedroom. (c) I have put the mufﬁn in your lunch box. 2. Teacher check 3. There’s an elephant in my sitting room, in a top hat and overcoat, I don’t really mind him being there, but he’s hogging the remote. 4. – 6. Teacher check

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Identify difﬁcult words by ﬁnding familiar sounds or sound patterns in the word. 2. Identify words by placing them in context and getting clues from the surrounding words. 3. Make up words by splitting words and swapping syllables around. Others can then attempt to read the made-up words. 4. Identify root words.

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Recommended reading Sunday in the yarm fard by Trevor Millum Frack to bont by Paul Cookson Some favourite words by Richard Edwards Werkling by Spike Milligan

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Uddled mup! Spoonerism is the swapping around of initial letters or sounds in words. For example: ‘Let me sew you to your sheet’ instead of ‘Let me show you to your seat’! 1.

Some of the ﬁrst letters or sounds of these words have become muddled up. Read the sentences and correct them. I’ve cot a gold and a nunny rose.

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S (b)

The clack bat mased the chouse into by medroom.

(c)

I have put the lufﬁn in your munch box.

Fanguage can be lunny!

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(a)

This poem has a few ﬁrst letters or sounds muddled up too. Read it. There’s an elephant in my ritting soom, in a hop tat and coveroat, I ron’t deally bind him meing there, hut he’s rogging the bemote.

Write a short nursery rhyme in the space below (on the left).

Swap some of the ﬁrst letters or sounds around. Rewrite the rhyme with the changes.

Read your changed rhyme to yourself and to the class.

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Investigating poetry

Cheese please Indicators • Develops reading strategies • Improves his/her ability to recognise and understand words by using root words, prefixes, suffixes and syllabification Activities covered Reading a poem on own Identifying difficult words Breaking words into syllables Making up dishes, reading them Completing a sentence Discussing answers

Before the lesson Provide more names of cheeses for the students to pronounce. The lesson 1. Discuss, as a class, the method of breaking words into syllables. Complete several examples orally. 2. Students read the poem ‘Cheese please’ on their own and underline the words they find difficult to read. 3. The students break words from the poem and write how many syllables each contains. 4. The students break words into syllables and read them. 5. Students make up cheesy dishes and write the number of syllables in each. 6. Students complete the sentence using a word with three or more syllables. 7. All answers can be discussed as a class. Difficult words can be pronounced and the poem can be reread by the class. The students can also read out their cheesy dishes.

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Background information Students should be using different strategies to help them read words they do not know. These strategies include finding the root word, identifying the prefixes and suffixes or breaking words into recognisable parts or syllables. Different reading strategies can be displayed in the classroom.

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 4. – 6. Teacher check

(d) 3

(e) 3

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• • • • • •

Teachers notes

(f) 3

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Investigating poetry

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Add preﬁxes and sufﬁxes to root words. 2. Identify root words. 3. Break words into syllables and beat out or clap the syllables.

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Cheese please If you are unable to read a word, try breaking it up into smaller parts.

 Read this poem on your own. Underline the words you ﬁnd difﬁcult to read. Cheese please

 Break these words into syllables and state how many each word has.

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rye

(b)

condone

(c)

extremely

(d)

Bolognese

(e)

delicious

(f)

calcium

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Cheese is one food that I really adore, Every day, I seem to eat more and more. Why, there is Red Leicester, Gouda, Gruyere and Brie, And mild Gorgonzola on rye is for me. Mozzarella is simply nice on its own, While Edam on toast, I can surely condone. Stilton is nice with a bit of a smell, Fetta and salad go extremely well. Camembert needs to be eaten deep-fried, Bolognese and Parmesan go side by side. Cheddar is tasty, in red or in white, And goat’s cheese on crackers always tastes right. Roquefort I like with my seafood cocktail, And Danish Blue with steak I eat without fail. Yes, cheese is delicious, it has calcium too! Eat it with everything, just like I do!

Look them up if you do not know their meaning!

 Break up these words into syllables. Some of the cheeses originate (a)

Gouda

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(b)

Gruyere

(c)

Gorgonzola

(d)

Mozzarella

(e)

Edam

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(f)

Parmesan

(g)

Stilton

(h)

Mascarpone

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from different countries so they may be hard to pronounce!

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Ricotta

(j)

Monterey Jack

Zamorano cheese is a classic Spanish cheese made from sheep’s milk!

 Make up three cheesy dishes. Use the cheeses from Question 3; e.g. Stilton sausage, Camembert crisps, Brie and bean burger. Write the number of syllables.

There’s always free cheese in a mousetrap.

 Complete this sentence. Use a word that has three or more syllables. Cheese is

 Discuss all your answers with the class. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Investigating poetry

Classroom zoo Indicators • Develops reading strategies • Engages with an increasing range of narrative, expository and representational texts

Before the lesson Provide examples of texts to discuss with the students. Teachers may like the students to have access to resource materials to answer questions (e.g. dictionaries).

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Activities covered • Reading and discussing a poem • Answering questions about a poem • Writing a description

The lesson 1. Read ‘‘Primary zoo’ as a class. The poem can then be discussed. 2. The students answer Questions 1 and 2. 3. The students decide what animal they are most like and write a reason why to answer Question 3. 4. All other characters in the poem can be discussed; e.g. ‘What type of person do you think the lamb/snake/spider is?’.

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Background information There are many different types of texts that students should be reading. Texts for reading should be interesting, sometimes lighthearted, age-appropriate and varied.

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Teachers notes

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. (a) The children behave like different animals. (b) bird – parrot, arachnid – spider, rodent – mouse/porcupine, farm animal – lamb, primate – orangutan, wild animal – lion, reptile – snake (c) Teacher check 3. Teacher check

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Read different types of representational texts; e.g. timetables, menus, charts, graphs, diagrams, food chains, signs, symbols (e.g. trademark, copyright), currencies, plays, dialogues, song words (lyrics), cartoons, brochures, reports, questionnaires, obituaries, game rules. 2. Read poetry that tells a story.

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Recommended reading Dooley is a traitor by James Michie The Alice Jean by Robert Graves (story poem) Website www.barkingspiderspoetry.com

Investigating poetry

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Classroom zoo Is you classroom like a zoo? Let’s hope not.

 Read the poem below.

 Answer these questions. (a)

Primary zoo My classroom is just like the zoo, With creatures tame and wild. Some with habits peculiar, And some with manners mild.

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There’s those that strut about like lions, Kings of the jungle are they. And hairy big orangutans, That simply want to play.

(b)

Name one of each of these mentioned in the poem. Bird:

Arachnid: Rodent:

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There are the colourful parrots, And all they do is talk. And some rather senseless asses, Who don’t know pens from chalk!

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Why do you think this classroom is described as a zoo?

Farm animal: Primate:

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We have some snobby, snooty cats, Their noses stuck in the air. And prickly, stickly porcupines, Of them you must beware!

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(i) senseless (ii) strut (iii) array (iv) beasts

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Of the venomous sort. And an array of spindly spiders, In whose web you might get caught!

Wild animal:

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 What sort of animal do you think you are most like?

Gratefully, there are gentle lambs, Who never hurt or shout. And quiet, squeaky little mice, Who live in fear no doubt! Yes, our room is quite noisy, With beasts of every kind. The zookeeper, Miss Krout, says, We drive her out of her mind!

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Animals are such agreeable friends—they ask no questions, pass no criticisms. (George Eliot) Investigating poetry

Silence

Teachers notes

Indicators • Develops reading strategies • Becomes a self-reliant, conﬁdent and independent reader, having time in class for sustained silent reading

The lesson 1. The students read the poem ‘I would touch wood’. This activity is to be done silently and on their own. 2. The students answer Questions 2 and 3 about the poem. 3. The students read common expressions and choose one of these to write a four-line poem. The poem does not have to rhyme and can follow any format. 4. The poem and questions can be discussed as a class. Expressions can be used in oral sentences. The students read their poems to the class. 5. The teacher can read the poem to the students.

Background information There are many students who do not read at home; therefore, time must be given during class for the students to read quietly to themselves. Ideally, they should be reading something that interests them during this time.

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Activities covered Reading a poem on his/her own Answering questions Writing a four-line poem Discussing with the class

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• • • •

Before the lesson Make sure the students always have reading material with them so that silent reading can be undertaken when the time suits.

Answers 1. – 2. Teacher check 3. to bring good luck/good weather 4. as the crow flies – straight distance between two points back to square one – back to the beginning cat’s whiskers – height of perfection die-hard – fierce forty winks – short nap in a pickle – in a difficult situation or in a mess lion’s share – the largest portion spill the beans – reveal information or secret turn over a new leaf – improve one’s conduct (the leaf refers to the leaf in a book and not one on a tree!) well-heeled – wealthy 5. – 6. Teacher check

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Read parts of a class reading book silently to themselves. 2. Read silently in other areas of the curriculum prior to discussion of a particular topic. 3. Silently read the work of others. 4. Read library books during silent reading time.

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Recommended reading Ten slightly unfamiliar sayings by Tony Bradman On and on by Roger McGough

Websites <www.gigglepoetry.com> (proverbs) <www.corsenet.com/braincandy/proverbs.html>

Investigating poetry

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Silence!  You are going to read silently! Concentrate on what you are reading! I would touch wood ‘We’ll head down to the beach’, said Mum, ‘If the weather stays this good. Hopefully the rain won’t come, The sun will shine, touch wood.’

In the living room, the piano, And Granddad’s walking stick, To the ugly inherited bureau, I gave a gentle kick.

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I started my task in the hallway, And touched the wooden stairs, I raced into the kitchen and Laid my hands upon the chairs.

Tables, dressers, lamp stands, bowls, CD racks and doors, Ornaments and pencils, Windowsills and drawers.

I picked up all the wooden spoons, And grabbed the kitchen door, The chopping board, the rolling pin, And stamped the wooden ﬂoor.

I even ventured on outside, Touched the kennel for the dog, I hugged each tree that I could see, And every stick and log.

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And so I went on, through the house, There was a lot to do, Cupboards, shelves and skirting boards, And all the loo seats too!

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I desperately wanted to swim in the surf, And wiggle my toes in the sand, If touching wood was what it took, The job I’d take in hand.

I proceeded to the dining room, And tapped the table there, The large fruit bowl, the candlesticks, Of which we had a pair.

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School days are great, touch wood!

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I went into my bedroom, Touched my bed and photo frame, My chess set, desk and bookshelf, To my blocks I did the same.

And what did the weather do that day? Well, the skies were azure blue. So if there’s something you want to happen, I’d touch wood if I were you.

(I hope you don’t live in a log cabin)

 Circle the things you have in your home.

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 Why was the speaker doing these things?

 Read these expressions. Tick the ones you know. (a) as the crow ﬂies .......................

(f) in a pickle ................................

(b) back to square one .................

(g) lion’s share ..............................

(h) spill the beans ..........................

(d) die-hard ...................................

(i) turn over a new leaf ................

(e) forty winks ...............................

(j) well-heeled ..............................

 Choose one of these to write a four-line poem on a separate sheet of paper.  Now you can talk! Discuss the poem and the expressions with the class. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Investigating poetry

The A-Z of your town Indicators • Creates and fosters the impulse to write • Experiences a classroom environment that encourages writing

Before the lesson Provide the students with background information about their city town/area/suburb. Divide the class into groups. Each group should receive a list of letters of the alphabet in alphabetical order. Each group should get an even number of letters so that rhyming couplets can be used. Each letter of the alphabet should be used, but X, Q and Z should be teamed with easier letters. Dictionaries and thesauruses can be used.

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Activities covered Discussing own city town/area/village Group work – Brainstorming ideas Writing a poem (acrostic) Putting poems together as a class Displaying or publishing a poem

Background information This lesson will focus on the city, town, area or suburb where the students live or go to school. Some background information may be needed so the students have more ideas with which to work. They need to feel encouraged to write in class, with the knowledge that all attempts will have value.

The lesson 1. Discuss the city town/area/suburb as a class. 2. Group work – The students think about their area. 3. The groups brainstorm their ideas and write keywords. These do not have to be used in the poem—the exercise is to focus their attention on the subject. 4. The groups write an acrostic poem using the letters of the alphabet they have been given. They should try and use rhyming couplets if possible. Dictionaries and thesauruses can be used so that students can look up words starting with that particular letter. 5. The groups put their poems together so that the end result is a class A – Z poem of their area. 6. The class can read their poem, perhaps with each group reading its parts. The title can be: ‘The A – Z of ’. 7. The entire poem should be submitted to the local newspaper or displayed somewhere where the town can read it.

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• • • • •

Teachers notes

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Recommended reading (similar poems) An alphabet of alphabeastical facts you didn’t know you knew by Paul Cookson

Investigating poetry

Example Lakes, I’m afraid, not even one, Molly’s Diner when the day is done. Naughty children playing in the streets, On to Londis to buy some treats. Please come visit our lovely town, Quit work now and come on down!

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Answers 1. – 6. Teacher check

Additional activities Students can: 1. Display their work in the classroom or other areas of the school, or on the school’s website. 2. Compile collections of their work. 3. Make charts and display them. 4. Make posters for the school/local community. 5. Enter writing competitions.

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The A–Z of your town What is great about the city, town, suburb or area you live in?

 Find a small group to work with. Your group will be given some letters of the alphabet to write a poem about the area you live in.

 Brainstorm ideas in your group. Write keywords that come to mind when you are

thinking about where you live. Think about buildings, roads, shops, people, history, rivers, mountains, things to do, parks, streets, sights, historical aspects etc.

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Keywords

 Write a six-to-eight line poem about your city/town/suburb/area, starting the sentences with words that start with the letters you have been given. Write your letters in order down the lefthand side.

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 Put all your poems together as a class so there is an A-Z poem of your town.  Read the entire poem together as a class.

 Submit your poem to your local newspaper or display it somewhere where the town can read it.

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Investigating poetry

Watch the teacher Indicators • Creates and fosters the impulse to write • Observes the teacher model a wide variety of writing genres

Before the lesson Provide other examples of a tanka. The teacher will model how a tanka is created so it might be a good idea to have one ready! The students will need a knowledge of syllables to complete this lesson.

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Activities covered Observing the teacher modelling writing Reading format and example Writing a tanka as a class Writing ideas for a poem Writing own tanka

Background information Teachers should constantly model different writing forms. Examples of writing should be left on the board to remind students of the format.

The lesson 1. Show the class how to write a tanka. 2. Read the format and example on the worksheet. 3. Create a tanka as a class and write it on the worksheet. 4. The students choose their own topic and write ideas. 5. Write their own tanka, making sure it has 31 syllables. They can then read their poems to the class or display them in the classroom.

Answers 1. – 6. Teacher check

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• • • • •

Teachers notes

Additional activities Students can: Observe the teacher writing other forms of poetry, stories, letters, deﬁnitions, directions, invitations, headlines, lists, opinions, reports etc.

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Recommended reading Write a poem about anything by Steve Turner

Investigating poetry

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Watch the teacher Watch the teacher!

 Watch your teacher write a poem called a TANKA.  Look at the format and example below. Title ..................................... School

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Line 1: 5 syllables .............. Work, work every day

Line 2: 7 syllables .............. No time to chat and enjoy

Line 4: 7 syllables .............. Friends become acquaintances

Line 5: 7 syllables .............. Life rolls on outside these walls

 Do one together as a class. Write it below.

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Line 3: 5 syllables .............. Concentrate too much

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 Choose a topic you know something about. Write some ideas below.

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Your tanka should have 31 syllables!

 Use your ideas to write your own tanka.

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Investigating poetry

What do you think? Indicators • Develops reading strategies • Experiences and communicates reactions to reading activities

Before the lesson Read other poems to the class, who can orally give their reactions. The lesson 1. Reads the poem ‘Take it away’ to the class. The poem can be brieﬂy discussed, and harder words can be clariﬁed, such as: ‘strut’, ‘brag’, ‘gourmet’, ‘prod’. The tone of the poem can also be discussed (slightly mocking or sarcastic). 2. The students answer Question 2 using full sentences. 3. The students imagine they could talk to the poet and write two sentences to him/her about takeaway meals to answer Question 3.

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Activities covered • Reading and discussing a poem • Answering questions • Writing sentences

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. (a) Teacher check (b) takeaway meals (c) The poet does not like takeaways. – ‘ a very sad tune’ (d) – (e) Teacher check 3. Teacher check

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Background information Students must get opportunities to communicate their reactions to what they read and should be honest in their opinions. Students have different tastes in reading, and by discussing what they do and do not like, they will learn what gives them the most enjoyment.

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Teachers notes

© R. I . C.Publ i cat i ons •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• Additional activities Students can: Express their reactions when reading other poetry, class reading books, informational text in other subjects, each other’s work etc.

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Homework suggestion The students read menus and comment on them in class the next day. Menus can be from the Internet or a local restaurant or cafe.

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Recommended reading Hot food by Michael Rosen Think of all the poor children by Steve Turner Website www.poetry4kids.com

Investigating poetry

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What do you think? Individuals have their own reactions to what they read. Be honest about what you think!

 Read the following poem.

There is something great, about takeaways for tea. They needn’t be fancy, or have courses of three.

Gourmet chefs needn’t have created our meal. We’ll settle for less, and think it’s a deal.

We collect our meal, in a brown paper bag, and strut down the street, as if to brag.

But I think we play a very sad tune, when we prod our dinner, with a plastic spoon.

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 Answer these questions.

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Take it away

Write full sentences!

(a)

What do you think of this poem? Give a reason for your answer.

(b)

What is the subject of the poem?

(c)

What does the speaker think of this? Quote from the poem to support your answer.

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(d)

Do you agree? Explain.

(e)

What kind of food might the poet enjoy eating?

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 Imagine you could speak to this poet. Write two sentences you would say to him/her about takeaway.

McDonalds™ feeds more than 46 million people a day!

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Investigating poetry

Cut it out

Teachers notes

Indicators • Creates and fosters the impulse to write • Experiences interesting and relevant writing challenges

The lesson 1. Explain what the students are about to do and read the example provided. Knowing what they are doing will probably influence the words they choose to cut out, but that’s OK! 2. The students then cut out 20–25 words from newspapers/magazines. They should cut out bigger words, not tiny words that can barely be seen. The teacher can decide if the students should find fewer words. They should be told that words such as ‘the’, ‘a’, ‘and’ could also be used, as these will help with fitting the poem together. 3. The students arrange the words until they have a poem. They can think of an explanation for it. The poem should be given a title. They can stick their words on a separate sheet of paper and display them. 4. The students write their poem on the worksheet and state what it is about (if they know!). 5. The students assess how easy/difficult the poem was to write. 6. The students can read their poems to the class if there is time.

Background information This lesson gives students the opportunity to create a poem without thinking of the words themselves! They should try to arrange their words into a poem that makes as much sense as possible. All efforts should be praised because it is quite an abstract activity.

Answers 1. – 7. Teacher check

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Activities covered • Cutting out words • Arranging words to create an abstract poem • Reading a poem to the class

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Before the lesson Each student will need a newspaper/magazine to cut out words.

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Additional activities Students can: Write letters to penpals, ghost stories, different forms of poetry, advertisement for their own school, rhymes, tongue twisters, invitations, a treasure map, inventions, ideas for a new board game, tall tales, warning notices, prayers, labels, tips etc.

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Cut it out You are going to cut words out of a magazine/newspaper and then put them together to form a poem!

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 Look at the example below.

© R. I . C.Publ i cat i ons  Get a magazine and newspaper and carefully cut out about 20 – 25 words. Choose any •f or e vi ew pu p os es o n‘and’, l y• words that jump outr at you. You will need ar few little words too; e.g. ‘to’, ‘the’.  Put your words together to form a six-line poem. Rearrange the words until you are happy

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with the poem. Of course, it does not need to rhyme! But it should be interesting!

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 Write your poem below.

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 What is your poem about?  Read your poem to the class and see if you can explain it!  Rate how easy/difﬁcult the poem was to create. EASY R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

MEDIUM

DIFFICULT Investigating poetry

For someone special Indicators • Creates and fosters the impulse to write • Writes for an increasingly varied audience

• • • •

Activities covered Choosing someone special to write about Answering questions about a special person/pet Writing a cinquain Checking a cinquain

Before the lesson Prepare other examples of cinquains to read to the class. The lesson 1. As a class, discuss what a cinquain is. 2. The students choose someone special/a pet and answer questions describing him/her. 3. The students write a cinquain, following the format provided. The teacher can go through the format with the class, perhaps modelling an example on the board. Rhyming is not necessary. 4. The students check their cinquain and make any necessary adjustments. 5. If applicable, the students can read their cinquain to the special person (or pet!).

Answers 1. – 7. Teacher check

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Background information Students should get opportunities to take into account and write for different audiences. This lesson concerns someone who is special in their lives and, because some students may be embarrassed to write about someone special (especially boys), they may write about a pet. Should they not have a pet, any character they like from a television program or movie will do!

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Teachers notes

Example for Question 5 Johnny, Mad, lovable Caring, loving, laughing My own personal protector Brother

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Write a range of texts for different target audiences; e.g. advertisements and bedtime stories for young children. 2. Write cartoons for teenagers, instructions for their parents on how to keep kids happy, excuses to the teacher for work not completed, health slogans aimed at their own age group, deﬁnitions of modern gadgets for the older generation and thank-you notes for a gift received.

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Recommended reading (friends) Best friends by Adrian Henri

(family) Out of season by Paul Cookson Me and my brother by Michael Rosen The thingy by Lindsay Mac Rae

Investigating poetry

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For someone special Plan a ﬁve-line poem called a ‘cinquain’ for someone special. It can be to a friend, family member or pet!

 Who will the poem be for?  Write down some adjectives to describe him/her.

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 What makes this person/pet special?

 Write your cinquain using the format below. (Person’s/pet’s name)

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 Name some activities this person/pet enjoys doing.

Think about who you are writing it for. If it is a person, write it so he/she will enjoy reading it!

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(A four-word phrase about the person/pet)

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(Nickname or noun)

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(Three action words)

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 Read your poem and check it. Improve it if you can.

 Give your poem to the special person. If it is for a pet, you may have to read it to him/her!

Families are like fudge … mostly sweet with a few nuts. (Anon)

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Friendship isn’t a big thing— it’s a million little things. (Anon)

Investigating poetry

Be positive! Indicators • Creates and fosters the impulse to write • Gives/receives constructive responses to writing

Before the lesson Divide the class into groups. The lesson 1. As a class, read the poem ‘To my bed’. 2. Discuss the type of poem the students will write. They can address their poem to anything, but it should be something that they want to question. For this lesson, the poem should consist of only questions they could ask the object they have chosen. Rhyming is not necessary. 3. The students draft their poems, if necessary, then write them in the space provided. 4. The students read their poems to their groups. The group comments on the poem, giving helpful suggestions and positive feedback. 5. The students write down one comment they received. 6. The students hold a group vote for the best poem. This poem is read out to the class. The students can then answer Question 5 (b).

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Background information In this lesson, the students need to comment constructively about the work of others. Students must be told to be sensitive to the feelings of others and although they should make suggestions for possible improvements, the idea is to focus on the positive. The type of poem they are writing is quite similar to an apostrophe poem, which does not always consist of only questions. The poem should be between six and 16 lines and rhyming is not necessary. Examples are William Blake’s ‘The Tyger’ and Walt Whitman’s ‘To a locomotive in winter’.

Answers 1. – 5. Teacher check

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• • • • • •

Activities covered Reading a poetry format Writing a poem to something Group work – Reading poem Giving/receiving responses to writing Writing one comment Holding a group vote

Teachers notes

Additional activities Students can: Give and receive responses to other writing activities, such as projects, stories, poems, posters, artwork.

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Be positive!  Read the poem below. To my bed

be to an animal, object or place. Your poem should be made up of questions. It does not have to rhyme. You might like to draft your poem on scrap paper before writing it in the space below. To my

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Why are you so hard to get out of, each and every day? Why when I’m trying hard to stay awake, do you always have your way? Why are you always so comfortable, whenever I need a rest? Why when I’m looking for peace and quiet, are you the very best? Why are you always the answer, when I need to feel cosy and warm? Why do I seem to run to you, for safety in a storm? Why are you so inviting, whenever I turn off the light? Why don’t you tell me your secrets, while I’m sleeping tonight?

 Write your own poem to something. It might

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Write to something you have strong feelings about!

 Read your poem to a small group. The group should tell you what they think. Be positive and helpful when it is your turn to comment on others’ work!

 Name one comment the group gave you.  (a) (b)

Have a group vote for the ‘best’ poem. Read it to the class. What made it the best poem?

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Investigating poetry

You can do haiku!

Before the lesson Prepare some additional ideas for haiku topics, perhaps ideas covered in science.

Indicators • Creates and fosters the impulse to write • Sees his/her writing valued

• • • • •

Activities covered Reading haiku Thinking of a topic Writing keywords Writing haiku Making a class booklet of haikus

The lesson 1. Explain the format of a haiku to the class. The students can then read through the example on the worksheet. 2. The students think of a nature topic. It should be something that interests them. 3. The students think about their topic and write keywords in the box. This is to get them focused on their topic. There should be silence in the classroom at this time. 4. The students write a haiku. 5. The students check their haiku and write it out neatly. It should be appropriately decorated. 6. All haikus should be put together in a booklet which could be given a title, perhaps something to do with nature. This should be left in the school where others can read it. Answers 1. – 5. Teacher check

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Background information Students can see their writing valued in many ways—class anthologies, school websites, school newspapers/magazines, writing competitions etc. They should feel their work is of some value if they have tried hard. Less able students must get the opportunity to have their work valued as well.

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Teachers notes

Additional activities Students can: 1. Be presented with awards for different aspects of writing. 2. Add to a ‘Writer’s gallery’, where written pieces are frequently changed. 3. Enter pieces of written work in various competitions. 4. Display their written work in the classroom/areas of the school or on the school’s website. 5. Submit their written work to newspapers/magazines. 6. Keep portfolios of all their best work throughout the year. 7. Contribute to class anthologies.

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Recommended reading

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Homework suggestion The students read their haiku to a family member, explaining its format if the family member does not know.

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Icy morning haikus by James Carter Art year haikus by John Kitching Facing the truth – with haikus by Malorie Blackman Websites

<www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/types.html > <www.toyomasu.com/haiku>

Investigating poetry

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You can do haiku! Haiku poems originated in Japan. They are usually about nature and have a set format.

Format: ................................................. Example Title ................................................. Forest Line 1: 5 syllables ................................................. A shady, dark home,

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Line 2: 7 syllables ................................................. Where shy creatures like to hide, Line 3: 5 syllables ................................................. And I like to roam.

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A haiku does not need any rhyming words!

 Think about something in nature. It could be a river, lake, mountain, tree, ﬂower, creature, What did you choose?

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© R. I . C.Publ i cat i ons •f o r r e vi ew pu r p ose scome on y•  Think about your topic carefully and write any keywords that tol mind. leaf, blossom, insect, cloud, or anything that tickles your fancy!

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 Use your words to help you write your own haiku! Make sure you have the correct number of syllables. Title: 5 syllables:

Be descriptive!

7 syllables: 5 syllables:

 Read your haiku and check it. Write it out neatly and decorate it.  Put all the class’s haikus together in a booklet and give the book a title. Leave it in the school where others can read your poems.

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Investigating poetry

Parts of speech Indicators • Develops competence and conﬁdence in using oral language • Understands the functions and knows the names of parts of speech.

The lesson 1. Discuss parts of speech with the class, focusing on nouns, verbs and adjectives. The students could give many oral examples of each. The teacher can also give words and have the students identify what parts of speech they are. 2. The students write deﬁnitions of a verb, noun and adjective and give an example of each. 3. The students identify the nouns, verbs and adjectives in the given sentences to answer Question 2. 4. The students read a format of a poem. The teacher can go through the format and example. 5. The students write their own poem. They can choose any topic they like. They should use their imagination and not choose obvious words. 6. The students discuss all their answers with the class and read their poem aloud.

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Activities covered Discussing verbs, nouns, adjectives Writing deﬁnitions and examples Identifying parts of speech in sentences Reading a poetry format Writing a poem Reading a poem to the class Discussing answers with the class

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Before the lesson Provide examples of nouns, verbs and adjectives.

Background information Students should get a lot of opportunities to practise identifying the different parts of speech, and be aware of them in their own writing. (See also R.I.C. Publications®’ P7013 ‘Introducing part of speech’ poster set P7014 ‘Understanding parts of speech’ poster set 6953 ‘Introducing parts of speech’ interactive software)

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• • • • • • •

Teachers notes

Answers 1. (a) A verb is an action or doing word; e.g. laugh (b) A noun is a naming word; e.g. lunch box (c) An adjective describes the noun; e.g. silly 2. (a) verb – took, nouns – teacher, class, beach day, adjectives – kind, windy (b) verb – chased, nouns – dog, sister, adjectives – furry, grumpy, older (c) verbs – went, is, nouns – brother, rock concert, adjectives – deaf, loud 3. Teacher check 4. example: nouns – cereal, tea, toast, jam, milk, butter, plate, spoon verbs – eat, pour, chew, sit, stir, sprinkle, drink adjectives – hot, delicious, sweet, lumpy, chewy, tasty, salty

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Identify different parts of speech in sentences or the class reading book. 2. Add adjectives and adverbs to simple sentences to provide more details. 3. Write poems in other formats, using particular parts of speech.

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Recommended reading (verbs) How to successfully persuade your parents to give you more pocket money by Andrea Shavick Sounds in the wind by Kate Williams

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Parts of speech Verbs, nouns and adjectives are all parts of speech.

Adjective

Noun

School is super!

 Deﬁne each word and give an example of each. (a)

Verb

Verb example:

(b)

Noun example:

(c)

Adjective

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example:

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adjectives.

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 Read these sentences. Write V above the verbs, N above the nouns and A above the (a)

The kind teacher took the class to the windy beach for the day.

(b)

The furry, grumpy dog chased my older sister.

(c)

My brother went to a loud rock concert and now he is quite deaf.

 (a)

Look at this format and example to write a poem.

Line 1: Verb (‘ing’) ............ twinkling,

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Line 2: Verb phrase (‘ing’) ............ hanging in black space,

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Line 3: three adjectives describing the noun ............ silent, loyal, still

(b)

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Title:

Line 1: Line 2: Line 3:

Use interesting words!

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Try one yourself! You can choose any topic you like.

 Write three nouns, three verbs and three adjectives to do with BREAKFAST. Nouns

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Verbs

Adjectives

Investigating poetry

Do it!

Teachers notes

Indicators • Develops competence and conﬁdence in using oral language • Learns about and names the basic properties of verbs and nouns

The lesson 1. Give the students oral verb exercises; e.g. pick out the verb in this sentence, use verbs to explain what we do at school. 2. The students read the poem on the worksheet and underline the verbs. 3. The students read the words and circle the verbs to complete Question 2. 4. The students change sentences into the past tense. 5. The students write a verb poem, reading the example ﬁrst. 6. All answers are discussed as a class and poems are read out or displayed.

Background information This lesson deals only with verbs. The class can either do the whole worksheet together or all answers can be discussed at the end. The students should give oral deﬁnitions and examples of verbs as well as having practice at changing tenses.

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Activities covered Underlining verbs Circling verbs Writing sentences in past tense Writing a verb poem Discussing answers

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• • • • •

Before the lesson Prepare oral exercises to do with verbs at the start of the lesson.

Answers 1. remember, said, can tell, counting, is, went, found, am, eating, said, is 2. write, is, wrestle, were, snore, argue, concentrate, sitting, do, breathe, worked, smashed 3. (a) James was ﬁt because he swam, walked, cycled and ran. (b) The family ate dinner and discussed the day’s events. 4. Teacher check

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Additional activities Students can: 1. The same lesson can be done with nouns. The pupils write an occupation poem using nouns, which could be objects that the person uses in his/her line of work. 2. Write given passages in the past tense. 3. Read texts and identify the nouns and verbs. 4. Write all the activities he or she has done in a day (verbs).

Homework suggestion The students write all the things they do at home. (verbs)

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Recommended reading Literacy hour by Clare Bevan

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Do it! Can you remember what a verb is?

 Read this joke and underline the verbs. ‘Now remember boys and girls’, said the science teacher, ‘You can tell a tree’s age by counting the rings in each cross-section. It is one ring for each year’. Luke went home for tea and found a Swiss roll on the table. I am not eating that, Mum’, he said. ‘It is ﬁve years old!’

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 Which of these are verbs? Circle them. write

argue

breathe

friendly

concentrate

cake

snore

sitting

hiccup

armchair

wrestle

measles

vest

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poodle

 Rewrite these sentences in the past tense. (a)

(b)

James is ﬁt because he swims, walks, cycles and runs.

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were

worked

ice cubes smashed

 Write a verb poem. Choose an occupation and write eight actions this person does in his/

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A teacher ... teaches, writes, praises, corrects, guides, nurtures, explains and ... yells!

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her line of work.

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Investigating poetry

By yourself Indicators • Reads for pleasure and information • Reads widely as an independent reader from a more challenging range of materials

Before the lesson Provide other reading materials for the students to read on their own ﬁrst, and then discuss with the class. The lesson 1. The students read the poem ‘‘Pea puzzle’. 2. The students answer questions on their worksheet. 3. All answers can be discussed as a class.

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Activities covered • Reading a poem on own • Answering questions • Writing a suitable ending to a poem

Answers 2. (a)

(b)

Answers will vary, but should be similar to the following: (i) type of dance (ii) spinning movement of the body made while balanced on one toe or foot (iii) jumped or ran excitedly (iv) eat quickly or greedily Answers should include two of the following: family sat down to dinner/peas began to dance/peas danced off the table/Mum proud the minty peas who had come to life No, the mother thought the her son/daughter had eaten all the peas. Teacher check

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Background information Students should get the chance to read materials on their own and thereby gain conﬁdence in their own abilities. It is important the students are reading materials that are on par with their reading ability and, therefore, differentiation in this area is vital.

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Teachers notes

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Additional activities Students can: Read some of the following types of reading material chosen by them from the library: poetry, nonﬁction, magazines, comics, parts of the class reading book, cartoons, recipes, instructions, jokes, questionnaires, song words, brochures, notices.

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Recommended reading

(reading cereal box) Breakfast reading by Steve Turner

(challenging) Symphony in yellow by Oscar Wilde The song of the mischievous dog by Dylan Thomas Website <www.childrensbooks.co.uk >

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By yourself  Read the poem below. Pea puzzle We all sat down to dinner, and there upon my plate, was a heap of minty peas, a vegetable I hate!

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S They danced onto the table then, and pirouetted onto the ﬂoor, and gracefully the pea-ple then, cavorted out the door.

Snow peas are a type of pea! Mmm, delicious!

‘You’ve eaten all your peas!’ cried Mum, ‘I’m so proud of you! Next time I’ll give you mushy peas, you’ll gobble those up too!’

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Then, suddenly, before my eyes, the peas began to dance, it appeared to be the cancan, they must have come from France.

(i)

cancan (line 7)

(ii)

pirouetted (line 10)

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(iii) cavorted (line 12) (iv) gobble (line 16)

(b)

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(c)

What do you think ‘pea-ple’ are?

(d)

Did the rest of the family realise what was happening? How do you know?

(e)

What kind of food do you wish would dance off your plate? Describe how it would move.

(f)

Write a two-line ending for this story.

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Investigating poetry

Poetry book Indicators • Reads for pleasure and information • Achieves proficiency in word identification by refining different words and identification skills

Before the lesson Divide the class into groups. Each group needs to be given a poetry anthology. The lesson 1. Give each group a poetry anthology. 2. The group can pass the book around for everyone to look at. Each group member chooses a poem and reads it to the group. 3. The students answer Questions 3 and 4. 4. Students read a few of the poems from the book.

Background information Reading as a group or class will allow the students to share what they are reading as well as their responses to the reading. Reading in groups also allows students to assist each other with difﬁcult words and is not as daunting for a less able reader as reading in front of the whole class.

Answers 1. – 5. Teacher check

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Activities covered • Group work – Looking at a poetry anthology • Reading poems • Answering questions

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Teachers notes

Additional activities Students can: 1. In groups, read plays, stories, poems, their own writing etc. 2. As a class, read poetry or the class reading book. 3. Plan and write group projects.

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Poetry book  In your group, look through the poetry anthology your teacher has given you. Make sure each group member looks at it.

 Have each group member choose one poem to read to the group. A fear of poetry is called metrophobia. I hope you don’t have that!

 Write the title of the poem and the name of the poet.

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 Answer these questions. (b)

Who compiled the book?

(c)

Who published the book?

(d)

When was the book ﬁrst printed?

(e)

Does it contain illustrations?

(f)

If so, who illustrated the book?

(g)

Describe the front cover.

(h)

Tick the features the book contains

(i)

How many pages does the book have?

(j)

Name ﬁve poets whose poems feature in the book.

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What is the title of the book?

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(a)

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As a group, choose and read three more poems. Name the title and poet of … (i) a poem you liked. Why did you like it?

(ii) a poem you disliked. Why did you dislike it?

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Investigating poetry

What interests you? Indicators • Reads for pleasure and information • Reads to satisfy personal interests • • • •

Before the lesson The students will need to have researched a topic that interests them. All students must have access to information, via the school library and/or the Internet. A dictionary for each student is essential for this lesson.

Activities covered Researching Writing facts/ideas Reading an example of a poem Writing a sausage poem

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The lesson 1. After researching a topic that interests them, the students write facts and ideas in point form to complete Question 2. 2. Read the definition of a sausage poem and the examples to the class. The students can then draft their own sausage poem. Emphasise to the students that sausage poems are difficult to compose and they may need to ask for assistance and/or use their dictionaries. The students should also be told that it may take several drafts to reach a final version. 3. The students can rewrite their poems neatly in a sausage shape in the space provided. Answers 1. – 3. Teacher check

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Background information Students should have many opportunities to read what interests them and not be restricted by the teacher’s choice. Visits to the school/local library should be frequent.

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Teachers notes

Additional activities Students can: 1. Complete projects on topics that interest them; e.g. an animal, country or occupation. 2. Have time allocated in the library to browse through the books. 3. Keep a record of their personal reading. (This list should not only consist of books, but other reading materials too.)

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What interests you? Follow your own interests!

 Research a topic you ﬁnd interesting. It can be anything!  Write some facts below, in point form.

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 Write a sausage poem about your research.

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My topic:

Each new word must start with the last letter of the previous word. Words do not have to rhyme. Write four lines if you can. Look at the examples below.

Teachers set tests, studying gets stressful, losing great times, stuck knuckled down.

It is harder than it looks!

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Cats sleep plenty yet too often, need dear rats, snoozing gets shelved.

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Keep your dictionary close at hand to look up words beginning with the letters you need!

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Draft your poem on scrap paper ﬁrst, then write a ﬁnal copy in the space below.

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Investigating poetry

Monday blues Indicators • Develops competence and conﬁdence and the ability to write independently • Writes for a sustained length of time

Before the lesson Set a time limit for the students to complete their poems. The lesson 1. Read the poem ‘‘Monday muddle’ as a class. 2. The students change the given sentences in Question 2. 3. The students write their own topsy-turvy poem. They can begin to draft their poems during the lesson. Set a time limit as to when the poem should be complete. It is suggested that a few days is given so the students can keep working and improving on it. The poem should be topsy-turvy in that actions etc. are swapped around. 4. The students write their ﬁnished poems on a separate sheet of paper and then share their poems with the class.

Background information Sometimes written work should take a few days to complete so that students can work on their writing and improve on it. A time limit should always be given. If written work has been completed over a length of time, the work should be mostly free of mistakes and of a higher standard than writing done just during one lesson. This point should made clear to the students.

Answers 1. – 5. Teacher check

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Activities covered • Reading a poem • Changing sentences • Writing a poem over a period of time

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Teachers notes

Additional activities Students can: Write the following types of text over a length of time: stories, plays, projects, longer poems, newspaper articles, songs and questionnaires.

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Homework suggestion The students work on their topsy-turvy poems.

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Monday blues I hope you are having a good day!

 Read the poem below about someone who is not. Monday muddle I got up this morning, and put gloves on my feet, I brushed both my armpits, and hung up my sheet.

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S I read my milk, and ironed the cat, I fed my trousers and drank my hat.

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I combed all my teeth, and ate up my Mam, I washed my toast and strawberry jam.

I polished my brother and watered my shoes, I think I’m suffering the Monday blues.

 Turn these into topsy-turvy sentences.

(b)

(c)

The teacher wrote on the board and yelled at the child.

The cat drank the sour milk and ate spicy chicken.

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(a)

 Write a topsy-turvy poem using your own sentences. Do your ﬁrst rough draft below.

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Cross out as much as you like—it’s only a rough draft!

 Keep working on it and improving on it. This may take a few days!  Share it with the class. Write a ﬁnal copy on a separate sheet of paper. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Investigating poetry

Concrete poetry Indicators • Develops competence, conﬁdence and the ability to write independently • Experiences varied and consistent oral language as part of the pre-writing process

Before the lesson Prepare examples of concrete poetry. The lesson 1. Explain what a concrete poem is and read the example. 2. The class discusses things in life they would not like to be without; i.e. their favourite things. 3. The students write their own ideas and others’ ideas to complete Question 2. 4. The students choose one item that is special to them. 5. The students write a two-line or a four-line poem about their object. Rhyming is not necessary. 6. The students make a pencil sketch of their object to write their poem on. All this work should be done lightly so they can change their drawing if they need to. It is not always easy to get the poem to ﬁt! The poem at the end should look like the object they are writing about. 7. The students assess their poem to answer Question 5. 8. Poems can be passed around and shared with the class or written neatly or cut out to be displayed in the classroom.

Background information Most lessons contain some oral language. Discussing a topic before the writing process is helpful so that students can focus on the topic and get ideas from others in the class.

Answers 1. – 5. Teacher check

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Activities covered Discussing favourite things Writing ideas Reading an example of concrete poetry Writing a poem Self-assessing a poem

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• • • • •

Teachers notes

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Additional activities Students can: Precede writing activities such as a letter, a story or poetry, with discussion.

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Websites (concrete poetry) <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_poetry> <http://oregonstate.edu/~smithc/vita/concrpoe.html>

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Concrete poetry A concrete poem is one that takes the shape of the object it describes. For example:

my br u

imes a day, so it enty t d o e tw s n like yours. ’ t k up stic

I co

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ot live without

rush my hai r

dn ul

b se I au

ys by my side alwa be s ’ c . It

 Have a class discussion about things in life you would not like to be without. Maybe it’s your teddy, your MP3 player or your schoolbooks!

 List your own ideas and others’ ideas below. Circle one thing you would not like to be without.

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 Write a two-line or four-line poem about it. Your words do not have to rhyme!

 Draw a rough sketch in pencil of the object you chose. It must be big enough to write on!

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Write your poem on your sketch so that your poem is the same shape as your subject.

 (a)

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How did your poem turn out? Fantastically

(b)

Make sure your readers know where to start reading!

Very Well

Badly

Write a reason for your rating on the back of this sheet.

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Investigating poetry

How are you feeling? Indicators • Develops competence, conﬁdence and the ability to write independently • Writes independently through a process of drafting, revising, editing and publishing

Before the lesson Prepare examples of how a piece of work is redrafted and revised. The lesson 1. Explain the process of redrafting and revising work. Some examples can be done together as a class. The activity is not discussed so that the students can come up with their own ideas. 2. The students think of other ways to say ‘ﬁne’. Keywords are written on the worksheet. Tell the students they must use interesting phrases. 3. The students read the sample poem and then write a poem in draft form. They then read their draft, correct mistakes and change ideas if necessary. Rhyming is not essential. The students use their imaginations and think of descriptive words and phrases. Lines should start with: ‘I am feeling’, ‘I feel’, ‘I am’ etc. Similes can be used. 4. The students type out their poems. All poems are put together to form a class booklet entitled, ‘We are feeling ﬁne!’ Some of the poems can be read out to the class. The book should be left on display in the classroom.

Background information Students should get into the habit of writing a draft, checking it and improving it and then writing it neatly or typing it out. The students should always be encouraged to read their own work to check for mistakes and to try to improve it. Time can sometimes be set aside purely for students to check their work. They should be working on their own in this lesson with no discussion.

Answers 1. – 5. Teacher check

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Activities covered Writing keywords Reading a sample poem Writing a poem in draft form Typing out a poem Compiling a class booklet

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• • • • •

Teachers notes

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Additional activities Students can: Redraft, revise and edit the following: articles for a class newspaper, each other’s work, stories, poems, projects, sentences or any written activities.

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How are you feeling? When someone asks you how you are feeling, do you just say ‘ﬁne?’ So do most people!

 Think of some more interesting ways to say you are feeling ﬁne. Use your imagination! Write keywords or phrases below.

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 Read the ‘ﬁne’ poem example below. How are you feeling?

Well, today I’m feeling quite OK, I’m ﬁne, I’m great, I have to say.

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Use descriptive words and phrases.

 Write your own poem saying how ‘ﬁne’ you feel. Say it in 12 different ways. Start each new idea on a new line.

Start with: I am feeling … I am … I feel …

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I’m feeling marvellous, full of joy, I feel like a child with a brand new toy.

I’m feeling elated, quite over the moon, I feel like a hedgehog in the middle of June.

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I’m smiling now and I just can’t stop.

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I’m feeling blissful, ecstatic and glad, There’s not one bit of me feeling sad.

I’m feeling contented, healthy and well, To make things even better, there’s the home-time bell!

 Check your poem carefully and improve it if you can.  Type your poem out. Put all the class’s poems together in a booklet and give it the title ‘We are feeling ﬁne!’

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Investigating poetry

Autobiography Indicators • Develops competence and conﬁdence and the ability to write independently • Writes, without redrafting, on a given or chosen topic, within speciﬁed time constraints

Before the lesson Decide what time limit the students should have to complete the task. The lesson 1. Explain the lesson, giving students their time limit. Read the format with the class. 2. The students write their poems. There should be silence in the classroom so they can focus completely on the task at hand. They should be honest about themselves. 3. The students answer Question 3.

Background information For this lesson, the students should be given a strict time limit. Time should be spent focused completely on the lesson; warn the students when time is running out. A little pressure can be beneﬁcial! The students should not have the time to check through their work.

Answers 1. – 4. Teacher check

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Activities covered • Reading a format • Writing about self • Self-assessing a written task

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Teachers notes

Additional activities Students can: Write the following texts within time limits: short poems, summaries, articles, written tasks in other subjects, comprehension activities and rough drafts.

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Recommended reading The way I am by Gervase Phinn

Investigating poetry

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Autobiography You are going to write about a very important person—yourself! You have a time limit, so work quickly and carefully. Be as honest as you can about yourself.

 Follow the format below.

We are all special!

Line 1:.............. Your name Line 2:..............

(3 things about your character)

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Line 3:.............. Brother or sister of Line 4:.............. Who loves

Line 5:.............. Who feels

about

and

( an emotion about 1 thing)

and

Line 7:.............. Who gives

and

Line 8:.............. Who fears

and

Line 9:.............. Who’d like to see

(people, things or ideas) (3 things you need)

(3 things or objects you share)

(1 place or person)

Line 10: ........... Who dreams of

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Line 6:.............. Who needs

, or son/daughter of

Line 11: ........... A student of (teacher’s name or school’s name) Line 12: ........... Nickname or repeat name

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Who loves Who feels

Who needs Who gives

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Who fears Who’d like to see Who dreams of

, and

about

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A student of

Don’t let anyone tell you that you have to be a certain way. Be unique. Be what you feel. (Melissa Etheridge)

 Which part of the poem was the most difﬁcult to complete? Place a star next to it. Why was it the most difﬁcult? R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Investigating poetry

Near perfect Indicators • Develops competence, conﬁdence and the ability to write independently • Observes the conventions of grammar, punctuation and spelling in his/her writing

Before the lesson Prepare a checklist that the students could use when writing. The lesson 1. Discuss with the students the process of checking their own work. Explain that the poem they write should have no mistakes! 2. Read the poem ‘‘My friends’ as a class. 3. The students write rhyming words for the given names to complete Question 2. They should be reminded not to hurt others’ feelings and should not refer to anyone in the class. 4. The students write their own poem in a in a similar style. The names they use should have rhyming words but a rhyming scheme is not necessary. The poem should consist of at least eight lines. One-syllable names will be easier to rhyme. 5. The students read their poems and thoroughly check them,for spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Background information Students should be in the habit of checking their own work. They should use a checklist which could perhaps be displayed in the classroom. Once they have completed a written exercise, they should automatically read through their own work and check the grammar, punctuation and spelling. Time can be set aside for the checking of their work.

Answers 1. – 4. Teacher check Additional activities Students can: 1. Edit the work of others. 2. Complete editing exercises. 3. Refer to a checklist when checking written work.

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Activities covered Writing rhyming words Reading a poem Writing a poem Checking a poem

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• • • •

Teachers notes

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Near perfect  Read the poem below. My friends There’s Dan the man, and Lorraine the pain, Spacy Tracy, and insane Shane.

names; e.g. Matt is a brat, Ann loves a ﬂan, Josh acts posh.

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There’s Mandy who’s handy, and Bill who feels ill, Kate wants a date, and Phil’s over the hill.

(a) Clair –

(b) Jake –

(d) Jane –

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There’s Daniel the spaniel, and Brad who’s mad, Liz in a tiz, and poor, sad Chad.

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 Try to think of rhyming words that go with these

 Write your own eight-line poem that consists of

people’s names and something that rhymes with each. Although it is a poem, follow the same punctuation rules as if you were writing sentences.

Be careful not to hurt anyone’s feelings!

There’s James who loves dames, and Ted who’s well-fed, Bob who’s no job, and Fred who sees red.

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There’s Paul who is tall, and Pam is a sham, with all these super friends, how lucky I am!

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Read through your poem and check: Spelling

Punctuation

Grammar

Don’t forget, all names begin with a capital letter!

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Investigating poetry

Make it better Indicators • Develops competence and conﬁdence and the ability to write independently • Uses dictionaries and thesauruses to extend and develop vocabulary and spelling

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Before the lesson Make sure each student has his/her own dictionary and thesaurus. The lesson 1. Discuss with the students how to improve their writing by using dictionaries and thesauruses. 2. The students improve the sentences in Question 1 by changing the words in brackets, using more interesting words. 3. The students read the poem ‘The cure’. Harder words can be discussed, such as ‘despair’, ‘prescribe’, ‘ail’, and ‘whodunnit’. 4. The students replace the words in brackets with more interesting words. Students can change the ‘a’ to ‘an’ or vice versa. 5. The students reread the poem and write meanings of words, looking in the dictionary if they are uncertain. The meanings should be in the context of the poem. 6. The students look in a thesaurus and write synonyms for the given words in Question 6. 7. The students open the dictionary/thesaurus five times, taking an interesting word from each page. 8. The students write a four-line poem using all five words. No rhyming is necessary. Answers 1. Answers will vary but could include the following: (a) diminutive, bad-tempered (b) famished, colossal 3. Example (c) pleasant, elegant The cure 2. – 4. Teacher check 5. (a) feel hopeless, lose hope, give up If you’re feeling rather glum, (b) say what should be done, advise, then please do not despair. lay down, specify, stipulate All you need is an enthralling book, (c) feel ill and a very comfy chair. 6. (a) need - require, want If you’re feeling a little ill, (b) tale - story, yarn, report, I’d prescribe an adventurous tale, narrative You’ll get lost in the thickening plot, (c) find - locate, come across, meet, no longer will you ail! spot, encounter, discover 7. – 8. Teacher check If you’re feeling a bit unloved,

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Background information Each student should have his/her own dictionary and thesaurus handy when doing written and reading exercises. The students must learn to be comfortable using both and this can only be achieved if they use them often and become familiar with them. They should see a dictionary and thesaurus as being a help when they are reading and writing.

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• • • • • •

Activities covered Improving sentences Improving a poem Reading a poem Improving words Finding words in a dictionary Writing a sentence

Teachers notes

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Websites (online dictionaries) <www.dictionary.com> <www.onelook.com> <http://dictionary.reference.com>

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a romance will do the trick. You’ll ﬁnd hints on how to smooch, and you’ll feel great quick. If you’re feeling bored and drowsy, I’d suggest a mystery, A really gritty whodunnit, will set your mind quite free. So for almost every ailment, a remedy you will ﬁnd, between the covers of an honest book, to repair your soul and mind.

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Make it better Use a dictionary and a thesaurus to help you complete these questions.

 Improve these sentences by replacing the words in brackets with more interesting synonyms. Do not change the meaning! (a)

The (small) child ran away from the (cross) teacher. The

(b)

child ran away from the

The (hungry) cat brought in a (big) rat. The

(c)

teacher.

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rat.

The (nice) party was at a (smart) hotel.

party was at a

hotel.

 Read the poem below.

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The

A library is a hospital for the mind.

 Replace the words in brackets with better words.

The cure

Write the words on the poem.

If you’re feeling rather (sad), then please do not despair. All you need is an (interesting) book,

 Read the poem again.

Did you improve it? ........................

Yes

poem? © R. I . C.Pu bl i cat i ons (a) despair If you’re feeling a (little) ill, • f o r r e v i e w p u r posesonl y• I’d prescribe an (exciting) tale, (b) prescribe

 What do these words mean in context of the

and a very (nice) chair.

You’ll get lost in the (exciting) plot, no longer will you ail!

(c)

pail

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If you’re feeling (quite) unloved,

these words.

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 Look in your thesaurus and ﬁnd synonyms for (a)

need

You’ll ﬁnd (ideas) on how to smooch,

(b)

tale

and you’ll feel (good) real quick.

(c)

ﬁnd

If you’re feeling bored and (tired),

Open your dictionary/thesaurus ﬁve times and write an interesting word from each page.

a (love story) will do the trick.

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I’d suggest a mystery,

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A really (exciting) whodunnit, will set your mind quite free. So for almost every ailment, a (cure) you will ﬁnd, between the covers of a (good) book, to repair your soul and mind. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

 On a separate sheet of paper, try writing a four-line poem using the words from Question 7. Investigating poetry

Write for younger readers Indicators • Develops competence and conﬁdence and the ability to write independently • Chooses a register of language appropriate to subject and audience

• •

Before the lesson Examples of how language is aimed at a particular audience could be prepared; e.g. books for young children, advertisements aimed at different audiences. Provide several books for young children in the classroom so the students can look through them to know what level they are aiming at.

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Background information The students should be aware of their audience when they are writing and should choose their language and content accordingly. In order to target the audience and keep them interested, writing should be aimed at what the particular audience enjoys.

The lesson 1. Discuss the intended writing audience with the class. Mention aspects that need to be kept in mind, such as keeping the language simple, making it funny if possible, using appropriate illustrations. 2. The students can look through some books for young children. 3. The students choose two animals and write their characteristics. They can then make up an animal by using some characteristics from each of their lists and name and describe it to complete Question 2. The example below is then read and discussed. 4. The students write a poem Example about the imaginary animal. They can add in details. The catterfly Each new detail should be on a new line. The poem A catterfly has six furry legs, need not rhyme. and a colourful pair of wings, 5. The students read their it flies around looking for food, poems and make sure they made of fish and meaty things. are suitable, making any

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Activities covered Discussing writing for different audiences Choosing two animals, writing characteristics of each Writing a poem aimed at a target audience Checking and rewriting a poem, adding illustrations

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• •

Teachers notes

Investigating poetry

Answers 1. – 4. Teacher check

It has two large antennae, its tail near touches the ground, and when it sees a colourful ﬂower, it makes a moewing sound! Ask students if they can guess which two creatures make a catterﬂy.

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changes or improvements as necessary. 6. The students write their poem neatly/type it out and illustrate it. 7. All poems are put together to form a booklet. The booklet can then be given to a class of young students.

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Additional activities Students can: Write to a visitor to the school, create advertisements aimed at a speciﬁc audience or comic strips aimed at their own age group, write deﬁnitions of slang words for an older generation, shopping lists for different peoples – e.g. a hiker, a wildlife enthusiast, a mother.

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Write for younger readers Try writing an animal poem suitable for a class of young students in your school. When you are writing for younger readers, think about the following: • • • • •

the language you use the type of writing you use the illustrations the way in which you present it the content

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 Choose two animals that are completely different from each other. List some of their main characteristics; e.g. physical features, typical sounds and movements.

 Create a creature by combining

characteristics from both your animals above. You can add in extra details of course!

Animal 2

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Animal 1

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Start each new idea on a new line.

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Write a poem about the creature below. It does not have to rhyme!

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 Read your poem and check it is suitable for the class you chose. Rewrite it and illustrate it.  Put all the class’s poems together in a booklet and give it to the chosen class’s teacher. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Investigating poetry

Help each other Indicators • Develops competence and conﬁdence and the ability to write independently • Helps others with editing their writing

Before the lesson Divide the class into pairs. The lesson 1. Discuss with the class how to write a kenning. 2. The students read the example on the worksheet and complete Question 2 with their partners. 3. The students write their own kenning. 4. The students read each other’s poems and try to guess the animal or object. 5. Still in pairs, the students make sure there are no mistakes in their partner’s poem and that all ideas are clear and able to be understood. They can then make any necessary changes. 6. The ﬁnished poems should be displayed or put together as a class booklet.

Background information The students need to have the opportunity to work individually, in pairs, in groups and as a class. Working with others should be beneﬁcial in that students assist each other and are not solely responsible for a written piece of work. Teachers should change members in pairs and groups so students are not always working with the same classmates.

Answers 1. – 6. Teacher check Additional activities Students can: 1. Complete written tasks in pairs or groups. 2. Check each other’s work on whenever possible.

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Activities covered • Reading a poem • Writing a poem (kenning) • Pair work – Reading and improving poems

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Teachers notes

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Websites www.maninthemoon.co.uk/kennings.html

Investigating poetry

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Help each other  The poem on this page is called a

 (a)

(b)

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Who do you think the kenning is about?

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kenning. A kenning is a type of poem that describes a person, an animal or an object, by using 10 pairs of words. The animal or object is not mentioned.

Report writer, Child helper, Classroom walker, Dictionary speaker, Break-time warden, Daydream breaker, Word magician, Poetry lover, Problem solver, Homework giver.

In pairs, write one other pair of words to describe the same person/animal/object.

 On your own, write a kenning about an animal, person or object of your choice. Don’t give it a title!

Use your imagination!

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 With a partner, read each other’s kennings.

Write what you think your partner’s kenning is about. What was it actually about?

 What was your kenning about? What did your partner think it was about?

 Read each other’s kennings again and check for mistakes and possible improvements

you both could make. Discuss each other’s poems and improve them together. Mark any changes on your kenning and then rewrite it on a separate sheet of paper.

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Investigating poetry

Seasoning! Indicators • Develops competence and conﬁdence and the ability to write independently • Takes part in cooperative writing activities

Before the lesson Provide pictures of the current season to help students with their ideas. Some students may require dictionaries and thesauruses. The lesson 1. The students read descriptions and write what season they think is being described to complete Question 1. 2. The students write the current season and discuss it as a class. 3. The students write ideas and words to do with the season. Students should write what comes to mind as they think about the season, as well as how this season makes them feel. If possible, they should take a walk outside to note clues that deﬁne the season; e.g. crickets chirping, pubbles, new shoots on plants and so on. 4. The students write a poem with the given format. They should try to use different words in their poems, using dictionaries and thesauruses if necessary. 5. All poems can be put together to form a class anthology using the name of the season as the title. This should be somewhere in the school where other students or visitors to the school can read it.

Background information Students should sometimes work together, in pairs, groups or as a class. Even when students work independently, their work can be put together to form class anthologies or booklets. These can be displayed in the school library or other public areas to allow other students in the school to read them.

Answers 1. (a) winter (b) spring/summer (c) autumn 2. – 3. Teacher check 5. – 7. Teacher check

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Activities covered • Writing words and ideas • Writing a poem about a season • Putting all poems together, compiling a class anthology

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Teachers notes

4. Example: Winter, Bleak, stormy, Strangling, grasping, July

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Additional activities Students can: 1. As a class or in groups, undertake: projects, booklets containing one theme, compilations of poetry and stories, fact ﬁles etc. 2. Write and publish a class newspaper.

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Seasoning!  Read these describing words. What season do you think they are referring to? (a)

cold, stormy

(b)

colourful, blossoming

(c)

golden with a slight hint of coolness

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The surface of the sun is about 6000 degrees Celsius.

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 What season are you in now?

 Think about what this season brings and how it makes you feel. Write words or phrases in

the box below that describe this season. Use your imagination! Try to take a walk outside to see what clues you can ﬁnd about the present season.

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 Write a poem about the season you are in. Use the format below.

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Line 1: Noun ( The season)

Line 2: Two adjectives that describe it Line 3: Two ‘ing’ words

Line 4: A similar noun to line 1

 Read and check your poem and improve it if you can. Rewrite it neatly and decorate it. Rain before seven, Fair by eleven

 Give yourselves a score out of 5:  Put all your poems together to make a booklet on the current season. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Investigating poetry

Grafﬁti

Teachers notes

Indicators • Develops competence, conﬁdence and the ability to write independently • Develops skills in the use of information technology

• • •

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Activities covered Reading graffiti Giving definitions for slang words Looking at graffiti on the Internet, answering questions Writing a two-line poem for a graffiti wall Typing out a statement Making a graffiti wall

Background information At this age, students should be using the computer regularly for a variety of reasons, from researching on the Internet to presenting their work in a professional way. They should know how to look up a given website and also how to use a search engine. The students should be familiar with the basics of using word processing programs.

The lesson 1. The students read the graffiti wall on the worksheet. 2. Discuss graffiti walls in general. The teacher can point out that it is illegal to write or spraypaint on walls and buildings and graffiti is a form of vandalism. 3. The students write the meaning of the slang words. This can be done as a class. 4. The students look at graffiti websites. The teacher must check the content of the sites first. If the classroom does not have many computers, the students can look at the websites in groups while the rest of the class starts the next activity. 5. The students answer questions about the website and look up other information by using a search engine such as Google. (Teachers remind the students to type in keywords of what they are looking for.) Students should be closely supervised during this activity. 6. The students write a two-line poem for the graffiti wall. There should be some rhyming. It can be a statement about themselves or an opinion they have of something. They can use slang (but no swearwords). 7. The students type out their rhyming statement, using a graffiti font preferably, and use colour etc. to make it look like graffiti. Some students may wish to handwrite their statements. This should be allowed, provided that they do the background on the computer. The students will be less likely to write it themselves if there are graffiti fonts on the computer. When the students print out their statement the font should be big enough so that it can be seen at a distance. 8. The students make a graffiti wall as a class.

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• • •

Before the lesson The students will need to have access to the computer to look up a site on the Internet. The students will need to print out their poem. Check websites to make sure that they are suitable. Certain grafﬁti websites will have unsuitable language and/or illustrations; therefore students should be given speciﬁc URLs that the teacher has already checked.

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Websites <www.grafﬁtifonts.net> <www.grafﬁti.org>

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Use the computer to make menus, write letters, make timetables, write picture stories etc. 2. Use the Internet to research a topic, to expand knowledge on a particular skill being covered, look up their own interests, read other children’s work etc. 3. Use online dictionaries and thesauruses.

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Graffiti Graffiti is words or drawings scribbled or sprayed on a wall. It is against the law to do such things except in this lesson. You are going to make a graffiti wall in the classroom, only your work will be done on paper and stuck on the wall!

 Read the examples below.

Music ’s my li fe, Met Wish t allica hey’d s rulz, tart g igging it’s s , z c l at h u r o g ols. din r a o b e t ka

I was here. My name is Bill, I wish my teacher would learn to chill.

, no s e d a h s No bling. o n , c i t s pla

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r o e t s Bo r e p g, o u k Sour thifnootball, no It’s my life so check it out,

If you want me to listen, just don’t shout.

 The following words are slang words. What do they mean? (a)

woz

(b)

chill

Teachers rule!

What is the title of the web page?

(b)

Name two sections on the home page.

(c)

Tick if the website has the following:

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(a)

(d)

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 Look up a grafﬁti site on the Internet and answer these questions.

links to other web pages .................

contact details ..................................

photos ................................................

articles ...............................................

illustrations .......................................

artists .................................................

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What do you think of the website?

 Use a search engine to ﬁnd the following. (a)

the penalty you could have to pay for doing grafﬁti

(b)

a website where you can download grafﬁti fonts

 Write your own two-line poem for the grafﬁti wall. It should be a statement about yourself or a statement about something you feel strongly about.

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You can use slang words.

Investigating poetry

Power

Teachers notes

Indicators • Develops cognitive abilities through oral language • Discusses issues of main concern

Before the lesson Prepare examples of ways in which we could save electricity. Divide the class into groups.

Activities covered • Group work – Reading a poem • Answering and discussing questions

The lesson 1. Hold a brief class discussion about electricity. 2. The students read the poem ‘‘Powerless’ in their groups The teacher can discuss harder words; e.g. ‘unanimously’, ‘crave’, ‘trendy’, ‘soap watching’, ‘shot’. 3. The students answer Question 2 as a group, discussing why and how we could save electricity. 4. The class can then discuss the answers.

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Background information Students need the opportunity now and then to discuss issues in the world that will ultimately affect them, and what they can do to make their futures better. Students of this age should be aware of what is going on in the world and there should be set times when different issues are discussed.

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. (a) microwave, kettle or coffee machine, hairdryer, karaoke machine, ‘lean’ machine, CD player, dishwasher, laptop, washing machine, computer, alarm clock, TV (b) – (d) Teacher check (e) Answers will vary, but should indicate that energy supplies are not inexhaustible, we have to look after our environment, switch off lights when not in the room, switch off appliances in standby, use solar heating.

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Discuss local and national events once a week. 2. Read newspapers and watch the news on TV and report back to the class. 3. Report on TV shows highlighting an issue of concern. 4. Write about various concerns and develop strategies that could help the situation.

Homework suggestion The students draw a cross-section of a house, showing where we can save electricity.

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Websites <www.42explore.com/electric.htm>

Investigating poetry

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Power We take electricity for granted! Do not leave your appliances on standby!

 Read this poem with a group. Powerless

I can’t listen to CDs, My dishes are piled in the sink. My mini-laptop is idle My clothes are causing a stink!

The scientists got together, And did unanimously decide, That voltage is quite bad for us, ‘Let’s ban it!’ loud they cried.

I can’t read through my emails, My bath water isn’t hot, I can’t wake up in the mornings, My soap-watching is shot!

I can’t eat my TV dinner Without my microwave! I can’t even make a coffee, Something which I crave.

No, this simply will not do. I cannot live this way. I’ve had power surging through my life, I need it, come what may!

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What about my hairdryer, And my karaoke machine? I can’t use my trendy gadget That makes my bacon lean.

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Everyone was shocked one day, By an announcement on TV: ‘In the interest of health and safety, No more electricity’.

Name some electrical appliances you have in your home.

(c)

What appliances would you not like to be without?

(d)

How would you describe brieﬂy these to someone who lived 200 years ago?

(e)

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Name the electrical appliances the speaker has.

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(a)

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(i)

treadmill

(ii)

laptop

(iii)

mobile phone

Why and how should we try to save electricity?

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Investigating poetry

Ask away! Indicators • Develops cognitive abilities through oral language • Reads widely as an independent reader from a more challenging range of materials

• • • •

Before the lesson Prepare examples of when we need to ask questions. Divide the class into pairs. The lesson 1. Read the poem ‘‘Homesick’ as a class. Discuss the poem, including the different places the speaker may have visited. Words that can be discussed: ‘traversed’, ‘sampled’, ‘scrutinised’, ‘brew’, ‘awe’, ‘savoured’. 2. The students answer Questions 2 and 3. 3. The students use the same words from Question 3 to ask their partner questions. For Question 4 the students need to role-play the speaker from the poem. For Question 5, the students talk about a place they have visited. 4. The students write a summary of the answers given in Question 5.

Background information Students are naturally curious and like to ask questions. They should know that whenever they are unsure about something to ask! Remind the students what the ‘question’ words are.

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Activities covered Reading a poem Asking questions using given question words Pair work – Asking a partner questions Naming places

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Teachers notes

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. India, UK (Big Ben), Germany, Italy (Leonardo da Vinci), Rome, America (Elvis’s home – Graceland), Bermuda Triangle, Africa (Big Five), France (frog’s legs), Netherlands, Poland 3. Possible questions: (a) Where did you spot the Big Five? (b) What are Polish meals like? (c) When did you visit Big Ben? (d) Who did you travel with? (e) Why did you visit the Bermuda Triangle? (f) How can you afford to travel so much? 4. – 5. Teacher check

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Additional activities Students can: Use the key questions to write a story, a poem, a report, about an incident or event and so on.

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Recommended reading (travel) A chance in France by Pie Corbett

Investigating poetry

R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Ask away! If we want more information about something, we should ask questions!

 Read the poem below. Homesick

There’s no place like home!

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In one year, passengers on British Airways consume more than 557 507 boxes of chocolate!

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I’ve traversed the rough and seven seas, and sampled exotic Indian teas. I’ve scrutinised big Big Ben, and shared some jokes with foreign men. I’ve tasted many a German brew, and seen what Leonardo drew. I’ve studied the rubble and ruins in Rome, and even graced old Elvis’s home. I’ve spotted the Big Five with awe and fear, to the dreaded Triangle, I’ve been near. I’ve eaten frog’s legs, crocs and eels, and savoured Dutch and Polish meals. But, no matter where I happen to land, whether it’s humble, homely or grand, I ﬁnd myself writing a poem, about simply wanting to be at home.

The Big Five are the animals in Africa who were considered to be the most dangerous – lion, rhino, leopard, buffalo and elephant!

© R. I . C.Publ i cat i ons  This speaker has obviously done some travelling! Which countries or places do you think the speaker visited? •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• Start your questions as follows. (a)

Where

(b)

What

(c)

When

(d)

Who

(e)

Why

(f)

How

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 Imagine that you could ask the speaker questions. What would you ask?

Don’t forget question marks!

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 Find a partner. Ask him/her the questions above. The answers can be made up!  Use the question words to ask each other about a place that you have visited. Write a summary of what you found out.

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Investigating poetry

Popular or not? Indicators • Develops cognitive abilities through oral language • Discusses the value, truth or relevance of popular ideas, causes and proverbs

• • • •

Before the lesson Provide other examples of what is popular. (advertisements, magazines) The lesson 1. The students read the poem ‘Branded’. 2. The students complete Question 2. They need not write full sentences. 3. The students write what is popular or trendy, using the given headings. 4. Discuss all answers with the class, also discussing popular trends and their relevance.

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Activities covered Reading a poem Answering questions Writing popular items Discussing with class

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. (a) The speaker will wear only well known brand-name clothing. (b) Others will laugh at him/her, he/she would not be accepted (c) ‘I pay well to look this good’ (d) bro’ – brother, meaning friend, hood meaning neighbourhood (e) – (f) Teacher check 3. – 4. Teacher check

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Background information This lesson focuses on popular ideas. Students must learn to accept each other, regardless of clothing, appearance, interests etc. Approach the lesson in a sensitive manner as there is always someone in the class who feels that he/she does not belong and is not ‘fashionable’. Teachers should discuss with the students the fact that appearance and latest trends have no bearing on what a person’s character is. Too much money can be spent on trying to keep up with the latest fashions, and although it is not wrong to try to look your best, students should accept others who may not have the latest ‘gear’.

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Teachers notes

Additional activities Students can: Discuss peer pressure and the consequences of trying to keep up with peers.

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Recommended reading

(fashion) Fashion by Brian Patten Take off that hat by Ted Scheu You’re not going out like that by Paul Cookson and David Harmer Where shall I have my tattoo? by Redvers Brandling Just look at yourself by Alan Priestey DIY tongue stud by Mike Johnson No earrings allowed by Steven Herrick

Investigating poetry

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Popular or not? To keep up with trends nowadays is difﬁcult!

Fashions fade, style is eternal. (Yves Saint Laurent)

 Read this poem. Branded

There’s labels on my jumper, my trousers, shirt and scarf, my runners, wallet and key chain, so others will not laugh.

Didaas, beerok and siedel, Umpa and Tirefrap, Glannwerr, Evil and Valcin leink, And Kine on my cap.

I’m a walking advertisement, I pay well to look this good, accept me the way I am bro’ and welcome to my hood.

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You can’t judge a book by its cover.

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We are the name-brand-culture, this we can’t deny, I only want these labels, there’s nothing else I’ll buy!

 Answer these questions. (a)

Sum up in one sentence what the speaker is saying in the ﬁrst verse.

(b)

What does the speaker think will happen if he/she does not dress in a particular way?

(d)

Explain the following words: (i) bro’

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(ii) hood

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Do you agree with what the speaker is saying?

Yes

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Give a reason for your answer.

(f)

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(c)

Name another two brands of clothing not mentioned in the poem.

 Write what kind of the following is ‘cool’ at the moment. trousers

technology

game

junk food

TV program

holiday destination

music

sport

movie

shoes

 Discuss all your answers with the class. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Investigating poetry

Listen up! Indicators • Develops interests, attitudes, information retrieval skills and the ability to think through reading • Listens to, reads, learns, recites and responds to a challenging range of poetry Activities covered Listening to the teacher Answering questions (from memory) Re-reading a poem Checking answers Writing three wishes

Before the lesson Prepare poems to read to the students just for enjoyment. The lesson 1. Read the poem ‘Wishing well’ to the class. Worksheets should not be handed out at this time so the students can listen to the poem, rather than read it. 2. The worksheets are handed out and the poems are covered, or the page is folded in half so the students cannot see the poem. 3. The students answer the given questions on their own. Full sentences are not necessary. 4. The students read the poem themselves and check their answers. They then give themselves a score out of seven. 5. The students write one wish they would make. 6. All answers can be discussed as a class.

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Background information This lesson focuses on listening. Poems are excellent to develop listening skills because the whole poem can be read and details analysed. Humorous poetry is helpful for these activities as it keeps students listening and on task!

Answers 1. Teacher check 2 (a) a trampoline (b) a leopard (c) ice-cream (d) Only boys! (e) pizza (f) by limousine (g) 10-metre 3. – 4. Teacher check

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• • • • •

Teachers notes

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Listen to the teacher reading poems. 2. Invite a poet to the school to read and discuss his/her own poetry. 3. Listen to classmates reading their own poetry. 4. Learn a poem off by heart for a school event.

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Recommended reading Purple shoes by Irene Rawnsley If I were famous by Steve Turner Websites www.poetry4kids.com

Investigating poetry

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Listen up!  Listen to the teacher while he/she reads the poem below.

 How well did you listen? Answer these questions without looking at the poem.

Wishing well

(a)

If I could be granted a wish, I think that it would be, To have a giant trampoline, Just for my friends and me.

(b)

What type of pet would he have?

(c)

Which type of shop would he own?

(d)

What would the plaque on the tree house say?

(e)

What type of meals would his cook specialise in?

I’d have a gigantic bedroom, Stuffed with games and toys, A designer wooden tree house, With a plaque saying ‘Only boys!’

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I’d have a sparkling swimming pool, And a leopard as a pet. I think I’d own an ice-cream shop, And my very own Lear jet.

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What giant thing does the speaker wish for?

(f) How would hen get from place to place? © R. I . C.Pu bl i ca t i o s f o rr ev i ew pu r posesonl y• I’d have a• larder packed with chocolate, (g) How big would his TV be?

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I think I’d have a playground, And my very own football club, I’d be chauffeured in my limo, Complete with loo and tub.

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And my own designer cook, Who specialised in pizza, And had written his own book.

answers. Give yourself a score out of 7.

 Imagine you could have one wish. What would it be?

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I’d have the latest Playstation™, And a 10-metre TV. And as for quads and go-Karts, Why, I’d have more than three!

But, oops, I’m getting carried away, One wish is not enough! I need a bunch of genies To order all this stuff!

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The word ‘genie’ originated in Arabian folklore. Investigating poetry

False freedom Indicators • Develops interests, attitudes, information retrieval skills and the ability to think through reading • Listens to, reads, learns, recites and responds to a challenging range of poetry

The lesson 1. The students read the poem ‘‘False freedom’. 2. The students draw a picture to show what the speaker sees. 3. The students answer a question about what the speaker is really doing. 4. The students write descriptive words that the speaker has used and write their own descriptive words. 5. The students replace descriptive words in the poem with descriptive words of their own. 6. The students reread the poem and decide which poem sounds better. 7. All answers can be discussed as a class.

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Activities covered Reading a poem Drawing a picture Answering questions Writing alternative descriptive words Replacing words in a poem Reading a poem again

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Before the lesson Provide other poems for the students to read—independently or as a class. Make sure the students understand what adjectives and adverbs are.

Background information The focus of this lesson is reading. Poems are ideal for developing reading skills because they are often short and a student can attain a good level of success in reading them, even if it means practising ﬁrst. Students should have access to poetry anthologies and poetry websites.

Answers 1. – 2. Teacher check 3. No, he is playing a computer game. 4. (a) glossy (b) smooth (c) cool (d) bright (e) whizzing (f) grey (g) grumpy 5. – 6. Teacher check

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• • • • • •

Teachers notes

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Read different forms of poetry in anthologies. 2. Read each other’s poetry. 3. Look at poetry websites.

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Websites <www.gigglepoetry.com>

Investigating poetry

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False freedom  Read the following poem to yourself. False freedom

sees while he/she is skateboarding.

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It’s great being a kid, with a skateboard. Skating past glossy ponds, through sunny parks, along smooth footpaths, seeing small squirrels hopping about, waving to my mates, feeling the breeze cool in my face and the sun on my neck. I see families out shopping, bursts of bright ﬂowers, cars whizzing past me, freedom at my toe tips. Moving along grey buildings, and colourful fruit stalls, avoiding grumpy pedestrians, and just sailing through the air. Four wheels and two feet, and the whole world is mine.

 Draw a picture that shows what the speaker

 Is the speaker really skateboarding? How do

Then Mum says, ‘Switch off that Playstation™ and go and get some fresh air!’

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you know? © R. I . C.Publ i ca t i ons •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y•

 How does the speaker describe the following? Write your own descriptive word for each. (a) ponds

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(b) footpaths (c) breeze

(d) ﬂowers (e) cars

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(f) buildings (g) pedestrians

 Underline the descriptive words in the poem (adjectives and adverbs).  Replace the descriptive words in the poem with your own words. Read the poem again! Which sounds better?

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Investigating poetry

Learn it

Teachers notes

Indicators • Develops interests, attitudes, information retrieval skills and the ability to think through reading • Listens to, reads, learns, recites and responds to a challenging range of poetry

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Activities covered Listening to the teacher pronounce words Writing words phonetically Reading a poem as a class Learning a poem and adding actions Writing a poem from memory Performing a poem

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The lesson 1. Read the foreign words on the worksheet, and have the students write the words phonetically; i.e. as they are said. The teacher will need to read the words slowly and perhaps a few times and also explain to the students how to write a word phonetically (see below). The words can then be read and practised as a class. 2. The students read the poem on the worksheet. This can be done as a class. 3. The students learn the poem by heart and add any appropriate actions. This could be done in pairs. The teacher will need to assist the class with the learning of the poem, perhaps taking it a sentence at a time. 4. The students write the poem from memory. (Spelling is not important.) 5. The students perform the poem for another class and assess their performance.

Background information This lesson focuses on learning a poem by heart. The poem is short, although there are some foreign words the students will need to learn to pronounce ﬁrst. The students should, from time to time, be learning shorter poems by heart and be able to perform them for the class, visitors or other classes.

Answers 1. – 6. Teacher check Additional activities Students can: 1. Learn a poem as a class to perform for a visitor coming to the school. 2. Learn poems written by other students and perform them for the class.

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• • • • • •

Before the lesson Provide more examples of ‘goodbye’ in other languages.

Pronunciations arrivederci a – reev – a – dur – chi vaarwel far – vell adios a – dee – os aloha a – low – ha slán slaan au revoir a – rev – wa auf wiedersehen owf – vee – de – zane adieu a – dew ciao chow sayonara sa – yo – na – ra

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Recommended reading

(acting) When the aliens came to dinner by Clare Bevan Websites <www.ﬁzzyfunnyfuzzy.com>

Investigating poetry

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Learn it You are going to learn a poem by heart! Don’t worry—it is not long!

 You will need to know how to pronounce some of these words ﬁrst. The words mean ‘goodbye’. Listen to the teacher pronouncing them and write them phonetically. Arrivederci – (Italian)

(b)

Vaarwel – (Dutch)

(c)

Adios – (Spanish)

(d)

Aloha – (Hawaiian)

(e)

Slán – (Irish)

(f)

Au revoir – (French)

(g)

Auf wiedersehen – (German)

(h)

Adieu – (French)

(i)

Ciao – (Italian)

(j)

Sayonara – (Japanese)

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

 Read this poem. Use expression and

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(a)

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Bye-bye, Godspeed, take leave, farewell, Arrivederci and vaarwel, Adios, go forth, sayonara, Aloha, slán, depart, ta-ta.

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Goodbye! Au revoir! Auf Wiedersehen! Adieu and cheerio, don’t come again, See ya later, and so long now, Go well, get lost, toodle-oo and ciao!

Goodbye in Icelandic is ‘bless’.

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the correct pronunciation.

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 As a group, perform the poem for another class.  Learn this poem by heart. Add

 Rate your performance with a symbol.

actions.

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Investigating poetry

Recite a poem Indicators • Develops interests, attitudes, information retrieval skills and the ability to think through reading • Listens to, reads, learns, recites and responds to a challenging range of poetry

Before the lesson Prepare a list of poems, suitable for reciting, to read to the class. The lesson 1. Read several poems to the class. 2. The students decide, perhaps by class vote, which poem they wish to learn by heart. 3. The students write the poem on the worksheet. 4. As a class, decide how the poem should be read. This is done with guidance from the teacher. The students make notes on the poem showing the different roles, places to pause, accented words and changes in tone of voice that are necessary. 5. The students draw pictures and/or words on the worksheet that might help them remember the poem to complete Question 4. 6. As a class, the students learn the poem. Assist the class with learning the poem and saying it with expression. 7. The students perform their poem for another class or a visitor.

Background information This lesson focuses on learning a poem by heart. The class will get to decide which poem they want to learn. The poems the teacher reads for the students to make their choice should be interesting, relevant and perhaps humorous. Poems that have repeated lines and strong rhythm are good for this exercise.

Answers 1. – 5. Teacher check

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Activities covered Listening to teacher read poems Choosing a poem Learning a poem Drawing pictures, writing words to help remember a poem

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• • • •

Teachers notes

Additional activities Students can: 1. Learn their own poems by heart. 2. In groups, learn a verse of one poem. The poem is then put together. 3. Recite choral poetry.

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Recommended reading

(to recite) Freddie Phipps by Charles Causley Look back in wonder by Dick King-Smith Websites <www.poetryguy.com>

Investigating poetry

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Recite a poem To recite a poem means to say a poem aloud from memory.

 As a class, decide which poem you will learn by heart.  Write the poem below.

 Decide as a class how you will perform the poem.

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Write the roles on the poem.

(b)

Underline the accented words.

(c)

Make notes of where you need to pause.

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(a)

(d)

Make notes on the poem where the tone of voice may change.

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Poet:

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 Draw any pictures and/or write keywords to help you remember the poem.

 Perform your poem for another class. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Investigating poetry

What is your response? Indicators • Develops interests, attitudes, information retrieval skills and the ability to think through reading • Listens to, reads, learns, recites and responds to a challenging range of poetry

Before the lesson Prepare other poems to read to the class, to which they give their responses orally. The lesson 1. Read the poem ‘‘Not the whole picture’ as a class, then discuss the poem. 2. Discuss TV watching in general. The students can tell about the programs they enjoy and dislike. 3. The students guess what TV programs the speaker may have ﬂicked to, to answer Question 2. 4. The students describe two imaginary TV programs. 5. All answers are discussed as a class.

Background information This lesson focuses on responding to poems. Students should always be given the opportunity to respond to the poems being read—through discussion, written activities, drama, artwork or answering questions.

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Activities covered • Reading a poem • Responding to a poem by answering questions

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Teachers notes

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. Answers will vary, but may include weather, news, food, beauty, parenting, sports, educational, documentary, quiz. 3. – 5. Teacher check Additional activities Students can: 1. Respond to a poem by drawing a picture that depicts that poem. 2. Act out poems. 3. Write a similar poem to one being read. 4. Write a paragraph/story about the poem. 5. Write a poetry review.

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Websites www.gigglepotz.com

Investigating poetry

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What is your response? Have you ever ﬂicked through the TV channels, frustrated because you cannot ﬁnd anything to watch?

 Read the poem below. Not the whole picture Flicking the channels, on the TV, Snatches of programs, is all I see.

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‘… and tomorrow the weather will be …’ ‘… this enormous majestic oak tree …’ ‘… was arrested late last night …’ ‘… eating cheddar, red and white …’ ‘… which can make the skin quite spotty …’ ‘… but if you use a smaller potty …’ ‘… and place the contraption on your head …’ ‘… you’ll ﬁnd yourself way ahead …’ ‘… from watching TV for many an hour… ’ ‘… you’ll gain in wisdom and in power …’

Write ﬁve types of TV programs you think the speaker ﬂicked to.

 On one TV below, write the name of an imaginary TV program you would really like to watch.

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 Do the same for an imaginary TV program you would not like to watch.

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 Underneath, write a description of each. Share your answers to Question 5 with the class. Compare your ideas with others’.

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Investigating poetry

My poetry list Indicators • Develops interests, attitudes, information retrieval skills and the ability to think through reading • Continues to keep a record of personal reading in various forms

Before the lesson Students should receive a copy of the recording page at the beginning of the school year. The lesson The students write poems on their poetry list as they read them. This should be done throughout the year.

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Activities covered • Writing a list of poems read

Additional activities Students can: Keep a record of other reading, including novels, nonﬁction material, plays, short stories or other material that has been read.

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Background information Students should keep a record of their reading as it will give them a sense of accomplishment. These reading lists can be kept in a folder with their worksheets or in their portfolio. This list concerns only poems they have read (not counting the poems on the worksheet) and should be ﬁlled in on a continuing basis.

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Teachers notes

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My poetry list I have read these poems: Poet

Star rating (5 is best)

Comment

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Title of poem

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Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary. (Kahlil Gibran) R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Investigating poetry

Let’s go shopping Indicators • Develops interests, attitudes, information retrieval skills and the ability to think through reading • Uses comprehension skills

Before the lesson The lesson 1. Read the poem ‘‘Just milk then’ as a class. The poem can be brieﬂy discussed but not in detail. 2. The students answer the questions on the worksheet. Answers should be in full sentences, where appropriate. 3. The poem can be reread and comprehensively discussed. Students can evaluate their answers.

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

Activities covered • Reading a poem • Answering questions • Discussing answers

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. (a) It is about a person who has gone grocery shopping. (b) The speaker feels very excited while shopping but doubtful at the end. (c) No, the speaker did not realise you could buy these different food items. (d) (i) watermelon chutney (ii) jelly is ready to eat (iii) macaroni is in a can (iv) tomatoes are sun-dried (v) potatoes are from Italy (e) The speaker is concerned about paying for all the items. (f) (i) mousse – frothy, creamy substance, either a pudding or something to put on the hair (ii) pesky – irritating (iii) mash – mashed potatoes (iv) frothy – with a mass of tiny bubbles (g) Teacher check

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Background information Students should be exposed to many different types of questioning, thereby improving their comprehension skills. Understanding what they have read is vitally important and questioning for this level must go beyond the literal. Students should be analysing, evaluating and correlating information in order to aid understanding of the text. Practice should also be given in predicting outcomes and problem-solving.

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Teachers notes

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Recommended reading No bread by Ian McMillan

Investigating poetry

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Let’s go shopping  Read about this person’s experience.

 Answer these questions: (a) What is the poem about?

Just milk then What a fantastic place! I think I need it all! In this bright supermarket, In a shiny shopping mall.

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Why, there is canned macaroni, and easy cheesecake kits, watermelon chutney, and mousse for pesky nits. I see sun-dried tomatoes, and jelly ready-to-eat, microwave Irish stew and mash that you can heat. There is lemon-ﬂavoured water, and a hundred types of tea, coffee that is frothy, and can be made by even me. There are spuds who’ve ﬂown from Italy, and oranges from Spain, I see juicy grapes from Africa, where there isn’t that much rain.

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(b) How does the speaker feel about his/her experience?

(d) What is special about these items? (i)

chutney

(ii)

jelly

(v)

potatoes

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Yes, this outdoes the corner shop, my trolley is piled high. I’ve thrown in such delicious things, I thought I couldn’t buy.

(e) Why does the speaker feel doubt at the end?

(f) What do you think these words mean?

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This shopping is such super fun, why hadn’t I done it before? Then a nagging doubt creeps in my head, It’s because I am quite poor.

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(i)

mousse

(ii)

pesky

(iii) mash

(iv) frothy

(g) Write a short ending to this story.

Investigating poetry

Remember!

Teachers notes

Indicators • Develops interests, attitudes, information retrieval skills and the ability to think through reading • Develops study skills such as skimming, scanning, note-taking and summarising

The lesson 1. Read the poem ‘Schoolbag’ with a time limit. 2. The students cover the poem and answer the questions. Full sentences are not necessary. If there are answers they do not know, they should guess. 3. The students reread the poem, check their answers, and give themselves a score out of 8. 4. The students write a two-line summary of the poem. 5. All answers can be discussed as a class and the poem can be reread.

Background information At this age, students should be developing study skills in order to prepare them for secondary school. They should be given exercises in note-taking, skimming and scanning a text for important information and summarising.

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. (a) cleaning out schoolbag (b) a bit fearful/nervous (c) underwear (d) since he/she was ten (e) it was furry (f) a pen (g) junk shop (h) to prevent slime or mould 3. – 4. Teacher check

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Activities covered Reading a poem Covering a poem and answering questions Assessing study skills Writing a two-line summary

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• • • •

Before the lesson Decide on a time limit for the students to read the poem. Other poems for the students to summarise could be prepared.

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Take notes while the teacher is talking; e.g. in another subject. Compare notes afterwards. 2. Write keywords from a passage/poem/story etc. 3. Take notes while other students are giving a talk. 4. Scan notes and write the most important points. 5. Summarise notes in other subjects; e.g. for test purposes. 6. Summarise everyday situations; e.g. their day, a holiday, a letter, a message, a TV program, a ﬁlm, a school event, a speech.

o c . che e r o t r s super Homework suggestion The students write brief notes for another subject.

Recommended reading (to summarise) Where’s that gorilla? by John Coldwell

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Remember! When reading something, it is often too difﬁcult to remember everything, so try and identify the main facts as you read.

 You have a time limit to read this poem! Try to take in as much information as you can! Go!

 Cover the poem (completely!) and answer these questions. Do not peek at all! (a) What was the speaker doing?

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(b) How did he/she feel about this?

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I took out all my schoolbooks, And a clump of someone’s hair, Some dirty crumpled paper, And a piece of underwear.

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Today I cleaned my schoolbag. I hadn’t done it all year. I wondered what lurked at the bottom, And I felt a little fear.

(d) How long had he/she had the toy soldier?

(e) What wasn wrong © R. I . C.Publ i ca t i o swith the sandwich? I found some Lego I had lost, • f orr evi ew pur p(f)oWhat ses onl y• favourite thing did he/she ﬁnd? And my favourite pen. ™

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I found a furry sandwich, And an old and sticky sweet, There was something I couldn’t identify, Which honked like smelly feet.

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(g) What did he/she compare the bag to?

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And there was my toy soldier, I’d had since I was ten.

(h) Why will he/she clean it more often?

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My bag was like a junk shop, Crammed with the new and old. But I think I’ll clean it more often, To prevent the slime and mould.

Reread the poem and check your answers! Give yourself a score out of 8. ..............

 Write a two-line summary of the poem.

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Investigating poetry

Can you read it? Indicators • Develops interests, attitudes, information retrieval skills and the ability to think through reading • Retrieves and interprets information presented in a variety of ways

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Activities covered Reading a table Reading a poem Answering questions Matching up facts in a table Writing a poem Discussing with class

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Before the lesson Prepare examples of different ways in which information can be presented; e.g. timetable, diagram. Discuss with the class when a particular type of text might be more appropriate.

Background information Students can read many different types of text presented in a variety of ways. They should answer questions or hold discussions when analysing these texts to make sure that they have an understanding of the text. Less able readers in particular may ﬁnd tables, timetables etc. difﬁcult to read.

The lesson 1. Show the students examples of different ways in which information is presented and discuss. 2. The students read the table and the poem about the moon and complete Question 3. 3. The students match up facts on a table about the sun. 4. The students write a poem about the sun, following the example on the worksheet. Comparisons need to be made in the poem. 5. As a class, discuss when a table/poem might be a more appropriate type of text.

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• • • • • •

Teachers notes

Answers 1. – 2. Teacher check 3. (a) The table gives more information. (b) There is no air to carry sound. (c) There is no air or water. (d) No, it takes 27.3 days. (e) The moon is compared to a pearl, a trafﬁc light, a pill, a drop of milk and an island. (f) Teacher check 4.

Temperature at centre

15 million K

Brightness

1 cm square – 232 500 candles

Made up mainly of

hydrogen

What is it?

a star

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Distance from Earth

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Additional activities Students can: Read lists, menus, timetables, instructions, recipes, poems, epitaphs, plays, jokes, notices, posters, quizzes, questionnaires, reports, songs, diagrams, etc.

Recommended reading The story of my life by Philip Waddell Bouncy castle by Rita Ray

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Can you read it? Information can be presented in a variety of ways.

 Read this table.

 Read this poem. The moon

Diameter

3476 km

Average distance from Earth

384 000 km

Atmosphere

Water

What is the moon?

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None (no air to carry sound)

Plant and animal life

None

Craters

Approx. 500 000

Time taken to orbit Earth

27.3 days

 Answer these questions. (a) Which text gives more information about the moon?

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Sounds

It is a large pearl, in a universal oyster, It is a white trafﬁc light, telling comets which way to go, It is a giant pill, making the world feel well, It is a drop of milk, splashed onto a starry countertop, It is mysterious white island, ﬂoating in a black cosmos sea.

(d) Does it take longer than a month for the moon to go around the Earth?

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compared to.

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(b) Why is there no sound on the moon?

(f) Which text did you prefer reading? Give a reason.

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 Match up the facts in this table. The sun Distance from Earth

hydrogen

Temperature at centre

1 cm square = 232 500 candles

Brightness

a star

Made up mainly of

150 million km

What is it?

15 million K

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 On a separate sheet of paper, write a

poem similar to the example in Question 2 but called What is the sun? Start each new sentence with ‘It is a …’.

Investigating poetry

You need evidence Indicators • Develops interests, attitudes, information retrieval skills and the ability to think through reading • Supports arguments and opinions with evidence from the text

Before the lesson Prepare examples of quotes used in a book/text book etc. The lesson 1. Read the poem ‘It could be worse’ as a class. The poem and its title can be brieﬂy discussed. 2. Explain to the students how to quote from the text to support an answer. A quote need not be a full sentence, it could be a phrase or even just a word. When quoting from a text, quotation marks must always be used, and when appropriate, the author’s name should be included. 3. The students answer the questions on the worksheet, quoting from the poem to support their answer. 4. All answers can be discussed as a class.

Background information Students should learn to back up their answers or opinions using evidence from a text. Quotation marks should be used when quoting. In this lesson, the students quote from a poem. The poem is quite a difﬁcult one and it is up to the teacher to decide how much of it to discuss with the class.

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Activities covered • Reading a poem • Answering questions, quoting from poem

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Teachers notes

Answers 2. Answers will vary, but may include the following: (a) true – ‘in unfamiliar space’ or ‘in the wrong place’ (b) false – ‘mesmerised by fright’ (c) false – ‘safe havens of fence and ditch’ (d) true – ‘loud familiar cue’ (e) true – ‘brought them in’ 3. Answers will vary, but may include the following: (a) The sheep were lost – ‘ﬂoundering’ ‘confusion’ (b) They were looking for their ﬁeld/pasture – ‘searching for the barriers they knew’ (c) It was spring – ‘soft September rain’ (d) Yes, ‘food was lush and rich’

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Investigating poetry

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Additional activities Students can: Answer comprehension-style questions, quoting from the text to support their answer. Many different types of texts could be used.

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You need evidence  Read the poem below. If you are quoting, you should use quotation marks!

It could be worse They were in the wrong place, In unfamiliar space, Floundering in the middle of the lane.

 Answer true or false. Quote from the

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poem each time to support your answer. The sheep were lost.

There were strange patches of sky, They did not realise why, They were searching for the barriers they knew.

(b)

They were not scared.

Safe havens of fence and ditch, Where food was lush and rich, Then suddenly a loud familiar cue.

(c)

They did not like their home.

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(a)

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They were turning left and right, They were mesmerised by fright, Confusion in the soft September rain.

And closed securely the squeaky iron gate.

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(e)

They were brought back home.

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Now they were at ease, To be fattened if you please, and be slaughtered without malice was their fate.

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When you quote from the poem, it does not have to be full sentences. It can be phrases or words.

 Answer these questions. Quote from the poem each time to support your answer. (a)

Why were the sheep ‘turning left and right’?

(b)

What were they looking for?

(c)

What time of year was it?

(d)

Were they well fed?

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Investigating poetry

Dinnertime Indicators • Develops interests, attitudes, information retrieval skills and the ability to think • Clariﬁes thought through writing

• • • •

Before the lesson Prepare examples of other menus, perhaps from local restaurants. Prepare a list of other questions based on the menu, which have not been included on the worksheet.

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Activities covered Reading a menu Discussing menus Answering questions Designing own menu

The lesson 1. Read the menu ‘‘Posh nosh’. 2. Discuss the menu (i.e. the ingredients required, the variety of ways in which the food is cooked, the cost per person, the choices, food descriptions, decoration etc.). 3. The students answer Questions 1 – 6. Dictionaries may be used. Full sentences are not necessary. The teacher can ask extra questions about the menu. 4. The students create a menu of their own, ﬁrst answering Question 7 to get them thinking. They can decide whether to make a fantasy menu or a realistic menu. 5. The students can write their menus neatly or print them out and these can be displayed in the classroom.

Answers 1. (a) fish (b) herb (c) frozen dessert, often made of fruit juice 2. (a) Yes (duck) (b) No (c) Maybe (d) Maybe (e) Yes (prawns and tuna fish) 3. five 4. No 5. prawns, tuna fish, cod 6. – 7. Teacher check

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Background information There are so many different types of reading material the students can explore. The teacher should make use of a variety of these so that students get used to interpreting different types of text. If reading exercises are varied, it will also provide more interest, as long as the students can relate to what they are reading and it is age-appropriate.

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Teachers notes

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Recommended reading (poems in different forms)

First stab by Gina Douthwaite Seeing red by Gina Douthwaite Do you know my teacher? by John Rice Hippopotamus by Liz Brownlee The witch, the prince and the girl in the tower by Sue Cowling Tall story by Mike Johnson Volcano by Mary Green Electric guitars by James Carter I’ve eaten many strange and scrumptious dishes by Roald Dahl

Investigating poetry

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Additional activities Students can: Read and interpret train timetables, graphs, flow charts, flyers, programs for a play, cinema line-up, classified advertisements, road signs, recipes, instructions, nutritional information on a food label or shopping lists.

Homework suggestion The students can look at home for written texts other than books. These can be displayed in the classroom with a heading: ‘Things we read’. (These can include cereal boxes, clothing labels, medicine boxes, instruction manuals, recipes, envelope with address, letters, emails, brochures, calendar, cards etc.)

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Dinnertime  What are the following?: (a)

cod

(b)

tarragon

(c)

sorbet

Posh nosh – $45.00 pp

 Answer Yes, No or Maybe. There is poultry on the menu.

(b)

The soup is served hot.

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(c)

Carrots are served with the meal.

(d)

Cheddar cheese will be on the cheese board.

(e)

Seafood is available as an appetiser.

Main courses Roasted pork in honey and cloves, Or cod wrapped in parma ham, Or breast of duck with bacon rolls, Or tarragon new spring lamb.

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(a)

Appetisers Chilled melon soup with tiger prawns, Or in soy sauce, tuna ﬁsh, Or marinated French frog’s legs, Or a crispy lamb and rosemary dish.

Desserts Orange and passion fruit jelly, Or cake with cinnamon ice-cream, Or lime and minty sorbet, Or caramel crumble supreme.

 Is this restaurant suitable for vegetarians?

 Name the different types of seafood available.

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 Would you like to eat at this restaurant? Yes

A board with delectable cheese, Some coffee or tea if you please.

Bon appetit!

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 How many courses are there on the menu?

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 Create your own menu on a separate sheet of paper. Think about these things. (a)

What is your restaurant called?

(b)

What type of food will you serve?

(c)

How much will the meals cost?

(d)

Who will be your customers mainly be?

(e)

What pictures will you use?

(f)

Will you have a theme?

(g)

What is special about your menu?

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Investigating poetry

Fact or opinion? Indicators • Develops interests, attitudes, information retrieval skills and the ability to think through reading • Distinguishes between fact and opinion, and bias and objectivity in text and in the media

Before the lesson Prepare examples of fact and opinion to present orally to the students. The lesson 1. Complete oral examples of facts and opinions with the class. 2. Read the poem ‘‘A bee where?’ as a class. The poem can be brieﬂy discussed. 3. The students state whether the bracketed lines in the poem are facts or opinions. 4. The students read sentences and state whether they are facts or opinions. 5. The students write three facts and three opinions about school. They can then write their opinion on homework to complete Question 5.

Background information Students must have a clear understanding of the difference between fact and opinion for this lesson. Where in life we may encounter facts and opinions— and the importance of being able to tell the difference should also be discussed.

Answers 1. O / F / F / F / O / F / F / O / O 2. (a) opinion (b) fact (c) opinion (d) fact 3. – 5. Teacher check

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Activities covered Reading a poem – writing fact or opinion Reading sentences – writing fact or opinion Writing facts about school Writing opinions about school Giving own opinion

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• • • • •

Teachers notes

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Read magazine or newspaper articles and try to identify areas which may be opinion rather than fact. 2. Look at bias in magazines, newspapers and other forms of media. 3. Look at advertising and identify the facts about the product versus the promises the advertiser makes (or implies).

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Websites www.irish-energy.ie www.42explore.com/electric.htm

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Fact or opinion? A fact is something that is true and correct. An opinion is what someone thinks of something.

 Read this poem and next to each

bracket, write if it is fact (F) or an opinion (O)

 Write FACT or OPINION for these sentences: (a)

Grilled cheese and jam sandwiches are the best.

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A bee where?

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His room seems to be tidy, His bed is neatly made. He offers to do the washing up, Without even getting paid.

(b)

Lions are part of the cat family.

(c)

The nicest teachers do not give homework.

(d)

In winter it may be stormy.

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My brother has a bee in his bonnet, Don’t know how it came about, He seems to have changed completely, And it’s causing me to doubt.

 Write three facts about your school. Use full sentences!

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He helps Mum with the chores, While singing a happy song, He talks to me in a nice, kind voice, Something must be wrong!

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His clothes are matched and clean, His hair’s spiked up with gel, He drowns himself in aftershave, He looks incredibly well.

 Write three opinions you have of school.

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He appears to have a best friend, He bought her a silver ring, Yes, my brother has a bee in his bonnet, I hope it doesn’t sting.

 What do you think of homework? Start your answer with ‘In my opinion …’

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Investigating poetry

Octopoem

Teachers notes

Before the lesson Prepare another example of an ‘octopoem’ to share with the class.

Indicators • Clariﬁes thought through writing • Writes in a variety of genres

The lesson 1. Read the prepared example of an ‘octopoem’ with the class. 2. The students read the second example on the worksheet and guess who the character might be. 3. The students underline the descriptive words/adjectives in both octopoems. 4. The students choose a person and write words to describe the person. These are used to write their own octopoem. 5. The students read their octopoem to the class, who must guess the person.

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Background information Students need a variety of different writing tasks, not just to keep writing more interesting, but also to draw on their different talents. All good efforts should be praised.

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• • • • • •

Activities covered Reading an example Guessing a character Underlining descriptive words Choosing a person, writing descriptive words Writing an ‘octopoem’ Reading to the class

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. It could be a witch 3. bright, clear, shiny, busy, starched, white, big, wooden, frothy, chargrilled, dark, gloomy, bubbling, cast iron, thick, dense, long, black, gnarled, wooden, crunchy, fat. 4. – 7. Teacher check

Additional activities Students can: Write stories, poems, instructions, directions, diaries, notes or summaries, reports, letters, forms, recipes, menus, reviews, myths, invitations, advertisements.

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Homework suggestion The students describe themselves using the same headings. (Being kind to themselves of course!)

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Websites <www.dreamagic.com/poetry/children.html>

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Octopoem An ‘octopoem’ is eight lines long and describes something or somebody.

 Look at the example below: Person ......................... a chef Season ........................ he is the summer,

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Weather ..................... on a bright, clear day.

Object ......................... he is a shiny saucepan, Place ........................... in a busy kitchen.

Furniture .................... on a big wooden table. Drink........................... he is frothy coffee,

Type of food ............... and a chargrilled steak.

 Guess who this might be.

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Clothing ...................... he is a starched white apron,

 Write words to describe this person.

She is a long, black dress,

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on a gnarled, wooden chair. She is crunchy beetle juice,

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and a fat toad, lightly fried. This could be a

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in a thick, dense forest.

 Use your words to write an octopoem about the person.

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 Underline the descriptive

words (adjectives) in both octopoems.

 Choose a person.

Season

Weather Object Place

Clothing Furniture Drink

Use as many adjectives as you can!

Type of food

 Read your poem to the class! They can try to guess the person in your octopoem.

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Investigating poetry

Write about it Indicators • Clariﬁes thought through writing • Uses notes to summarise reading material and write an account from the notes

Before the lesson Prepare examples of summaries. The lesson 1. Read the poem ‘‘Dinner treat’ as a class and discuss. Words that can be clariﬁed: ‘fed up’, ‘ushered’, ‘discarded’, ‘detect’. 2. Remind the students what keywords and summaries are. 3. The students underline keywords in the poem. 4. The students write brief notes, using their keywords to guide them. (The keywords and notes should be very similar, only the notes will contain more.) The brief notes should be comprehensive enough so that if someone were reading them, he/she would have some idea of the story. 5. Using their keywords and brief notes, the students write a paragraph about the poem. Full sentences must be used. 6. The students count their words and compare it with the original word count. 7. Some students can read their poem to the class.

Background information This lesson gives students practise in summarising.

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Activities covered Reading a poem as a class Underlining keywords Writing notes Writing a summary Counting words Reading a summary

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• • • • • •

Teachers notes

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. Possible keywords: eat, fed up, restaurant, table, sticky, chips, relax, smell, veg, steak, water, choke, mop, home 3. Possible brief notes: eat out, fed up washing, restaurant, table wobbled, sticky, sauce, leftover chips, ordered, relax, smell, unwell, veg, steak tough, water, black things, choke, waitress, mop, enough, home 4. – 6. Teacher check

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Write notes and a summary of parts of the class reader. 2. Summarise other poems or texts from topics in other subjects.

Homework suggestion The students read and summarise a part of the class reader/newspaper article.

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Recommended reading (to summarise) What teachers wear in bed by Brian Moses

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Write about it Can you remember what summarising means? It means you should ﬁnd the most important information in a text.

 Read this poem as a class. Dinner treat

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One night I decided I’d like to eat out, I’d ﬁnd the money somewhere. I was fed up with cooking and washing, What I needed was restaurant fare.

I sat at the table I was ushered to, But it wobbled when I moved to the right. So I stuck my boot underneath it, To make the legs the same height.

The table was sticky and far from clean And had splodges of something and sauce, A few discarded and greasy chips, And bits of a spicy ﬁrst course.

 Write brief notes about the poem. You do

not have to write down full sentences, just the main ideas.

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 Underline the keywords in the poem.

You’d think with all the time it took, They’d manage to get it right. But my plate was heaped with unasked veg, And my steak too tough to bite.

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 Write a paragraph about what happened in the poem. Use your keywords and notes to help you.

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I ordered my food and tried to relax, But I could detect a funny smell, A mixture of something burnt and old That made me feel unwell.

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I reached for my water to take a gulp, But there were black things ﬂoating on top, I started to wheeze and splutter and choke, The waitress ran in with a mop. I’d had enough and I was going home. This was not how I wanted to feel. What I needed was something special, But it was just like a home-cooked meal. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

 The poem has 208 words. How many words are there in your summary? ...................................................... Investigating poetry

Speaking up Indicators • Develops emotional and imaginative life through oral language • Discusses the concerns of other children • • • •

Activities covered Group work – Reading a poem Answering questions Telling a group about an event Writing other problems

Before the lesson Prepare other examples of problems children may encounter. Divide the class into groups. The lesson 1. Read ‘Speaking up’ as a class. Harder words can then be discussed, such as ‘boundaries’. 2. The groups read the poem again and discuss it. 3. As a group, the students answer the questions on the worksheet. They do not need to write full sentences as the emphasis is on discussion. 4. Each student thinks of a time when someone was angry with him/her. He/she tells the group about it. 5. The students write other problems children their age may have. 6. All answers and problems in general are discussed as a class.

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Background information The lesson should consist mainly of discussion in groups. It is good to have a lesson where students can freely discuss problems among themselves. They do not have to discuss their own problems but rather speak about general problems that students may have. The lesson should end with a class discussion about problems in general and what they should do if they are particularly concerned about something.

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Teachers notes

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. (a) Answers will vary, but may include helpless, lonely or scared (b) Answers will vary (c) Answers will vary (d) no, ‘so far is untold’ 3. – 4. Teacher check 5. Possible answers may include bullying, friends, schoolwork, family problems, bereavement or loneliness.

Homework suggestion The students ﬁnd the toll-free number they can call if they are having a problem.

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Websites Example of website on bullying:

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The place’s fault by Philip Hosbaum Introducing Dad by Brian Patten Do I have to clean my room? by Jack Prelutsky

Additional activities Students can: 1. Read children’s problem pages. 2. Look at advice websites appropriate to the students’ age group. 3. Each write a problem anonymously. These are discussed as a class. 4. Become familiar with the numbers to call if they have they have a problem they wish to talk about (e.g. Childline). 5. Read about children in different situations; e.g. children who have no food, running water, electricity, education, children who are sick or whose parents are sick. 6. Look at various charities to see the work done by them for children around the world. 7. Discuss what can be done to help people less fortunate than themselves, not only in other countries, but locally.

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Recommended reading

People need people by Benjamin Zephaniah I think I could turn and live with animals by Walt Whitman Websites <www.shadowpoetry.com/links/childrenspoetry.html>

100

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Good friend  Read the poem below. What do you think of  Name four things the speaker says he/she the character in it?

can do well.

I thought you knew!

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Yes, I always get 100% for my maths tests, And yes, I am the best reader in the class, And the teacher calls conﬁdently on me to answer any question, And I know my spellings forwards and backwards, And I speak two other languages ﬂuently, And I won the general knowledge quiz, And my handwriting is so neat, it looks typed.

What type of person do you think the speaker is? Give reasons for your answer.

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I thought you knew that I was highly intelligent. I didn’t try to hide it from you. I thought you would notice. It was, after all, blatantly obvious.

 What do you think the ‘friend’ should say back to this ‘friend’?

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good friend? Yes

Say why/why not.

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But don’t let it come between us! Just because you’re quite stupid compared to me, doesn’t mean we can’t be friends!

 Do you think the speaker would make a

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Give the poem another suitable title.

In what kind of tone do you think this poem should be read?

 Write something boastful about yourself. (Even though it is not right to boast!)

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Have fun!

Teachers notes

Indicators • Develops emotional and imaginative life through oral language • Experiences and enjoys playful aspects of language

The lesson 1. As a class, the students can listen to the prepared examples of poetry/rhymes/ riddles/jokes. 2. In pairs, the students read the poem ‘‘Duppy dove’. 3. The students underline the nonsense words in the poem. 4. The students rewrite the poem using real words that rhyme with the nonsense words. 5. The students tick which poem they prefer. 6. The students change a given nursery rhyme by replacing the real words with nonsense words that rhyme. They can change the words on the rhyme and then use the space provided to write it out properly. 7. The students change the titles by using real or made-up words that rhyme. 8. All answers can be discussed as a class.

Background information Students sometimes need to be having fun during language time—it need not all be serious! Fun lessons should be enjoyed in a casual and relaxed atmosphere, a time when students can simply enjoy working with the language and not have to get too hung up on spelling, grammar etc.

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Activities covered • Pair work – Reading a nonsense poem • Rewriting a nonsense poem • Writing a nonsense rhyme

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Before the lesson Divide the class into groups. Prepare examples of nonsense and humorous verse, as well as jokes or riddles.

Answers 1. – 2. Teacher check 4. – 6. Teacher check

3. My dog and I were playing, Upon the football pitch, He was catching sticks I threw, One landed in a ditch.

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And there he found a poodle, A pretty, little thing, She sure was glad to see us, And to my hand did cling.

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Recommended reading (fun) My dad’s amazing by Ian Souter\ Gran, can you rap? by Jack Ousbey Wouldn’t it be funny if you didn’t have a nose by Roger McGough Macavity, the mystery cat by TS Eliot Oh I wish I’d looked after me teeth by Pam Ayres Why you should never play on roads by David Harmer Twong tister by Clive Webster Never seen by Brian Moses The mad gardener’s song by Lewis Carroll

Additional activities Students can: 1. Read and discuss jokes, tongue twisters, riddles, humourous poetry, funny stories etc. 2. Play word games, e.g. Balderdash, Pictionary, general knowledge, Scrabble. 3. Look at strange words and use them in oral sentences.

Now my dog won’t play with me, He likes the poodle more, And I am left without a friend, While they sit paw-in-paw.

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Websites (words) <www.worlwidewords.org/index.htm> (For teacher) (jokes) <www.humormatters.com/kidsjoke.htm>

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Have fun! Language can be enjoyable and fun!

 Read this nonsense poem with a partner. Duppy dove

 Replace the nonsense words with real

words. The real words should rhyme with the nonsense words.

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 Which one do you prefer? nonsense

sense

Why?

And there he found a choodle, A pretty, bittle bling, She sure was blad to kee us, And to my hand did ching.

Now my nog won’t ﬂay with me, He likes the choodle more, And I am left without a krend, While they site chaw-in-chaw.

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My nog and I were ﬂaying, Upon the mootball kitch, He was zatching snicks I threw, One ganded in a ﬁtch.

 Underline the nonsense words.

 Write your own nonsense rhyme by changing some of the words in this rhyme. Try to make

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Little Miss Muffet Sat on her tuffet,

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Eating her curds and whey,

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your nonsense words rhyme with the real words.

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Along came a spider,

Who sat down beside her,

And frightened Miss Muffet away.

 Change these titles by using made-up or real words that rhyme.

For example, Sleeping Beauty – Peeping Fruitie. Share them with the class. (a)

Puss in boots

(b)

The wizard of Oz

(c)

Snow White

(d)

Beauty and the beast

(e)

Cinderella

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‘Tis the season Indicators • Responds to text • Responds to poetry and ﬁction through discussion, writing, drama, visual arts and dance

• • • •

Before the lesson Provide other poems about Christmas. These can be compared with the poem in the lesson. The lesson 1. Read the poem ‘Season’s great things’ as a class. 2. Discuss the poem as a class, talking about the different moods represented. The students should also mention how the speaker feels about Christmas. Words that can be discussed: ‘haunts’, ‘budget’, ‘tempo’, ‘camouﬂaged’, ‘oblivious’, ‘accompanied’. 3. The students answer questions on their worksheet. These should be full sentences. 4. The students draw a picture that depicts not only the poem but also the moods of the poem.

Background information There are many ways in which students could respond to poetry and they should be given opportunities to explore this. For this lesson, the students will be drawing a picture. They should not just draw a picture of the topic but should try to capture the mood of the poem. They need to look beyond the obvious!

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Activities covered Reading a poem as a class Discussing a poem Answering questions Drawing a picture that depicts a poem

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Answers 1. Teacher check 2. (a) Teacher check (b) Answers should indicate that the ﬁrst part of the poem deals with the shopping, mad rushing about trying to get all the presents, and then on Christmas morning, things are much slower with the realisation of what Christmas should be about becomes clear—the joy of sharing, giving and loving. (c) Teacher check (d) Teacher check 3. Teacher check

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Dramatise the given poem or other poems. 2. Read Christmas carols and then sing them. 3. Read other poems and hold group and/or class discussions. 4. Write about poems read. 5. Make up a dance to go with a poem. 6. Create a cartoon strip based on a poem.

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Recommended reading

(mood) Death in Leamington by John Betjeman (Christmas) Christmas shopping by Louis Mac Niece

Homework suggestion The students read a given poem and draw a picture that depicts the poem.

Websites (Christmas traditions in other countries) <www.soon.org.uk/country/christmas.htm> (poetry) <www.poetryzone.ndirect.co.uk>

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‘Tis the season Christmas is a very special time for some people.

 Read this poem as a class.

 Discuss and answer these questions as a class. (a)

Season’s great things

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How does the mood of the poem change?

(c)

Do you think the meaning of special holidays like Christmas can get lost?

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Christmas shoppers, running in and out of tinselled haunts, clutching secret lists, Wondering how the budget will stretch that far. People, once human, lost in the spirit of reindeer and snowmen. Cheery carols measuring the tempo of their jingle-footed steps. The rain beats down outside, washing away guilt and sense. But inside is warm, and somewhere, well camouﬂaged in the ribbons, bows and glitter, lurks the real meaning of it all. Only now they are oblivious, and the crazed search continues, every item ticked and wrapped. Until behold, on the morning, each peace-offering is presented, accompanied with a smile and real warmth, the mad dash forgotten and forgiven, and, at last, a prayer whispered.

What is the poem about?

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In Brazil, Father Christmas is called Papai Noel.

 Draw a picture that depicts the poem. Make sure it captures the moods.

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At the dinner table Indicators • Responds to text • Relates personal experiences to the ideas and emotions conveyed in the text.

Before the lesson Provide other poems that the students will relate to. The lesson 1. Read some poems to the class. These can be brieﬂy discussed. 2. Read ‘‘Almost a family affair’ as a class. The poem is discussed, including the title of the poem and the mum’s feelings. Words that can be discussed: ‘assortment’, ‘triﬂe’, ‘Yorkshire pudding’, ‘raw deal’. 3. The students answer Questions 2–3. 4. Students write three dinner table rules. These can be discussed as a class.

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Activities covered Reading a poem Discussing a poem Discussing own experiences Answering questions Discussing table manners

Background information Wherever possible, the students should be able to relate to what they are reading. This will give the reading more meaning. Students should be reading about topics such as school, friends, bullying, teachers, family, pets and hobbies or activities.

Answers 1. – 3. Teacher check 4. Answers may include: Do not put your elbows on the table. Do not stretch across the table. Eat with a knife and fork, not your hands. If you have to get up, ask if you can be excused. Do not slurp! Do not chew with your mouth open. Be polite. Topics of conversation should be appropriate for the dinner table. Thank the host/chef for the meal.

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• • • • •

Teachers notes

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Additional activities Students can: Compare own experiences with the experiences of others in the class reader, other poetry, newspaper articles etc.

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Recommended reading

(experiences) Two lists by Tony Bradman Seven o’clock news by Steve Turner Playing tennis with Justin by David Harmer Websites <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_manners>

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At the dinner table Can you remember the last time you sat down and had a meal with friends or family?

 Read about this family. Almost a family affair Now on Sundays, our family sits down to a feast, of an assortment of veges and carved-up roast beast. Jamie loves potatoes all covered in sauce, Josh likes the triﬂe, with ice-cream of course! Jason wants gravy all over his plate, and beef puts Dad in an excitable state. Luke adores peas though we can’t think of why, and Shaun, Yorkshire pudding, eaten just dry. Spot chews the bone once we’re all done, and Fluffy eats scraps, leaving us none. Yes, we all have a favourite part of the meal, although Mum seems to get a slightly raw deal. I don’t think roast dinner’s Mum’s ﬁrst choice food, because she doesn’t eat much and seems in a mood! She gets even worse when it’s time to clear away, you’d swear she didn’t enjoy being in the kitchen all day!

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In Japan, it is acceptable to burp after your meal! Remember, you are not in Japan!

(a)

Where was it held?

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(b)

What were the main topics of conversation?

(c)

List the items that were on the table.

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 Think back to a recent meal you had with friends or family.

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 How would the family dinner in the poem be: (a)

the same as yours?

(b)

different from yours?

 List three rules you should obey when sitting at the dinner table.

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What’s the difference? Indicators • Responds to text • Examines similarities and differences in various types of text

Before the lesson Prepare other texts for the students to discuss orally. The lesson 1. Discuss the prepared examples of texts, looking at the similarities and differences. 2. Read the two texts, ‘Teatime’ and ‘‘Humpty Dumpty’ as a class and discuss. 3. The students answer Questions 2–4. Full sentences should be used. 4. The students draw two pictures, one for each text, suitable for small children. 5. All answers can be discussed as a class.

Background information Students need to be able to compare various types of texts by looking at the similarities and differences. They can look at aspects such as content, language usage, font, presentation, format, focus, intended audience, detail and length.

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Activities covered • Reading two texts • Comparing two texts • Drawing a picture suitable for a text

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Teachers notes

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. Similarities – both about Humpty Dumpty, both for children, in both Humpty sits on a wall and has a fall. 3. Differences – titles, length: the second one is 10 lines long and the ﬁrst is ﬁve lines, more detail in the second. 4. Teatime – 5 rhyming couplets, aabbcc etc. Humpty Dumpty – 2 rhyming couplets 5. Teacher check

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Read articles on the same topics from different newspapers and compare the versions. 2. Compare different types of poems, children’s magazines, websites dealing with the same topics, books and class reading books.

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What’s the difference? These poems are both about poor Humpty Dumpty!

 Read both poems. Teatime

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a big fall, All the king’s horses, And all the king’s men, Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

When Humpty Dumpty climbed the wall, Did his friends shout: ‘Don’t! You’ll fall!’? Did he simply ignore all of their cries, Was he shouting loudly, ‘C’mon guys!’? Was he bragging and boasting all of the way? At the top, did he claim: ‘What a view! I dare say!’? Did he then get silly, and start to do tricks? Did he lose his footing on the uneven bricks? When he fell to the ground, did his friends rush to see, If they would have scrambled or boiled egg for tea?

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 Write down two similarities between these texts.

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Humpty Dumpty

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 Comment on the rhyme scheme of each one. Teatime:

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Humpty Dumpty:

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 Draw a picture for each poem that would be suitable for small children. Humpty Dumpty

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Teatime

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Respond to it Indicators • Responds to text • Continues to share responses to an everincreasing variety of texts with the wider community of readers

Before the lesson Divide the class into groups. The lesson 1. Discuss with the class what a response is. 2. Each group reads the poem ‘‘Anything but this’. Harder words can then be discussed as a class; e.g. ‘sable’, ‘aqua’, ‘trudging’, ‘lurk’, ‘Broadway’. 3. The students answer Questions 2 and 3 individually. 4. The students discuss the poem and their own responses in the group. 5. The students summarise the group’s responses. All answers to the questions should be full sentences. 6. Each group’s summary can be shared with the class.

Background information Students should get the opportunity to share their reading experiences and responses to it. Pair work and group work are good for this. Texts for sharing should be varied, from parts of the class reading book to magazine articles. This kind of activity can be done in 10 or 15 minutes whenever it suits the teacher.

Answers 1. – 6. Teacher check

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Activities covered Group work – Reading a poem Writing a response Discussing a poem and different responses Summarising a group’s responses

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• • • •

Teachers notes

Additional activities Students can: 1. In groups or pairs, read the following: other poetry, a play, stories, rhymes, articles, websites. 2. Share own writing with others.

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Recommended reading (to summarise) Where’s that gorilla? by John Coldwell

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Respond to it You will have to give your response to a poem. (Response means a reply or reaction.)

 In your group, read this poem aloud

Write full sentences!

together.

Anything but this

 What do you think of this poem? Give reasons.

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I’d rather be swimming in an aqua sea, than sitting here doing these sums. I’d rather be skateboarding in LA where winter never comes.

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I’d rather be skiing on mountain slopes, than working at this table. I’d rather be climbing the Eiffel Tower, or chasing after sable.

 What would you rather be doing than doing homework?

I’d rather be walking in the Amazon jungle, than reading through these poems. I’d rather be meeting ancient tribes and visiting their homes.

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 Summarise the different responses in your group.

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I’d rather be walking China’s wall, than trudging through this work. I’d rather be diving on a coral reef, where sharks and stoneﬁsh lurk. I’d rather be sipping Indian tea, than learning all these facts, I’d rather be sitting on Broadway, and watching all the acts.

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I’d rather be doing anything else, I’m sure I know enough. I’ll do my homework later, or not, and that’s just tough.

 Share your responses with the class and discuss.

The Great Wall of China stretches for 3460 km!

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Choose your own Indicators • Responds to text • Reads aloud from a personal choice of texts to entertain and inform an audience

• • • •

Before the lesson Students will need to have selected a favourite poem. Divide the class into groups. The lesson 1. The students write their poem/part of their poem on the worksheet. 2. The students read their poem to a group. 3. The group discusses each other’s poems. 4. The students write comments about the poem they read to the group. 5. Each group holds a vote for the best poem. The students write a reason why the poem was chosen.

Background information The students will need to choose their own favourite poem for this lesson so perhaps it could be taken near the end of the year when more poetry has already been covered. The students should be writing 10 to 15 lines; hence they can write part of their poem if it is too long, or can write two short poems instead.

Answers 1. – 5. Teacher check

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Activities covered Choosing a favourite poem Group work – Reading a poem to a group Writing comments from group Holding a group vote

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Teachers notes

Additional activities Students can: Read aloud favourite parts of the class reading book, short stories, extracts from a book, information they found interesting or jokes.

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Choose your own You will need to choose your own favourite poem for this lesson.

 Copy it below. If it is too long, write only your favourite parts. If it is too short, write

another short one! You should be writing 10 to 15 lines. Write the poet’s name too.

Poet:

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Title:

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 Read your poem to a group.

To have great poets there must be great audiences too. (Walt Whitman)

 What did they think of your poem?  (a)

(b)

Have a group vote for the best poem. Write the title and poet below. (If it is yours, put a big star by your poem!)

Write a reason why the group thought it was the best.

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Listen and enjoy Indicators • Responds to text • Listens to books or extracts from books and poetry read aloud

Before the lesson Pictures of the birds mentioned in the poem could be shown to the class. The lesson 1. Read the poem ‘What species?’ to the class. Use much expression, adding accents to words where required. 2. The students answer Question 2. 3. The question and poem are discussed as a class. 4. The students read the same poem to themselves, underlining the words they think need to be accented. 5. Read aloud the poem again. The students compare their stressed words with the teacher’s to complete Question 5.

Background information Students of all ages enjoy someone reading to them. When there is spare time in the classroom (rare occasions) the teacher should read a short story, poetry, factual information, newspaper articles or anything interesting. The reading can be discussed but no work needs to stem from the reading. It is reading that is to be enjoyed for what it is.

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Activities covered Listening to teacher Answering questions Discussing answers and a poem Underlining accents in a poem Listening to a poem again, comparing accented words

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• • • • •

Teachers notes

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. (a) robins, bee-eaters, vultures, crows, sparrows, owls, thrush, hawk, egret (b) (i) not deﬁnite or clear (ii) (in food context) mild ﬂavour (iii) easily frightened (iv) enjoy greatly (v) slang word for eat (c) You eat very little. 3. – 5. Teacher check

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Additional activities Students can: Listen to the following being read to them: short stories, poetry, articles, reviews, other children’s work, extracts from different genres such as science ﬁction, horror, crime, adventure etc, informational material, interesting facts, jokes etc.

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Listen and enjoy  Listen to your teacher read the following poem. Follow as he/she reads.

What species? My mother, angry, said to me, ‘You eat just like a bird’. And I said, ‘That’s the vaguest thing I think I’ve ever heard’.

 Answer these questions. (a)

What species of birds are mentioned?

(b)

What do you think these words mean? (i) vague

Robins love to feast on worms, and bee-eaters eat bees. A vulture feeds on rotten meat, I’m sure I’m none of these!

(ii) bland (iii) timid (iv) relish

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What sort of bird do I remind you of? Could you be more speciﬁc? Why, some have diets that are quite bland, and some are quite horriﬁc!

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All this work is for the birds!

(v)t scoffs © R. I . C.Publ i ca i ons (c) What does the saying ‘You eat like a •f orr evi ew pur p obird’ sereally so nl y• mean?

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A thrush will enjoy a juicy snail, a hawk will relish a rat, an egret scoffs the cattle’s ﬂeas, I know I don’t do that!

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Crows pick through the garbage, a sparrow will swallow a ﬂy, an owl will hunt a timid mouse, I’m not that sort of guy!

 Discuss your answers and the poem with the class.

 Read the poem yourself and underline the

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Have you ever seen me lay an egg? Do I sleep in a grassy nest? So, Mum, do you think a feathery creature, Is one that describes me best?

The peregrine falcon is the fastest bird and can reach speeds of 160 km in ﬂight!

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words you think need to be stressed. (Not stressed out, but said louder or accented!)

Listen to the teacher read the poem again. Does the teacher stress exactly the same words as you chose? ..........

Yes

What might be some reasons for stressing particular words?

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Special moments Indicators • Develops emotional and imaginative life through writing • Analyses in writing his/her reactions to personal experiences

Before the lesson Stimulus pictures or objects such as a Christmas or birthday card, Christmas or birthday wrapping paper, holiday ‘snaps’ or photographs of students participating in prior activities could be collected.

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Activities covered Discussing special moments Writing keywords Reading a format and example Writing a poem Self-assessing a poem

Background information Students should write about their own personal experiences and, in doing so, express their reactions to their own experiences.

The lesson 1. As a whole class, the students discuss special moments they have had. 2. The students write the keywords that come to mind. 3. Read the format and example with the students. 4. The students write their own poem, then read it and assess it. 5. All poems should be displayed in the classroom under the heading ‘Our special moments’. Answers 1. – 6. Teacher check

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Teachers notes

Additional activities Students can: Write a picture story, newspaper article or letter/postacard/email about a personal experience.

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Special moments Oh, what a great day I am having at school!

Think of a special moment in your life. It can be a birthday, a trip, or party or even a day at school!

 What day/moment did you choose?

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 Read the poetry format and example below.

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 Think back to that special time and write keywords that come to mind.

© R. I . C.Publ i cat i ons Line 2: What action is happening? ..............................Opening a mysterious, small box f o rr e vi e wplace? pu r p os on l yake •morning Line 3:• When does the action take (time) ....... One as perfect, snowﬂ Line 1: Who or what is the poem about? ................................. A very special Christmas

Line 4: Where does the action take place? (place) .........................Next to a roaring ﬁre

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Line 5: Why is this moment/day special to you? .......................My very ﬁrst mobile. Yes!

 Write your own poem using the same format. Use your keywords to help you. Line 1: Line 2: Line 3: Line 4: Line 5:

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 Read your poem to yourself. What do you think of it? Improve it if you can!

 Display your poems in the classroom under a heading ‘Our special moments’.

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Problems

Teachers notes

Indicators • Develops emotional and imaginative life through writing • Expresses in writing reactions to the experiences of others

The lesson 1. Read the poem ‘‘Discarded’ as a class. The poem can be discussed, as well as harder words such as ‘torture’, ‘dear’ and ‘discarded’. 2. The students answer Questions 2 to 5. 3. All answers should be discussed as a class, as well as any other problems students might raise.

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Activities covered Reading a poem Writing advice Listing the qualities of a good friend Writing a friendship rules list Discussing answers

Background information Students should read about the experiences of others so that they can learn from those experiences. They should be learning to have empathy and be sensitive and understanding of others’ problems, as well as feeling good when others are doing well or are happy.

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. Answers may include: His/her friends are no longer speaking, no longer wishing to be friends, ignoring. 3. – 6. Teacher check

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• • • • •

Before the lesson Prepare examples of others’ experiences (good and bad) to read to the class.

Additional activities Students can: 1. Read poetry about the experiences of others. 2. Read newspaper articles and discuss and write about the effects the events have on those involved. 3. Research famous people, such as pop stars and actors, and discuss and write about the experiences they have being famous. 4. Research famous explorers and discuss and write about their experiences.

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Homework suggestion The students ask a family member about an experience he/she has had and write about it, reporting back to the class the following day.

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Website <www.susankramer.com/friendshipqualities.html>

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Problems Sometimes we can learn from the experiences of others.

 Read about this person’s problem. Discarded

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Try to help others when they have a problem.

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A minute ago, we were friends to the end. Now I seem to be driving you round the bend. What did I do or what did I say? How did I make you feel this way? I told you my secrets, you know it all. I’m there for you always , whenever you call. I don’t understand it—please explain how You can suddenly hate me and torture me now? I’ll be here waiting, interested to hear, Why now I am nothing, when you held me so dear.

 What do you think happened to the speaker?

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 Imagine you were writing to the speaker. What advice would you give?

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 What qualities do you think a good friend should have?

 Make a list of ﬁve friendship rules you think friends should stick to.

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Feelings

Teachers notes

Indicators • Develops emotional and imaginative life through writing • Writes stories and poems

The lesson 1. The students read the example of a mood poem on the worksheet. 2. The students answer questions about the poem. 3. The class discusses various feelings and emotions; e.g. what makes them happy, sad, worried, excited. They can then write some feelings on the worksheet. 4. The students choose a feeling from Question 3 to write a mood poem about, using the given format. 5. Students who wish to can read their mood poems to the class.

Background information The types of material the students can write is endless. Writing stories and poems should be both interesting and stimulating. Teachers should be giving varied written exercises that are age-appropriate, relevant and yet challenging.

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Activities covered Reading a mood poem Answering questions Discussing emotions and feelings with others Writing feelings Writing a mood poem

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• • • • •

Before the lesson Prepare an example of a mood poem.

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. (a) Teacher check (b) Answers may indicate that He/She may feel better when they have written their history test/have found their bus ticket/once the party is over (c) Teacher check 3. – 6. Teacher check

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Write fairytales or change endings to fairytales. 2. Write different types of stories; e.g. ghost, crime, adventure, fantasy, humorous. 3. Write poems using different formats; e.g. kennings, cinquains, haikus, tankas, odes, list poems, free verse, rhymes, limericks, even songs. 4. Write a play based on a fairytale or the class reader, and then perform it. 5. Write stories as a group or class. 6. Write stories in the form of a comic strip or picture story. 7. Write short autobiographies or biographies.

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Recommended reading (reading aloud) Todd the backyard king by Clare Bevan Night mail by W H Auden

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Feelings We all experience different feelings during the day. I hope you are feeling good at the moment!

 Read this poem.  Answer these questions.

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S (a)

On a scale of 1 to 10, just how nervous do you think the speaker is? very

not

(b)

Name two things that might make the speaker feel better.

(c)

Give the poem an appropriate title.

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I’m feeling nervous, Not a giving a speech to thousands nervous, Not doing a first skydive nervous, Not nervous like a man in a hungry lion’s den, But just an uneasy, creeping nervous. Nervous that I have a history test, Nervous that I cannot find my bus ticket, Nervous that I am going to a party tomorrow, Worried. Not confident, Not relaxed, Not sure.

 Brainstorm with the class different feelings a person might have. Write some below.

 Choose one of these feelings. I’m feeling (feeling) ................................

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Not ...........................................................

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 Write a feeling poem using the format below.

Check the example!

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Not ........................................................... Not ...........................................................

But............................................................

Three reasons for having this feeling ...

Synonym for the feeling ......................... Not ........................................................... Not ........................................................... Not ........................................................... R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

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Not yet!

Teachers notes

Indicators • Develops emotional and imaginative life through writing • Expresses a personal reaction to ideas, emotions and images encountered in literature

The lesson 1. Read the poem ‘‘Not yet’ as a class. Harder words can be discussed, such as ‘familiar’, ‘blood clots’ and ‘fret’. 2. The students answer Questions 2 – 5. 3. All answers can be discussed as a class.

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Activities covered • Reading a poem • Answering questions • Designing a travel kit

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. frustrated, bored, anxious, irritated, angry, tired etc. 3. Possible answers: ‘wet with sweat’ , ‘boring’, ‘crowded’, ‘can’t take much more’, ‘fret’. 4. – 5. Teacher check

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Background information Students should often be reading about ideas, emotions and images that are familiar to them and with which they can identify. They can only express personal reactions to situations they understand or have been through themselves.

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Before the lesson Prepare other examples of similar poems to read to the class.

Additional activities Students can: 1. Write letters to characters in stories or poems. 2. Compare own experiences with the experiences of those in a chosen text.

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Recommended reading (trip) The car trip by Michael Rosen

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Not yet! Sometimes a journey seems to take forever!

 Describe how the speaker feels.

 Read the following poem as a class.

Not yet

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I’ve sat here so long, I am wet with sweat, My trousers are soggy, Are we there yet?

The scenery is boring. Don’t say, ‘Soon, pet!’ I’ve seen too many trees, Are we there yet?

 Circle the words in the poem that show the speaker’s feelings.

Think back to a time when you went on a long journey. You might have been in an aeroplane, on a bus, in a train or car or on a bicycle!

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We’ve travelled so long, We’re close now I bet, It seems so familiar, Are we there yet?

(a)

Where were you going?

(b)

What were you travelling in or on?

(c)

Describe how you felt, including what your strongest emotion was and what made you feel this way.

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We should’ve taken a jet, My legs will have blood clots, Are we there yet? If I shut up now Then what will I get? I’ll twiddle my thumbs, but Are we there yet?

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 Design a travel kit to stop you from being bored on a long journey. Use labels to show the items.

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I can’t take much more, I’m starting to fret, Are we getting closer, ARE WE THERE YET?

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Do you agree? Indicators • Develops emotional and imaginative life through writing • Expresses and analyses his/her reactions to poems Activities covered • Reading a poem • Answering questions • Writing a timetable

Before the lesson Other poems for the students could be provided. The lesson 1. The students read the poem ‘Show me how’. The poem is not discussed as a class but can be read together and harder words can be clariﬁed; e.g. ‘grouchy’, ‘advise’, ‘demonstrate’, ‘pine’, ‘ditch’ (verb), ‘syllabus’. 2. The students answer Questions 1 to 7. 3. All answers can the be discussed as a class.

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Answers 1. Teacher check 2. The speaker does not enjoy school. 3. He/She learns fractions/addition/stories/letters/verse 4. He/She wants to learn cooking/baking/how to dress properly/how to shop/how to be cautious with money/how to keep a friend/how to keep parents in line/ how not to get homesick/what life is about. 5. Teacher check 6. Teacher check 7. Teacher check

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Background information Reactions to poems can be very different, depending on the person who is reading them. Students should be able to express their reactions to poetry, giving reasons for their reactions, and backing up their thoughts with ideas from the poem.

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Additional activities Students can: 1. Write a letter or poem to the speaker, responding to the ideas in the poem. 2. Act out poems.

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Do you agree?  Read the poem below.

 How does the speaker feel about school?

Show me how All day long in dreadful school, We learn things that are not cool. Fractions coming out our ears, Adding till we are bored to tears. Writing stories, letters, verse, Grouchy teachers make it worse.

school.

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Name three things he/she would rather learn.

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Teach me how to fry a steak, Or ice a giant chocolate cake. Show me how to style my hair, Or dress so people will not stare.

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 Name three things the speaker learns at

 Do you agree with the speaker? Say why/why not.

Advise me how to wisely shop, When I’ve spent enough, how to stop. Demonstrate how to keep a friend, And not drive others round the bend.

 the things you would like to learn at © R. I . C.Pu bTick l i c a t i o ns school. Add three of you own. Tell me how to keep parents in line, f o r e vi etow ur posesonl y• When I’m• away fromr home, how not pine.p cooking ................ manners ..............

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Explain to me what’s life about, When I’m unsure, how not to doubt. These are the things I’d rather do, Ditch the syllabus, I beg you!

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karate...................

horse riding .........

acting ...................

snooker ................

dressing up .......... hairdressing ........

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Educate me on how to stay ahead, When I’m in trouble, to softly tread.

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 Fill in one day of a timetable you would like to see at school. Monday

Times:

9.30 – 10.00

10.00 – 10.30 – 11.00 – 11.15 – 11.45 – 12.30 – 10.30

11.00

11.15

11.45

12.30

1.00

1.00 –

2.00 –

2.00

3.00

Subjects:

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Interpret

Teachers notes

Indicators • Develops emotional and imaginative life through writing • Analyses different interpretations of poems in writing

The lesson 1. Read the poem ‘Going nowhere’ as a class. The poem should not be discussed, although harder words can be dealt with; e.g. ‘eager’, ‘sombre’, ‘malice’, ‘envy’, ‘clearly deﬁned purpose’. 2. The students answer the questions on their own. These should be full sentences. 3. The students discuss all their answers with the group. They can discuss any different interpretations. 4. The class can discuss the poem as a whole and it can be reread.

Background information At this age, students should be interpreting poems on their own and be able to clarify their thoughts through writing them. A student’s interpretation of a poem should never be ‘wrong’ as long as he/she can give reasons for the decisions made. Interpreting poetry will require that slightly more difﬁcult poems be used.

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Activities covered • Reading a poem • Answering questions • Group work – Discussing answers and interpretations

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Before the lesson Divide the class into groups.

Answers 1. Teacher check 2. (a) The speaker is watching other people walking. (b) They could be going to a friend, to pay a bill, to work, to the shop or to visit a relative. (c) It means titbits of information about other people. (d) They could work at the post ofﬁce or in an accounts ofﬁce. (e) He could buy the newspaper. (f) The speaker feels envious. Perhaps the speaker is afraid to go outdoors or perhaps the speaker has nothing important to do. (g) ‘walking’ is repeated (h) It is the speaker who is going nowhere. (i) Teacher check 3. Teacher check

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© R. I . C.Publ i cat i ons •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• Additional activities Students can: 1. Write a story or paragraph based on the poem. 2. Paint a picture to go with the poem. 3. Write a character sketch on someone in the poem. 4. Write a poetry review.

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Recommended reading (to interpret) Note to the hurrying man by Brian Patten

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Interpret To ‘interpret’ a poem is to explain what the poem means. That can be tricky sometimes!

 Read this poem. I watched them all, walking, walking. Where were they going? To visit a friend, eager for drops of golden gossip? To pay an overdue bill, their ﬁsts tightly clenched? To their sombre place of work, to push paper into labelled slots? To the friendly, dirty corner shop, to buy the latest news? To a death-defying relative, a call of dread and duty? Or is one of them simply walking? Can you tell who he might be? Is his expression free of malice? I envy them all, with their clearly deﬁned purpose. As I watch them, walking, walking.

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Going nowhere

Look for your clues in the poem!

(b)

According to the poem, where could the walkers be going?

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(c)

What does ‘drops of golden gossip’ mean?

(d)

What could the person who is going to work possibly do for a living?

(e)

What will the one walker buy at the shop?

(f)

How does the speaker feel? Make up a reason as to why he/she may feel this way.

(g)

Which word is repeated?

(h)

Comment on the title of the poem.

(i)

What do you think the speaker should do?

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 Work in groups. Discuss all your answers with that group. Talk about any different

interpretations of the poem. Listen to what others have to say! Finally, discuss your answers with the whole class.

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Listen and write Indicators • Develops emotional and imaginative life through writing • Expresses in writing reactions to music, artwork, ﬁlms and TV programs

Before the lesson Bring to class music to play to the students. The lesson 1. Explain the lesson to the students and what will be expected from them. They need to know they will be writing about the images that come to mind. 2. Play the music. The students draw a rough sketch of images that come to mind. 3. The students write keywords and/or phrases. The music can be replayed continuously throughout the lesson. 4. The students write free verse about the images they have drawn and the words they have written. Free verse has no restrictions so the poem can take any form. Some possible examples could be discussed. The teacher can continue to play the music while the students are writing. 5. Poems can be displayed in the classroom or read while the music is playing.

Background information This lesson focuses on writing to music that has been played by the teacher. It is suggested that the teacher plays music that is strong and emotional, preferably classical music. It must evoke some feelings in the students. Students should be completely quiet while they are listening to the music, perhaps with their eyes closed so that they can absorb the music and allow their imaginations to run free!

Answers 1. – 3. Teacher check

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Activities covered Listening to music Drawing a sketch Writing keywords/phrases Writing free verse

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Teachers notes

Additional activities Students can: 1. Listen to different types of music; e.g. popular music, traditional music or music from other countries and write about it. 2. Visit an art gallery and write about a particular piece of artwork. 3. Look at the work of a particular artist and choose one piece to write a story about it. 4. Review ﬁlms and TV programs.

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Listen and write Listen carefully to the music the teacher plays to you. Closing your eyes might help!

If music be the food of love, play on. (Shakespeare, ‘Twelfth night’)

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 What does the music make you think of? Draw a sketch of the images that come to mind.

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Let your imagination go wild!

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 Write down keywords and phrases the music makes you think of.

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‘Free verse’ means you have no restrictions.

 Write a free verse about the images that come to mind.

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