Ocean rhyming words + example 2-line couplets - handy prompts and examples for class poetry-writing on sea themes. Two sheets to download, each backed with ocean photo: Sheet 1 offers paired rhyming words relevant to the sea, e.g. tide/wide, swishy/fishy, exciting/inviting. Sheet 2 offers examples of full rhyming couplets with some of the word pairs, e.g. Deep and wide, tilting with the tide. Display, photocopy as a hand-out, or just quote words and rhymes from the lists, to spur more ideas. See also my seaside word and simile lists and many other sea-themed resources.

Insect words - for creative writing and poetry. Quick reference for prompts and inspiration. Handy for teacher and/or students, for developing the love of rich, expressive writing, and igniting other possibilities and developments. Use as spurs for similes, metaphors, descriptive poems, ‘What am I?’ riddles, nature study write-ups, and to bring mini-beast topics alive. See my many other Mini-beast and nature resources too.

This simple, punchy poem clarifies and celebrates the main colours - blue, red, green, yellow, orange, silver and gold, black and white, grey and brown. Pink can be added as a class contribution, following the poem’s pattern. It can be clapped, chanted, and presented with a display of colours, to help young children learn them. Here’s a fun colour riddle for your class to watch and hear (also by me): ‘What Colour am I?’ https://youtu.be/JGKvOUDyXmk

This rainbow poem of mine has been published by The School Magazine, Australia. It describes the varied, characterful colours of the rainbow, with a brief, rhyming word or phrase for each, summing up its character. Calming end, celebrating the beautiful merging and curving of the colours over the land. Picture and coloured border.

Are oceans or related themes on your teaching agenda? Or trying to enthuse your class in poetry? Or just trying to get them to put pen to paper or put their hand up to volunteer an idea? Then this is for you! Recipe poems are fun, quick and mind-stretching to concoct. They get everyone on board, instantly enhancing literacy skills and lateral thinking. Share ideas in a whole-class recipe, or hand out copies this relaxed-style, hand-illustrated sheet for individual, paired or group input. Then invite everyone to read out a line for one gigantic, beautiful, bonkers, thrilling, sparkling ocean concoction. First decide what sort of sea it’s for, e.g. stormy, summer’s day, night-time, mysterious or undiscovered. I’ve started you off with a spoon of, but that could be crossed out and changed to pinch, bowl, dish, ladle, teaspoon, handful, or other measurement. Below, add more, perhaps branching out into non-kitchen measurements to fit your ingredients, e.g. - a fountain of splashes, a rainbow of colours, a peacock’s tail of turquoise, a volcano of danger, a serpent’s nest of hisses, a cool drink of refreshment, etc. Have fun!

Sea monster food? What’s that? Rock roast? Splash salad? Fish and ships? The starter words here open up ideas and get children dreaming and writing - even reluctant and struggling writers! The guide sheet offers teachers ideas for prompting with. Tip: think up sea features together -from fishes to mermaids and pirate ship wrecks - then combine with human dishes, like roasts, sandwiches and pies, perhaps bringing in alliteration (Killer Whale Crisps, Treasure on Toast). Best for KS2, or KS1 as a whole-class, teacher-led game. SEA ALSO: Treasure Map alliteration game: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/treasure-map-alliteration-game-yr1-6-guide-for-use-11887395 .

A thrilling picture-poem to write on a windy day. Writing on wavy, whirling lines, children can express their sound and action ideas, with the starter line: ‘The wind went…’ Examples: whirling, roaring, racing, howling, moaning, whooshing, rushing, spiralling, pushing, tugging, bullying, teasing, buffeting, sailing, dancing, soaring, boom, shriek, rumble, mutter, flutter, whimper… ‘over the mountain tops’. Opportunities for personification, onomatopoeia, and exciting action words. Similes could be added below the lines, e.g. howling like a wolf. **SEE ALSO: ** - Sunshine poetry - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/sunshine-poetry-sun-similes-illustrated-12100615 , Clouds writing - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/clouds-poetry-writing-frame-guided-ks1-11974732, Stormy sea similes - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/stormy-sea-poetry-frame-guide-12043779 .

Dragon Haiku Haiku poems are fun to write. This 2-page haiku-writing guide is dragon-themed, for open-ended creativity. It contains a handy GUIDE - for teacher, pupils or both - and a** SHEET** of partly written haiku with gaps to complete. Your class will then be ready to compose their own, in groups, pairs or individually. Dragons can be whatever the writers likes - fierce, brave, crazy, funny, mysterious… Share ideas first. They can move in a myriad different ways too - prowling, pouncing, leaping, flying, dancing… The scope for dragon imagery is boundless too, but fitting a concept into a 17-syllable haiku can be tricky!

2 FIREWORKS frames - simpler and more complex versions. These popular sheets call for action words - whizzing, booming, sparkling, crackling? - and more, for fireworks. Both sheets also invite describing words for the night sky - dark, misty, moonlit, mysterious, pitch black, spooky, foggy, windy, chilly, cave-dark?? The harder version also requires 3 similes, but the structure is clear, with a repeated pattern running through, and structured phrases with gaps to fill. Supports: seasons, celebrations, literacy, poetry, creativity, vocabulary, colour, night skies and firework features.

Windy Day poetry-writing sheet. Creative writing frame on wild, blustery day theme, illustrated, with** teacher’s guide sheet.** Format: poem in 4 verses, with gaps for action words, onomatopoeia and similes. Rhymes incorporated. Guide sheet provides completed example poem, with word and simile bank below, handy for quick reference when guiding and prompting students. Able writers can develop the poem with follow-on verses, introducing their own approaches if wished, while those needing support will enjoy the simplicity of inserting their word and simile ideas into the gaps to make a flowing, rhyming poem. More weather poem frames available in my catalogue too.

A class rhyme about space will bring your lesson to life. This list of relevant rhyming words, together with the example rhyming couplets on the next page, will provide all the back-up you need. There are plenty of other rhyming words (and near-rhyming ones) to think up too, and any number of ways to write your verses, but these suggestions will provide a solid starting point to branch out from. Recommended: read out some of the verses first, to give your class an idea of what rhyming couplets are like and how fun and varied they can be. Then read out and write up a selection of the rhyming words, inviting others too, to spur and guide ideas. Next, read out one of the first lines offered, and either invite word alternatives for variation, or ask for a different second line from the one given here. Try some more together, drawing on these resources as need be, then let your class have a go independently, or in pairs or groups, with help as needed.

Great for St David’s Day dragon writing! Watch out for the ________ dragon! This exciting writing sheet starts. It’s as ___ as a ___ (perhaps hot as a volcano or red as a ripe tomato). Two more open similes follow, then two lines for features details, an action line - 'He goes__ ing __ ’ (perhaps gliding through the sunset to his secret cave, or cartwheeling over the mountaintops, or flame-blasting through your classrooms). The last line is always a favourite in this tried and tested sheet: His favourite food is __ ’ . Recommended for lower juniors. Supports Literacy, particularly poetry, creativity and vocabulary-stretching; also enriching Myths & Legends studies.

Stormy Day poetry format with prompts and gaps to fill, illustrated, in three grades, recommended for ages 6-7, Yr 2. Tried and tested successfully with three Y2 classes of mixed ability. Warm up with discussion, pictures, opening window to check today’s weather, and acting out. Be the wind, rain, lightning, thunder and finally the welcoming sun coming out. Remember the rainbow too! Discuss simile ideas for the lightning and thunder. Share describing words for the sun at the end - gentle, kind, merry, warm, cheerful… The wind might be blowing at your coat, howling round the trees, roaring at the washing on the line. The rain might be going pitter-patter, drip-drop, or splish, splash, splosh. The lightning might be as bright as a flashing firework, flame or torch. The thunder could be as loud as drums, a lion’s roar or a popping balloon. Above all, have fun!

Seaside Creative Writing Sheets - easier/harder: Seaside writing on wavy lines is fun! Children love using these sheets in my poetry workshops. The sea is __ and __. It is as sparkly as __. You might find , My sandcastle is as big as a - and more on the harder sheet. These line-starters open up exciting possibilities for young writers. See my very simple version too. Many other sea-themed writing sheets here too.

These attractive star pictures are fun to write in, and there are plenty of straight lines to write on - shooting in all directions. The variations are graded in difficulty, with increasing opportunities for words and similes, the hardest having three descriptive lines to complete below, about stars, sky and space. Colouring possibilities are wide open. Recommended approach: first, in a wide space, ‘be’ stars with your group, pointing, shooting, whirling, glowing, winking, blinking, dancing, spinning. Then prompt for verbs like these, and adjectives, such as spiky, sharp, peaceful, gentle, high up, twinkly, pretty, delicate, dainty, tiny - and different colours. The similes are for sparkly stars and dark space. The 3-sheet resource has been used with rewarding results in my workshops. They are hand-drawn and home-produced, so don’t expect perfect symmetry!