POEMSpoemsPOEMSpoemsPOEMS...

I LOVE POEMS ...for many reasons. Basically because they are endless source of language, interpretation and meaning. They can be fun for our students -who can "play" with language, recite, and enjoy!

I invite you to enter the magic world of poets and poetry. Let me introduce two contemporary poets: Eloise Greenfield and Roger McGough. The former was born in the US and the latter is from the UK.

YOU CAN WORK IN GROUPS of 3 or 4 students all throughout this project.

STEP 1: POETS´ BIOGRAPHIES.

• Eloise Greenfield
• Biography #1: go HERE
• Biography #2: go HERE
• Biography #3: Read both biographies and write a SUMMARY of them. Do NOT copy the same words, paraphrase, join sentences with linkers (and, but, later...), use synoyms, include ONLY key/relevant information.

• Roger McGough
• Biography #1: go HERE
• Biography #2: go HERE
• Biography #3: Read both biographies and write a SUMMARY of them. Do NOT copy the same words, paraphrase, join sentences with linkers (and, but, later...), use synoyms, include ONLY key/relevant information.

DEADLINE: May  16th (YES, it's Saturday. I simply want to ORGANIZE your tasks.)

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STEP 2: LET´S READ SOME POETRY!

POEM #1: "By Myself" by Eloise Greenfield. 

When I’m by myself  And I close my eyes I’m a twin I’m a dimple in a chin I’m a room full of toys  I’m a squeaky noise  I’m a gospel song I’m a gong  I’m a leaf turning red I’m a loaf of brown bread  I’m a whatever  I want to be  An anything I care to be  And when I open my eyes What I care to be  Is me.

STEP 3: POETIC DEVICES:

Presentation; Shaun_Charles

Watch this presentation, look up these words in a monolingual dictionary and a phonetics dictionary; then complete your portfolio with examples from the poem:

poem  poetry poet  poetic licence line stanza

assonance alliteration rhyme metaphor onomatopoeia repetition

DEADLINE: May 20th.


STEP 4: POETRY IN ACTION
. You will become teachers and here we can see how a teacher is using this poem at school. Pay attention to the following characteristics (to be discussed in class >> CHAT MAY 14th):

• Are they sitting at their tables/desks? Why?
• Do they use body language?
• What happens if they forget the poem? Have they learnt it by heart?
• Why 
• Is this kind of task related to attainment/ fluency/ community management /collaboration...(others)?

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STEP 5: ANOTHER POEM!
Let´s learn something else from Roger McGough. 

Roger McGough  is a laureate British poet. He writes, among others, poems for children. Let's know something else about him through a  COLLABORATIVE WRITING TASK. 

• divide yourselves into groups.
• choose one video and write a summary of key concepts
• discuss in small groups BEFORE handing in the assignment
• GO HERE for more instructions & the document to write your assignment.

source: https://clpe.org.uk/poetryline/interviews/mcgough-roger

DEADLINE: May 23rd

STEP 6: ANALYSING THE POEM!

POEM #2: "The Sound Collector" by Roger McGough.

A stranger called this morning Dressed all in black and grey Put every sound into a bag And carried it away. He took away the chattering of the children The bouncing of the ball, The blowing of the whistle, The bouncing of the ball. The howling of the wind, The tapping of the rain, The ringing of the bell, The dripping of the drain. The banging of the locker The tapping of the phone, The squeaking of the bench, The children screaming home. A stranger called this morning. He didn’t leave his name, Left us only silence Life will never be the same.

Now the poet himself (!!!) reads the poem to us. ENJOY!

• read the poem and RECORD it with your cellphone or computer (if you do NOT have any device, NO PROBLEM!). Use the poet's reading and copy his rhythm, pronunciation, pauses...!!
• look up NEW WORDS (in English and in SPANISH)

STEP 7 : TIME TO ANALYSE THE POEM.

• repeat the analysis (as in "By Myself")
• copy this table and complete it with NOUNS, ADJECTIVES and VERBS from the original poem

NOUNS	ADJECTIVES	VERBS

DEADLINE: May 27th

STEP 8:  TIME TO BECOME POETS - INDIVIDUAL TASK.

• REWRITE THE POEM in 4  or 5 stanzas:
• stanzas 1 & last (identical to the original!)
• other stanzas: YOUR SOUNDS from your childhood/adolescenthood.

DEADLINE: May 30th.

stella :-)