"Rather than a setting, Mother Earth is a character in all of my stories. She's arguably the most important one."
By watching these videos and engaging with the discussion questions below, students will develop their descriptive language skills.
1. Watch
Watch the below videos (5 minutes total). While watching, ask students to notice any images or visual elements that stand out to them.
2. Read
Choose one or both of the below poems. Read them aloud.
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A spell to grow a tree
By Cooper (Year 12, Gungahlin College)Feel the future shade.
Listen to the wind rustling the emptiness.
Sing the song of a homeless bird.
Sip eucalypt tea with the sleep-deprived bats,
Class Discussion Questions
- What images stood out to you from the video?
- Considering the poem’s title ‘A Spell To Grow A Tree’, what do you think this poem is about?
- Which trees, plants, bushlands, beaches, parks are important to you?
Writing Exercise
- Write a poem from the perspective of a bug, plant, animal, or tree; in a place that feels important to you. Consider how this being communicates with other natural beings, their ancient knowledge, and use imagery and descriptive language to show their personality.
- To increase your descriptive language, think about what this bug, plant, animal, or tree hears, smells, sees, touches, tastes, feels, wants, imagines, knows.
For interconnected learning resources, visit Red Room Poetry’s Poem Forest project.