
Love Your Library
Discover ways to encourage children to love their local library and explore new books.
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Activity 1The Elf and The Dormouse |
The lesson plan emphasizes the importance of poetry in developing children's vocabulary and language skills through engaging activities. It presents a structured approach to exploring the poem 'The Elf and The Dormouse' by Oliver Herford, encouraging creativity and comprehension. The lesson plan outlines educational strategies for teaching children about the poem 'The Elf and The Dormouse' by Oliver Herford. It highlights the poem's narrative structure, featuring two characters, an elf and a dormouse, and discusses the significance of rhyme and verse in poetry. Various activities are suggested to enhance understanding, including reading aloud, discussing themes, memorizing lines, and performing poetry. The content also provides resources such as activity sheets to help children engage with the poem and create their own stories. Key questions are proposed to facilitate discussion and comprehension, focusing on character identification, rhyming patterns, and emotional responses to the poem. Overall, the content aims to foster a love for poetry and improve language skills through interactive learning. |
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Activity 2The Wind |
The lesson plan emphasizes the importance of poetry in developing children's vocabulary and language skills through engaging activities centred around Robert Louis Stevenson's poem "The Wind." It presents a structured approach for parents to facilitate their child's understanding and appreciation of poetry, encouraging creativity and critical thinking. This content outlines educational strategies for teaching children about poetry, specifically focusing on Robert Louis Stevenson's poem "The Wind." It highlights key elements of the poem, such as imagery, rhyme, and repetition, and suggests activities to enhance comprehension and vocabulary. Parents are encouraged to read the poem aloud, engage in discussions about its themes, and explore the use of senses to describe the wind. The content also provides a template for children to write their own poems, fostering creativity and personal expression. Additionally, it emphasizes the benefits of memorization and recitation in developing language skills. Overall, the content serves as a guide for parents to support their child's literary development through interactive and enjoyable methods. |
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Activity 3Caterpillar |
The lesson plan emphasizes the importance of poetry in developing children's vocabulary and language skills through engaging activities centred around the poem 'Caterpillar' by Christina Rossetti. It advocates for interactive learning methods such as reading, discussion, memorization, and performance to enhance children's understanding and appreciation of poetry. The lesson plan outlines educational strategies for teaching children about poetry, specifically using Christina Rossetti's poem 'Caterpillar'. It suggests activities like reading the poem aloud to appreciate its rhythm, discussing its themes and vocabulary, and memorizing lines to improve memory and language skills. The content encourages creative expression by having children describe the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly and write their own poems. It highlights the significance of understanding poetic elements such as nouns, adjectives, and rhyme. Additionally, it provides resources like the Caterpillar Poem and a Butterfly Activity Sheet to facilitate learning. The overall goal is to foster a love for language and poetry in children through hands-on activities. |
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Activity 4The Swing |
The lesson plan emphasizes the importance of poetry in developing children's vocabulary and language skills through engaging activities. It presents a structured approach to exploring Robert Louis Stevenson's poem "The Swing" while encouraging creative expression through acrostic poetry. The lesson plan outlines educational strategies for teaching children about poetry, specifically focusing on Robert Louis Stevenson's poem "The Swing." It highlights key poetic elements such as rhyme, repetition, and the role of the narrator. The document suggests various activities to enhance understanding, including reading the poem aloud, discussing its themes, and memorizing lines to improve vocabulary and rhythm. Additionally, it encourages children to create their own acrostic poems, fostering creativity and language skills. The importance of performance and recitation in developing spoken language is also emphasized. The content provides practical resources, including activity sheets and prompt questions, to facilitate discussions about the poem. |
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Activity 5A Memory |
The lesson plan emphasizes the importance of poetry in developing children's vocabulary and comprehension skills through engaging activities. It presents a structured approach to exploring a specific poem while encouraging creativity and personal expression in children. The lesson plan outlines educational strategies for teaching children about poetry, specifically focusing on the poem 'A Memory' by William Allingham. It suggests activities such as reading the poem aloud, discussing its themes, and identifying rhymes to enhance understanding. Children are encouraged to draw their interpretations of the poem and share their own memories, fostering both artistic expression and language skills. The document highlights the role of poetry in vocabulary development and comprehension, suggesting that reciting and memorizing poems can improve spoken language. Additionally, it provides resources like a Memory Activity Sheet to facilitate these activities. The content also emphasizes the importance of performance in poetry, allowing children to express themselves and gain confidence. Overall, it presents a comprehensive approach to integrating poetry into children's education. |
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Activity 6The Months |
The lesson plan emphasizes the educational value of poetry, specifically Sara Coleridge's "The Months," in developing children's vocabulary and comprehension skills. It outlines various engaging activities to enhance children's understanding and enjoyment of poetry through reading, discussion, and creative expression. The lesson plan focuses on the poem "The Months" by Sara Coleridge, highlighting its structure, including twelve verses corresponding to each month of the year. It explains key poetic elements such as verse, repetition, and rhyme, and suggests that poetry can enhance vocabulary and language skills. The content provides practical activities for children, including reading the poem aloud, discussing its themes, and memorizing lines to improve memory and understanding of rhythm. Additionally, it encourages children to create their own poems and engage with the material through drawing and writing about each month. The resource includes a calendar template for children to illustrate their ideas about the months, fostering creativity and personal expression. The content also introduces vocabulary words found in the poem, such as "shrill," "dams," and "posies," to further enrich children's language development. |
Hands-On Education's English lesson plans can significantly benefit your SEN class by incorporating hands-on, multi-sensory activities that cater to diverse learning needs. Their approach, exemplified in resources like "The Elf and the Dormouse" poem and activity sheets, provides concrete and participatory ways for students to engage with language and literature. These materials allow for differentiated instruction, enabling you to adapt the lessons to individual student abilities and learning styles. By utilizing hands-on activities, visual aids, and creative exercises, these lesson plans can help SEN students develop their language skills, enhance comprehension, and boost confidence in a supportive, engaging environment. The emphasis on practical, experiential learning aligns well with effective special education strategies, making abstract concepts more accessible and fostering a deeper understanding of English language arts for students with special educational needs.
Poetry is a subtle art that permeates our lives, often without us even realizing it. It can be found in songs and literature, and developing an appreciation for it can benefit a child's reading and writing skills. These six activities in Hands-On Education's Classical Poetry: Two are a great introduction to classical poetry for Year Two learners and align with the National Curriculum of England's English standards. Check out the other key stage one topics for more curriculum-aligned activities for your classroom or home-educated children. With a wide range of subjects to choose from, planning your day will be a breeze.
Understanding and appreciating poetry is an important skill that can benefit children both academically and emotionally. Here are some additional thoughts on poetry:
Hey there, fabulous educators and home-schooling heroes! Ready to dive into the whimsical world of classical poetry with your Year 2 students? We've got a treasure trove of fun and engaging activities centred around some delightful poems like "The Elf and The Dormouse," "The Wind," "Caterpillar," "The Swing," "A Memory," and "The Months." Let's sprinkle some magic into your lesson plans!
There you go, a bundle of activities to make classical poetry an absolute blast for your Year 2 students! These engaging, hands-on experiences will not only make poetry fun but also enrich their learning journey. Happy teaching!
In addition to the poems mentioned in the Classical Poetry: Two collection, here are some other classic poems suitable for Year 2 children:
"The Owl and the Pussycat" by Edward Lear is a whimsical narrative poem that children often enjoy for its playful language and imaginative story. Its rhythmic verses and fanciful characters make it engaging for young listeners.
"Hurt No Living Thing" by Christina Rossetti is a short, clear poem with a positive message about being kind to all creatures, which is appropriate for this age group. Its simple refrain makes it easy for children to remember and recite.
"Pleasant Sounds" by John Clare is a vivid poem that encourages children to think about different descriptions and sensory experiences. It can help develop their descriptive vocabulary and appreciation for nature.
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" by Jane Taylor, while often thought of as just a nursery rhyme, is actually a full poem with five stanzas. Its familiar first verse and celestial theme can captivate young imaginations.
"The Crocodile" by Lewis Carroll, also known as "How Doth the Little Crocodile," is a short, humorous poem that children often find amusing. Its playful language and imagery can spark creativity and discussion.
These poems offer a mix of whimsy, nature appreciation, and gentle life lessons, all of which are well-suited to Year 2 children's developmental stage and interests.
Poetry can be an excellent tool for teaching young children about emotions. Here are some effective ways to use poems to help Year Two students explore and understand different feelings:
Select age-appropriate poems that focus on specific emotions. Read them aloud and discuss the feelings expressed. Some suitable poems include:
After reading poems, create word banks for different emotions. Ask students to identify words or phrases from the poems that describe how the emotion feels or looks. This helps expand their emotional vocabulary.
Encourage students to turn abstract feeling words into concrete images. For example:
Guide students in writing their own emotion poems using simple templates:
[Emotion] is... It looks like... It sounds like... It feels like...
Have students act out emotions described in poems. This kinesthetic approach helps them connect physical expressions to emotional states.
After reading a poem about an emotion, have students create collages using images from magazines that represent that feeling. This visual representation helps reinforce their understanding.
Read Joseph Coelho's poem "This Is..." which describes different emotions. Have students discuss which descriptions they relate to and why.
Read poems that contrast different emotions, like happy/sad or excited/nervous. Discuss how these emotions feel different and when students might experience them.
After reading an emotion poem, ask students to share times when they've felt that emotion. This helps them relate the poetry to their own lives.
Compile student-written emotion poems into a class book. This can serve as a resource for students to refer to when discussing feelings throughout the year.
By incorporating these poetry activities, Year Two children can develop a richer emotional vocabulary and a deeper understanding of their own and others' feelings.
To adapt classic poems for different learning styles, you can use a variety of techniques that cater to visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and other learning preferences. Here are some approaches to consider:
For visual learners:
For auditory learners:
For kinesthetic learners:
For reading/writing learners:
By incorporating these diverse approaches, you can make classic poems more accessible and engaging for students with different learning preferences, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of poetry.