English

This week we are looking at poems written by Edward Lear. You are going to start by learning about who he is. Then, we will look at a range of his famous poems. We look forward to reading your nonsense poems on Tuesday!

Monday 8th February

Edward Lear

Watch the video below. As you are watching it, write some key facts about Edward Lear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPN0pqhlrIU

Edward Lear (1812 - 1888)

Edward Lear was born on 12 May 1812 in the village of Holloway in London to Ann and Jeremiah Lear. Edward was Ann and Jeremiah's 20th child and was born into a comfortable middle-class household.Unfortunately when Edward was four years old, his father's business collapsed and the family was forced to move into miserable lodgings. He was the youngest surviving child of Ann and Jeremiah Lear (his parents).He was raised by his sister, Ann, who was 21 years older than him. When he was four years old, he left the family home and lived with his sister. Edward Lear was often unwell. From the age of six he suffered from asthma and epileptic seizures. Perhaps because of fragile health, Lear only had a brief period at school. Ann, and his second sister, Sarah, taught him to read and write, to play the piano, and to draw and paint.

In his late teens Lear began to earn a living teaching drawing and selling his own work. He began to specialize in drawing birds, so he applied to the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London for permission to make drawings of their parrots.

In 1832 Lord Stanley, the president of the Zoological Society, invited Lear to his estate of Knowsley to do drawings of the animals in his private collection. While there Lear developed reputation for being witty, which led the Earl to invite him to dine with the family and their guests instead of the with the hired help. This brought Lear into contact with influential people whose friendship and support changed the course of his life.

Task: Create a fact file about Edward Lear. Use the sub-headings to organise what you have learnt about him.

Extension: Enjoy watching ‘The Jumblies’ by Edward Lear, read by Michael Rosen.

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB_5tGsvEBQ

Tuesday 9th February

An Alphabet by Edward Lear

Listen to the poem, whilst reading it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bDKDkWFNRM

Task 1: Underline the part of the word that is repeated in each verse. (You’re looking for one or a group of letters, think about the sound).

Example:

A was once an apple pie

Pidy

Widy

Tidy

Pidy

Nice insidy

Apple Pie!

Task 2: Plan your own version of the Alphabet poem. A, B, C and D have been planned for you.

Task 3: Following the layout of Edward Lear’s Alphabet poem, use your plan to write your own nonsense poem with at least three verses.

Wednesday 10th February

Task: Read ‘The Owl and The Pussycat’. Then, retrieve and record your answers to the questions below. Don’t forget to write your answers in full sentences.

The Owl and The Pussycat by Edward Lear

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea   In a beautiful pea-green boat:They took some honey, and plenty of money   Wrapped up in a five-pound note.The Owl looked up to the stars above,   And sang to a small guitar,"O lovely Pussy, O Pussy, my love,   What a beautiful Pussy you are,            You are,            You are!   What a beautiful Pussy you are!"

Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl,   How charmingly sweet you sing!Oh! let us be married; too long we have tarried,   But what shall we do for a ring?"They sailed away, for a year and a day,To the land where the bong-tree grows;And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood,   With a ring at the end of his nose,            His nose,            His nose,   With a ring at the end of his nose.

"Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling   Your ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will."So they took it away, and were married next day   By the turkey who lives on the hill.They dined on mince and slices of quince,   Which they ate with a runcible spoon;And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,   They danced by the light of the moon,            The moon,            The moon,   They danced by the light of the moon.

1. How many verses does the poem have?

2. How is the boat described?

3. Can you think of another interesting way to describe the boat?

4. Where are the repeated words/phrases in the verse?

5. Why do you think repetition has been used in the poem?

6. What did the Owl and the Pussycat take with them in the first verse?

7. What does the word ‘elegant’ mean?

8. What is the adverb the writer has used in the poem?

9. What was the adverb describing?

10. What do you think ‘tarried’ means based on the context it is in?

11. What do you think ‘a shilling’ is?

12. What time of day is the poem set? How do you know?

Thursday 11th February

Read and listen to ‘The Quangle Wangle’s Hat’ by Edward Lear.

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aYo5vg2_Ks

Task 1: Underline the rhyming words in ‘The Quangle Wangle’s Hat’.

Task 2: Identify 6 REAL words that rhyme with the following:

moan

sigh

sing

hurt

Task 3: Think of 6 NONSENSE words that rhyme with the following:

squishy

moon

ribbon

tangle

Challenge: Can you write your own verse using some of your rhyming words?

Friday 12th February

Limericks

Limericks are light-hearted, funny poems with several common features.

Examples:

Features:

Now watch this video on how to write a limerick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kNh_00egwo

Task 1: Write your own list below of the features included in a limerick.

1. __________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________

4. __________________________________________________________

5. ___________________________________________________________

Task 2: Highlight and label the features of limericks below

There was an old Martian named ZedWith blue spots all over his head.He sent out a lotOf di-di-dash-dot-dotBut nobody knows what he said!

There once was a wonderful star

Who thought she would go very far

Until she fell down

And looked like a clown

She knew she would never go far

Task 3: Have a go at writing your own limerick using the template below.

1. There once was a from ,

2. Who .

3. He ,

4. And/but/then .

5. .

Extension:

Enjoy listening to some limericks written by Edward Lear here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF7JoW23l4s