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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 Two

2. Simile
(Term Two)

Ask the class to name an animal. Choose the first suggestion...

e.g. dog

Now ask the class to name a feeling or emotion.

anger

Now ask the class - What does a dog do when it's angry?

Encourage the class to come up with lots of suggestions:

• He barks
• He leaps up at you
• He bares his teeth
• He pulls his toy rabbit to pieces

The first line of the poem now goes -

I'm as angry as a dog barking.

Now ask the class for another animal

cat

What makes a cat angry?

Repeat this process several times, each time asking for a different animal. When you feel that you have exhausted this line of enquiry change the feeling. Ask for a different emotion. Repeat this over and over until you have eight good lines for the poem. Work fast. Make it fun.

I'm as angry as a dog barking
I'm as angry as an anteater with no ants
I'm as lonely as a donkey all alone in a field
I'm as sad as a dolphin in an aquarium...

Finally ask the children to extend the lines. Ask for more information.
Instead of

I'm as angry as a dog barking

Ask why the dog is barking. Why is he angry?

I'm as angry as a dog barking at the cat who is teasing him.

Ask the children to compose their own poem. The poem might use different animals or feelings, or might use one single animal or one single feeling.

This idea can also very easily be extended into metaphor. Instead of writing about the dog, become the dog - but for a reason:

I'm an angry dog barking at a teasing cat - my cousin Sally

I am an angry dragon breathing fire at my brother who has broken my money box

I Am As Sad As

I am as sad as a dolphin
Captive in a glass tank
I am as a sad as a silver seal
All alone on a sand bank
I am as sad as a rabbit
Caught in a poacher's snare
I am as sad as a chameleon
Who can't find his underwear

Continue to next section (Year 4 Term 3)

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