Responding to literature

This week I have been following a guided writing plan by Gail Loane, based around James K Baxters poem 'The Town.'

The town was usual enough: it had

A creek, a bridge, a beach, a sky

Over it, and even a small tin church

I never went to. My brother, my cousins and I

Did what boys do - dozed in the hot

Schoolroom, made bows and arrows, dodged the mad

Boatbuilder, crept like rabbits through the black

Under-runners with a weak torch,

Burnt dry rushes, wrestled or swam

Doing nothing important.

James K. Baxter

We read this together and explored the words he used to create an image in our head. Then we looked at the structure of the poem, breaking it into separate parts.

We brainstormed five nouns, or things at our special place, then who we were with and lastly five verbs/actions, or things we did there.

We put them together, remembering to add on Doing nothing important. at the end. Here are our finished poems:

The island was usual enough; it had
a beach, a pool, an airport, and even a tranquil resort.
My family did what families do – sat around the exquisite
pool, played at the vivid beach, rode around the whole
island, played life-size chess like it was a
war, and watched my cousin get married.
Doing nothing important.

Thomas Mason
Inspired by James K Baxter

The village was usual enough; it had
a beach, houses, a dairy, palm trees, and even a
rugby field. My family and I did what families do –
climbed palm trees like spider monkeys, dove in the
powerful waves, played cricket at the park, scurried
to the dairy and played rugby like powerful rhinos.
Doing nothing important.

Brower Pule

Inspired by James K Baxter

The campsite was usual enough; it had
a dairy, a bridge, a tennis court, sand dunes
and even a beach. My friends and I did what friends do –
argued about lolly bags, kayaked from island to island,
biked through the tents and cabins, pretended to be
Cristiano Ronaldo, boogie boarded in the choppy waves.
Doing nothing important.

Salvador Luieza
Inspired by James K Baxter

Hahei was usual enough; it had
a dairy, a beach, shops, sand dunes, and even
a great playground. My friends and I did what
girls do – dived in the sea, biked around the mammoth
campsite, swung through the trees like monkeys, zoomed
down slides and licked lollies all day.
doing nothing important.

Hannah McCabe
Inspired by James K Baxter

The beach was usual enough; it had -
a rock pool, toilets, black sand, a cafe, boats and even a
glinting ocean. My family and I did what familes do –
spent hours playing cricket in the soft
sand, surfed the mammoth waves, snorkled in the icy
sea and bought cookie and cream ice creams.
Doing nothing important.

Aaron D’Costa
Inspired by James K Baxter

The beach was usual enough; it had –
a hulking town, a cool pool, a school, and a beautiful
beach. My cousins and I did what boys do –
played rugby on the beach like All Blacks, wrestled
for fun, went to town, climbed mammoth
trees, and pretended to be warriors while hunting
deer, pigs and possums in the dark creepy night.
Doing nothing important.

Jacob Tuala-Dawson
Inspired by James K Baxter

The campsite was usual enough; it had
tents, a dairy, a bridge, and even a tennis court.
My sister, mum, dad, neighbours and I did
what families do – spent hours in the irate
waves, kayaked through mangroves, biked for miles.
Doing nothing important.

James Aylott

Inspired by James K Baxter

Kaitaia is usual enough; it had
sheds, schools, a town, a beach and even
a pool. My brothers and I did what boys do –
jumped from the highest point at the pool,
played hand ball, fought each other like
lions, and swam in the ocean.
Doing nothing important.

Reuben Dawson
Inspired by James K Baxter

The small town was usual enough; it had
tents, shops, a cafe, and even a lolly shop.
My friends and I did what boys do –
spent hours at the beach, spent days deciding
what lollies we wanted, played races,
rode our bikes and rested under trees.
Doing nothing important.

Johanon Ferreira
Inspired by James K Baxter

Great pieces of writing! I can see the students writing improving every day, especially their vocabulary.