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Sally Murphy, Australian author

Poetry Friday: Poetry Poor No More

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Who would have thought that sharing one of my older poems would turn into a series of posts? Two weeks ago I shared The Newspaper, and talked a little about how older poems might still resonate even though aspects of them might age. The comments on this post, and a delightful poem about Poetry Hoarding became the subject of last week’s post. Again, lots of discussion ensued, and a comment by Linda Mitchell wouldn’t leave me alone. Linda said, in her comment, that she grew up ‘poetry poor’.

Ooooh. That phrase!  It would not leave me alone. Such a poetic turn of phrase to describe a sad lack of poetry experiences in her early years. Luckily, she is now surrounded by poetry. So, Linda, here’s a poem for you, inspired by that phrase.

 

For Linda

 

She was poetry poor   

No rhyme nor reason

Nor a single metaphor

 

Now she’s poetry rich

With pace and rhyme and rhythm

In perfect, harmonic pitch

 

Now she’s poetry wealthy

Her simile’s superb

Her cadence always healthy

 

Now she’s poetry wise

With onomatopoeia

And alliteration in her eyes.

 

(Poem copyright Sally Murphy, 2017)

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on poetry in general, and on what we can do as educators, poets, parents, to ensure children don’t grow up poetry poor.

This week’s Poetry Friday roundup is hosted by Carol at Carol’s Corner. Pop over there for a wealth of poetry links.

Teacher Tuesday: Using Meet Mary MacKillop in a Year 4 Classroom

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Welcome to the  eighth edition of Teacher Tuesday, where I match one of my books to a year level, and offer some activities for sharing the book in the classroom. In previous weeks I shared activities for Pearl Verses the World, Looking Up, Toppling,  Roses are Blue, Do Not Forget Australia, Snowy’s Christmas and The Floatingest Frog.

This week, I am focusing on my picture book, Meet Mary MacKillop which can be used to meet objectives in both  both the History and English curriculum areas.

Using Meet Mary MacKillop in a Year Four Classroom

Meet Mary MacKillop, by Sally Murphy, illustrations by Sonia Martinez

Published by Random House, 2013
ISBN: 9781742757216
Format 32page  Hardcover, RRP $19.99

Blurb:  Mary MacKillop, Australia’s first saint, was born in the 1800s and devoted her life to teaching children. Mary believed everyone should have the chance to learn, no matter how rich or poor they are. In 1866 she set up her first school and founded an order of nuns called the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. This book tells the story of that first school.

Sally’s Recommended Grade Levels: Year 1 – Lower Secondary, but these suggestions focus on Year 4.

Themes/Topics:

  • Famous Australians
  • Education/Schools
  • History
  • Women
  • Religious Education
  • Self-belief

Publisher teaching notes available HERE

This unit of work uses Meet Mary as the basis for examining both the life of Mary MacKillop, and examining the roles and significance of other famous Australians.

Curriculum Links:

Year 4 History and English

  1. Pose questions to investigate people, events, places and issues (ACHASSI073)
  2. Sequence information about people’s lives and events (ACHASSI076)
  3. Present ideas, findings and conclusions in texts and modes that incorporate digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms (ACHASSI082)
  4. Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations incorporating learned content and taking into account the particular purposes and audiences (ACELY1689)
  • Before reading: discuss the word ‘famous’. Ask students what it might mean to be famous. Brainstorm a list of famous Australians.
  • Show students the book cover. Ask students who Mary MacKillop was and/or what the cover suggests about her.
  • Read the Story (apart from timeline).
  • After Reading: group work. Groups to complete table identifying words and images which show this book is set in the 1800s. Subheadings: Words/Language Used; Transport; Dress; School Equipment; Other. One column to identify what is portrayed in the book, and a second column to identify how these things might be today.
  • Discuss what a timeline is. Students to compose simple timelines of their lives so far. Share
  • Examine back of book timeline. In groups, students to identify which events are included in the story. Discuss: Why did Sally Murphy choose only part of Mary MacKillop’s life for the story? Can you understand Mary’s life without the addition of the timeline?
  • Students to choose another famous Australian – either from earlier list or from a list fo teacher suggestions, of a particular time period. Using library/class resource collections and/or internet research, students to research their chosen person and compile their own timeline. Additionally, have them answer the following: Why is this person famous? Where were they born? Which part of Australia did they live in? What was their main achievement?  How are they commemorated today (eg are they on a banknote, have buildings or roads named after them, memorialised in stories/songs etc). Why did you choose this person?
  • Students to compile a visual presentation about their chosen Australian: either digitally or as a poster presentation.

 

  1. Createliterary texts by developing storylines, characters and settings (ACELT1794)
  2. Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts containing key information and supporting details for a widening range of audiences, demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language features (ACELY1694)
  3. Re-read and edit for meaning by adding, deleting or moving words or word groups to improve content and structure (ACELY1695)
  4. Use a range of software including wordprocessing programs to construct, edit and publish written text, and select, edit and place visual, print and audio elements (ACELY1697)
  • Read other books in the ‘Meet’ series. If enough available, this could be done in groups, with each group examining a different book in the series. Identify key events in each person’s story, and also explore similarities and differences between the different books (each book has a timeline, for example, but the writing and illustrations styles vary. Some of the books cover a single episode in the person’s life, while others cover more of the person’s lives). Encourage students to elaborate which hones they like, and why.
  • Identify common features in adapting biographies to fiction (the term here is historical fiction): creating characters, use of dialogue, key details, use of details to set scene (time and place).
  • Students to use information from their timelines/presentations to craft a narrative telling their chosen person’s story – either one episode, or an overview of their life. This could be extended to create a picture book version.

 

Other suggestions for using Meet Mary MacKillop in your classroom include:

  • Mary wrote many letters to her mother and to other people throughout her life. Examine the elements of a letter, and draft and write a letter. the theme of letters is also part of my book Looking Up.
  • The work of Mary MacKillop continues through the sisters of St Joseph. There are various museums and centres across Australia and new Zealand which are open for school groups for different excursions.
  • Art: read the interview with the illustrator, Sonia Martinez in the official teaching notes. Create collage art using historical pictures, combined with the students own drawings.
  • Email the author(that’s me!) Your students can write to me through this website, and share their responses or ask questions.

Related Books

Mostly, I’d love to remind you that while I love to see my books used in classrooms, I also love to see kids just enjoying them. Reading a book should be pleasurable – whether it’s being used in the classroom or not.  So allow your students to enjoy reading Meet Mary MacKillop.

If you find this useful, or have any suggestions or comments, do leave a comment. And, if there is a particular book or year level or topic that you would like covered in a future edition of Teacher Tuesday, let me know.

Poetry Friday: The Poem Hoarder

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Last Friday, I posted my poem The Newspaper, and talked about  whether a poem can become dated or vene outdated. And I asked readers which ‘old’ poems they still connect with. I had such pleasure from the responses that I thought I’d share some of  them this week.

Starting with Tabatha Yeatts who pointed out that people like to read about other times in  the same way they like to read about other places. She shared the wonderful LP Hartley quote (from The Go-Between):

“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.

This quote itself could spark a whole new topic: that of wonderful opening lines. But I’ll try to stay on-topic here.

Michelle and Jama both agree that some poems, and poetic forms, do become dated but, Jama adds, “the truth in words of human experience, crafted with care and attention, are forever”.

Other commenters shared their favourite ‘old’ poems, from Little Orphant Annie (a favourite of Linda), to Chaucer (Kay‘s go-to). Brenda holds the “red wheel/ barrow” of William Carlos Williams close to her heart, and Michelle has always loved The Owl and  the Pussycat.  Donna, like me, was (and still is) a big fan of R.L. Stevenson, like me.

All of these posts and the surrounding discussion delighted me. But imagine my absolute joy when I learned that the post has inspired a brand new poem on the topic. here’s what Penny had to say:

.., I don’t want to let go of poems or much from the past in terms of literature. It may be outdated but it’s a part of me. And your post inspired a poem (below)! Thanks!

 Hoarder

I want to be a poem hoarder—
stacking them here and there
and there and here
in my mind.

For I never know when
a line
or a verse
or an entire poem
might bring joy or comfort

or remind me of a time
that I hold dear.

(Poem copyright Penny Parker Klostermann, 2017)

Thanks Penny both for responding in poetry and for allowing me to use your poem in a new poem.

And thanks to everyone who shared in the discussion.

This week’s poetry Friday roundup is on the Rain City Librarian blog, where Jane is hosting for the first time. Pop over there to check out more poetry goodness around the internet this beautiful Friday. Who knows, you might find a new poem to hoard.

 

Want to be a Writer? BE a Writer

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While I was in Sharjah, I spoke about a lot of different aspects of reading and writing. I had three different workshops, each of which I ran four times with audiences of different sizes and ages. But in every session I tried to leave participants with the same two messages: read every day and write every day.  These messages are as important for adults as  they are for children, whatever you want to do in life.

But, of course, the message is even more important if you want to be a writer. You can only be a writer if you write. And, although the lesson is one I have to remind myself of often, the value of writing every day is immense.

But how do you get motivated and stay motivated to write every day?  In this video, James Clear, an expert on habit formation, is really well worth watching.

Good huh? If you don’t have time to watch it now, I suggest you go back and watch it another time. There’s a lot of really good takeaways.

To sum it up, though, right near the end is a message which is one I have used before and will use again: if you  want to be a writer BE  a writer. Don’t just say you want to be a writer, believe that you are. And the best way you can believe that about yourself, is to write. Every day.

I already try to do this, but I’m going to ramp this up using what Clear calls ‘The Seinfeld Method’. And if you want to know more about that, watch the video.

Have a great day.

 

 

Teacher Tuesday: Using Roses are Blue in a Year Four Classroom

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Welcome to the seventh edition of Teacher Tuesday, where I match one of my books to a year level, and offer some activities for sharing the book in the classroom. In previous weeks I shared activities for Pearl Verses the World, Looking Up, Toppling, Do Not Forget Australia, Snowy’s Christmas and The Floatingest Frog.

This week, continuing my focus on verse novels, I am focusing on my third verse novel, Roses are Blue.

Using Roses are Blue in a Year Four Classroom

Roses are Blue, by Sally Murphy, illustrations by Gabriel Evans

Published by Walker Books, 2014
ISBN: 9781922244376 (Paperback)
Format 112 page Paperback, RRP $16.99

Blurb:  “I have not got used to my new mum, even though I love her (I absolutely love her), but I miss my happy,  painting,  dancing,  gardening,  smiling mum.” Amber Rose and her family are dealing with tragedy and change. Her mum is different, her home is different and she has even had to start at a new school. Amidst all that change, Amber finds it is still possible to find hope.

Sally’s Recommended Grade Levels: Year 2 – Adult, but these suggestions focus on Year 4.

Themes/Topics:

  • Friendship
  • Belonging
  • Disabilty
  • Family
  • Coping with Change
  • Mothers Day
  • Empathy and Compassion
  • Art
  • School

Publisher teaching notes available HERE

Curriculum Links:

Year 4 English

  1. Discuss literary experiences with others, sharing responses and expressing a point of view (ACELT1603).
    • Before reading: set up individual journals OR a special section is students’ writing journals.  Ask students to write about their favourite book, or at least a book they have read recently. Why did they like it? Class discussion: what makes a good book. Create a chart with children’s responses and display in room, to be added to during this unit of work, and revisited.
    • During reading: after reading each section, have students write about their responses to the story so far. Although you could provide questions for guidance, if possible allow students to write about any aspect of the story that appeals to them. After each writing session, allow time for group/class discussion, encouraging links to students’ own experiences.
    • After reading: revisit the chart. In groups, students to discuss whether they thought Roses are Blue met their criteria for a good book. Why/Why not? Groups to report back, and discuss as class. (There should be no ‘right’ answers, but the focus should be on providing reasons for their stance, whether positive or negative)
    • After this discussion, again give time for students to write about their response to the book in their journals.
  1. Discuss how authors and illustrators make stories exciting, moving and absorbing and hold readers’ interest by using various techniques, for example character development and plot tension (ACELT 1605).
  2. Use metalanguage to describe the effects of ideas, text structures and language features of literary texts (ACELT 1604).
  • During reading introduce students to the terms ‘free verse’ and ‘verse novel’. After reading use groups to establish similarities and differences between verse novels and prose novels. Discuss findings.
  • During and/or after reading, analyse key scenes, for example:
    • Stop after reading pages 7-9 (opening pages) and have students predict what might make Amber’s mum so different. Then read p. 10. Discuss students’ reactions to the revelation, and have them write about their responses in their journal (see above). After reading, discuss why the novel might have started this way – with Mum’s condition not revealed until the fourth page, and the reasons for it revealed gradually. Did this create interest? Did it highlight different aspects of Amber’s emotions?
    • Reread pp 36-39. Give each group a copy of the pages and ask them to look for repetition. Which words are repeated? Which phrases? What is the effect?
    • Read p. 47 and compare what we learn here about Mum with what we learnt on pp 36-39. Discuss: does this contradict what Amber has told us? Why do you think Amber calls this a ‘confession’? Journal writing/discussion: Are mums (or dads) supposed to be perfect?
  • Analyse the characters of Leroy Jamieson and Lola Jones. Groups to draw up a table listing what they learn from each one about the book. Report back and build a class list. Discuss: How are the two similar? How are they different? Do you think Sally Murphy deliberately gave them similar names? Why?
  1. Create literary texts that explore students’ own experiences and imagining (ACELT1607).
  2. Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts containing key information and supporting details for a widening range of audiences, demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language features(ACELY1694).
  3. Re-read and edit for meaning by adding, deleting or moving words or word groups to improve content and structure (ACELY1695).
  4. Use a range of software including wordprocessing programs to construct, edit and publish written text, and select, edit and place visual, print and audio elements (ACELY1697).
  • Use the poem on page 10 as a mentor text for students to create their own poem about their own mum or another family member. It could even be themselves or a pet. As well as ‘different’, you could suggest other adjectives such as ‘special’, ‘wonderful’ , ‘silly’.
  • Rewrite one of the scenes in the book from the point of view of one of the other characters: Mum, Leroy, Saffron, Dad, Aunty Fi, Lola etc. Encourage children to have a go at doing this as a free verse poem – again they could use the scene as a mentor text.
  • If Mum could talk, what would she say? This might be a wonderful opportunity to work on speech and thought bubbles, with students drawing Mum and showing some of her thoughts.
  • Any or all three of these creative exercises can be revised, edited and published for class display, or as class book, or in writing portfolios.

 

Other suggestions for using Roses are Blue in your classroom include:

  • Create invitations to a Mother’s Day tea, as Amber’s class do. Or to any other class event, real or imagined.
  • The blue rose has been the aim of many plant breeders. Have students research whether blue roses exist, and report on this. And/or build a list of other blue flowers.
  • Craft: create paper roses, using this tutorial, or any other.

  • Email the author(that’s me!) Your students can write to me through this website, and share their responses or ask questions.

Related Books (these are all verse novels)

Mostly, I’d love to remind you that while I love to see my books used in classrooms, I also love to see kids just enjoying them. Reading a book should be pleasurable – whether it’s being used in the classroom or not.  So allow your students to enjoy reading Roses are Blue.

If you find this useful, or have any suggestions or comments, do leave a comment. And, if there is a particular book or year level or topic that you would like covered in a future edition of Teacher Tuesday, let me know.

 

Poetry Friday: The Newspaper

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It’s Poetry Friday. I hope you like my new logo for my weekly post.

I’ve been browsing through some of my older poems, published or unpublished. One of the wonderful things about being a poet, is that, if you write regularly you have hundreds and hundreds of poems, of different lengths and styles and structures and topics and even of different quality. But when I opened the poem I am going to share today, one particular thing struck me. I’ll let you read it, and then I’ll tell you what I wondered.

The Newspaper

The newspaper

has comics

and horoscopes

births

and deaths

sport

TV

weather and

advertisements

kids pages

and competitions

lost and found

jobs

public notices

and news.

(Poem Copyright Sally Murphy.)

Did you wonder the same thing I did? The thing that struck me is, that although this poem was written only 9 years ago, it might be a poem which many may young readers would not relate to. Why? Because printed newspapers are becoming less a part of everyday life, and a consequence of this is that even some of the subjects I mention might not be the newspaper a child might observe. And, though this thought came later, a lot of the ‘news’ in the newspaper is not new at all – because we have so much access to almost-instant news through the internet and television.

And then of course I wondered if poems really do become outdated. When I was a child, I read poems about things that were not part of the contemporary world – nursies and counterpanes in R. L. Stevenson’s poetry, for example. But what I loved anyway was the structures and the words. I loved the word counterpane long before I  understood what one was! And of course there is poetry that goes back way way way before that.

What ‘old’ poems do you still connect with? I’d love to hear.

Today’s Poetry Friday roundup is hosted by Jama at Alphabet Soup. Head over there to see what other poetry goodness is on offer around the blogosphere today.