A to Z Teacher Stuff :: Season Fairies Get Sacked

Season Fairies Get Sacked
Grade Level(s): 3-5
By: Jane, College Teacher

This activity is to encourage poetry writing. Aaaaggghhh! No, it really works.... honest!

Materials:

Butcher's Paper
Pens/Markers
Ask members of class a couple of days in advance to bring "symbols for the seasons" (eg. pictures, maple leaves, mittens etc).
The room will need to set up for group presentations.

Plan:

Divide the pupils into 4 groups depending on which season they were born - they are now "Season Fairies" (Summer, Autumn, etc).
As the teacher, you will become either "Mother Nature" or "Earth Wizard", depending on your sex - (or preference!). In your new role, explain to the groups of "Season Fairies" that there is no longer enough money in your budget to pay all fairies and that one whole season must go. However, you are in a pickle because you can't decide which one should be sacked. You will tell them that the only way to possibly work it out is for them to work very hard in their groups.
Each "Season" will have to write a poem about its time of year (because poetry is your FAVORITE thing in the world).
In order to do this, however, they will first have to compile a list of all the jobs they do as fairies to change the season and why it is so important for them to remain employed.
At the end of the lesson, each group will perform its poem, using the "season symbols" brought in, as props.

Of course, you won't sack any one of the seasons because I guarantee they'll all work particularly hard to keep their jobs! Good luck.

Comments:

I am currently working as a lecturer at a college in Western Australia but studied my degree initially to become a high school teacher (English and Drama - in case you hadn't guessed!) By the way, this lesson will work for most age groups - as long as they can read & write. I've used it myself right across the board. Hope you have a good time with this one - it's a lot of fun.

PS... you can make a couple of small changes and give this a DEBATE orientation instead of poetry. Also, depending on your class etc. you may wish to change the word "fairies" to something else as it has connotations which may cause unnecessary problems.