A Slice of Sky

This activity requires your child to focus on the details when writing a poem. You can actually do this activity alongside your child and then compare the interpretations.

First, choose a picture of a place. It could be as expansive as  the sea or a little room in a ghetto.

Ask your child, the following questions:

-  What else do you think could be in this picture ?

For example, a boat ( when it’s the picture of the sea. The boat is not in the picture. The question is about ‘what-if’s)

Then, write on a piece of paper ( you write so it doesn’t ‘block’ your child’s train of thought):  On the sea, there is a boat.

Then ask your child the next questions: What is in the boat ? Who is in the boat?

(If your child is up to it, let her do the asking of questions. Or you could take turns.)

Then, your add the next line tothe poem.

“On the sea, there is a boat.

In the boat, there is a dog. ”

Again, ask questions about what has just been written: What is the dog doing? Is it alone? Why is it there?

Add another line:

“On the sea, there is a boat.

In the boat, there is a dog.

By the dog, an old man.”

Ask the next questions: What is the old man doing? What does he want?

Add the next line or lines:

“On the sea , there is a boat.

In the boat , there is a dog.

By the dog, an old man,

adorned in green satin with red ribbons

on his wings,

looking for land to sleep in.”

I’ll be uploading a worksheet containing ideas for exploring rhyme and rhythm with children soon.

Children naturally love rhymes. Think of the many silly playground songs we sung at each other when we were kids. Think of the the corny poems we sent to each other while the teacher was teaching in class.

Here’s an idea for experimenting with poetry with you children.This activity involves drawing from your word bank to create a concise poem.

1. Choose an alphabet.

2. Think of a noun ( thing/ person/ animal/place) that you know fairly well. For example, a pair of scissors / Sally a friend at school/ a snake)

3. Then, brainstorm as many words as possible that begin with the alphabet that you have chosen.

4. Now, have a look at your list of words. Select about ten words that are related to the noun you have chosen.

5. Arrange them into a short concise poem.

This is an example:

Snake,

sleek, sinister,

sliding softly.

Steep stairs.

Shimmering ,sparkling

Singing sapphire.

You can arrange the words , using punctuation , to create images of the noun. In the poem above, the words, arranged as such, conjures an image of a snake and of its movement. It is portrayed as something beautiful and mysterious , making its way up a flight of stairs.

That’s the beauty of concision !