A Teaching Resource from Children’s Poet,
Andrew Collett.
www.wackyverse.com
Poetry Points
Getting Children Started
With Poetry.
To Do!
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
It’s As Easy As ....
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Seta list of
a
There should b
e few problem
s
mak with this exerci
Get the class to se once childre
s as they have found thei n
as many object r way around th
ink of. Now, poem. Howev e
possibly can th er, as ideas can
‘It’s As Easy come fairly rap
read the poem idly from
in that the children with th
As ...’. Expla is piece, ask
ut things them to be high
poem is all abo ly selective in
ssible to do.
which are impo their final choic
e of
is their turn to suggestions. A
Tell the class it s always, the
amples of
come up with ex more unusual th
eir idea, the
ossible better!
unlikely or imp
happenings.
Objectives
ildren
To enable to ch
mple
to produce a si
a
list poem using
cture.
prescribed stru
The Next Step
Get the childre
n to look at the
pictures on thei
to prompt them
r sheet in order And Finally ...
with some ne which
initial ideas. W
ith further This poem is o
self to
prompting, the
children should readily lends it
Get the
be able to com
e up with performance.
ose their
plentiful exam
ples on the thin children to cho
he class are
it would be im gs ‘best’ idea. T
possible to get erform a group
their mothers,
fathers, sisters now ready to p
eryone
and brothers to poem. With ev
do. Read the the initial ‘It’s
poem to them
again. Explain joining in with
efore the
that they are go as easy as ...’ b
ing to borrow ch new idea,
the structure of beginning of ea
‘It’s as easy as whole group.
...’ in their own
ideas. work round the
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
Planet Dragon
e air
h your feet in th
It’s as easy as walking wit
ig grizzly bear.
or tryin g to cuddle a b
ay
ur last sweet aw
It’s as ea sy as giving yo e out and play.
or asking you r teacher to com Crocodile Duck
with one hand
ing your shoes
It’s as easy as ty nd.
to live on dry la
o r telling a duck
n round for tea
It’s as easy as asking the Quee
n on one knee.
or sitting a crocodile dow Genie Fire
e tyre,
tching a bicycl
It ’s as easy as stre ut out his fire.
or askin g a dragon to p
sky,
the stars in the
It’s as ea sy as counting Flower
e to put on a tie. Dog
or as king a crocodil
fright,
a ghost quite a
It’s as easy as giving
stay in at night.
or asking a bat to
laugh,
ng the vicar to Kite
It’s as easy as getti p out the bath.
Shark
or asking a spider to jum
of cake,
is, it’s no piece
It ’s as easy as th toffee-tooth ac
he!
trying to get rid of my
Tree Witch
To Do!
Look at the pictures. You need to
choose some of these to help you
with your poem. For example, if Elephant
Snail
you choose the snail then think of
one thing a snail could never do!
Of course, a snail could never win Now think of
a race! So, your idea would look your own ideas!
like this:
Sun
It’s as easy as getting a snail to
win a race! Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Time
Possible Proble
m
Areas
Start
Before You two pieces
With youn ger children th
e whole
n concept of tim
e appearing to
Give the childre pass slowly or
Ask them to quickly may be
of scrap paper. difficult to dem
word ‘slow’ onstrate. Som
write down the children comm e
t’ on the only answer th
on one and ‘fas trains and aero at
planes go quic
other. So, plenty of p kly.
examples of re-work in the
Read out some oral stage migh
e time seems t be needed wit
situations wher this age group. h
d where it
to go quickly an to use some of
You might like
wly. Get the example
seems to go slo situations on th
ith their bits e pupil sheet to
them to vote w overcome this.
lding them up
of paper by ho
n.
for each situatio
Objectives
To develop an
poem
individual list
ction
through the sele
est’
of children’s ‘b
ideas.
in
To perform this
front
ass.
The Next Step of the whole cl
Get the childre
two columns o
n to make
n a scrap of And Finally ...
paper with the n to choose
titles ‘slow Get the childre
and ‘fast’. Tel from their
l them that their ‘best’ idea
you are lookin ind them that
g for unusual own list. Rem
and odd ideas. g for ideas
In other they are lookin
words, original ly very
ity! Some that are probab
will ask if the p those of
oem, like different from
that on the shee ass. They
t, has to others in the cl
rhyme. Rhym to perform
e can stifle are now ready
creativity at th poem!
is stage - they their time piece
can work on th
at later.
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
ing a race
When I’m runn
eue,
or stood in a qu
my grandma’s
when I’m left at Listening to music. Being told off.
do.
with nothing to
l alone
When I’m sat al
e to go,
or with nowher
oments
these are the m Being in love! Waiting in a queue.
ses slow.
when time pas
ing a game
When I’m play
’s hand,
or holding Dad rough puddles Waiting for a parcel. Talking to your friends.
when I’m running th
h sand.
or building wit
bing a tree
When I’m clim
e air,
or snow fills th Being small. Going on holiday.
oments
these are the m
o time to spare!
when there’s n
Fast
Slow
Eating chocolate.
When I’m waiting for my
mum to get off the phone.
To Do! Christmas Day!
When I’m having my teeth
Use this sheet to write down as Watching my favourite
pulled out!
many ideas for when time seems football team score!
to pass slowly or quickly. Use
When I’m eating cabbage -
the ideas in the boxes to help, but Spending money!
yuck!
include plenty of your own!
Now you are ready to write your
own list poem. Begin each line
with ‘Time passes slowly when ..’
or ‘Time passes quickly when ...’
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Riddles
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before YouwStadown
to rite
Children will p
robably have
Ask everyone problems in un
derstanding qu
object. They ite
the name of an what constitute
s a riddle. Clu
yone what this es
must not tell an offered by chil
dren as to the
‘yes and no’
is. Playing the nature of their
object are
will now work
game children r
unlikely to be su
btle. At this
one another fo
in pairs to ask stage stress that
their clues must
identity of
clues about the tell the truth or
encourage them
hildren cannot
their object. C to use ‘half-tru
ths’. In other
es’ or ‘no’ in
answer with ‘y words, not to g
ive too much
estions. This
response to qu away!
in formulating
will help them
clues.
Objectives
that
To demonstrate
ways
there are many
object
of describing an
get
or person. To
fully
children to care
oice
consider their ch
writing
of language in
r poem.
The Next S a description o
Explain to the tep
class that they
are all going to
detectives and
be real all ...
And Finight yke to
that they must li
work out what The children m
the two poems boxes with
are about. Rea place objects in
d the riddles le in the lid.
line-by-line. A only a small ho
sk children to might like to
jot down what Other children
they think the entity by
poem is about. guess as to its id
Stop before ct and
the last give-aw feeling the obje
ay line. Get f clues written
the children to reading a set o
justify their ildren might
answers. Now on the box. Ch
reveal the a set of
truth. like to generate
r classroom
Get them to fill riddle labels fo
out the ridder’s e reader
grid with their cupboards. Th
clues. e to guess
would then hav
their contents.
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
What roars wit
hout a mouth
and spits witho
ut a tongue?
What can keep
alive the old
but hurt the ver
all the time y young?
It’s around you
uch it at all,
but you can’t to What runs in al
y big l directions
it’s neither ver whilst stretchin
y small. g ever higher?
and neither ver What is it? D
and chips, on’t you know
It smells of fish It’s something ?
e that. we call fire.
or anything lik
thin
It’s not so very
fat.
and not so very
e table
It’s there on th ht you
y chair, How often mig
and under ever - What one thing
could ?
d to read a poem see your object
it’s what we nee never go with y
our
l call air!
it’s what we al object?
would
ange Say where you
If you could ch never find you
r
would
its name, what object.
you call it?
ed
Write down on
e thing Draw a disguis
with picture of you r object
that goes well elow.
your mystery o
bject. in the square b
is too
Do not make th
To Do! obvious!
Think of an object. It
needs to be something
could
everyone in your class is What one thing
likely to have heard about. your object
Now, look at the grid. never do?
See if you can answer the
questions.
Finished?
Now you have the start of
your riddle. Order your
ideas into sentences! Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
LOVE IS ........
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Sta
The w
hole discussion
might turn into process
. Discuss a moaning and
Read the poem groaning sessio
n about brother
can some-
how difficult it and sisters. To
a point, this is
s
along with
times be to get to be welcomed
so long as it
y. Get
your own famil does not overid
me up with a e the ultimate
everyone to co purpose of the
they have had task.
situation where Some children
might also not
d not to lose
to try really har have the maturi
ith someone in ty to consider
their temper w love in the con
his will readily text of their
their family. T brother or sister
so this will
ours and
relate to neighb need to be exp
lained.
friends.
Objectives
po em.
To write a list
to
To ask children
consider their
elings
thoughts and fe
eir
in relation to th
d
own family an
The Next Step friends.
After sharing th
And Finally ...
eir initial
ideas the child
ren might wan
to use the pupil t
help sheet. t like to make a
This asks them Children migh
to write down ificate detailing
their own ideas friendship cert
about what they consider
sometimes ann all the qualities
oys them ust have. This
about member a good friend m
s of their own extended to a
family. The g could easily be
rid is just to /sister
get them starte ‘good’ brother
d and most
children should certificate.
be able to
extend their id p
eas fairly t like to develo
readily. Children migh
e most
a ‘top ten’ of th
s for each
annoying habit
r own family.
member of thei
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
Read the sentences and see if you can fill in the gaps with your
own ideas.
The hardest thing to do for my best friend would be to:
you’re sorry
Love is saying ...................................................................
face,
when red in the
best friend
or letting your The hardest thing to do for my worst friend would be to:
race.
come first in a
................................................................
r mum
It’s asking you
ood day,
if she’s had a g The hardest thing to do for my mum would be to:
dad
or telling your
rning grey.
that he’s not tu .............................................................................
r sister
It’s buying you The hardest thing to do for my dad would be to:
r,
a big cuddly bea
or sharing your toys
...........................................................................
ways fair.
when it’s not al
The hardest thing to do for my brother would be to
r brother
It’s helping you
kite,
to find his lost ............................................................................
ory
or reading his st
night.
at least once a The hardest thing to do for my sister would be to:
g away
Love is lookin ..............................................................................
ase you
when others te
e things,
for, of all of th Think about your neighbour, your teacher, your grandma or
est to do!
love is the hard grandad, the dinner lady, the Prime Minister, your pet, in fact .....
anyone you can think of! Continue these on the back of this
sheet!
Use your ideas to start your list poem. So, if the hardest thing to
To Do! do for your sister would be to let her borrow your things, then your
poem would start like this:
Think of the very hardest thing
you might have to do for every- Love is letting my sister borrow my things.
one you know. Fill in the gaps
on the sentences already started
for you, then add some more of
your own on paper. Think of all
the different members of your
family there are: cousins,
grandparents, nephews, nieces
etc Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Trees
Possible Proble
m
Areas
tart
Before You Sg an
n Firm guidance
bri will probably
Ask children to be needed on ex
me. From actly what
object from ho objects might b
oing to e brought into
these they are g school - you m
itial simile ay prefer to
attempt some in choose these y
e ‘five ourself! As in
work. Using th any imaginativ
ue, have e activity there
senses’ techniq will be many w
their objects in ho will write
children place down only thei
others cannot r first
a close box so responses to th
the children e five senses
see. Orally, get activities.
at their object
to describe wh
like ....., feels
is like: smells
like ..... etc
Objectives
ls of
To develop skil
ugh
description thro
simile work.
The Next Step
It is now time
to take the
children out in
playground to
to the And Finally ...
find some . Get the
trees! Having Read the poem
l their ideas in
worked with th
already children to poo
d to choose
a simile, ask th
e structure of small groups an
em to fill in person. They
the pupil work two from each
sheet. They to put this
may want to pla are now ready
roup poem
ideas into each
ce several together as a g
ally ... use the
extend these on
box and piece. And fin
dren brought
paper. Bark ru
to rough objects the chil
play area.
bbings are a in to make a dis
good place to st h the different
get the children
art in order to Label these wit
each child.
about the textu
to think responses from
re of their tree.
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
Trees
It’s older than ..... It stands like a .....
than a giant
My tree’s taller
a bus,
it’s wider than -
our football team
it’s larger than
ze of us.
ten times the si It’s wider than a ..... It makes a noise like .....
a hedgehog
It’s rough like
wn and hard,
with skin all bro
lamppost
it stands like a
on guard.
or a soldier left It’s taller than a ... It’s rough like a.....
wind
It creaks in the
ing chair,
like an old rock
pass
it rustles as you
it’s there.
to let you know
It smells like a
my grandad
It’s older than
us all,
it’s wiser than
garden
our tree in the
and tall.
stretching high
g
My leaf rubbin
g
My bark rubbin
To Do!
Choose a tree. See how many of
the boxes you can fill with your
own similes. Visit other trees so
that you can fill as many boxes as
possible. Do not write down the
first thing which comes into your
head. Consider you answers
carefully and take plenty of time to
stop and stare at your tree. Now
put your ideas into sentences. Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Clouds
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Sta Children may n
ot be able to
see or fully spo
of a ‘typical’ t a shape or
Draw a picture picture.
the
fluffy cloud on Encourage chil
he children dren not to
blackboard. T necessarily loo
recognise it as k for
will obviously ‘complete’ pic
them to take a ture shapes.
such. Now ask Suggest that a
study one or cloud might
few moments to look like a dra
et them to gon with no
two clouds. G teeth etc
fact, very few
consider that, in
our version on
will look like y
the board.
Objectives
dren’s
To develop chil
incts by
imaginative inst
look at
getting them to
s in an
everyday object
unusual light.
ildren to
To introduce ch
metaphors.
The Next Step
Take the childre
ask them to sket
n outside and
ch three very And Finally ...
different cloud
s. They will
need to use rou n to illustrate
gh paper at Get the childre
first in preparat eir ideas. They
ion for their and develop th
more detailed an dd’ to their
d final efforts. may want to ‘a
Ask them what elop shape
the shape of pieces and dev
each reminds th eir original
em of. Do poems using th
enforce that th ideas.
ere is no ‘right’
or ‘wrong’ answ
er.
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
Clouds A feather duster
A face with two noses
A puff of smoke
landing
It’s a spaceship
r,
it’s a grizzly bea
itch
it’s a wicked w
air.
it’s a giant’s ch
lver
It’s a puff of si
wide,
it’s a snowdrop
crashing
it’s a wave when
slide.
it’s a mountain
tower
It’s a dragon’s
roud,
it’s a swan all p
’s castle
it’s a snowman
oud!
it’s my magic cl
To Do!
Choose four clouds to sketch.
Make sure they are very different
from one another in shape and, if
possible, colour. Once you have
done this write down all of the
things that the shape and size of
your cloud reminds you of.
Remember, it can be anything at
all. Take plenty of time with each
one and see if you can come up
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
with some really unusual ideas.
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Without You
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Staa list
to make
There should b
e few problem
s
Get the class of understandin
g when using
rs of objects
of as many pai such a simple st
ructure as
h might
or animals whic this. However
, the danger of
gether.
normally go to such an exercise
could be that
chips to
From fish and children opt fo
r only the
d cream this
stawberries an simplest of pai
red words.
few
should present
unger
problems. Yo
e need to be
children may b
prompted!
Objectives
mple list
To develop a si
iven
poem using a g
structure.
ort
To perform a sh
s.
poem to the clas
The Next Step
And Finally ...
Ask children to
be selective in
their choice of
pairs. Get
them to grade piece lends
their ideas out This particular
of ten as to wh pid drama
ich they think itself to some ra
are the most un dren to work as
usual and work. Ask chil
interesting. T strating a
hat is, those a pair in demon
which are least illustrate their
been used by so
likely to have simple action to
meone else. ideas.
Otherwise we ropriate, allow
may end up Finally, as app
with a list of ‘b the ending of
uckets and them to borrow
spades’ and ‘m e their piece a
cheese’! Use
ice and my poem to giv
re.
opposite to get
the themes sense of structu
them thinking.
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
Space
Planets And
Plants
Flowers and
Your Body
Without you I’m like
a street with no name
I’m like a ship without sea
or a firework without flame.
Without you I’m like
The Queen a duck on dry land, Christmas
for whatever I do
you always understand!
To Do!
Think of as many pairs of Transport
objects which normally go
together. You might find the Food
pictures on this paper useful in
getting started with your ideas.
For example, if you looked at Computers
the picture of Santa you could
make a list of all the Christmas
things which normally go
together. Make a long list of
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
as many as you can
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Autumn
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Sta
n to come up For this to work
Ask the childre children will n
well, the
bjects which
with a list of o as much inform
eed to collect
outside. For
we would find autumn as poss
ation on
hedgehogs,
example, trees, walk around th
ible. A nature
ds, flowers,
leaves, cars, bir together with so
e school
to explain in
etc. Ask them photographs to
me
are changed
what ways they experience wil
extend their
f autumn.
by the arrival o develop their id
l clearly help to
ht be:
Some ideas mig eas.
ng, cobwebs
windows misti
sparkling etc
Objectives
en-ended
To write an op
using the
list poem piece
of given
very minimum
structure.
develop
To extend and
standing
children’s under
asons.
of changes in se
The Next Step
You should by
gathering some
now be ...
And Finally the
useful
vocabulary. T Get .
he above is Read my poem
best tackled in rk through the
groups. children to wo
Now, ask child rs in the box
ren to consider connecting pai
what arrivals th their initial
ere are in and add these to
autumn, as opp ropriate and,
osed to simply ideas. As app
listing objects ility, the
which are according to ab
affected. You e able to
could consider children may b
frost, dew, fire eas into
works, ice, extend their id
conkers, fog, et
c. Ask them similes:
to list an action r coughing
word for ‘Autumn is a ca
each: man first
........ like an old
fog falls, firew rning’.
orks shoot etc thing in the mo
ady to write!
They are now re
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
Autumn Is
A shadow tall
ld,
A splash of go
,
A day cut short
One playgrou nd, cold.
birds die
A conker race
et,
A crunch of fe cars stretch
A lazy wasp
eat.
One fireside tr chimneys sneeze
puddles blaze
A tree left bare
right,
A classroom b people fall
g
A flower foldin
white.
One morning, fog sparkle
flowers go back
A sinking sun
d,
A painted worl clocks appear
A robin’s song
, curled.
One hedgehog cobwebs shiver
children hangs
A silver mist
own,
A cowbweb’s cr bonfires go home
A magic dressed
wn.
In autumn’s go conkers smoke
coats choke
shadows freeze
To Do!
See if you can join up each of
the pairs of words in the box above.
The first one is done for you.
There are not necessarily any right
answers.
Now, with your first thoughts see if
you can choose your best ideas and
write these out with the starting
title of ‘Autumn Is’
Remember new idea, new line. Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Water Words
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Sta
There’s no sub
situte for being
all the things able to observe
Make a list of falling prior to
the rain
ything to do
which have an poem. Howev
attempting this
with water: er, as the
m engines, weather is rare
saucepans, stea oblige, I have in
ly likely to
es, drains,
clouds, hosepip extension shee
cluded an
the extended
boats etc. Use develop ideas to
t to help
ith this.
sheet to help w of the activity.
wards the end
Objectives
of
To develop use
similes using a
cture.
prescribed stru
The Next Step
Look at the pu
And Finally ...
pil sheet. Ask
children to try
and match up
those words in ideas from
the circle Add those inital
which best wo ing session to
rk with those the brainstorm
in the square. eet.
There should those on the sh
be scope for dis nsion sheet, try
cussion and Using the exte
argument over ries of simile
this. to develop a se
Use plenty of p
hotographs sentences.
and pictures to
generate
ideas.
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
Water
then disappear
aves crash and snow
W o one can hear,
giants paddle where n low soap
stars shooting taps
rain drops race like go.
with nowhere to
and rivers rush
kettles
e sea tears
k down under th
Shipwrecks crea a,
le just before te
saucepans sizz spin clouds
ke snakes in a
ho se pipes hiss li in. waterfalls
le under their sk hosepipes
and drains gurg
hot pipes
l steaming and saucepans
Baths bubble al ot,
om out of its p
coffee pours fr , ice
warn you away waves
w aterfalls roar to hear what you
say. ducks
wishin g wells wait to
rivers
oor
en left by the d
Buckets tip wh wellingtons
onto the floor,
umbrellas drip
to the ground
sn owmen melt in sound!
sh like no other
and w ellingtons spla
See if you can match up the ‘circle’
words to those in the square. There
slides drip won’t be answers for every one, so see
bubble if you can add words of your own.
gurgle
splash
roar Use the EXTENSION sheet to
To Do! complete your ideas.
steam
twist
gush
hiss
melts
float rumble
burst
foam
race
roll swim Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
thunder Andrew Collett
drizzles Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
If Children Ruled
THE WORLD.
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Sta The danger is th
made by childre
at suggestions
em which can n will not be
This is a fun po balanced or co
serious issues. nsidered.
also work with There will be th
ssion about all e usual ‘get
Initiate a discu rid of all schoo
ren are ls’ or ‘ban
the things child adults’. Thes
the world. e ideas can be
unhappy with in edited-out at th
that they can e selection
Try to set a rule stage. Howev
and one er, do
have one ‘fun’ encourage off-b
tion. So, eat and
‘serious’ sugges unusual - if im
uld be as practical -
suggestions co ideas like centr
g to eat al heating for
simple as havin playgrounds or
e number of snow in July!
vegetables or th
e world.
wars around th
Objectives
st
To develop a li
poem.
ssion
To initiate discu
on issues of
oung
importance to y
people.
The Next Step
Suggest to chil
And Finally ...
dren that they
are going to be
in charge of
the world for a e line ‘If
day. There Starting with th
will be immed the world’,
iate children ruled
enthusiasm for dren to list
this idea with encourage chil
suggestions of his is best
free sweets, their ideas. T
banning of sch tively. Spin-
ool etc. done collabora
Using the ‘one uld be a
fun’ and ‘one offs from this co
serious’ rule as h children
k them to board game wit
develop a TOP h their own
TEN of rules working throug
they would mak with penalties
e. Try to ideas and rules
encourage fres ese. This
h ideas for for breaking th
rules rather than od way into a
simply a ban activity is a go
on those made le playing
by adults! wide range of ro
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
activities.
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
All schools would be
close to the seaside.
If Children Ruled The World
If children ruled the world
vegetables would be banned
No more pollution of and adults sent to bed at eight
our atmosphere right across the land.
Teachers would wear uniform
and be told what to do,
they’d have to sit in rows all day PE Lessons
with no trips to the loo. EVERY DAY!
Weekends would be sunny
school dinners would taste great,
grannies wouldn’t try to kiss
and parents wouldn’t be late.
An END to
BULLIES Things would be much better,
if only for a day,
so come on children everywhere
it’s time to get our way.
MORE ‘FUN’
science experiments!
We would SAVE
THE WHALE
To Do! SNOW
You are going to write a list of in July
all the things you would like to
see in the world - all the things
which might change it for the
better. From stopping cruelty
to animals to having more PE
lessons, you should have plenty
of ideas. Silly ideas like central
heating for playgrounds are a
good choice too! Try to choose Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
one sensible for every silly idea!
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
What A Save!
Wongastare
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Sta In any football
poem piece it
and fun
This is a simple is too easy to g
et distracted
off by with talk of ‘T
activity. Start HE GAME’.
s some There are gener
reading the clas ally very few
. See problems with
football poetry this activity.
t 10. However, the h
extension shee umour of the
of scope piece relies on
There is plenty the children
usion of
here for the incl collecting odd-b
all items for
l chants, their poem. S
simple footbal o they will
e on the need to choose
claps and debat these very
team in the carefully.
‘best’ football
, of course,
world. Which
nited!
is Newcastle U
Objectives
st
To develop a li
poem. To
dren
encourage chil
to think
out
imaginatively ab
useless objects.
The Next Step
And Finally ...ure,
We’re looking
to collect a list
of as many odd
things as ’s struct
possible - the st Using the poem
ranger and eed to replace
the more usele children will n
ss the better! their own.
This could incl my ideas with
ude empty pop nds itself
cans, flat footb This activity le
alls even a work with
second-hand fi readily to dram
reworks ... ng their own
children’s sugg children creati
estions do not aim the
have to exist. adverts to procl
Encourage own
children to INV virtues of their
ENT their ags’ or
own useless ob ‘waterproof teab
jects like ocks’. As a
fireproof match ‘silent alarm cl
es or an ng adverts, see
inflatable dart way into creati
board. RTISING A
ways of ADVE
sion 5.
POEM - Exten
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
What A Save
Our school goalie saves beer mats
and little bits of chalk,
IONS
CRAZY INVENT he saves old rubber bands
and parrots which won’t talk.
skimos
A freezer for E
eads
Combs for bald-h
Diet celery
He saves double-sided playing cards
r helicopters
Ejector seats fo and doughnuts with no hole,
es
Fireproof match it’s just a shame our goalie
Motorcycle se at-belts
tape can’t ever save a goal!
Non-stick Sello
water
Reduced calorie
works
Second-hand fire MORE CRAZY IN
VENTIONS
Self-stick frying
pan
Umbrella with a
skylight
Unsinkable subm
arine
Waterproof spon
ge
Silent alarm cloc
k
Waterproof teab
ags
Underwater hair
dryer
To Do! See-through blin
ds
A cordless bung
Make a list of as many useless ee jump
Black highlighter
objects as you can think of: - pen
Inflatable dartbo
empty pop cans, flat footballs ard
etc. However, to make your
ideas more interesting, look at
my list of crazy and really
useless objects. See if you can
come up with some of you own.
Use these to re-write my poem
about a goalkeeper who saved Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
EVERYTHING -
Andrew Collett
except GOALS! Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Attention
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Staa list
make
There should b
e few problem
Get the class to here, although s
s which they some children
of all the thing will need to be
to do. Get steered away
would not like from examples
er such areas which could
them to consid perhaps be con
would not sidered as silly.
as clothes they Humour, of co
wearing, urse, is always
want to be seen welcomed. Th
uld not want ere is plenty of
people they wo scope for humo
, places they ur within this
to be seen with piece.
etc. The
would never go
the examples
more extreme
riginal the
then the more o
ely to be.
end piece is lik
Objectives
mple list
To develop a si
iven
poem using a g
structure.
The Next Step
Get the childre
n to share their
ideas. Workin
ask them to pu
g in groups, And Finally ...
t on their ould now
‘editor’s hat’ to
decide which The children sh
ection of
ideas might be
worth have a raw coll
to look at
including in th
e piece. ideas. Get them of my
cture
Encourage the the simple stru
use of to place the
rhyming couple
ts, as poem. Ask them within
eas
appropriate. H
owever, do ‘best’ of their id
the first and
not make this a
requirement. the structure of
In other
As in all poetry last two lines.
efforts, r own ideas in
rhyme will com
e with words, put thei
n.
confidence wh
en the writer is place of my ow
ready to includ
e this.
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
Attention Seeker
My brother will:
stand on his head,
try to play dead,
pull funny faces,
wear coloured braces,
climb a tall tower,
get dressed in the shower,
hang upside-down,
dress like a clown,
in fact, anything you mention,
just to get Mum’s attention!
To Do!
Try to think of all the things you
would never want to do. Your
ideas could be to do with places
you would never want to visit,
people you would never want to
be seen with or even clothes you
would never want to wear.
When you have your ideas, see
if you can replace some of my
own ideas in this poem. Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Revolting Recipes
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Sta The obvious pro
blem here is
that this activit
ildren in y could
Immerse the ch develop into a
e. Roald session
revolting rhym devoted to bod
ious choice ily functions.
Dahl is an obv Ground rules n
you might eed to be set
here. Though and the point m
e work of ade that
also consider th humour needs
om to be subtle
an ex-teacher fr and not too ob
Children vious. This
Lincolnshire!! activity is theref
e the ore something
always welcom I would only at
cuss the tempt with a
freedom to dis group of childre
s of cow n I knew well.
unmentionable
cks.
pats and dirty so
Objectives
dren’s
To develop chil
wide
awareness of a
uage:
variety of lang
f the
the language o
mote
recipe. To pro
the fun factor in
The Next Step writing.
Writing revoltin
And Finally ...
g recipes
requires a lot o
f maturity
from the childre
n. They need have a good
to decide betw Children should
een what olting food
ingredients are selection of rev
horrible but got mincemeat
funny and what ideas, from mag at
are simply ffings. Look
plain rude. S to dandruff stu
o, ask them to to explore the
collect together cookery books
as many cipe. See the
horrible items
as they can: language of a re
suggested
green socks, old pupil sheet for
earwax ... try ow children
to get them to vocabulary. N er
pair these up y to put togeth
with different k should be read
inds of foods: e or more of
cowpat cake! a recipe for on
See dishes .... they
Extension shee
t 6. their revolting
e them!
could even mak
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
er
simm roa
st
scr
sea amb flav
son le our
pick
l le
Revolting Recipes boi
ste
w ff
stu
Pour in a pimple, squeezed freshly today
with two maggots still juicy and fat,
then drop in some dandruff, fluffy and light,
from the hair of a flea-covered rat.
e Then bring to the boil, for ten minutes or more,
rowav adding two toenails to make it a treat,
mic then stir in a sock, going green down below
from the smelliest of dirty great feet.
poa
ch Flick in a fingernail, drip in some dung,
dice-up the dead skin from your toes,
before whisking it up with a dozen wasp wings
and the dribble from a dog’s nose.
batter
Then serve it all with blisters and boils
and bluebottles which haven’t been fed,
and after a mouthful you’ll work-out why
they call this best belly-burn spread.
ste
am
bake
barbe
To Do! cue
Read as many revolting rhymes as
you can find. See extension sheet 7
for examples. See if you can invent
some ideas for revolting recipes.
See extension sheet 6 for some
ideas on this. Choose one of your
revolting ideas and, using the
‘cookery language’ on the pupil
page, see if you can invent a recipe Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
to turn your teachers’ faces green!
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
sky
eyes
pets
rockets
hot dogs
Firework Night
hands
bonfire
toffee apples Possible Proble
m
A
As the chil reas
Start
Before You this poem dren begin to co
llect
to their bonfire nig
The best way in together, they w
ht words
ren to have had ill automatically
is for the child add words to cl
iate arify these.
recent or immed Those sausages
onfire Night.
experience of B sizzling and th
could be
asion which ose rockets
As this is an occ racing. This is
ve, then there an on-going
most children lo process so enco
obstacles to urage this.
should be few They may wan
ait until the t to invent thei
inspiration. W own sound wo r
re Night rds and
day after Bonfi onomatopoeic
an impromptu words.
before inciting
children’s
chat about the
evening.
Objectives
OUD
To develop a L
rmance
poem for perfo
at of two
using the form
words per line.
The Next Step
Children will so
spilling over w
on be
ith tales,
lly .
And Finap chil..ren’s
exaggerated an d
elo
d otherwise, In order to dev
of their own bo se the FIVE
nfire ideas further, u
experiences ... se to help
the biggest SENSES exerci
rocket, brighte ng list of
st catherine develop a stro
wheel, loudest and ‘action’
cracker etc. onomatopoeic
Get them to m ups, operate a
ake a list of all words. In gro
the things they ion as
can system of select
remember. Fro pair their
m cheers to children try to
chattering teeth with these.
, bonfires to bonfire words
baked potatoes e as children
- there should Encourage nois
be plenty to wri h reading and
te about. experiment wit
e as part of
performing thes
Extension 9
their selection.
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
soar
bang shriek
fizz dazzle
Firework Night
shoot
Bonfires blazing whiz
children gazing
fireworks flashing,
people dashing,
jumps gymnastic
colours fantastic
scatter
planet-chasing
rocket-racing
explode
faces glowing
crowds all growing!
Stars in flight,
on firework night.
To Do!
Write down as many things as
you can remember about bonfire
night. Try giving one or two-
word answers. Ideas might
include catherine wheels,
rockets, stars, bonfire, toffee
apples etc. Now, see how many
SOUND & ACTION works you
can collect. Try whiz, bang,
whirr, shriek, roar etc Try to
match your words with those Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
in your first list. Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
. Email: a@wackyverse.com
Maths Kennings
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Sta
Children will h
ave no
ildren to make problem in list
Ask the the ch ing items
things they can connected with
a list of all the maths.
have a Where they mig
think of which ht find
h maths. This problems is in
connection wit the concept of
large sheets of listing ‘properti
is best done on es’ of items.
ing space Whilst they wil
scrap paper leav l be able to list
ord. the basic funct
around each w ion of an
broad and as object, they mig
These can be as ht find it
ildren like. difficult to exte
general as the ch nd this.
Objectives
words in
To juggle with
away
order to explain
ematical
common math
uipment
concepts and eq
new way.
in a novel and
The Next Step
The children ar
to list the prop
e now going
erties of some
And Finally ...
of their objects
as well as the ildren to read
jobs that they p
erform and In pairs, get ch
tions to each
their overall im
portance. out their descrip
er child will
These can be sc
ribbled on the other. The oth
hat this item
large paper aro
und the need to guess w
an exercise
chosen word. might be. Such
For example, ten the writer’s
on time, proper serves to heigh
ties and uses ses as he argues
might include
- keeping a descriptive sen
as to exactly
date or for bein with the other
g the most- ed and what has
watched item in
the last half what he intend
. It should
an hour of scho
ol. been described
write!
now be time to
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
Maths Kennings
Maths Problem
Scales It’s a brain-teas
er
e mind-squeezer,
oard-creatur
T hey’re a cupb pencil-stopper
her,
weights-teac head-popper
recipe-maker patience-tester,
diet-breaker and number wre
stler!
cake-mixer
fixer
and postage-
Money
It’s a happiness-spre
ader
problem-shedder
power-giver
luxury-liver
life starter -
it’s paper barter!
To Do!
Make a list of as many
mathematical objects and concepts
as you can possibly think of.
Leave plenty of space around each
of these. Now, around your
objects and concepts, try to list
some of the jobs these perform.
The more off-beat or unusual the
job the better. Read the above
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
poems - it’s now time to have a
go yourself! Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Look Twice
SEE EXTENSION
SHEET EIGHT
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Sta This is a difficu
lt piece to
tackle and will
ing the sheet need plenty of
Start with shar pre-work. Ho
LUSIONS. wever, once
on OPTICAL IL children under
stand the idea
asers should
These visual te their imaginatio
ns will usually
n into a
prompt childre run riot with su
ifferent ways ggestions.
discussion on d There will be so
bjects. Pupils me who ‘can’t
of looking at o see anything’.
ese and will Remind them
always enjoy th that they are no
some off-beat t necessarily
often throw up looking for the
whole object -
for the
interpretations they must fill in
courage this. any gaps with
drawings. En their imaginatio
ns!
Objectives
To encourage
k at
children to loo
s
everyday object
in a new light.
The Next Step
Read the poem
OBJECTS. A
EVERYDAY
s you get to
And Finally ...
ctal/obje
the second or th
ird verses, Using the anim
to get
children should The listing, in order
be getting sider looking
some notion of
what will be children to con
jects through
required of them
. Prompt at everyday ob
animal or
them for their
own the ‘eyes’ on an
suggestions bef creature.
ore reading gsaw puzzle
those in the po
em. To a mouse a ji
g or an
Now ask them
to make a is crazing pavin
st the big
quick note of as
many aeroplane is ju
d.
animals, object
s etc as they brother of a bir
can think of. Extend this to your
cts. See the
inanimate obje
further ideas.
pupil sheet for
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
e
s are th
R a i n d r o p f angels.
ps o nt’s
Look Twice teardro s a gia
The wind i ng the
, cooli
A street light is breath
a spaceship just landed world.
with one foot on the ground,
two halves of a cymbal
with none of its sound.
That’s what a street light is.
A telegraph pole is
An old woollen sock is a toothpick for giants
a snake’s sleeping bag a man long and thin,
one half of a pair, a tree straightened out,
a nose-bag to niff one very large pin.
if ever you dare. That’s what a telegraph pole is.
That’s what a woollen sock is.
A letter box is
A bathroom sink is a man without teeth
a swimming pool for midgets a metal suitcase,
an ocean of one, a person who’s gone
a wet waterfall all red in the face.
quickly undone. That’s what a letter box is.
That’s what a bathroom sink is.
All things are
giants and dragons,
or tiny white mice,
The moon is in fact, anything you want,
a silver if you care to look twice!
button:
one push
and night
time is over
To Do!
Make a list of animals or
objects. Using EXTENSION
SHEET 8 you are going to try The stars are tiny
and imagine one thing your windows opening
animal or object can see. and closing in the
However, you are not looking night sky.
at this one thing through
YOUR eyes, but through the
eyes of your animal or object.
What do you think it could
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
suggest - think SIZE:
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
In A World
Without Maths
Possible Proble
m
rt A
There shou reas
Before You Sta ld be few prob
here. It’s help lems
ful to have
think of all plenty of visual
Ask children to really get them
pompts to
e use maths
the times that w maths contribu
to consider that
ry to get them
in our lives. T mundane as wel
tes to the most
e of the less
to consider som spectacular asp
l as the more
les, such as
obvious examp - from the read
ects of our lives
hs in major ing of a gas
the role of mat meter to how m
, predicting
sporting events targets.
issiles find thei
r
nning
the weather, ru
the massive
computers and
ave on our
impact these h
lives.
Objectives
that
To demonstrate
gral
maths is an inte
f our
and vital part o
lives. To put
le list
together a simp
t this.
poem to reflec
The Next Step
And Finally ...
By now, childre
n should have
a good stock o
f ideas. If not, .
encourage them to the children
to browse Read my poem
through inform to borrow the
your library to
ation books in They are going
piece,
good cross-sec
really get a structure of this
tion of ideas. beginning,
Notes can be ta hout maths
ken in the ‘In a world wit
form of the obje ..............’
and the role mat
ct/event etc they’d be no ....
hs plays in
this. For exam r this poem can
ple, fitting The formula fo
carpets = know ed to other
ledge of area. readily be appli
Carpenter - kn d without
owledge of areas ... a worl
measurement. , roads etc ....
science, history
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
In A World
Without Maths
In a world without maths
they’d be no maps to plot
no pyramids to climb,
no shapes to spot.
They’d be no money to spend
no trains on time
no graphs to shade,
no rhythm to rhyme.
They’d be no bills to pay
no roads to plan,
in a world without maths
we’d all be in a jam!
What’s the lon
gest
piece of furni
ture in
a school?
The multiplica
To Do!
tion
Consider all of the ways in which table!
maths is used in our lives. Try to
imagine some of the more unusual
and perhaps more powerful uses of
maths.
Read my poem. Using the
structure, ‘In world without maths
....’ add some of your own
thoughts of what a world without
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
maths would really be like.
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Maths Epitaphs
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Sta Epitaphs use p
uns and word-
y epitaphs as play as part of
Dig-out as man their appeal
the pupil sheet and humour.
These can be
you can. See difficult to exp
al examples. lain. A good
for some gener way around this
ily lend
These will read start the sessio
might be to
me
themselves to so sharing of som
n with the
ma work.
improvised dra the children - al
e jokes from
hs should be ways a rich
Writing epitap source of puns
r group plenty
fun so give you words.
and plays on
erse
of time to imm
e language of
themselves in th
these.
Objectives
me of the
To consider so
and
characteristics
hs
qualities of mat
ply these
concepts and ap
morous
to a piece of hu
verse.
The Next Step
And Finally ...
Write down a li
st of
mathematical v
ocabulary.
Write beside ea uck, a good
ch word a If someone is st
possible cause ent a
of its way in is to inv
imagined ‘death maths
’. birthplace for a
Money - fancied e lies the
a change. concept .... ‘Her
Clockwise - bec from York/
ame foolish. body of a cube
Now, look agai this allows
n at the Hull/Greece ...
example epitap ming patterns.
hs. These for endless rhy
should provide
a framework
and structure fo
r some of the
children’s idea
s.
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
No one can believe it
it’s broken the nation,
for it is the death
of multiplication.
am Everyone thought,
The body of the kilogr
d being so clever,
has been finally foun
r good that multiplication co
after being beaten fo uld
go on forever.
by the English pound!
A number passed away
without any fuss,
when it was deleted
by a large abacus.
General Epitaphs
den
Traffic War Rosehip
ve
warden’s gra
At the traffic Rosehip, the
fortune-telle
to pine, r,
no-one stops here lies dea
d,
f the meter
on account o she could ha
ve saved her
ellow line.! self
and double-y if she’d only
looked ahead
!
Green Fingers
To Do!
Read the maths and general
epitaphs. In pairs, see if you can Here lies the body
of a gardener from Leeds,
act-out one or more of these. The
more ‘over-the-top’ you are with
these, the funnier they will appear. so do please take a cutting
Make a list of as many maths
concepts as you can. Write down if you’re after some seeds!
ways in which they might have met
their maker. Now, have a go
yourself at writing a maths epitaph! Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Weights & Measures
Possible Proble
m
rt ProblemsAreas
Before You Sta w ill occur if
children don’t
know the value
of various weig
hts and
s, grams, measures. Pre
From kilogram -work on this
etres, is obviously im
metres, centim portant.
. perhaps even Children migh
millimetres .... t simply list
..... jot down a things that are
imperial units a centimetre/
ays in which metre long. T
list of all the w hey need to
re the world think imaginat
we try to measu ively about
their ideas. A
around us. centimetre
might be a a fa
iry’s wink, a
spider’s smile
etc ....
Objectives
eightened
To develop a h
l
sense of spatia
extend
awareness. To
arning
mathematical le
of
into the realms
inations.
children’s imag
The Next Step
The idea for th
is activity is
simple. You w
children to con
ill be asking th
e
And Finally ...
sider all of the f
ge some sort o
things which m
ight be the Try to encoura
ss with ideas
length of a cen
timetre, metre selection proce
l inevitably
etc or weigh a
gram, kilogram as children wil
llection of
and so on. Ask
children to have a large co
suggestions.
consider some
of the less fairly obvious
y general
obvious examp
les. Prime Borrow the ver
poem to
them with som
e poetry which structure of my
ample for each
relies heavily o
n imagery and generate an ex
.
point them in th
e direction of unit of measure
the possible th
emes for these
on the pupil pag
e.
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
POSSIBLE THEMES
Weights & Measures rivers
animals
the sea ice snow
taps
stars
A millimetre is waves
a distant star, jewels
a spark from a firework waterfalls
or a door left ajar.
frost
clouds
A centimetre is
a bee standing still THEMES
USE THESE
a gentle snowflake TO HELP YO
U THINK
or a giant’s pill. UP A WIDE
OF
SELECTION
A metre is IDEAS!
nearly a leap,
or how wide I stretch
when fast asleep.
And a kilometre is
too far to run,
a breath of wind
and one step to the sun.
Why did the n
umber
pull a silly fa
To Do!
ce?
Jot down all the units of measure
you can think of. These will
It was trying
include kilograms, grams, metres,
to do
millilitres etc.
some mental m
Read the poem. This lists a
handful of objects, sometimes real, aths.
sometimes imagined, that
correspond to centimetres, metres
etc. See how many ideas you can
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
think of for each unit of measure.
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Shapes
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You oSttaf the
Childrencan find imagin
work difficult. ative
n u o
Take the childre They may
e playground, complain that th
classroom to th anything. Mu
ey can’t ‘see’
ct anywhere
the field - in fa have to be don
ch pre-work w
ill
ht be
where there mig challenge and
e if they are to
see a wide re-examine the
opportunity to
ings, trees and world around th
variety of build em. First
interest. Tell suggestions are
other points of fairly basic: tria
likely to be
are all being
them that they eaves, rectangle
ngle in roof
- they are
shape detectors These are fine
gardens etc.
es or bits of
looking for shap point.
as a starting
in everyday
shapes hidden
items.
Objectives
ildren
To encourage ch
atively
to think imagin
ating
whilst consolid
e about
their knowledg
f given
the properties o
shapes.
The Next Step
Get them to jo
t down some
And Finally ...
basic shapes: sq
uare, circle,
rectangle etc.
Around
these, they wil a very simple
l need to My poem uses
write down all h verse will
that they can structure. Eac
ever the
see which use
all, or part of begin with what
these shapes. to be. As
So, they may shape appears
not be able to sp ortant to steer
ot anything stated, it’s imp
with a full trian from looking
gle, but may children away
note that, perh es - prime
aps, two for whole shap
edges of a grass r suggestions
border them to look fo
them to look
might look like
a triangle of shapes. Get
which, perhaps, different
has been at objects from
half eaten. down etc to
angles, upside-
idden shape.
try and spot a h
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
star
pyramid
octagon
cube
semicircle Shapes cuboid
A triangle is
polygon
a tent to explore, cylinder
a shiny shark’s tooth
trapezium or an odd-looking door.
cone
A circle is
a face without fun,
a round-a-bout
or simply, the sun!
rhombus A rectangle is
a square too wide,
kite a letterbox
or a place to hide. triangle
And a cone is square
a lighthouse at night,
some arms open wide rectangle
or half of a kite.
pentagon
hexagon
To Do!
Think of as many different shapes
as you can. There are many on
this page to help you. Jot some of
these down. Find a spot from
where you can observe the world
around you. See if you can spot
some or part of these shapes in
objects you can see. Be
imaginative - you don’t have to see
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
the whole shape ... see my poem!
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
What Parents Say
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Sta This is not an ex
ercise for
poem young children
This is a simple . I have used
performance this with Year
designed for a 5/6 and
eryone a few beyond.
piece. Give ev
e up with a Beyond the ag
minutes to com e issue, there
questions that should be few
couple of daft problems with
e always this activity.
their parents ar
By this we
asking them.
s which really
mean question
y meaning.
have a secondar
ink I’m made
EG ‘Do you th
ning, of
of money,’ mea
’t have any.
course, you can
Objectives
on
To get children
their feet and
r
performing thei
own simple list
fa
poem as part o
group.
The Next Step
And Finally ...
Get them to sh
are these e, give out
questions with
one another. Use a large spac
er and big
There should b
e plenty of poster-sized pap
to borrow
common groun
d amongst pens. Get them
y poem and
youngsters her
e and the format of m
n three
discussion will
quickly insert their ow
ce they have
throw-up more
daft questions questions. On
rm they
that parents lik
e to ask. this in poster fo
be able to put
should readily
le sketch to
together a simp
eir poem.
demonstrate th
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
What Parents Say
hild?
u stop a cting like a c
When will yo
Are you listening?
What Parents Say
It’s funny the things that parents say like:
What do you look like?
What kind of music do you call that?
What time do you call this?
It’s funny the things that parents say.
All questions. No answers.
hands?
got six pairs of
Do you think I’ve Do I have to repeat my
self?
To Do!
Parents are always asking
questions. See how many you can
think of. Put together a short
sketch to demonstrate one or more
of your parent questions. For
example, WHAT TIME DO YOU
CALL THIS, could involve you
coming home late one evening
together with a short confrontation.
Now use some of your questions in
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
the poem as above
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
The Recipe
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before YouriStaown a
te d
One of the sten
activity is that
gths of this
w
Get the class to it is pupil-lead
out the sorts and children ar
few headings ab e allowed to
ey enjoy demonstrate th
of things that th eir expertise an
r time. This knowledge in th d
doing with thei eir chosen
ing from subject. There
could be anyth will be a
g, football to minority who ar
cycling to fishin e unable to
to avoid the all- demonstrate an
dancing. Try interest in very
sponse of much of anyth
too common re ing. Broaden th
e
ision. scope of this to
watching telev include
many, this Playstation gam
Although, with es or
response.
may be the only television prog
rammes.
Objectives
ct, any
To take a subje
rite about
subject, and w
recipe.
it as if it were a
The Next Ste p
With a few sug
gested heading
s,
And Finally ...
there should be
scope for
plenty of ideas.
In discussion, ooking’ words
try to focus on Read out the ‘c at
one or two eet. Discuss th
common activit on the pupil sh
ies and ask sed outside the
children to sug these are also u
gest what really g - people can
makes their ac
tivities co ntext of cookin er
e, an interview
successful. It
might be that a ‘boil’ with rag
litician or you
good party nee
ds plenty of can ‘grill’ a po
e sun.
friends, loud m can ‘bake’ in th
usic, no parents eed to divide a
etc. Or a great
fishing outing Children will n
add cooking
might require a
calm day, a page into two,
de and the
certain type of words on one si
rod ..... ? Get ualities of your
them to choose in gredients (the q
their subject. ) on the other.
chosen subject
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
st
scr roa
amb flav
le our
er pick
simm le
l
sea boi
son ste
w ff
stu
fry
A Recipe for a Magical Day
at The Seaside
Take one beach, soak in sunshine,
ve
rowa gently drip jewels into rock pools,
mic add the promise
of buried treasure.
poa
ch
Season with sand castles
and the sound of a seagull’s song.
Mix in melting ice-cream, sinking sand,
batter stories of mermaids and one old shipwreck.
Finally, add children.
Then watch and wait.
.
ste
am
bake
barbe
cue
To Do!
Choose an activity. Write down all
the things which go together to
make this successful. If it’s a
football match, it might be that it
needs fans or having David
Beckham on your team! Divide a
page into two. On one side write
down these qualities, on the other
see if you can match some of these
to the cooking words as above. Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Letter Shapes
Possible Proble
m
rt A
In every cl reas
Before You dStathat
chil ren
ass there alway
seems to be a m s
Explain to the children who ca
inority of
to be shape
they are going nnot ‘see’
e a large letter anything other
detectives. Hav they’re unable
than the letter;
oard, but
drawn on the b imaginations in
to extend their
lack paper.
concealed by b this way. Pre-
move the paper work is clearly
Slowly start to starting with so
the answer
to put up
away. Ask them me very simple
on as they spot shape poems, su
their hand as so ch as those in
emerging ‘C; the appendix.
a shape. So, an A prelude to
l bridge, train this can also be
could be a smal the use of those
oon or, finally, trick MAGIC E
tunnel, a half-m YE pictures.
ng!
half a giant’s ri
Objectives
refine
To develop and
l sense
chldren’s natura
agery.
of image and im
To relate their
of this to
understanding
d of
the wider worl
The Next S tep poetry.
Keep repeating
the above. Ask
And Finally ... in
children to mo
ve around the
room to look at
their emerging ht’ answer
shape from dif
ferent angles, There is no ‘rig
kier the ideas
upside-down o
r through half- this and the wac
e activity will
shut eyes. So the more fun th
, a capital to consider the
‘A’ could be a
space capsule, feel. Get them
giants, pixies,
forgotten pylon a wider world of
, the tip of an discussions as
iceberg or a flo
oded valley. goblins in their
ing might
Remind childre
n that they do n to what someth
f. Follow-up
have to ‘see’ th
e whole shape
ot remind them o
h passages
it could be that
B is only one
.... the activity wit
ery to help
half of a snowm
an or F is a flag strong in imag
s between this
with its tummy
missing! define the link
etry. See
activity and po
appendix.
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
This Page Illustrated by Steve Weatherill
www.babygoz.dabsol.co.uk
Illustrator and Author
Letter Shapes
To Do!
Scribble down some letters on a
sheet of paper. Try turning these
upside-down, left and right to see
whether one part of their shape
reminds you of anything. Have a
look at the shapes on this page.
See if you can use these ideas to
help you with your own letter
shapes.
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
The Wind
SEE EXTENSION
SHEETs 2/3
Possible Proble
m
This poem dAreas
ou S rt
Before Yulus forta is deal of pre-wo
oes require a good
th rk and is usual
The best stim best tackled as ly
sly a windy part of an over
poem is obviou project on wea all
le, show the ther. However
day! If possib children alway ,
casts from the s have a deep
children broad fascination for
raphic archive the weather an
National Geog will have much d so
. All children to draw on from
on this subject their own exper
ience of ience and
will have exper enthusiasm.
ask for Use extension
windy days, so sheet 2! Impre
w this ss on children
examples of ho there is no that
their street,
affected them, ‘right’ answer.
neighbours etc.
Objectives
mple list
To develop a si
iven
poem using a g
structure.
ort
To perform a sh
s.
poem to the clas
The Next Step
Brain-storming
could be the
next step with
collecting toget
children And Finally ... a
her as many nsion sheet as
‘windy’ words Using the exte
as possible. ildren to add
However, as su prompt, ask ch
ch an activity cts are affected
can soon run o how their obje
ut of steam, as aves TWIST,
for a list of all k by the wind: le
the things c. We now
children might doors SLAM et
find outside - nings of a list
anything from have the begin
telegraph poles, the second
trees, people, fe poem. Using
nces etc ... t (Number 3)
Making this in
to a extension shee
tended
competition of these can be ex
who can hor and simile:
collect the most through metap
usually helps. ke a ballerina;
Now read the p Leaves twist li
oem, WIND. a clap of
doors slam like
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
thunder
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
The Wind
Wind
It pulls at your clothes
it tugs at your hair,
it whispers on windows
to make people stare.
It rattles your rooftop
it creaks past each tree,
it charges down chimneys
and roars with the sea.
It climbs with each cloud
it dives down below,
for wind is with you
wherever you go.
tle
Windows Rat
To Do!
Make a list of as many objects as
you can which you can see outside Water Ripples Doors Slam
- these could include telegraph
poles, fences, trees etc. Spend
about ten minutes on this as the list Clouds Race
is obviously endless. Now, read
Cupboards Clatter
my poem WIND. Imagine
yourself on a windy day and try to
add one word to each word in your
list to describe how your object is Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
affected by the wind. Andrew Collett
Use extension sheet 2/3
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Funny Folk
SEE EXTENSION
SHEET ONE
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Sta The greatest ob
urally well- stacle to succes
Children are nat is usually that
of managing th
s
thm and e
disposed to rhy children’s enth
usiasm for this
se them in
rhyme. Immer activity. See ex
tension sheet 1
nsense poems,
lots of short no to support this
piece. Some
, ‘mime the
play rhyme snap children can fi
nd it difficult to
ick out names
rhyme’ etc. P collect names,
so dish out a fe
the w
from children in phone books an
d they can work
tr y to find
classroom and on their referen
ce skills at the
rhyming pai rs for these. same time.
(Master/
Using surnames
sually amuse!
Miss ....) will u
Objectives
ildren’s
To build on ch
to
love of rhyme
compose a se lection
yming
of nonsense rh
couplets.
The Next Step
And Finally ...
Rhyming child
ren’s names
with words is al
ways
popular, despit
e this being as children
such a simple ac
tivity. In Almost as much
their own
such an oral ex
ercise, love to rhyme
joy creating
children will q names, they en
uickly begin to es. Extend
extend their no names themselv
nsense pairs ctor, Sir, Lady
to sentences .... titles using Do
‘Miss Sally them to come
Patch loved to
scratch ..... etc Encourage
y nonsense
Master Pike at
e his bike.’ up with as man
le: Miss
The subject of
near-rhymes names as possib
Sir
will emerge. E Higglebottom,
stablished hey can use
poets use them
.... so, their Squeezealot. T
own
use is acceptab
le here. some of the my
suggestions.
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
Cousin Ross was
ALWAYS CROSS!
Funny Folk
SEE EXTENSION
SHEET ONE
Master Mule was just
SO COOL!
Jimmy Dare lost all
his HAIR!
Arthur Needy was
always GREEDY.
Cousin Fred fell
out of bed
Sir Golfer Great
was overweight
To Do!
See how many names of
people you can collect ... you
can use some from this page or
make-up ones of your own.
Now you have your list of
names, try to rhyme each name
Johhny Coke
with a rhyming word. They
don’t have to make sense - went up in SMOKE.
we’re doing NONSENSE
POETRY. Now try putting Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
these in sentences .... like the Andrew Collett
ones on this page. Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Before
Possible Proble
m
rt Areas
Before You Sta e a Any problems
usually revolve
n to mak around childre
Ask the childre n choosing
ings they inappropriate ex
list of all the th amples for
e always been their piece. Str
consider to hav ess that
on man-made examples must
in the world - n which everyon
be things
e could
objects. Thes e can identify
ins, lakes, with. So, ‘Bef
include mounta ore Mum did
rainbows, the washing-up
stars, animals, shed/I got a rail
/Dad built a
es,
scent, snowflak way set ....’
rns etc. A and other simil
earthquakes, fe ar
ection of contributions w
traditional coll ould
rence books obviously be d
poetry and refe iscouraged.
ulate ideas.
may help to stim
Objectives
st
To develop a li
poem. To
dren
encourage chil
to think
out
imaginatively ab
at
some of the gre
events and
h
inventions whic
The Next Step have affected o
ur
lives.
And Finally ...
Now ask the ch
ildren to
consider all the
MAJOR
eed to select
man-made obje
cts, Children now n
amples.
inventions or ev
ents. To some of their ex
defining the
avoid a list of T
V, computer Extend this by
ject or event.
etc I find it use
ful to exclude role of each ob
of describing
anything from
the 20th Look for ways
century - at leas inative and
t for the first this in as imag
10 minutes. A as possible.
good list colourful way
might include Before:
the pyramids,
w painted
Roman baths,
the flushing The first rainbo
e sky
toilet, canals, th
e steam itself across th
inked down at
engine, the prin
ting press etc The first star w
a new world
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
ntions
Timeline of Inve
& Discoveries: Before spacemen
reached for the stars.
Pottery: 7900 BC
0 BC Before music
Wheel: 3200-350
BC
Toothpaste: 300
sang its first tune
Paper: 105 AD Before
50
Printing Press: 14
Pencil: 1565
Microscope: 1674 Before mountains found their place
Light Bulb: 1879 and raindrops knew their way.
Battery: 1790
Internet: 1973
CD: 1980 Before questions had an answer
DVD: 1995 and children ran to play.
Before oceans knew their name
and sunshine filled each dawn.
Before the world began to spin,
Magic was born.
Before the fi
rst snowfall
painted the w
orld white.
Before Concorde
s
reached for the skie
ackled
Before radio cr
into life.
To Do!
Make a list of as many things in the
world which you consider to have
always been with us. This could
include the sea, cliffs, sky -
he first
anything. Now, make another list Before t
ade
of man-made objects, inventions or bicycle m e .
tar
major events - see examples around people s
this page. Look at the poem.
Starting each line with ‘Before ...’ Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
add your own ideas & my last line.
Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com
Friends
Possible Proble
m
Areas
tart
Before You Spen a Fri
endships are al
ways a
. O sensitive issue
Read the poem children. In ev
for young
hat
discussion on w is usually at leas
ery class there
makes a good friend. t one child
e will be a who senses that
Hopefully ther isolated from th
he/she is
we all
consensus that of friends. M
e mainstream
d that it
need friends an condition that
ake it a
sy to stay
isn’t always ea mentioned in y
names are not
meone.
friends with so classroom discu
our initial
the
Try to develop Children are al
ssion.
nd what it
discussion arou to tease ‘victim
ways too eager
to have no
might feel like s’.
friends at all.
Objectives
ren to
To enable child
ue of
consider the val
o
friendships. T
promote PS E work
sroom.
within the clas
st
To develop a li
given
poem around a
The Next Step structure.
Ask the childre
And Finally ...
n to consider
all of the thing
s that they
would never w .
ant to do or em, Friendship
would never da Look at the po
re to do. It ure of this
could be that th Using the struct
ey wouldn’t eed to borrow
want to eat a ce children will n
rtain food, st two lines.
watch a certain the first and la
TV ge rhyming
programme, w Try to encoura
ear certain select their
clothes, kiss th couplets as they
eir sister they would
goodnight etc. own things that
Encourage o. This can
off-beat and od never want to d
d ideas here! a ‘Certificate
Their suggestio be developed in
ns do not have - written to an
to come from th of Friendship’
eir own nd in the
experience. anonymous frie
class.
Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
Andrew Collett
a@wackyverse.com - www.wackyverse.com
Friends
If you’d be my friend,
I’d paint myself blue
live in a shoe,
ride up to space
run any race,
stay up all night
take on a fight,
share my last sweet
have nothing to eat,
and smile without end
if you’d be my friend!
To Do!
Think of ALL the things you
would NEVER want to do.
This could include places you
wouldn’t want to go, scary
people or animals you wouldn’t
want to meet, TV programmes
that you don’t like etc. Don’t
just put ‘watching news’ .... try,
‘watching the News for two
months’ ..... Now, add your Poetry Points from Children’s Poet
ideas to the poem. Andrew Collett
Email Andrew or Play Games on
www.wackyverse.com
Email: a@wackyverse.com