Teaching Against the Tide is for anyone who works with or cares for children. Applying neuroscience to nourish us as adults while we nurture our youngsters.
The Activity:
Set-up:
· Collect lots of pebbles or stones.
· Write words on them, such as feelings, seasons, weather, time, colours, sensations and environments. If you are a paid subscriber, you can download suggested words banks for different ages from the Resource Drop.
· Chalk pens allow for you to wipe the pebbles on wet grass to re-use them or change the words. Marker pens or paint can be used for making permanent word pebbles.
· Turn the pebbles over or hide them so the children can’t see the words on them when picking.
Variations:
· WORD ASSOCIATION: Each child (or group) picks one pebble, then has 1 minute to write as many associated words as they can related to that word. Once they have a word bank, these words can be used to create a poem.
· PEBBLE POEMS: Pick a selection of pebbles (7-12 works well) and then as a group children play around with arranging them in different orders until they are happy with the poem they have. This can be taken further by allowing them to add their own words between the pebbles – I like to use leaves to represent the added words.
· POEM INSPIRATION: Each child picks two pebbles. These words then become either the title, theme or inspiration for writing a poem.
Why do it?
· Removes the ‘fear of the blank page’ and ‘I don’t know what to write about’ worries by giving them something to start from.
· Makes creative writing an active experience away from sitting at a desk.
· Using two or more random words that may not typically be connected can challenge children to think creatively and imaginatively.
· Can be used to expand the vocabulary children are using.
Adapting for different ages:
· Vary the words on the stones to suit different ages and abilities.
If you are a paid subscriber, you can download suggested words banks from the Resource Drop.
· Younger children can create simple list poems.
· Older children can form their ideas into specific poetry forms (depending on what is being taught), such as haiku, kennings, cinquains or rhyming couplets.
Differentiating:
· You could have the stones face up when children pick so they can see what words they are choosing.
· Vary the level of vocabulary on the stones to support or challenge.
· Working in pairs of groups can provide support but also stimulates deeper discussion about the effect of their choices.
· Challenge pupils by asking them to pick three words to incorporate as a theme for their poem or by giving them more constraints on the form or style of the final piece.
Taking it further:
· Painting words onto the stones can turn this into an art activity.
· Ask children to collect their own words to write on the pebbles – perhaps linked to particular theme or topic, a curriculum area or from reading.
What are your favourite outdoor ideas? Let me know what you’re planning to try with children: