Lesson video

Hi, everyone! My name's Mrs. Tweedie, and I'm here today to teach some more poetry to you.

We're going to do some performance today! I'm so excited! You need a quiet space to learn, someone or the screen to talk to, and lots of fresh, creative ideas.

Have you remembered your energy as well? Let's get started.

The learning outcome for today is, I can perform a poem by James Carter.

Here are keywords.

Let's do my turn, your turn.

Performance.

This is the act of presenting or reciting a poem in front of an audience using voice, gestures, and expression.

Volume.

This is the loudness or softness of the voice when speaking or reading a poem.

Expression.

This is all about reading with feelings and emotion to bring a poem to life.

Recite.

Well done! This is to speak or perform a poem aloud from memory.

Opinion.

This is a personal view about something.

We're going to start today by exploring James Carter poems. James Carter, as you may well know by now, is a poet.

Can you remember any names of any of the poems he has written? Pause the video as you discuss this with someone near you or the screen.

Welcome back.

Did you remember some? Well done.

"Zim Zam Zoom!" That's a poem that we've looked at together.

"Firework Poem," "Splish! Splash! Splosh!", "BEwARe!" These are all poems by James Carter that we've worked through together in this unit.

These are just some of James Carter's poems. He has written many more, including whole books of poetry.

Wow! James Carter likes using rhyme and onomatopoeia in his poems. Look at the titles of these poems. "Zim Zam Zoom!" "Splish! Splash! Splosh!" What do you notice? Pause the video as you discuss with somebody near you or the screen.

What do you notice about "Zim Zam Zoom!", "Splish! Splash! Splosh!" titles? Welcome back.

This child says, "The titles are examples of onomatopoeia!" Oh, yes, they are.

All those words, zim, zam, zoom, splish, splash, splosh, they all sound like what they're describing.

And Andeep says, "Both titles have three words!" Great spot, Andeep! We call these similarities.

These are things that are similar between the two titles of these two poems. Let's check your understanding.

What does James Carter often use in his poems? a, opinions, b, onomatopoeia, c, rhyme, d, long sentences.

Pause the video as you decide.

Welcome back.

You were right, b and c! James Carter often uses onomatopoeia and rhyme.

James Carter's poems have many similarities.

This means that they have some things that are the same.

We are going to compare two of James Carter's poems called "Firework Poem" and "Splish! Splash! Splosh!" First, I will read "Firework Poem" to you.

Here I go! Like to be a firework? So would I.

To dazzle like a flower.

To sizzle in the sky.

With a crack and a bang and a bim bam boom! With a whizz and a fizz and a zim zam zoom! And oh, how I'd sparkle red, gold, blue as everyone below goes ah and ooh.

Now, let's watch James Carter reading his poem, "Firework Poem" to us.

Enjoy.

<v ->Do you like fireworks?</v> I love them.

And in this poem, I want to celebrate all their colours and all their sparkles.

The poem goes like this.

Like to be a firework? So would I.

To dazzle like a flower.

To sizzle in the sky.

With a crack and a bang and a bim bam boom! With a whizz and a fizz and a zim zam zoom! And oh, how I'd sparkle red, gold, blue as everyone below goes ah and ooh.

<v ->Welcome back.

</v> Wasn't That fabulous to hear James Carter reading his poem to us? Thank you, James.

Next, I will read the poem "Splish! Splash! Splosh!" to you.

This is the second poem that we're going to compare with "Firework Poem." Here comes "Splish! Splash! Splosh!" Babies in the bath, do it.

Puddles on the path, do it.

Grannies for a laugh do it.

Splish! Splash! Splosh! Dirty welly boots, do it.

Dainty shoes, do it.

Drippy doggies too, do it.

Splish! Splash! Splosh! Waterfalls and waves, do it.

Giant killer whales, do it.

Little fishies' tails do it.

Splish! Splash! Splosh! Buses rushing past, do it.

Rivers flowing fast, do it.

Raindrops fall at last, do it.

Splish! Splash! Splosh! Swimmers in the pool, do it.

Penguins in the zoo, do it.

Dolphins in the blue, do it.

Splish! Splash! Splosh! In the summer sun, do it.

Do it as it's fun, do it.

Come on, everyone, do it.

Splish! Splash! Splosh! Now, let's watch James Carter reading his poem "Splish! Splash! Splosh!" to us.

Take it away, James! <v ->Now, this was written years ago</v> when my daughters were tiny.

And at bath times, we would play Splash, Splash, Splosh.

Babies in the bath, do it.

Puddles on the path, do it.

Grannies for a laugh do it.

Splish! Splash! Splosh! Dirty welly boots, do it.

Dainty shoes, do it.

Drippy doggies too, do it.

Splish! Splash! Splosh! Waterfalls and waves, do it.

Giant killer whales, do it.

Little fishies' tails, do it.

Splish! Splash! Splosh! Buses rushing past, do it.

Rivers flowing fast, do it.

Raindrops fall at last, do it.

Splish! Splash! Splosh! Let's do some actions.

Swimmers in the pool, do it.

Penguins in the zoo, do it.

Dolphins in the blue, do it.

Splish! Splash! Splosh! In the summer sun, do it.

Do it as it's fun, do it.

Come on, everyone, do it.

Splish! Splash! Splosh! <v ->Thank you so much again to James for reading his poem.

</v> What a treat for us.

Let's compare these two poems, "Firework Poem," and "Splish! Splash! Splosh!" using a Venn diagram.

You might have seen these before and you might not have seen these before.

That's super exciting.

We can put things that are the same in the middle of the diagram.

Like this.

This is a Venn diagram.

Hi, Venn diagram! Now, in the middle, in the middle section, go things that are the same or similar between the two poems. Both of them have onomatopoeia.

In "Firework Poem", we have bang, boom, ah.

In "Splish! Splash! Splosh!", we have splish, splash, splosh words.

All of these are onomatopoeic.

We have rhyming words in both poems. In "Firework Poem," I and sky rhyme.

They have the same-sounding ending sound.

And bath, path, laugh in "Splish! Splash! Splosh!" also rhyme.

Both poems also contain description.

In "Firework Poem," we have descriptions of fireworks, and in "Splish! Splash! Splosh!", we have descriptions of water play.

Let's check your understanding.

True or false? Both "Firework Poem" and "Splish! Splash! Splosh!" have onomatopoeia in them.

Pause the video as you decide if this is true or false.

Welcome back, and this was true! Well done! They do both contain onomatopoeia.

We can share our opinions about poems. When we share our opinions, we share our own thoughts and feelings, what we think or believe.

Our opinion may not be the same as someone else's opinion.

That's just fine.

For example, I might like pasta and you might like pizza.

We can also have different opinions about our favourite poems. It would be impossible to imagine that we all like and dislike the same things.

We are all our own people.

We will have different opinions.

Explaining your opinion helps someone else to understand your thoughts and feelings.

Telling them why you believe or think a certain way.

Your opinion may be different to someone else's.

And it is important that we respect someone else's opinions and accept that you may think differently to someone else.

It is okay not to like something or have a least favourite of something.

Like with vegetables, I have a least favourite vegetable, the green pepper, but my son loves green peppers.

You might be able to think of another example in your family or amongst your friends.

It is important to explain why you have your opinion and say it in a respectful way.

Green peppers are my least favourite vegetable because I find them bitter.

Now, let's apply this explanation of our opinions to "Zim! Zam! Zoom!" I am going to explain why "Zim! Zam! Zoom!" is my favourite poem.

I am going to use because in my sentence to explain why oh, I love the word because.

It is so useful in the English language.

"My favourite poem is 'Zim! Zam! Zoom!', because I like repeating the word rocket.

It feels exciting! What is your favourite poem?" Now, it's your turn.

You are going to say which is your favourite poem out of "Zim! Zam! Zoom!", "Firework Poem," "Splish! Splash! Splosh!", and "BEwARe!" You are going to use because in your sentence to explain why.

Then you will ask someone else what their favourite poem is.

You can use these sentence scaffolds to help you.

Pause the video now as you say your favourite poem.

Welcome back.

Well done for using full sentences! Now, I'm going to tell you which is my least favourite poem.

I'm still going to use because in my sentence to explain why.

That is so important.

We don't just say, "I don't like what I hate something." Without explaining why.

We must explain our reasoning.

"My least favourite poem is 'BEwARe!' because the lines are really short.

What is your least favourite poem?" Now it's your turn.

You are going to say which is your least favourite poem.

You are going to use the word because in your sentence to explain why.

And then you will ask someone else what their least favourite poem is.

You can use these sentence scaffolds to help you.

Pause the video now.

Welcome back! How did you get on? Did you use your full sentences and the word because? Well done.

It's time for Task A.

For the first part, share your favourite poem and explain your opinion.

Ask someone else for their opinion.

You can use the sentence scaffolds on the right-hand side in the speech bubble.

My favourite poem is blank because blank.

You will fill in the blanks.

Then what is your favourite poem? Then in the second part of the task, you are going to share your least favourite poem and explain your opinion.

And then you're going to ask someone else for their opinion.

Here come the sentence scaffolds to help you.

My least favourite poem is blank because blank.

You fill in the blanks of course.

What is your least favourite poem? Pause the video as you complete Task A speaking to somebody near you or to the screen.

Welcome back! How did you get on? Here are some examples of some opinions you might have shared.

"My favourite poem is 'Splash! Splash! Splosh!' because I love splashing in water.

What is your favourite poem?" "My favourite poem is 'BEwARe!' because I like listening to the clues and imagining the animal.

What is your favourite poem?" And here's another one.

"My least favourite poem is 'Firework Poem' because I don't like the sounds that fireworks make, and this poem has lots of those sounds in it.

What is your least favourite poem?" Maybe some of your example opinions might have sounded like mine and maybe not, and that is just fine.

Well done for completing Task A.

The second part of our lesson today is all about performing poems. Today, we are going to perform our favourite poem.

How exciting! A performance is a show that you put on for others.

I wonder, have you ever put on a show or a performance yourself? maybe at home with your teddies or your puppets if you have them.

Or maybe at school with your friends and your peers.

Maybe you've put on an assembly before or a winter concert, or maybe you've put on a gymnastics performance or even a swimming show.

Have a little think.

Have you ever done a performance before? Well, if you've never seen this sort of thing before, that I'm showing you on the screen, let me explain what some of the parts are.

This, where you stand when you perform, is a stage! It's elevated from where the people are sitting, so you're a little bit higher usually on a stage than where the audience sits.

And this is where the audience sits, on chairs that face the stage so they can see the performers and hear the performers so clearly.

Now, time for a discussion.

Have you ever seen a performance? Have you ever been in a performance yourself? Have you ever been to a theatre perhaps or a concert hall or a town hall where they might have been putting on a pantomime or a show? Have a think and then discuss with somebody near you or to the screen if you're working by yourself and pause the video now.

Welcome back.

I wish I could hear all your examples of performances that you've been to or seen.

Let's think about what makes a performance exciting.

Hmm.

Well, loud, clear voices for sure.

I didn't want to go to a performance and not be able to hear what the performers are saying.

That would be pointless! Expression.

Ah, yes, this is all about bringing words to life.

When we watch performers on stages or in films expressing so clearly what the character is feeling, it makes the performance so much more exciting to watch.

Actions and sound effects.

Absolutely thrilling when we see these in action.

Now, let's hear from James Carter, our poet, about what makes a great performance in his view.

We asked him, what is your top tip for performing poetry? Let's listen to his answer.

<v ->My top tip for performing poetry is,</v> double the volume, halve the speed.

In other go as slow as you can.

Because however slow you think it is, because you'll be excited and nervous, you'll go really fast.

So, just before you start performing a poem, tell yourself, "Go really slow." <v ->Welcome back.

</v> Let's check your understanding.

What are James Carter's top tips for performing poetry? a, read slowly, b, sit on a chair, c, double the volume of your voice, d, speak very fast to show the audience how good you are at reading.

Pause the video now.

Welcome back.

He said read slowly and double the volume of your voice.

Thank you, James, for those top tips.

Reciting a poem out loud in front of an audience is called a poetry performance.

Remembering the words can help you recite the poem better and concentrate on your performance.

Poems can be learn by heart by listening to them again and again.

The more times you listen to them, the easier it will be to remember them.

Listening and speaking is so important to help our memory.

Controlling the volume, how loud or soft, of our voices is an important part of performing.

We can change the volume to create different effects.

Let's discuss.

Have a go at saying the title, "BEwARe!" Try using a loud volume and a softer volume.

What do you notice? Pause the video as you discuss with somebody near you or to the screen.

Welcome back.

I thought, "When I say the title loudly, it almost gives the audience a fright." And this person thinks, "When I say the title softly, it sounds spooky." Hmm, I wonder if your responses were the same with your partner or yourself.

Let's check.

How might our voice sound in a performance? a, loud, b, soft, c, muffled, d, clear.

Pause the video now.

Welcome back.

You are right, loud and soft and clear! All three of these were correct answers for how our voice might sound in a performance because we might sometimes choose to have a soft voice.

"Remember, we can use our voices to create different effects when we are performing!" Now, using expression makes performances fun and interesting to watch.

Expression is about reading with feeling to bring a poem to life.

These feelings may include any of these.

Excitement, surprise, amazement, happiness, sadness.

Let's hear from James Carter again about performance of poetry.

We asked him, do you like performing poetry? Let's see what he said.

<v ->I really love performing poetry,</v> because I like taking the words off the page and bringing them into a school hall, and getting everybody joining in and doing actions and having fun with words.

<v ->Let's look at the first six lines of "Firework Poem."</v> Here they are.

I'm going to read the lines without any expression.

Like to be a firework? So would I.

To dazzle like a flower.

To sizzle in the sky.

With a crack and a bang and a bim bam boom.

It's actually quite tricky to read with no expression at all.

Now, I'm going to read the same lines with expression.

Like to be a firework? So would I.

To dazzle like a flower.

To sizzle in the sky.

With a crack and a bang and a bim bam boom! Did you hear the difference? What did you notice? Pause the video as you discuss with somebody near you or to the screen.

Welcome back.

Now, it's your turn.

Have a go at reading the second half of "Firework Poem," adding expression.

Then tell your partner one good thing about the expression they used and why you liked it.

Pause the video now as you complete this check.

Welcome back.

This person said, "You made the words whizz, fizz, and all the other words in the same verse sound quick and exciting just like fireworks sound!" Well done to that child.

This person said, "You read the words ah and ooh with a voice of amazement.

It reminded me of the noises people make when they watch a fireworks display." Now, let's practise using actions and sound effects to perform the first verse of "BEwARe!" Actions and sound effects help to add to a poem's meaning and make a performance more exciting.

Here is the first verse of "BEwARe!" I'm going to whisper the first line then clap my hands together for the next line.

There's a jaw-snapper.

(hands clap) I'm going to pinch my fingers open and shut to make them look like teeth for the next line.

Teeth-gnasher.

And then I'm going to do a swimming action for the fourth line.

River-swimmer.

And I'm going to use my hand to make a diving action for the fifth line.

Dives-for-dinner.

Did you spot all my actions? It's time for Task B.

From the additional materials, choose one of the following James Carter poems to perform to an audience.

You have the choice of "Zim Zam Zoom!", "Firework Poem," "Splish! Splash! Splosh!", and "BEwARe!" Remember, when you are performing to your audience, think about volume, how loud or soft your voices, expression, bringing the words to life, actions and sound effects.

Have so much fun performing to your audience.

Pause the video now.

Welcome back.

Did you have fun? Oh, I'm so pleased.

Did you choose a James Carter poem to perform? Take a moment to think about your performance.

Did you speak at a loud enough volume? Did you add expression as you were saying the words? Did you use any actions or sound effects? Most importantly, did you enjoy performing? Performance is meant to be fun and it's meant to be the last part of when we've looked at texts and discussed them to really bring our understanding to life, to bring the full power of the poem to the audience.

If you don't think you perform to your best, you can use these top tips and go away and repeat Task B and make your performance even better.

Let's summarise our lesson.

Poems can be learned by heart by listening to them again and again.

Making comparisons means finding similarities and differences in a poem, such as the use of rhyme and onomatopoeia.

Personal responses are a way of sharing your own thoughts, feelings, and opinions about the text.

Actions and sound effects help to add to a poem's meaning.

Expression and volume help to hold an audience's attention.

I have loved teaching you this unit of James Carter poetry and I really hope that you take it away and it inspires you to listen to and read lots more poetry.

There is so much in our English language to get our teeth into.

Enjoy your journey with poetry as you move forward through this year and school, and I hope to see you again soon.

Bye-bye!.