The Works
on Goodreads (110)
What’s inside...
THE WORKS is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a special edition featuring new lesson plans from renowned poets like John Foster and Valerie Bloom. This comprehensive poetry collection includes a variety of poetic forms, from chants and riddles to haikus and sonnets. It features works from both classic and modern poets, such as William Blake, Roald Dahl, and T.S. Eliot, making it an essential resource for the Literacy Hour and a delightful book for any poetry lover. Every kind of poem teachers could wish for - all in one bumper book! The Works is 10 years old and this special anniversary edition features brand-new lesson plans from poets including John Foster, Brian Moses, Valerie Bloom, and Pie Corbett. The Works contains every kind of poem you will ever need for the Literacy Hour but it is also a book packed with brilliant poems that will delight any reader. It's got chants, action verses, riddles, tongue twisters, shape poems, puns, acrostics, haikus, cinquains, kennings, couplets, thin poems, lists, conversations, monologues, epitaphs, songs, limericks, tankas, nonsense poems, raps, narrative verse, and performance poetry - that's just for starters. It features poems from the very best classic and modern poets, for William Blake, Michael Rosen, Robert Louis Stevenson, Allan Ahlberg, W.H. Auden, Brian Patten, Roger McGough, Roald Dahl, Charles Causley, Eleanor Farjeon, Benjamin Zephaniah, Ted Hughes, T.S. Eliot, and William Shakespeare to name but a few.
Age
6-7
Length
608 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How do you think the main character felt when they encountered their biggest challenge?
What would you have done differently if you were in the main character's shoes?
Can you think of a time when you had to work hard on something like the character did? What did you learn from that experience?
Why do you think the author chose this setting for the story?
What is one thing you would like to ask the main character if they were real?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use expressive tones and voices to bring the characters and their emotions to life during the reading.
Pause at critical moments in the story to ask your child about their predictions or feelings towards the situation.
Relate the story to your child’s own experiences to make concepts more relatable and understandable.
Encourage your child to draw or write about their favorite part of the book, fostering a deeper connection with the story.
Discuss the moral or lesson of the book and connect it to real-life examples, reinforcing the educational value.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: The importance of teamwork
Explanation: In 'The Works', various characters must collaborate to solve problems, demonstrating how teamwork leads to success.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson in group activities at school or in sports, learning that cooperation can achieve common goals.
Example Lesson: Value of perseverance
Explanation: Characters in the book face challenges but persistently strive to overcome them, illustrating the value of not giving up.
Real-World Application: This lesson encourages children to continue working hard despite difficulties in tasks like learning a new skill or completing homework.
Example Lesson: Creativity as a problem-solving tool
Explanation: The story showcases characters using their creativity to find unique solutions to obstacles they face.
Real-World Application: Children learn to use their imagination to navigate various challenges and conflicts in everyday life, from resolving peer conflicts to innovating in school projects.
Example Lesson: Understanding diversity
Explanation: Characters from diverse backgrounds collaborate in the book, demonstrating the strength found in diversity.
Real-World Application: This lesson helps children appreciate and embrace differences among peers, fostering an inclusive environment at school and in the community.
Example Lesson: Responsibility for one’s actions
Explanation: The book highlights the consequences of the characters' actions, conveying the importance of being responsible.
Real-World Application: Kids can learn to think about the outcomes of their actions and make responsible choices, whether it’s about doing their chores or interacting with friends.