LEARNING RESOURCES

WATCH THIS SPACE for fun video resources and poetry activities for kids!

STRAIGHT FROM OUR FORMER PRIMARY SCHOOL JUDGE (2019 – 2020) KAT APEL, CLICK THE LINKS FOR SOME POETRY TIPS AND TRICKS!

Tetractys Poems: https://katswhiskers.wordpress.com/whisker-of-poetry/tetractys-poems/

Golden Shovel Poems: https://katswhiskers.wordpress.com/whisker-of-poetry/golden-shovel/

Didactic Cinquain Poems: https://katswhiskers.wordpress.com/whisker-of-poetry/didactic-cinquain/

Lorraine Marwood Guest Blog Post: https://katswhiskers.wordpress.com/whisker-of-poetry/lorraine-marwood/ 

GETTING CREATIVE FOR KIDS

Having problems getting creative with your work? Some of Australia’s leading writers have been there! Click on each of the authors below to see their suggestions.

Top 10 Creative Writing Tips by Belinda Murrell – bestselling, internationally published children’s author with a history of writing in her family that spans over 200 years.

An Easy Way to Write a Poem by Sally Murphy – author of Pearl Versus the World and 2011 Awards Judge.

How to Write a Good Poem by Lorraine Marwood – Winner Prime Minister’s Literary Award Children’s Category for Star Jumps. Lorraine was also a 2006 Awards Judge.

What Will I Write About by Dee White – author of Letters to Leonardo and Harry’s Goldfield Adventure.

The Seven R’s by Libby Hathorn – author of Zahara’s Rose and The Great Big Animal Ask.

Mentoring Kit – Lorraine Marwood and Clare Saxby combine their talents to provide a Mentoring Kit: A Guide for Young Poets.

POETRY IN THE CLASSROOM – RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

The internet has many wonderful, educational and inspriational resources for Australian teachers. A wonderful website from Aussie Educators contains an abundance of links and downloads to documents about poetry and poetry forms. Click here to see it!

Some other helpful links include:

• How to Write Your Own Poem  worksheet by Jeanette Swan
• Poetry Writing for Home Schoolers by Janelle McDonald
• Interpret poetry from the NSW Dept. of Education
• Children’s Poetry from Aussie Educator
• Year 5-6 – Poetry from twinkl
• Poetry Teaching Resources from Teachstarter
• Level 5 and 6 poetry from Victorian Education Department
• Power through Poetry from the Australian Museum
• Poem Forest from Red Room Poetry
• Poetry Object from Red Room Poetry
• Teaching Poetry for Pleasure and Purpose from PETAA
• Learn at home resources from 100 Story Building
• Writing Poetry with Children from Readilearn
• Poetry Resources from Catholic Education South Australia

Using Pirozzo’s Grids

An Introduction by Catriona Coote

Educational consultant and former Science teacher, Ralph Pirozzo’s aim was to use Bloom’s Taxonomy and Gardner’s Intelligences to create a teaching/learning activity grid. By using the grid, as these teachers have done, it’s possible to design an exciting range of co-operative learning activities that engage students across a variety of learning styles.

Download Pirozzo’s sample grid.doc

Now … how to adapt the sample programmes to your class:

• Identify “core” (teacher taught/guided) activities which are compulsory to all students. These can be highlighted in a particular colour.
• Decide how many “elective” (independent or small group) activities you want your student/s to complete and from which taxonomies (e.g. “six activities, at least one of each from applying, analysing, creating and evaluating”).

Pirozzo’s Grid is particularly useful for developing IEPs – the activities can remain the same, just alter the contract requirements for individual students according to ability/need. Each activity within the matrix can be allocated a particular weighting towards the final mark. By giving heavier weight to higher level thinking tasks, students are encouraged to challenge themselves.

Year 5 Poetry by Henrietta Miller

Poetry Stage 3 by Michele Beach

Poetry Year 7/8 (Including Learning Contracts) by Vicki French

Protest Poetry and Songs Stage 5 (Year 9) by Sandi Butler

Poetry – Student Choice of Poet Year 9 by Di McGowan

Design a contract that suits your students and get them to sign it. (See sample contract in the Year 7/8 Extension English unit – link below).

Ensure that students understand the thinking tools designated in particular activities (see key below).

THINKING TOOLS KEY

MORE RESOURCES

Below are some links to other websites related to children’s poetry and literature including authors, competitions and information about literacy.

Please note, these links are provided as a guide. The Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society has no responsibility for the content of these websites. Please contact us if you know of any other links that could be included on this page.