a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a text

having the ability to create vivid mental images or concepts that may not exist in reality

the use of language to create a mental picture or sensory experience for the reader or listener

Reading and responding to 'Wide Open' by Rachel Rooney

English

In this unit, pupils use Kit Wright's poem The Magic Box’ to explore poetic devices such as alliteration, similes and repetition. In ’Humorous Poetry’, pupils will build on this by using several different poems from different poets to explore how those devices are used by others. ’

In Poetry: Nursery Rhymes’, pupils were introduced to several different nursery rhymes and began to explore the poetic devices used such as rhyming words and repetition. In this unit, they will build on this by extending the repertoire of poems they've read and responded to and looking at more poetic devices such as similes. ’

In this unit, pupils read and respond to three different imaginative poems by different poets. They will write their own imaginative poems following the same structure as 'The Magic Box'. Finally, pupils will perform their own poems to an audience.

'The Magic Box': reading imaginative poetry

What job did Rachel Rooney do before she became a poet?

True or false? When she was a child, Rachel loved poetry and wrote lots of poems, but she never showed them to anyone and she stopped when she was in her teens.

True or false? Being 'imaginative' means having the ability to create vivid mental images or concepts that may not exist in reality. 

'Wide Open' is a poem about a special ...

words that have a similarity of sounds between the ending syllables

What is the name for a person who writes a poem?

True or false? Poems are non-fiction texts.

What is the name for words that describe nouns?

True or false? A noun is a person, place or thing. 

Introduction

What will you need for this lesson?

Are you ready to learn?

Equipment

Worksheet