Writing Poetry about Places 1. Ask your students to write a poem inspired by their favourite place or a place that inspires them following the steps below:
2. You can choose the type of poem you want them to write. Some examples can be found here: examples.yourdictionary.com/what-are-different-types-of-poems.html 3. Alternatively, you can ask them to write a free verse poem, such as my example below: The many places On the trail around The Blue Lake Invite us to sit and rest. There under the trees, Birds chirping, We sat on high ledges With magnificent views And listened to the sounds Of our silence. There was nothing to say As I my fingers ran In the deep waters of The blue lake, I felt the beauty Of this place caress my soul And our connection With all the living beings From recent days to many years ago… That was the magic of the Blue Lake.
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Acrostic Poems Time: 50/60 minutes Level: from Intermediate to Advanced Language Aims: show students how to write an acrostic poem and the structures to use. Educational Aims: by studying poetry, we can promote literacy, build community, and foster emotional resilience. Procedure: 1. Name the poem: distribute to each group cards with examples of haiku (poetry class #1), cinquain (poetry class #2) and acrostic poems, and other cards with their names. (5 minutes) 2. Once they match the names to the poems, ask them to read the poems out loud. (5 minutes) 3. Ask them to describe the haiku and cinquain poems, and explain what an acrostic poem is: (10 minutes) An acrostic poem is a type of poetry where the first, last or other letters in a line spell out a particular word or phrase. The most common and simple form of an acrostic poem is where the first letters of each line spell out the word or phrase. A less common and slightly more difficult type of an acrostic poem is where the last letter of each line spells out the word or phrase. Finally, the more difficult type is where letters in the middle of the acrostic spell out the word or phrase. 4. Ask them to re-tell briefly some of the fairy tales they are familiar with, then read a fairy tale of your choice, different from what they know. I used the book 'Gossip from the Forest' by Sara Maitland, and I chose 'The Dreams of the Sleeping Beauty', p.324-332. (10/15 minutes) 5. Ask them to write an acrostic poem using the template below: (10/15 minutes) 6. Ask them to read their own poems to the class. (10 minutes). Matheus Durante: First you need to dream. After that, you must feel. Imagine that fantasy is real. Reality gets so boring when You learn that what is unreal Tastes better just for a few. All you got is nothing... Life has sent you no mail that day. Everything is not real So live in a fairy tale. Gabriel Delgado: For you, A fairy tale In your life Resounds Your way To Analyse the world, Less disturbed. But in the End, this is how it is Supposed to be. Leonardo Puttini: Falling down the rabbit hole, Alice was feeling sick. Illness took her everything, Reducing her to absolutely nothing. Yelling in pain, Tearing her thoughts apart, Alice could not feel anything. Looking for help, she shouted, Ending noticing that she had no voice at all. Suddenly, waking from a nightmare, she felt hungry and ate the magic cake. Pedro Giraldi: Fairies, dragons, gnomes and witches All over the dark forest. Irritating all of them in Reality is false. You should give them a chance, They are normal creatures As you and me. Let them show their true faces, Except unicorns. I am Sure they are bad animals!
Cinquain Poems
Time: 30 minutes
Level: from Intermediate to Advanced 1. Explain what a cinquain poem is Cinquain /ˈsɪŋkeɪn/ is a class of poetic forms that employs a 5-line pattern. Earlier used to describe any five-line form, it now refers to one of several forms that are defined by specific rules and guidelines. I used the 'Didactic Cinquain' for this lesson. The prescriptions of this type of cinquain refer to word count, not syllables and stresses. Ordinarily, the first line is a one-word title, the subject of the poem; the second line is a pair of adjectives describing that title; the third line is a three-word phrase that gives more information about the subject (often a list of three gerunds); the fourth line consists of four words describing feelings related to that subject; and the fifth line is a single word synonym or other reference for the subject from line one. 2. 'Getting to know you' with cinquains Interview a classmate and use what you learn to write a cinquain about that person: 1. What is your name? (person's name - one word) 2. What are some adjectives that describe you? (two adjectives describing the person) 3. What are some activities you enjoy? (three -ing action words) 4. What do you think makes you a good friend to others? (a four-word phrase about friendship) 5. Do you have a nickname? (one-word nickname) Pedro Giraldi: Luis Intelligent, nonsense Studying, cooking, reading Really funny with friends Lipe Nicole: Julia Happy, outgoing Reading, sleeping, cooking Someone that is trustworthy Ju Julia Abend: Nicole Happy, shy Swimming, reading, eating Someone that is caring Nick Luis Cavalli: Pedro Smart, shy Programming, photographing, exploding Always got your back Giraldi Leonardo Putini: Pedro Blue, white Sleeping, fighting, eating He ain't no coward Vienna Pedro Vienna: Gabriel Sleepy, psy Watching, basketballing, sleeping Very trustworthy he is Delgado Gabriel Delgado: Leonardo Short, geek Drawing, video-gaming, watching To have good sense Putini Verena Torres: Osmeire Determined, nonstop Reading, travelling, working Being true all times Meire Osmeire Sanzovo: Verena Sincere, determined Running, reading, praying Always happy when together Veve 3. Cinquains about the Universe: Discussion about the universe:
4. Watch this video: 'The Big Bang Theory': 5. Read: Big Bang Nothing together Add a long and Good time to Start a point. From such a point We can begin A story that Can evolve one by one. Start your story - It will be unique Belonging only To you... (Malu Sciamarelli) Something from nothing... We dive into a black hole Then feel the Big Bang (Alan Maley) 6. Write your cinquain about the Universe: Pedro Giraldi: Universe Dark, cold Exploring, exploding, existing What time really is Intriguing Nicole: Universe Huge, beautiful Creating, aging, destroying Endless planets and stars Infinity Julia Abend: Universe Mysterious, enormous Searching, exploring, discovering Many planets, many starts All Luis Cavalli: Universe Empty, terrific Expanding, scaring, creating Blank filled with galaxies Cosmos Pedro Vienna: Universe Vast, empty Existing, being, dreaming Surreal but it's there Box Gabriel Delgado: Universe Spaceful, intergalactic Expanding, creating, changing All stars and Galaxies Cosmos Verena Torres: Universe Mysterious, funny Increasing, fascinating, driving To a constant madness Life Osmeire Sanzovo: Universe Indescribable, changeable Moving, growing, disappearing Adapting hopes and dreams Shine
A fractured fairy tale is a story that uses fairy tales you know and then changes the characters, the setting, points of view, or plots.
In this lesson the students will:
1. Gather a collection of books that includes some fairy tales. Share some titles and let students talk about their favourite ones. 2. Invite students to identify some common characteristics of fairy tales. They might offer such ideas as:
3. When students have a good understanding of the elements of a fairy tale, arrange them in groups of three. 4. Have each student read aloud one fairy tale to their group. 5. Ask them to compare and contrast the three fairy tales. 6. When the comparisons are completed, have groups share them with their classmates and explain what conclusions they drew about fairy tales. Students might even write a brief paragraph or two comparing and contrasting the fairy tales they analysed. 7. After students are familiar with the elements of fairy tales, read aloud one fractured fairy tale of your choice. 8. Talk about how the story is different from the version they are familiar with. 9. Discuss what a fractured fairy tale is, and explain to students they are going to write their own fractured fairy tales. 10. Discuss how other fairy tales might change if told from a different point of view. Discuss some fairy tale titles and brainstorm how the tales might change. 11. Then students have to make the following decisions:
12. When students fractured fairy tales are complete, have a sharing session and have fun! In this lesson, you have the opportunity to practice the alphabet, ask questions, and reading.
1. Play hangman to say which fairy tale you are going to read. 2. First, use CINDERELLA. Then, ask children to name other words that start with the same letters. 3. Play again with the words PRINCE CHARMING. 4. Then, tell the children you will all fly into the book and talk to Prince Charming to solve a mystery: the disappearing of Cinderella. 5. Read the fairy tale and stop when Cinderella left the ball before midnight without finishing her dance. Do not mention she left the glass slipper behind. 6. Ask children what questions they would like to ask The Prince to help him find Cinderella, for example, Why did she left the ball? Where do you think she went? How will you find her? and so on. 7. If you have a small group, divide it into two groups - one will be the Prince Charming, and the other one will be responsible for asking the questions. 8. Role play asking and answering questions. 9. Write or record their answers. 10. Help them write a new fairy tale using their answers. 11. Read the rest of the original tale and compare the two versions. This fairy tale activity is a great opportunity to teach language, have fun, and address a safety issue - child abduction.
It is a good idea to divide this lesson into a two-day session so that children will listen to the story several times without getting bored. Day 1:
Day 2:
This is a very simple and easy to use idea in which children will be listening to the story several times, repeating the events, creating a new tale, retelling their own story, and role playing it. They will have the opportunity to practice the language, learn a lesson, and have fun! The possibilities for learning a foreign language through movement are inexhaustible. Consider acting out the meaning of individual words from stories and poems. Through movement, children can begin to comprehend the meaning of action words such as pull, push, jump, leap, hop or descriptive words such as kind, lovely, polite, bitter, sugary.
However, movement activities that require children merely to imitate the teacher do not foster creativity. But movement activities with emphasis on problem-solving, discovery, and self-expression can make a substantial contribution. Creative movement activities also foster imagination. One of these activities is the 'poetry walk'. And here is how to do it:
These are some examples: The colours of the garden reflect the rainbow that crosses the sky. Ants, bees and butterflies Are so small and so different, but they are all happy at sunrise. What a delicious smell! What are you baking? 'Chocolate cake', we yelled! So many books, so many words If we read them all Will we become nerds? An acrostic poem is a type of poetry where the first, last or other letters in a line spell out a particular word or phrase. The most common and simple form of an acrostic poem is where the first letters of each line spell out the word or phrase. 1. Show the child how to write an acrostic poem, in which the first letter of each line spells out his or her name, when read top to bottom. 2. Once the child writes a poem based on his or her own name, the child can write about family members, friends, or pets. 3. If the child is too young, you can ask them to draw rather than write, and read it aloud. 4. These are some examples of a group with six-year-old children: And this is what they said about their poems: Kangaroos live in Australia Alligators like dirty rivers Insects are everywhere and Octopuses live in the sea. Horses are strong and Elephants too. My Nose moves like Rabbits noses when Insects bite it. Quack, a duck said when it saw an Umbrella protecting an Egg from the rain! Remember that creativity flourishes when things are done for enjoyment. What matters is the pleasure, not the perfection. Give the children opportunity to share, to make mistakes, to take risks, and to feel the freedom to express all their wonderful ideas. Working with poetry offers a wealth of benefits for children. Some linguistic benefits were mentioned in my post: malusciamarelliblog.weebly.com/creative-writing/writing-poems-with-children
It also:
From today on, I will share some activities I use when teaching children English. Mr Spider by Alan Maley
The primary focus of this activity is work with rhyme and writing. The secondary is reading and listening.
Video: Poem: Mr Spider 'Please, Mr Spider, climbing up the wall, Please don’t, please don’t, please, don’t fall!' 'Why are you so frightened? Why are you afraid?' 'Because I think you’ll poison The soup I’ve just made.' 'Oh Mr Spider, walking on the ceiling, You give my tummy such a funny feeling.' 'What makes you so frightened? What makes you afraid?' 'Because I think you’ll drop on me And bite me till I’m dead!' 'Please, little children, sitting down below, Please don’t run away. Please don’t go. You really mustn’t think that I Am poisonous or mean. Remember that I eat the flies And keep your houses clean.' (Alan Maley) 2. Talk about where each line of the poem ends and how it creates rhyme, affects the meaning of the poem, and might even make the poem look a particular way. 3. Read it again as a group. 4. Select some words that rhyme. In this case, I selected: wall / fall; afraid / made; mean / clean; below / go. 5. Help them write another poem individually, in pairs, or as a group using the words selected and about the same topic. Example: Seeing the spider climbing up the wall, My first thought was, 'it will fall!' I was also so afraid When I saw the web it's just made! Then I shouted, 'spiders are so mean!' But then I saw how the room was clean. I sat with all the children down below And said, 'little spider, please, don't go!' As a follow-up activity, you can ask them to read it aloud, and draw a picture of a spider. Creating a Found Poem 2 Your Favourite Song Found poetry is a type of poetry created by taking words, phrases, and sentences from other sources and reframing them in a creative and original way, thus imparting new meaning.
Language Aims:
Educational Aims:
Procedure: 1. If you have a group of up to 10 or 12 students, ask each one individually to name their favourite song / songs. If it is a bigger class, put students together to have up to 10 or 12 groups. 2. Listen to the song before the next class to make sure they are appropriate, and select one for each student / group. 3. In the next class, give students strips of paper with the fifth line of each song written on them. As they listen to the songs, they have to identify the lines. You can play each song up to the fifth line twice. 4. Make students compare their answers. Each student or group must have the sentences for each song. For instance, if you have a group of 10 students, and you played 10 songs, each student must have 10 slips of paper with the sentences from the songs written on them. 5. When all the sentences are identified, ask them to arrange them in any order they wish to make a poem. Help them to add linkers, if necessary, so that the poem makes sense. 6. Ask them to read each of the poems out loud, and discuss their meaning in their own view. 7. Take a picture of all poems, post them on an online blog or a poster in the classroom. Example: Open your eyes, Life's what happens to you when you're busy making other plans Whenever I'm alone with you I go to the other side of Paradise It will be just a perfect day And if thou should ask my love I'll love you more with every breath And build a ladder to the stars Do you dream to touch me and smile down deep inside? Oh, God help the beast in me! I knew, I knew, I'd lose you You've got to learn although it's very hard Songs: Take me to the other side, Arisha Beautiful Boy, John Lennon Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen Lovesong, The Cure Just a perfect day, Lou Reed Truly, Madly Deeply, Savage Garden Thorn in my pride, Black Crowes The Beast in me, Johnny Cash No need to argue, The Cranberries You’ve got to learn, Charles Aznavour Forever young, Bob Dylan Jamie come to me, Robert Burns (poem) Participants: Vassiliki Mandalou Teresa Gomes de Carvalho Monica Freire Aleksandra Popovski Jeffrey Doonan Julia Aliverti Mariana Manolova Eva Buyuksimkesyan Priscila Mateini JoAnn Salvisberg-Smith Malu Sciamarelli |
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