Folding Poem
Source:
This game was adapted from ‘Folding poem’ from the ‘Sharing Nature’ website
OBJECTIVE
To share the sense of inspiration and discovery from the site visit using the written word, both individually, and to promote group coherence. This is a good activity to encourage the children to develop a sense of place, or use as a calming activity to round off your visit.
Did you know?
“Poetry is language at its most rich. Poetry can surprise and astonish. People turn to poetry often at moments in their lives which are extreme - they might be in love, or recently bereaved. Poetry speaks to people directly at moments like this. Students who understand the music of poetry will also become better at writing prose. The techniques of poetry - metaphor, rhythm, conciseness - can be used in any form of writing, to great effect. When you read poetry you realise that there are many multiple meanings in one single short poem. Poetry provokes discussion and argument. Poetry inhabits ideas better than any other form. Poetry stands the test of time. A true poem is always memorable.”
Jackie Kay in poetry class interview
Before the activity
It may be useful to explore the site poetry lessons section to help the children begin to explore the language of poetry, and explore different techniques in class first. For example ‘A journey through the senses’ or ‘We’ll weather the weather’
Read poems which are inspired by nature. Gerry Cambridge is a contemporary Scottish poet.
Read extracts from ‘Nothing But Heather!’ Vole poem and bank vole image
Water Boatman poem and image
The activity
Participants go and find a safe quiet space. It may help if they close their eyes, or just spend time looking around them. They may want to take notes about words or feelings that come to them. Depending on group numbers, you can divide the class up into groups or do this collectively. The following describes the activity for groups of 4. Choose a theme each group – pond/river/loch, for example - depending on the theme of your site visit.
Give each group a sheet of paper. The first person for each team (or group) writes the first line of the poem then passes it to the second person. This person writes one line that responds to the first writer’s line, then writes another, then folds the poem so that the next person sees only the last written line. The third person writes a line responding to the second person’s last line, the writes another, then folds the poem so that the first writer sees only the last line. The first person writes the last line of the stanza.
Allow groups 10-15 minutes to write their poems. Teams can write more than 6 lines if they wish. After all the teams have written their poems, have each group read theirs to the group. You can also create poems written by everyone in the group by extending this format.
Suggested follow-up
Compare poems written indoors (warm, dry and comfortable/noisy and distracting/too familiar?) and outdoors (natural materials/weather/more sensory stimulation for the imagination?).
Has using poetry to describe the pupils’ experience helped their understanding of its special features? Compare the kind of words used to those where waters are polluted, channeled or in other ways affected by human activity.
Downloads
Poet Gerry Cambridge