THE RIVERTHE RIVERby Valerie Bloomby Valerie Bloom

SYNOPSISSYNOPSISThe River The River is about the many faces of a river. is about the many faces of a river. The river is a wanderer where he moves all The river is a wanderer where he moves all over the place. He does not sit still and is over the place. He does not sit still and is always in motion. He is also a winder where always in motion. He is also a winder where he twists and turns. He meanders. He is he twists and turns. He meanders. He is also a hoarder where he keeps things also a hoarder where he keeps things deep down in his river bed. Sometimes, deep down in his river bed. Sometimes, he is a baby when he is happily flowing he is a baby when he is happily flowing along. At times, he is a singer as seen along. At times, he is a singer as seen through the happy sounds of the water. through the happy sounds of the water. Finally, he is also a monster and can devour Finally, he is also a monster and can devour trees (most probably referring to a flood).trees (most probably referring to a flood).

TOPSY TURVY,TOPSY TURVY,MAKE IT RIGHTMAKE IT RIGHT

AimsAims

1.1. To train students to listen, read To train students to listen, read and comprehend the poemand comprehend the poem

2. To enable team work while 2. To enable team work while having fun rearranging the having fun rearranging the

lineslines

MaterialsMaterials

• Video from Movie MakerVideo from Movie Maker

• Computer/ laptopComputer/ laptop

• Overhead projector (preferred)Overhead projector (preferred)

• A stop watchA stop watch

• A blank piece of paper per large groupA blank piece of paper per large group

• AdhesiveAdhesive

• Sentence strips in an envelopeSentence strips in an envelope

StepsStepsInstruct the students to sit in their Instruct the students to sit in their

respective groups, away from the respective groups, away from the teacher.teacher.

Tell them to listen to the model Tell them to listen to the model reading of reading of The RiverThe River and watch the and watch the short video presentation.short video presentation.

Play it again.Play it again.

Hand out the envelopes (one envelope Hand out the envelopes (one envelope per group). per group). Tell them not to open Tell them not to open until they are told to do so.until they are told to do so.

Start the race! Tell them to rearrange the Start the race! Tell them to rearrange the strips correctly to form the poem strips correctly to form the poem The The RiverRiver. Tell them to secure the strips with . Tell them to secure the strips with adhesive.adhesive.

Check the order. If one sentence is Check the order. If one sentence is wrong, students must go back to their wrong, students must go back to their corner and try again.corner and try again.

Tell them that the group that hands up Tell them that the group that hands up the correct arrangement in the shortest the correct arrangement in the shortest time wins. time wins. AlternativeAlternative: The group that : The group that gets the most strips arranged correctly at gets the most strips arranged correctly at the end of the set time wins!the end of the set time wins!

THE SOUND MACHINETHE SOUND MACHINE

AimsAims

• To enable students to understand the To enable students to understand the meaning of the stanzasmeaning of the stanzas

• To create the appropriate sounds made To create the appropriate sounds made by the river in the different stanzasby the river in the different stanzas

• To enable students to read with the To enable students to read with the correct pronunciation and intonationcorrect pronunciation and intonation

MaterialsMaterials

• Cut out stanzas of the poemCut out stanzas of the poem

StepsSteps

• Divide the students into 6 groups.Divide the students into 6 groups.

• Read out the poem to them with the Read out the poem to them with the right enunciation and intonation.right enunciation and intonation.

• Distribute one stanza to one group.Distribute one stanza to one group.

• Tell them to practice reading the Tell them to practice reading the stanza.stanza.

• Get them to read the stanza aloud to Get them to read the stanza aloud to the class.the class.

• Then tell them to think of certain Then tell them to think of certain sounds and actions that they can use sounds and actions that they can use together with the stanza that they together with the stanza that they have been given.have been given.

• Appoint a student (or a few students) Appoint a student (or a few students) within the group to read the stanza within the group to read the stanza while the other students practice the while the other students practice the sounds and movements.sounds and movements.

• Give them some time to practice.Give them some time to practice.

• Then get them to present but do it this way – tell Then get them to present but do it this way – tell them to form a long line with students with them to form a long line with students with stanza 1 at the beginning and students with stanza 1 at the beginning and students with stanza 6 at the end. Get them to start moving stanza 6 at the end. Get them to start moving like a river, undulating and wavy with the like a river, undulating and wavy with the appropriate movements and sounds. Make it like appropriate movements and sounds. Make it like a Mexican wave with Stanza 1 being read aloud a Mexican wave with Stanza 1 being read aloud with the movements and sounds, then Stanza 2 with the movements and sounds, then Stanza 2 being read out with movements and sound and being read out with movements and sound and so on till Stanza 6. so on till Stanza 6.

• Then get them to do all 6 stanzas simultaneously Then get them to do all 6 stanzas simultaneously with the reading, movement and sounds.with the reading, movement and sounds.

• Finally, get them to do just the movements and Finally, get them to do just the movements and the sounds without the stanzas being read out.the sounds without the stanzas being read out.

You can be guaranteed that this exercise will bring out the You can be guaranteed that this exercise will bring out the vividness of the poem and it will be something that the vividness of the poem and it will be something that the students will never forget!students will never forget!

Notes1. You may need to find a room or space large enough to carry out this activity.

2. Perhaps the hall or gym may help.

PELMANISMPELMANISM

AimsAims

• To introduce students to the To introduce students to the meanings of the words used in the meanings of the words used in the poempoem

• To introduce vocabulary in a fun To introduce vocabulary in a fun way way

MaterialsMaterials• word cards word cards

StepsSteps

• Prepare sets of word cards (Handout 3)Prepare sets of word cards (Handout 3)

• Divide students into groups of 4.Divide students into groups of 4.

• Give each group a set of the word cards.Give each group a set of the word cards.

• Tell them to set the cards face down on Tell them to set the cards face down on the desk.the desk.

• Get each of them to open the cards one Get each of them to open the cards one by one.by one.

• They are not to look at the cards They are not to look at the cards before opening them face up on the before opening them face up on the table.table.

• Their task is to match words and Their task is to match words and meanings together.meanings together.

• If they manage to match the word If they manage to match the word and the meaning, they are allowed to and the meaning, they are allowed to keep that pair.keep that pair.

• The winner in the group will be the The winner in the group will be the one who collects the most pairs. one who collects the most pairs.

In this activity, pelmanism can be likened to the game of Snap.

LET’S MAKE SENSELET’S MAKE SENSE

AIMSAIMS

• To sensitise students to words and To sensitise students to words and how they help to construct meaninghow they help to construct meaning

• To sensitise students to rhymeTo sensitise students to rhyme

• To enable students to reconstruct a To enable students to reconstruct a stanza using contextual clues and stanza using contextual clues and the skill of sense-makingthe skill of sense-making

MaterialsMaterials

• Strips of paper, each bearing a line Strips of paper, each bearing a line of the poem of the poem

StepsStepsDivide students into groups of Divide students into groups of

four.four.

Give each group strips of paper, Give each group strips of paper, each of which has a line of the each of which has a line of the stanza. Perhaps give each group stanza. Perhaps give each group either 2 or 3 stanzas which have either 2 or 3 stanzas which have been all cut up (Handout 3)been all cut up (Handout 3)

Tell them to unscramble the lines Tell them to unscramble the lines and reconstruct the stanzas.and reconstruct the stanzas.

Get them to present their work Get them to present their work and read the stanzas out in class. and read the stanzas out in class. Here, perhaps one group could Here, perhaps one group could read out one stanza. read out one stanza.

Then get them to look again at Then get them to look again at the actual stanzas of the poem the actual stanzas of the poem and decide if their stanzas (the and decide if their stanzas (the assumption being that their assumption being that their stanzas may vary) can also stand.stanzas may vary) can also stand.

It is not the accuracy of It is not the accuracy of reconstructing the stanzas that reconstructing the stanzas that matters. It does not matter if the matters. It does not matter if the reconstructed stanza varies from reconstructed stanza varies from the original stanza. What is the original stanza. What is important is if the reconstructed important is if the reconstructed stanza makes sense. stanza makes sense.

VariationVariation

•You could give them the You could give them the first line of the stanzas first line of the stanzas and get them to and get them to reconstruct the stanza.reconstruct the stanza.

Let’s discussLet’s discuss

•Get them to discuss the Get them to discuss the strategies they used in strategies they used in order to reconstruct the order to reconstruct the stanzas.stanzas.

Note1. Use your discretion here. 2. It may not be feasible to give them all 6 stanzas.3. They might pull their hair out in frustration!

CROSSWORD PUZZLECROSSWORD PUZZLE

AIMAIM

•To strengthen students’ To strengthen students’ understanding of the poem understanding of the poem through solving a crossword through solving a crossword puzzlepuzzle

StepsStepsHand a copy of the Worksheet 1 to Hand a copy of the Worksheet 1 to

each student.each student.

Tell the students that the words are Tell the students that the words are from the poem.from the poem.

Tell the students to solve the puzzle Tell the students to solve the puzzle on their own or in pairs.on their own or in pairs.

Discuss the answers with the students.Discuss the answers with the students.

If time permits, ask the students If time permits, ask the students determine in which stanza the words determine in which stanza the words are found.are found.

Alternatively, the teacher may ask students to lead the discussion.