- Poem
- Blast off, Year 4
- Issue 7, 2020
A Yawn
Learning resource
Outcomes
Worksheet: Personification
Understanding
Discuss: What is a yawn? How does it happen? Create a mind map in small groups and then share findings with the class.
Make a class tally of student yawns that happen during this lesson. At the end of the lesson write a response to the following question based on the class tally –Are yawns contagious?
Read the Kids Health article about yawns and the CBC article 'Why do I yawn?' Groups then return to their original mind map and in a different colour, add more information gleaned from these additional sources of information.
Create a video in which yawns are explained. Work in pairs or threes. For inspiration view the YouTube video by SciShow kids.
Complete the following steps:
- Write a script of what each person or ‘puppet’ will say
- Set up the ‘puppet’s and backgrounds in the app
- Record your ‘show’ and share with the class
If technology is not available, students can make finger puppets and use desks or a cardboard box as a puppet theatre to present their ‘show.’
Engaging personally
Before reading the poem, write a description of what happens to you when you yawn. Also include in the description whether you enjoy yawning or not, giving reasons. Suggested ideas include; mouth opens wide, sometimes makes a noise, eyes water.
Read the poem as a class.
Compare and contrast the description of a yawn in the poem with your own personal description. Complete a graphic organizer T-chart from worksheet works showing similarities and differences.
Discuss: Does everybody yawn the same way? Do other people experience something different? Begin this discussion as pairs or threes comparing experiences of yawning, then these pairs can report back to the class on whether they experience yawning in the same way or if they found any differences.
Engaging Critically
View the illustration and answer the following questions:
- What is the salient image?
- What are the main colours used and why?
- What do you notice about the way the boy is standing? Why is he standing like that?
- Where is the boy placed in the image and why?
- What is in the background?
Create a new illustration, changing one or all of the aspects examined in the questions (salience, colour, setting and the posture of the boy) to make an alternative picture that illustrates a yawn in a different way. An example might be that the new illustration looks down at the child giving a ‘birds-eye’ perspective, the child’s open mouth is the salient image and the colours are more natural, earthy colours.
Play Cannonball Cats using an interactive whiteboard or similar. This game asks you to identify similes, personification, metaphors and hyperbole.
This poem uses personification throughout to describe a yawn.
List the things a yawn does in the poem, that are human actions. Suggested answers include (but not limited to):
- Is born
- Grips
- Won’t leave you alone
The poem also uses metaphors – in fact the whole poem is an extended metaphor.
Highlight the metaphors in the poem. Suggested answers include:
- A yawn is a bother
- A yawn is a pain
Experimenting
Write a poem using personification by choosing another abstract concept.
Suggested topics include:
- Frown
- Sneeze
- Smile
- Cough
- Laugh
Begin by imagining that the chosen topic is a person. Brainstorm what the person would look like, behave like and how they would interact with you. Then add to that brainstorm some adverbs to describe how the chosen topic might move or act (quickly, slowly, roughly). Then use these words and ideas to create your poem.
Take a photograph of yourself or a friend to use as an accompaniment for your poem, eg. student laughing. You should plan your photograph before taking it. Draw a sketch of what you would like your photo to look like: Consider the following in your planning:
- Where will the photographer stand? Close up or far away?
- What angle will be used? – taken from close to the ground, from above, or eye level.
- What will be in the background – a plain background or something detailed like a tree or road – or will there be people?
- What colours – this could be in the background or in a prop, or costume
Conduct some more research about yawns and create a listicle with facts about yawns. More information about listicles can be found on the What’s a Listicle? web page.
Write a short story about a yawn. Use your imagination and the facts you have found out about yawns to develop a character, plot and setting. Challenge yourself to use personification and metaphors in your story. As an extension task, create a storyboard of this story, using a range of visual techniques to show the action and develop character.