11-14 years - Creating Poetry: Unit

Aims of unit
Enjoy, understand and create as much poetry as possible

Methodology
• Generally, introduce, explore and explain example
• Pupils first fill in blanks and progress to creating own poetry
• Specific techniques built-up to eventually produce limericks

Series Outline

1. contemporary ‘hook’
   • brainstorming in teams
   • what favourite song lyrics can you remember (quote best lines)
   • don’t worry about missing lines or words
   • work through ‘High School Musical’ song – poetic features
2. performing Tom Leonard’s ‘Unrelated Incidents’
   • variety and randomness of poetry
   • familiar dialects and voices
3. reading aloud together (workbook)
   • ‘Railway Carriage’
   • Pupils drop-off from reading to mirror train fading away
4. sound-rich examples (wb)
   • poetry mimicking noises and actions of occupations
   • techniques of alliteration and onomatopoeia
   • i.e. Clive Samson ‘The Dustman’ – “Biff! Bang! Bash!”
5. Shape/diamond poems (see below)
   • Basic metre: ascending & descending from 1 to 5 creates rough diamond
6. Acrostics (wb)
   • pressure to fit into form produces exceptional ideas
7. limericks
   • focus on rhyme (and possibly metre depending on pupil ability)
   • allow more freedom to create