Brown Kite

Learning Intention:

 

I am learning to identify authors' use of vivid, emotive vocabulary, such as metaphors, personification and imagery, so that I can create texts that use vocabulary to engage readers.

 

Success Criteria:

 

• I can identify the mood in a poem.
• I can consider how vocabulary helps create mood.
• I can identify examples of figurative language.
• I can compose examples of figurative language including metaphors, personification and imagery.
• I can use figurative language in a poem.

 

Essential knowledge:

 

Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘mood’ in relation to poetry. Explain that the mood of a poem relates to the feeling it evokes in readers.

Discuss the meaning of the term imagery. Ensure students identify that imagery refers to a description that allows readers to form a clear picture of what is being described in their minds. Imagery may include descriptions that engage each of the senses.

 

Oral language and communication or Vocabulary:

 

Display the following poem:

 

The bright sky is littered with light fluffy clouds,

Balls of cotton wool, free to travel on the wind.

Below birds tweet their cheerful greetings,

Filled with wonder at the awaiting day.

 

Discuss the mood of the poem using the following questions to guide the conversation:

• What does the poem make you feel? (Warm, hopeful, cheerful)
• What vocabulary helps create this feeling? (bright, fluffy clouds, balls of cotton wool, free, cheerful, wonder)
• What is the mood of the poem? (Lighthearted/calm and tranquil/hopeful)

 

Understanding text:

 

Display the following version of Brown Kite, where the imagery has been omitted:

The kite rose to the sky and hovered there,
on the wind—

and all the while below
was the earth

 

Note: Ensure students identify that the kite referred to here is the bird variety and not the type of kite made from fabric and string.

 

Discuss the following:

 

• How would you rate this poem for interest and engagement, using a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being not very interesting or engaging and 5 being highly interesting and engaging? (Most likely students will award a low score at this stage)
• What do you like about the poem/dislike about the poem and why? (Students might like the subject matter or dislike the plain language)
• What would you suggest changing to make the poem more interesting and engaging? (Adding more interesting descriptions, including imagery)
• How does the poem make you feel? (Indifferent)
• What do you think the mood of the poem is? (Students may find this difficult to identify with this version, but perhaps might respond with ideas such as peaceful or calm)

 

Read the original version of Brown Kite or listen to the audio file if you have a digital subscription.

 

Display the same questions as previously and discuss. Sample responses include:

 

• How would you rate this poem for interest and engagement, using a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being not very interesting or engaging and 5 being highly interesting and engaging? (Most likely students will award a far higher score for the version in the magazine)
• What do you like about the poem/dislike about the poem and why? (The imagery, the descriptive language, the mood conjured up via the vocabulary)
• What would you suggest changing to make the poem more interesting and engaging? (Students will most likely have less suggestions this time round, but they might include further description or the inclusion of a wider variety of senses)
• How does the poem make you feel? (Calm, relaxed, respectful towards nature)
• What do you think the mood of the poem is? (Tranquil, peaceful, majestic, reflective)

 

 

Identify examples of figurative language used in the poem. For each example, discuss the type of figurative language, and how it provides an interesting or a unique description, for example:

• Carved from the limb that was his vantage point (Metaphor: Describing the kite as being carved from the limb of the tree emphasises how it is camouflaged into the tree, and using the term ‘vantage point’ shows that the kite is high above the land)
• He rose to the sky and hovered there (Imagery: Using the words ‘rose’ and ‘hover’, creates a clear image of the way in which the kite flies)
• Held by the wind's hand (Personification: Describe the wind holding the kite in its hand, emphasises how the kite glides)
• The earth unrolled embroideries of spring (Imagery: Using the term ‘embroideries of spring’ conjures up an image of a beautiful and intricate sight)

Emphasise that the inclusion of figurative language improves interest and engagement, and it makes the mood clearer.

 

Creating text:

 

View the video Feathers in Flight from National Geographic. Pause the video at 1 minute, 28 seconds. Discuss vocabulary used to describe the Willow Flycatcher, either words that are used in the video or based on students' observations. Record examples on the board. You may need to play the video a second time, this time asking students to record vocabulary as they watch. Sample responses include:

• Small, plain bird
• Flaps
• Catches flies
• Pecks at its nest, near rivers and creeks
• Fitz-bew
• Clinging to a stalk
• Dust floating in the sunlight.

 

Inform students that they will be composing a poem about the Willow Flycatcher. Tell students will need to include figurative language in their poems. Gradually release responsibility by composing an example together first. Discuss the type of mood students wish to evoke, that is relevant to the birds, for example lighthearted or optimistic.

 

Compose examples of different types of figurative language to describe the birds, using the vocabulary identified in the video. For example:

 

• Imagery: It’s song, a fitz-bew, that floats on the air
• Metaphor: The Willow Flycatcher, the hardworking ant of the bird world
• Personification: It twitches and pecks excitedly and happily at its nest then flaps away

 

Those with a digital subscription can access the interactive task now, to discover further examples and guidance on each of the types of figurative language.

 

Refer back to Brown Kite to identify the style. Ensure students note that there is no particular rhyming scheme used in the poem. Tell students that they will not need to make their poem rhyme. Use the examples of figurative language to compose a poem collaboratively with the students. For example:

 

The Willow Flycatcher calls its fitz-bew,

The light sound that floats on the air.

The hardworking ant of the bird world,

An excited toddler than runs around a playground,

Twitching and pecking happily at its nest.

 

Place students with a partner and instruct them to compose their own poems about the Willow Flycatcher. Tell students that they should include an example of each of the types of figurative language used in Brown Kite, including imagery, personification and metaphor. Remind students that they can use the vocabulary on the board or create their own when composing their poems. Students may wish to view the video once more for inspiration. Allow time for students to compose their poems.

 

Assessment for/as learning:

 

Display the poems around the classroom. Discuss criteria students might use to peer assess the poems. For example:

• Includes a metaphor
• Includes imagery
• Features personification
• Creates a clear mood.

Conduct a gallery walk, instructing students to move around the room, and read the poems. Tell students to focus on one of the poems written by their peers, and to use the criteria identified to peer-assess it. Ensure all students have a poem to assess. Allow time for students to provide oral feedback to their peers.