Learning and Teaching Resources for Learning English through Poems and Songs

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Learning and Teaching Resources

for Learning English through Poems and Songs

The resources presented here are meant to be examples to show the types of activities/materials that can be designed and developed to help students to work on the various focuses of the module in the Suggested Schemes of Work for the Elective Part of the Three-year Senior Secondary English Language Curriculum (Secondary 4- 6) (2007) (hereafter referred to as “SoWs”). Teachers are encouraged to adapt, modify and develop their own resources or make use of other relevant materials to suit the needs and interests of their students.

Part 1: Module introduction

Lessons 1-2: Poem and song journal

The purpose of this journal activity is to encourage you to access poems and songs as an independent language learning activity. In parallel to what you will be doing in class for the module, collect five pieces of work (including both poems and songs) that you like and give your personal response to them.

1. Include the following in the journal for each of the five poems or songs:

• The poem or the song lyrics

• A description of the theme of the poem or song

• Language that you have learned from it

(e.g. vocabulary, metaphors, similes, expressions)

• Your personal response to the poem or song

(e.g. Do you like it? Why or why not? What does the poem or song mean to you?) 2. By the end of the module, you will need to select ONE of the five songs or poems and

give a presentation of it to your classmates.

• Your presentation should include:

− the poem/song lyrics and the writer/singer

− a brief description of what the song/poem means to you

− (e.g. this song helps me to feel better when I am lonely; the poem reminds me of my school friend who left Hong Kong last year; I listen to this song when I am working out because it gives me the strength to keep going).

− the various aspects of what you have learned throughout the module

(you will need to determine what area you should focus on, e.g. the theme, rhyme scheme, use of language)

• Consider using various means such as a poster or powerpoint slides to make your presentation interesting and effective. If you prefer, your presentation may also include your recitation/singing of the poem/song.

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Part 2: Introduction to poems and songs

Lessons 3-8: Introducing poems and songs A. “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer

Activity 1

Read the poem “Trees” (available at http://highsorcery.com/poems/trees.html) by the American poet Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918). In groups, discuss and answer the questions that follow. Make use of the handout on Poem and Song Vocabulary (pp.6-7) to help you with any vocabulary items that you are unfamiliar with. Then share your views with your classmates.

1. How would you describe the theme of this poem?

2. Do you agree with the message the poet is trying to convey? Explain your views.

3. What does “hungry mouth” refer to?

4. What examples of personification can you find in the poem?

5. How many stanzas are there in the poem?

6. What is the rhyme scheme in this poem?

Activity 2

With the help of your teacher/classmates or your dictionary, check the pronunciation of any words you do not know. Practise reading aloud the poem with a partner.

Suggested answers:

Activity 1

1. God’s creations are more impressive than man’s.

2. Free response.

3. The root system of the tree.

4. Tree – has a mouth, looks at …, lifts arms …, wears … in her hair, has a bosom Earth – has breast

5. Six.

6. aa, bb, cc, dd, ee, ff.

B. “Dreams” by Langston Hughes Activity 1

Read the poem “Dreams” (available at http://www.poemhunter.com/best-poems/langston- hughes/dreams-2/) by Langston Hughes, an African American poet who lived from 1902 to 1967. In groups, discuss and answer the questions that follow. Make use of the Poetry and Song Vocabulary list (pp.6-7) to help you with any vocabulary items that you are unfamiliar with. Then share your views with your classmates.

1. What is the theme of this poem?

2. What feelings do “a broken-winged bird” and “a barren field frozen” bring to your mind?

3. In your own words, what do you think Hughes is saying about dreams? Do you agree with what he says? Why/Why not?

4. What is the rhyme scheme?

5. What figure of speech is most distinctive in this poem: metaphor, simile or personification? Provide examples to support your answer.

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6. The use of parallel structure (or parallelism) is a major feature of the poem. How is it presented?

Activity 2

With the help of your teacher/classmates or your dictionary, check the pronunciation of any words you do not know. Practise reading aloud the poem with a partner.

Suggested answers:

Activity 1

1. Go after your dreams; don’t give up.

2.&3. Free response.

4. abcb; efgf.

5. Metaphor:

Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.

Life is a barren field frozen with snow.

6. Each stanza is parallel in the following way:

i. Hold fast to dreams

ii. For if dreams die/For when dreams go iii. Metaphor

iv. Negative consequence

C. “My Favorite Things” from the musical The Sound of Music written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rogers

Activity

Listen to the song and read the lyrics (available at

http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/favorite.htm). In groups, discuss and answer the questions below.

1. Name five of the favourite things that the singer mentions in the song.

2. Are any of the things mentioned in the song your favourite as well? Make a list of your favourite things and share it with your group members.

3. What pictures/images come to your mind as you listen to the song/read the lyrics?

4. What kind of person do you think the singer is? Find evidence from the text to support your answer. Are you the same or similar type of person?

5. Identify in the song

• the number of stanzas;

• the number of lines in each stanza; and

• the stanza that serves as the chorus.

6. Count the number of syllables in each line. Is there a (general) pattern?

7. Are there any patterns in the way language and/or structures have been used? What are they?

8. What rhyming patterns exist in each of the stanzas and chorus?

Suggested answers:

1. Any 5 mentioned in the song. Free response with reasonable elaboration 2.&3. Free response

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4. She is the type that always looks at the positive side of life. When she is upset she thinks of the many wonderful things in life and they will cheer her up again. The song is also structured in a way that pictures the brighter side of things:

There are 3 stanzas of 4 lines which describe favourite things; there is 1 stanza of 5 lines of which three describe bad things.

5. • 4 stanzas

• 4 lines in stanzas 1, 2 and 3; 5 lines in stanza 4

• the 5-line stanza serves as the chorus 6. Stanzas 1, 2, 3

Line 1– 11 syllables Line 2– 11 syllables Line 3– 10 syllables Line 4– 10 syllables

Stanza 4

Line 1– 4 syllables Line 2– 4 syllables Line 3– 5 syllables Line 4– 11 syllables Line 5– 7 syllables

7. Stanzas 1, 2, 3 follow a similar pattern:

the first 3 lines list the favourite things

the 4^th line is always “These are a few of my favourite things.”

8. Stanzas 1, 2, 3 a, a, b, b

the 4^th line always ends with the word “things”

Stanza 4

a, b, c, b, c

the 2^nd and 4^th lines rhyme, they end in “stings” and “things”

the 3^rd and 5^th lines rhyme, they end in “sad” and “bad”

D. “I Believe I Can Fly” by R. Kelly Activity

Listen to the song and answer the questions below.

(The lyrics are available at http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/rkelly/ibelieveicanfly.html).

1. What is the song trying to say?

2. What does the singer associate himself/herself with? Give reasons to support your answer.

3. What emotion or insight does the song bring you?

4. Are there any patterns in the way language and/or structures have been used?

5. What sounds/words are significant in the song? How do they relate to the theme of the song?

Suggested answers:

1. Someone who was desparate in the past has now found hope for the future and is ready to fight for it.

2. A bird. I believe I can fly/Spread my wings and fly away/I believe I can soar.

3. Free responses with reasonable elaboration.

4. “if-clause”

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“I believe I can fly”(repetition)

5. The long vowel sounds, e.g. [ai] in “fly”, “sky”; [i:] in “see”, “believe”, “meaning”. The sounds/words are repeated throughout the song and seem to suggest the singer’s high spirit and that she has hope in what she is prepared to do.

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Poem and Song Vocabulary

Alliteration the repetition of a sound usually at the beginning of words (e.g. The little lilac lightly landed on the lily pad)

Ballad a short musical narrative poem

Chorus a part of a song which is repeated after each verse Connotation the image or the feelings that a word brings to mind

(compare with denotation)

Couplet a stanza made up of two rhyming lines Denotation the dictionary definition of a word

Free verse poetry that does not have a fixed (rhyme) pattern that affects the length of the line, the organisation of the stanza or the metre

Haiku a traditional three line poem that contains 17 syllables, usually the 1^st and 3^rd lines have 5 syllables and the 2^nd line has 7 syllables

Imagery the sense and/or pictures that words bring to mind

Limerick a five line humorous poem with an ‘aabba’ rhyme scheme Line poetry is written most often in lines and not as sentences; as such

the first word of the line is capitalised regardless of whether it starts a new sentence or not

Lyric poem a short poem that expresses the poet’s personal feelings Lyrics the words of a song

Narrative poem a poem that tells a story

Metaphor a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things (e.g. time is money)

Metre the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables “e.g. Shall I comPARE thee TO a SUMmer’s DAY?” and “GO and CATch a FALLing STAR”

(the unstressed (short) syllables are in black and the stressed (long) syllables are in blue).

Parallelism the repetition of a pattern, phrase, or structure within a poem or prose passage (e.g. “We’d live the life we choose,/We’d fight and never lose”) Personification a figure of speech that gives an animal, object or idea human

characteristics

Rhyme the repetition of vowel sounds and all succeeding consonant sounds (e.g.

old/cold, eat/heat, cool/school) Rhyme scheme the pattern of rhyme within the poem

(e.g. a limerick has the rhyme scheme of ‘aabba’)

Simile a figure of speech that directly compares two things by using like or as (e.g. She is as pretty as a picture)

Stanza a group of lines making up a unit or section of a poem Theme the main idea of a poem or a piece of writing

Tone the general feeling or overall impression that a piece of writing generates

Verse a stanza

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Teachers’ notes

*Depending on the needs and abilities of the students, teachers might like to adapt the list and select relevant terms for discussion. Teachers might also like to refer to the Glossary of The Learning and Teaching of Poetry (Senior Secondary): A Resource Package (Education and Manpower Bureau, 2005) for more details about some of the poem and song vocabulary items.

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Part 3: Reading and writing poems

Lessons 9-10: Understanding and writing acrostic A. Understanding acrostic

• Acrostic is a form of short poem in which the first letter of each line spells a word, which is usually used as the title of the poem.

• The first letter of each line is in capital form. The length of each line can vary from one word to a phrase.

• It does not have to rhyme.

• It can be about any subject or theme. One simple way to write an acrostic is to first put down the letters that spell the subject or theme. Then think of a word, phrase or sentence that starts with the letter of each line to describe the subject or theme.

Activity

Take a look at the acrostics below. What are their subjects/themes? How do they reflect the typical characteristics mentioned above?

Teacher Talented Enthusiastic Able

Caring Humorous Energetic Reasonable

What to write

Writing poems is not my strength Hanging around to think of something At times when ideas strike me,

Take up a pen and write down something.

To start with simple and funny things with Ongoing practising and revising

Wonder what to say and what to write Reflecting upon the past

Inspiring for whatever it can be There is indeed a lot to write

Enjoyable and easy poem writing can really be.

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B. Writing acrostic Activity 1

1. Write an acrostic using your name as the title.

2. Try to use some adjectives, phrases or sentences to describe yourself.

3. Share the acrostic with your partner to see how far he/she agrees with the descriptions you made.

4. You can also write an acrostic for your partner using his/her name as the title.

5. Make use of a dictionary or thesaurus if necessary. The following acrostics are given as examples.

Examples Calm Handsome Reliable Idealistic Shy

Always attentive, Never cheats and Never fails,

A model student after all.

Activity 2

1. Working in groups of 3 to 4, brainstorm possible topics to write about. They can be anything you come across in your daily lives, ranging from your personal interest like favourite movie stars or hobbies to political issues like terrorism. Try to be as creative as you can.

2. Choose a topic from the list your group has compiled and write an acrostic of your own.

3. Share your work with your group members, get their feedback and make any addition, deletion or rearrangement if necessary.

For example:

If you are going to write an acrostic about the famous footballer, David Beckham, you may consider the following to help you to write the poem:

• his appearance/personality/family background

• what he did before he became popular

• the incidents which happened to him

• reasons for his popularity

• your personal opinions about him

You may then come up with a simple acrostic like example 1, or a more sophisticated one like example 2 below:

Example 1 Beckham Brilliant England Captain Kick Handsome Advertisement Midfield

Example 2 Beckham

Back and forth he runs Every move he makes Causes his fans to jump

Kicking without scoring does no harm Having new hairstyles is his real charm A footballer or a sports star

Makes no difference to him so far

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Teachers’ notes Activity 1

*For a variation on this part, teachers might ask students to use their own nicknames, family names or given names to write their acrostics. For acrostics using nicknames, teachers might read them aloud and ask the class to guess who the students are.

*Teachers might also like to ask students to stick their own photos to pieces of colour paper on which they have put the acrostics for board display.

Activity 2

*For a variation on this part, teachers might like to have the whole class work on the same theme and let students see the wide variety of ideas that can be generated from it and share their different views.

*For the less able students, teachers might give them a list of suggested topics that they are familiar with or that can easily evoke feelings, such as the following:

• Animals

• Favourite food/movie stars/singers

• Festivals

• Sports

• Book/song/movie titles

• City/country names

• Physical objects (e.g. stationery, furniture, clothes…)

• Academic subjects (English, Mathematics, Economics…)

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Lessons 11-12: Understanding and writing shape poems A. Understanding shape poems

• Shape poems are poems in which words or lines are arranged in a way that takes on the shape of the subject of the poem to form a visual impact that supports the theme.

• There is not any particular rhyme scheme to follow.

• Shape poems require links between the visual images and the verbal thinking to express feelings or ideas. They normally relate what one sees to the feeling or thoughts that are expressed about an object, image or theme.

Activity 1

Read the poem “My Body” (available at

http://www.wetheteachers.com/files/5091156616491.doc) by Andrea Forbing-Maglione and answer the questions that follow. Feel free to express your ideas about the subject or topic and share them with your partner.

1. What does the speaker say about his/her body?

2. How does the shape of the poem help you to understand its theme?

3. If you are asked to rewrite the poem, what shape will it take? How does it relate to your theme?

Activity 2

Read the poem “Reflections in a Pond” (see Magee, Wes. (1992). Scholastic Collections:

Poetry. London: Scholastic.) and answer the following questions. Feel free to express your ideas about the subject or topic and share them with your partner.

1. What is the poem about?

2. What does “annual crop of goldfish” mean?

3. What images does the shape of the poem bring to your mind? How do they help you to understand the poem?

B. Writing shape poems Form groups of 3 to 4.

1. Share your feelings about a number of objects, images or subjects suggested by your teacher. You may also discuss other items that your group is interested in.

2. Brainstorm a list of related vocabulary and note the key points made in your discussion.

3. Select one of the objects/images/subjects that you want to work on.

4. Write a shape poem of your own based on the selected object/image/subject.

• You can first outline the shape of the poem

• Then fill in words and lines to describe the item

• Think of a title for your poem

5. Share your draft with your group members and make revisions if necessary.

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Lessons 13-14: Understanding and writing poems using different grammatical patterns Activity 1

Read the following poems. Find out their themes and identify the grammatical patterns used.

Think of a title for each of the poems.

Poem 1 Come to me.

Have some tea.

Sit with ease.

Know more about me.

Suggested title: ________________________________

Poem 2 Gracefully, sweetly, loudly, the bird is singing.

Enjoyably, relaxingly, quietly, the man is watching.

Suggested title: _______________________________

Poem 3 It is easy to forget what I have learnt But it is hard to tell the teacher that.

My parents told me to prepare for the test But my friends asked me to take a rest.

What students want is to have fun

But what teachers focus on is to fail none.

What a world of contrast we are living in!

What a state of conflict we are having from within!

Suggested title: ________________________________

Poem 4 Mother Teresa

Kind, humble, generous, capable A child of God

The best friend of the poor and the sick

Who spent her life serving the needy in Calcutta Who founded the Missionaries of Charity The mother of the dying and the suffering A winner of the Nobel Peace Prize Loving, persistent, brave, devoted Mother Teresa

Suggested title: ________________________________

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Activity 2

Form groups of 3 to 4.

1. Recall as many as possible the grammatical patterns you have learnt.

2. Try to make use of one or more of the grammatical patterns to write a poem of your own on a theme, subject or figure of your choice.

(You can focus on one particular grammatical pattern like reported speech, relative clause, inversion, etc. or include a mixture of them in your poem.)

3. Consider the use of a rhyme scheme or any poetic features you have learnt.

4. Create a title for your poem.

5. Share your draft with your group members. Give comments to one another and make revisions if necessary.

Teachers’ notes

* For the less able students, it is not necessary for them to specify the grammatical terms as long as they are aware of the grammatical structures used. Teachers might also consider asking them to start by simply focussing on vocabulary, parts of speech or any phrases such as ‘I am’, ‘He/She likes’, ‘It is’, etc.

Example: I am tall I am small

I am active I am creative

* For the more able students, teachers might require them to give more attention to the choice of vocabulary or the use of poetic features that create particular moods or feelings for their poems. For example, teachers can ask the students to rewrite Poem 2 (Activity 1) to give it a different tone, like the following:

Gracefully, sweetly, loudly, the bird is singing.

Attentively, quietly, sadly, the man is watching through the bars.

Suggested answers:

Activity 1 Poem 1

Theme: To invite someone to know more about the writer Pattern: Starting a sentence with a verb (imperative) Poem 2

Theme: To describe a relaxing/enjoyable moment

Pattern: Subject+verb+adverb (simple sentence pattern in present continuous tense) Poem 3

Theme: Conflict seems unavoidable in our lives

Patterns: ‘It is’+adjective+to-infinitive; reported speech; ‘what’+subject+verb+verb to be+to-infinitive (cleft sentence); exclamation with ‘what’+noun group

Poem 4

Theme: To tell the story of Mother Teresa

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Lessons 15-17: Reading and writing limericks A. Understanding what limericks are

• Limericks are short humorous poems. One could say that they are a written cartoon or caricature of a person. It is not certain how limericks originated, but they take their name from Limerick, Ireland. In 1845 Edward Lear published a book called A Book of Nonsense and Nonsense Songs that includes many well-known limericks.

• Limericks have the following characteristics:

follow a predictable 5 line formula

1^st line – 9 syllables

2^nd line – 9 syllables

3^rd line – 6 syllables

4^th line – 6 syllables

5^th line – 9 syllables

exact number of syllables per line can vary slightly, 3^rd and 4^th lines often shorter

1^st line often begins “There once was a (person) from (a place)”

2^nd line often starts with “who (adverb) verb…”

3^rd line often contains the word “when” in order to set up a situation/problem.

the simple past is often used

have a rhyming scheme of AABBA

word order is sometimes unusual in order for the line to end with the rhyming word

• A limerick’s theme is usually about funny, or odd, people doing humorous, silly, or extreme things. Limericks are not about feelings, emotions, or moods. They are usually nonsense and often focus only on rhyme and rhythm.

Activity

Take a look at the two limericks below taken from Edward Lear’s book.

1. Do they reflect the typical characteristics mentioned above?

2. What other features/similarities do you notice in the two limericks?

7. What do you notice about capitalisation and punctuation conventions?

There was a young lady of Wilts, Who walked up to Scotland on stilts;

When they said it was shocking To show up in your stocking,

She answered “then what about kilts.”

There was an Old man of the Coast Who placidly sat on a post;

But when it was cold, He relinquished his hold,

And called for some hot buttered toast.

Suggested answers:

2. Features/similarities:

The 1^st line introduces the person and where they come from.

The 2^nd line describes what they are doing or what they are known for.

The 3^rd line and sometimes the 4^th present a problem (e.g. people complaining, the weather changing).

The 5^th line and sometimes the 4^th present a solution or what the reaction is to the problem.

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B. Reading and reciting limericks Activity

You can find many limericks at the following site:

http://modena.intergate.ca/personal/gslj/limericks.html

1. Read some of the limericks and select one you would like to learn.

2. Look up the meaning and pronunciation of any words you do not know.

3. Practise reciting it with a partner; try to memorise it if you can.

4. As you recite it, pay attention to the syllables, which are like beats, in each line. You should be able to feel the rhythm of the lines as you read it. Ask your partner for feedback on how it sounds.

5. Recite your limerick for your class.

C. Writing a limerick Activity 1

With a partner, write a limerick using the first lines that are written out for you below. When you have finished, share your limericks with the class.

1. There once was a boy from Kowloon _______________________________

_______________________________

(You may consider using these words which rhyme with Kowloon:

moon, soon, goon, loon, June, tune, buffoon, croon, baboon, cartoon) 2. There once was a young girl from Wanchai

_______________________________

(You may consider using these words which rhyme with Wanchai:

buy, dye, guy, hi, high, sigh, nigh, shy, my, why, fly, pie, lie, tie) Examples:

There once was a boy from Kowloon, Who always acted like a buffoon;

When he visited the zoo, They knew what to do,

He now lives with his friend the baboon.

There once was a boy from Kowloon, Who refused to get up till noon;

When his mother got mad, And yelled “you’re so bad,”

He frowned and blew a balloon.

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There once was a young girl from Wanchai, Who claimed that she was extremely shy;

But when a cute boy walked in, His heart she did win,

For she knew that he was the right guy.

Activity 2

Try to write some more limericks.

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Lessons 18-21: Reading and writing haikus A. Understanding haiku

• Haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry that became very popular with many Western poets in the 20^th century who believed it was a very simple yet powerful way of presenting and connoting images, moods and feelings.

• Like limericks, haiku has a very distinctive form. Below are some characteristics of haiku:

Each poem is three lines and has 17 syllables.

The 17 syllables are usually divided among the three lines in the following way:

1^st line – 5 syllables 2^nd line – 7 syllables 3^rd line – 5 syllables

The number of syllables per line can vary in Haiku written in English, but there are almost always 17 syllables, spread over three lines.

The images conveyed in the three lines should not create a narrative. They should be occurring simultaneously, at the very same moment. This simultaneous quality is what creates haiku’s powerful ability to create a feeling, image or mood.

For example, the following is not a good haiku because the actions and thoughts are occurring one after another, not simultaneously.

Green light bus comes Then the rain falls slowly Later I think about a seat.

The haiku could be rewritten to show these actions and thought happening at the same time.

Green light bus comes Rain gently falls on my head Will I get a seat?

Haiku omits any unnecessary words.

For example:

Original sentence description

The blackbird sings in the tree (7 syllables). I wade in the cool spring water (8 syllables). I see gold carp swimming close by (8 syllables).

Haiku rewrite

Blackbird sings in tree (5);

Wading in cool spring water (7);

Gold carp swim close by (5).

• Traditionally, haiku has had a seasonal and nature theme. Many traditional haikus are about the spring, summer, autumn or winter. However, haiku can be about anything the

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• Haiku often brings to mind a scent, a sound, a flavor, an image, or a sensation (a touch).

It does this by setting a scene or capturing a feeling or mood. It does not overtly tell the reader what the subject of the poem is, as it should be evident by what the writer has written. This is why haiku usually is not titled.

For example, in the following haiku, the writer does not directly tell the reader what she is writing about. Instead, the images that are brought to mind create the meaning; they are connoted, not denoted.

Slowly rubbing eyes

Rising gently from slumber Remembering dreams.

What do you think the writer is writing about?

(Suggested answer: about waking up)

B. Reading haikus Activity 1

Read the following haikus^* written by the traditional haiku master Basho (1644-1694), who was a Zen Buddhist monk. In your own words, write a sentence about what you think the subject matter of each haiku is.

1. An old pond!

A frog jumps in - The sound of water.