Calendar Dates
- School Holiday 23rd December 2024
- School Holiday 24th December 2024
- School Holiday 25th December 2024
End of Term Writing Tasks:
Wednesday 14th - Friday 16th July 2021
Wednesday 14th July 2021
Today we will be looking at a poem called The Ridge which is based on a journey made by a man called Danny MacAskill who is a mountain bike rider.
To begin, please follow the link below and watch his amazing journey! I would suggest you watch it a few times to ensure you fully take it all in…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ_IQS3VKjA
Once you’ve watched the short film, read the poem:
The Ridge
The calm water surrounding me echoes the peaceful scene ahead,
Rippling gently beneath the bow.
Overhead wispy clouds lie silently watching,
Neatly groomed like the breeze has pulled a fine comb through them;
spying on me and documenting my journey from afar.
The peak towers above the jagged mountains entice me and make my heart beat.
Adrenaline.
Adventure.
Action.
A scene to behold.
Ascending will be the most difficult of challenges.
Descending will bring the happiest of joy.
But the peak on the ridge,
That secluded spot,
Is where the magic lies.
Get some paper and write these 4 headings:
After reading the Ridge poem, note down examples of metaphors, similes, personification and alliteration.
In case you have forgotten!...
Simile
A simile compares two things by using the words ‘like’ or ’as.’
Your eyes sparkle like diamonds.
The classroom looked like a tornado had gone through!
I tiptoed as quietly as a mouse.
Similes always include the words ‘like’ or ’as.’
Metaphor
A metaphor compares one thing to another without using ‘like’ or ‘as.’
Laughter is music for the soul.
You are my sunshine.
Those ideas are food for thought.
Metaphors say one thing is another.
Personification
Personification gives human qualities to animals, non-living objects
or ideas.
The stars danced in the sky.
In the jungle, the lion sings tonight.
That cake is calling my name.
Personification gives something non-human the qualities of a person.
Thursday 15th July 2021
Today you will work on using the senses in writing.
Look at the image of Danny on the peak*. (For this, you will need to watch the short film again - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ_IQS3VKjA)
*Peak – the pointed top of a mountain. (Use a dictionary or the internet to clarify the meanings of any other unfamiliar words.)
Using the five senses to build atmosphere through description, begin to construct a paragraph using a mixture of senses to describe Danny’s surroundings.
1) As far as the eye could see there were…
2) The scent of…
3) In the distance the sound of…
4) His hand brushed against…
5) Upon his tongue was the taste of…
Complete the sentences in as many different ways as you can. Remember to edit your ideas. Can you make them sound better by using better adjectives or powerful vocabulary?
Which sense is used in each sentence?
Can you think of two or more of your own sentence starters and then complete the sentences?
Friday 16th July 2021
Today, you’ll be working on writing a free verse poem based on The Ridge. Free verse poems, as the name suggests, are free! By this I mean that they are not fixed to a rhythm, pattern or rhyme. Other poems, such as haikus and limericks, have fixed rules that have to follow:
Haiku - consist of 3 lines. The first and last lines of a Haiku have 5 syllables and the middle line has 7 syllables. The lines rarely rhyme.
Limerick - A limerick is a humorous poem consisting of five lines. The first, second, and fifth lines must have seven to ten syllables while rhyming and having the same verbal rhythm. The third and fourth lines should only have five to seven syllables; they too must rhyme with each other and have the same rhythm.
Therefore to write your free verse poem, you do not need to worry about any rules! How lovely! However, you can’t just write anything! Do you remember all those writing techniques? Take five minutes now to remember them…
…well done! You should have remembered that –
Simile
A simile compares two things by using the words ‘like’ or ’as.’
Metaphor
A metaphor compares one thing to another without using ‘like’ or ‘as.’
Personification
Personification gives human qualities to animals, non-living objects
or ideas.
Hyperbole
Hyperbole is obvious exaggeration to make a point.
Onomatopoeia
Sound association words: crash, bang, boom, splash, sizzle, drip, honk, buzz, swish, ring.
Alliteration
Same letter sounds at the start of words: evil eagles eat eels, dreary dismal darkness, pretty purple purses.
Idioms
What is an idiom?
An idiom is a saying that doesn’t mean exactly what is written; they have hidden meanings.