Rhymes for runners

Children’s authors and poets Brian Moses and Roger Stevens have written a timely selection of lively and quirky sporting rhymes for those planning lessons with a London 2012 theme.

What is it?

Olympic Poems: 100% unofficial! is a book of 58 poems, all with a sporting feel. There are poems about racing, such as Winning (which, ironically, celebrates the art of “not coming first”) and The Overtaker about a runner who just can’t stop. The Lazylympics is about an unhealthy dad with a medal-winning dream (if dog-walking ever became a sport). From shape poems like Trampoline to those that focus on literary techniques such as onomatopoeia and superlatives, there is plenty to engage pupils in both the sporting season and the art of poetry.

What else?

An extract from Alfred Lord Tennyson’s Ulysses has been selected to be engraved on the Olympic Village wall. Explore the poem and others with a heroic theme in helpfulnomad’s lesson. Or test students’ wit with Sazo123‘s poetry challenge to create the best Olympic acrostic.