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I'm very keen on getting
students to explore geography through creative activities. Here is a
small selection of recent work illustrating the potential of poetry
for developing empathy with geographical topics.
Year 7 were asked to write a poem entitled the American Dream following
a lesson on the issues of migration between Mexico and the USA
THE AMERICAN
DREAM
By Ella
Downing Year 7
The American
Dream
Just as good as it seems
Filled to the top
With the stuff of your dreams
Lots and lots of
Sweets and candy
Guaranteed
To keep you dandy
But now what's this the
Pollution is coming
Pack your bags
You better start running
The Dreams' turned into a nightmare
nothing for the poor the weak or the Black
It's all for the rich and their cousins
Now what good's a dream like that?
***
THE AMERICAN DREAM
by Jamie Myers year 7
New York,
Hollywood,
Those are the places to be.
Grand Canyon,
Disneyland,
Those are the places to see.
Basketball,
Baseball,
I'm definitely going to that.
Strike one,
Wow!
Watch him swing that bat.
Mc Donald's,
Hot-dogs,
That's the food to eat.
Plane wings,
Glisten,
In the summer heat.
Look,
We're here,
Statue of liberty.
Yellow taxis,
Shopping,
That's the life for me.
*************************
After a lesson
on the Indian monsoon, Joanna Lipniaka 9.7 read the following
advert on the internet and wrote a poem:
APPLICATION OF TEMPORARY MONSOON SHEDS
"We erect temporary monsoon sheds on hire basis.
To have extra covered space in your premises
you can order for temporary sheds.
Our sheds are built with Bamboo's, Ballies, Coirstring and tarpaulins
of different qualities.
We have the experience in building sheds from 2,500 sq.ft to 300,000
sq.ft
We can also erect sheds in any part of India as per your requirements."
"Be secured under our sheds"
(Advert found
on the internet)
Highly Esteemed Monsoon
Please come soon.
While my clients have things to cover.
Come from the Ocean with the Rain.
Wet the land just enough to make the crops grow.
Soak the land and make the rivers flow.
Rain long Monsoon,
So that my clients must cover their goods.
But not too long - don't flood the land.
Don't wash away the crops.
So that my clients have goods to cover next year.
Blow hard Monsoon.
So that my clients need my sheds.
But not too hard - don't blow my sheds down.
Be quick Monsoon.
Don't stop to play with El Nino - he's bad.
Don't stop to play with Acid Rain - he's worse.
Stay with us Monsoon,
All Summer long. Spend your rain on us
Then come back for the Winter to dry us.
Link to monsoon
words and pictures
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Year 9 spent
a term learning about tectonic activity. Neela wrote this after watching
a clip from The Living Planet.
Krakatoa
by Neela
Dolezal Year 9
The year was
1883,
the place a tiny
island,
not the type
with golden sands
but volcanoes,
rocks and
silent.
Evidence of recent
eruption
had never
been seen or found
not even
a slight piece of action
not even
a spark or a sound.
it's name
was Krakatoa
at 10.00
am sharp,
the skies
became dark,
as the mountain
showed us its power.
The sky turned
black.
out went
the sun.
Ash blew
in the wind.
it covered
the ships.
The chamber
collapsed.
The water
rushed in.
3,0000 miles
away,
They heard
the explosion.
The island
had vanished,
gone under
the sea.
A tidal wave
grew to
100 feet high.
It swept
past the villages,
it swept
through the towns,
took with
it the people,
the people
went with it,
they both
went together,
together
forever.
36,000 went
with it,
together
forever.
Dead.
Up rose
the child,
A new life began.
The child
of
Krakatoa.
'Anak of Krakatoa'.
Krakatoa
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