Key Stage 3 Poetry and Writing

Lesson Notes Year 7 Poetry: How to write a ‘Lunch For Your Teacher’ poem.

The aim of this lesson is to introduce writing poetry to year seven in a fun and exciting way. I anticipate spending one-two lessons on this maximum and feel that the pupils will approach the task with enthusiasm.

Activity 1: After taking the register and generally introducing the topic of poetry and the work that we will be doing over the coming weeks, I will introduce the work for this lesson, namely writing a ‘Lunch For Your Teacher’ poem.

Questions to ask:

· How many of you enjoy reading poetry?

· What poetry have you read?

Activity 2: I will draw the pupils’ attention to the following poems (rhyming and non rhyming - which I will have already put on the board before lesson) and will read it through with them. I will then aim to generate some discussion about the poem and will ask them to look at the rhyme scheme. I feel that this activity is important in order to help the weaker pupils in the group, showing the pupils a clear example of what they ought to try and do. The non-rhyming poem shows the pupils that initially all they need to do is write a list of ingredients, they can later select the best ones and add funny comments and some rhyming words to change it into a rhyming poem.

Next I will ask for some ideas from pupils about what type of things they can serve their teachers for lunch - this will allow the pupils to bounce ideas from each other. I will list some of the ideas/ingredients on the board. The pupils can also offer some rhyming words to go with the list of ingredients.

Activity 3: Ask pupils to work on creating a list of funny, gross, yucky foods and funny comments. The pupils should then look at their list and write down some words that rhyme with their foods. This will form the basis of their poem.

NOTE: The pupils can begin their poem > ‘If I served hot lunch to my teacher,’. I feel that this will help the pupils to begin writing their poem, especially some of the weaker pupils in the class.

After about 10 minutes I will ask the pupils to share some of their ideas with the class. This will ensure that they are all on target and will again help to ensure that all pupils are able to do the work.

Activity 4: Pupils to begin writing their poems and to write the first six lines for homework.

Poem: Non-rhymining.

Rattlesnake stew

Centipede salad

Seaweed and jellyfish sandwich

Milk mixed with glue

Poohberry pie

I hope the old bat doesn’t die!

Poem: Rhyming.

If I served hot lunch to my teacher,

I’d start off with rattlesnake stew.

Then I’d serve her a centipede salad

And a tall glass of milk mixed with glue

Next, a seaweed and jellyfish sandwich

and a large slice of poohberry pie.

When my teacher finds out what she’s eaten,

I hope the old bat doesn’t die.

(By Bruce Lansky)