10
-NiE ,
15 FEBRUARY 2017
ADVANCED Poem
NiE Activity 1 Critical thinking l Identify
l Reason
Creative thinking l Imagine l Brainstorm
l Connect l Invent
Problem solving l Question
l Present
Communicating l Oral
l Written
l Aural
Collaborating l Contribute respectfully
l Attain goal
l Compromise
Treasure your loved ones THE voice of the persona in the poem The Living Photograph describes what she sees in an old photograph of herself as a child of three with her grandmother. In the photograph, her grandmother appears well-groomed, strong, sharp and confident. The persona remembers her grandmother growing older, and becoming stooped and frail. She is no longer as sharp and active as she used to be. In the photo, however, and in the persona’s memory, the grandmother remains alive and as vibrant as she once was. Read the poem and complete the activities.
The Living Photograph My small grandmother is tall there, straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt, pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun, a kind, old smile round her eyes. Her big hand holds mine, white hand in black hand. Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye. It was true after all; that look. My tall grandmother became small. Her back round and hunched. Her soup forgot to boil. She went to the awful place grandmothers go. Somewhere unknown, unthinkable. But there she is still, In the photo with me at three, The crinkled smile is still living, breathing. – Jackie Kay
Activity B
She went to the awful place grandmothers go. Somewhere unknown, unthinkable.
In groups of four, look for a place, condition or situation in The Star which fits the description of “an awful place” or “somewhere unknown, unthinkable”. Cut it out and paste it on a sheet of A4 paper. Have a short discussion on how you could turn the situation or condition around so that it would become positive. Write down three suggestions on the same page. Then, add three words or phrases from The Star related to your positive suggestions. Finally, display your work in class.
EXAMPLE
We’re here for you!
Activity A In groups of four, choose pictures of four people from The Star. Cut them out and paste them on a sheet of A4 paper. Study the photos carefully. Which part of them seems most alive to you? Using the last line of The Living Photograph as a guide, write an expression for each of the persons in the pictures. But there she is still, In the photo with me at three, The crinkled smile is still living, breathing.
Be strong! Keep your spirits up. l We have to support campaigns to help flood victims by contributing what we can. l We can organise groups to go to flood-hit places and help with the cleaning up.
EXAMPLE
l We can try to get in touch with the victims and give them the emotional support they
need to get through this difficult period.
Activity C
The strong arms are still muscular, powerful.
The golden hair is still wavy, soft.
An activity she may have enjoyed An article that may have interested her Someone she would have admired A movie or television programme she would have liked to watch Somewhere she would have liked to visit Something she may have said to you Something that would have made her smile Something that would have annoyed her
In the first stanza, the persona remembers her grandmother as someone younger who is kind and strong. The second stanza, however, describes the grandmother’s decline of health with age. What activities do you think the persona’s grandmother would have enjoyed when she was younger? Who were her friends and what were the places she would have visited? In groups of four, complete the table using pictures, articles or words from The Star. Then, exchange papers and take turns to view other groups’ work. Do this activity on a sheet of A3 paper.