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A POEM A TERM

Writing Poems
& 
The National Literacy Strategy

a guide for teachers:  Year Four

by Roger Stevens

""Poetry should be approached with a sense of fun, 
excitement and discovery."
- Roger Stevens

KEY STAGE TWO

Year Four, Term One

1. School Poems
(Term One)

This term the NLS asks children to write poems based on common themes such as Space, Animals, Families etc. The idea of building a poem from a list works well.

Begin by writing a class poem. First read everyone a school poem. The following is suitable.

Mr Walton's On The Playground
by Roger Stevens

Michael's ball is on the roof
And Darren wants a fight
Little Kelly Kupcake
Is dangling from her kite

But Mr Walton's on the playground
So everything will be all right

Noel went in the girl's loo
And gave the girls a fright
Yaseen won't let Gemma kiss him
But Derek Trubsall might

But Mr Walton's on the playground
So everything will be all right

Randeep's lost his pet rat
(He says it doesn't bite)
Michael says - Aren't people small
When viewed from this great height?

But Mr Walton's on the playground
So everything will be all right

Tommy's foot is swelling up
His laces are too tight
Now Michael's stuck up on the roof
He'll have to stay all night

But Mr Walton's on the playground
So everything will be er...

Where's he gone?

Discuss all the things that happen on the playground in a normal day in your school or that have happened specifically to your class. Build up a list.

Now simply substitute your class's playtime experiences with those in the poem. Instead of Mr Walton choose a teacher from your school. Alternatively make up a name. Then decide if he's a friendly and popular teacher, like Mr Walton, or a teacher that no one likes. This could colour the poem. Your poem doesn't have to rhyme.

Sally kicked her football
Over the fence.
Jimmy went to get it
Which isn't allowed.

Mrs Thunder's on the playground
And she's getting cross.

The repeated chorus and the shape of the writing gives the whole thing its poetic feel.

When you have finished a class version, ask the children to work in groups or pairs to come up with their own playground poem.

There are lots of school poems in anthologies, many of which are suitable as models for this type of exercise. Poets are usually happy to have their work used in this way, but it's a good idea to credit the original author. (Write underneath the poem something along the lines of - based upon Mr Walton's on the Playground by Roger Stevens)

Good anthologies of school poems include:

• The Worst Class In School - Poems collected by Brian Moses (Wayland)
• The Secret Lives of Teachers - Poems chosen by Brian Moses (Macmillan Children's Books)
• When Teacher Isn't Looking - Poems chosen by David Harmer (Macmillan Children's Books)

Continue to next section (Year 4 Term 2)

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