CHIVVY BY MICHAEL ROSEN

CHIVVY BY MICHAEL ROSEN 

Grown-ups say things like: 

Speak up 

Don’t talk with your mouth full 

Don’t stare 

Don’t point 

Don’t pick your nose 

Sit up 

Say please 

Less noise 

Shut the door behind you 

Don’t drag your feet 

Haven’t you got a hankie ? 

Take your hands out of 

your pockets 

Pull your socks up 

Stand up straight 

Say thank you 

Don’t interrupt 

No one thinks you’re funny 

Take your elbows off the table 

Can’t you make your own 

mind up about anything ?

THE SQUIRREL BY MILDRED BOWERS ARMSTRONG

THE SQUIRREL BY MILDRED BOWERS ARMSTRONG 

You may have seen a squirrel sitting on the ground eating a nut. What did it look like? Here is a poet’s description of just such a squirrel. 

He wore a question mark for tail, 

An overcoat of gray, 

He sat up straight to eat a nut. 

He liked to tease and play, 

And if we ran around his tree, 

He went the other way.

THE SHED BY FRANK FLYNN

THE SHED BY FRANK FLYNN 

Do you know what a shed is? A cow shed, a tool shed, a wood shed, for example. It’s a small room, away from the main house, for storing or keeping things, animals, tools, vehicles, etc. Ask your partner if she/he has ever seen a shed. Let her/ him describe it to the class. 

Now read the poem……… 

There’s a shed at the bottom of our garden 

With a spider’s web hanging across the door, 

The hinges are rusty and creak in the wind. 

When I’m in bed I lie and I listen, 

I’ll open that door one day. 

There’s a dusty old window around at the side 

With three cracked panes of glass, 

I often think there’s someone staring at me 

Each time that I pass, 

I’ll peep through that window one day. 

My brother says there’s a ghost in the shed 

Who hides under the rotten floorboards, 

And if I ever dare to set foot inside 

He’ll jump out and chop off my head, 

But I’ll take a peek one day. 

I know that there isn’t really a ghost, 

My brother tells lies to keep the shed for his den; 

There isn’t anyone staring or making strange noises 

And the spider has been gone from his web 

since I don’t know when, 

I’ll go into that shed one day soon, But not just yet......

THE REBEL BY D. J. ENRIGHT

THE REBEL BY D. J. ENRIGHT 

Do you know anyone who always disagrees with you or your friends, or likes to do the opposite of what everyone thinks they should do? Think of a word to describe such a person. Discuss with your partner some of the things such a person generally does. 

Now read the poem……. 

When everybody has short hair, 

The rebel lets his hair grow long. 

When everybody has long hair, 

The rebel cuts his hair short. 

When everybody talks during the lesson, 

The rebel doesn’t say a word. 

When nobody talks during the lesson, 

The rebel creates a disturbance. 

When everybody wears a uniform, 

The rebel dresses in fantastic clothes. 

When everybody wears fantastic clothes, 

The rebel dresses soberly. 

In the company of dog lovers, 

The rebel expresses a preference for cats. 

In the company of cat lovers, 

The rebel puts in a good word for dogs. 

When everybody is praising the sun, 

The rebel remarks on the need for rain. 

When everybody is greeting the rain, 

The rebel regrets the absence of sun. 

When everybody goes to the meeting, 

The rebel stays at home and reads a book. 

When everybody stays at home and reads a book, 

The rebel goes to the meeting. 

When everybody says, Yes please, 

The rebel says, No thank you. 

When everybody says, No thank you, 

The rebel says, yes please. 

It is very good that we have rebels. 

You may not find it very good to be one.

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES BY ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES BY ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE