FORM 2

Poetry
Table of Contents
Poets background
Synopsis
Activities

What is Red? (Mary

ONeill)
POETRY

Elements of
Poetry

Poetry

The elements in prose and poetry are almost similar. The table below will best illustrate
the terminology used where the elements are concerned.
PROSE/DRAMA
Plot
Theme
Characterization
Point of view
Tone
Mood

POETRY
Subject matter
Theme
Very rarely
Voice/persona
Tone
Mood

WHAT IS RED?

Poets
Background

Mary O'Neill
Mary ONeill was raised in what she describes as a wonderful barn of a Victorian house in Berea,
Ohio, where she wrote and directed plays for her younger brothers and sisters . She was educated at
Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, and Western Reserve in Cleveland and the University of Michigan.
Mrs. ONeill entered the advertising field and became a partner in her own advertising agency. She
retired from advertising and lived in New York City.
Mrs. O'Neill died of heart failure on January 2, 1990, in Yuma (Ariz.) Regional Medical Center. She
was 84 years old.
One of her most popular books, ''Hailstones and Halibut Bones: Adventures in Color,'' illustrated by
Leonard Weisgard, was published by Doubleday in 1961 and printed in several languages. In it, Mrs.
O'Neill identified and interpreted the most familiar colors through verse. The book was used as a
supplementary text in schools in the United States and abroad.
Born in New York City, Mrs. O'Neill attended Western Reserve University and the University of
Michigan. She was an advertising copywriter in Cleveland before becoming a freelance writer.

What is Red?

Mary ONeil

Lets Recite
We talked about how different colors make us feel a certain way. For example blue makes us feel sad. Now we are
going to look at how the color red makes us feel.
Red is sunset
Blazing and bright.
Red is feeling brave
With all your might.
Red is a sunburn
Spot on your nose.
Sometimes red
Is a red, red, rose.
Red squiggles out
When you cut your hand.
Red is a brick
And the sound of a band.
Red is hotness
You get inside
When your embarrassed
And want to hide.
fire-cracker, fire-engine
fire- flicker red
And youre angry
Red runs through your head.
Red is an Indian
A Valentine heart.
The trimmings on
A circus cart.
Red is a lipstick
Red is a shout
Red is a signal
that says WATCH OUT!
Red is great big
rubber ball.
Red is the giantest
Color of all.
Red is a show-off.
No doubt about it.
But can you imagine
Living with out it?

WHAT IS RED?

Synopsis
What is Red? is about the different objects and feelings signified by the colour, RED. It
describes the sunset, sunburn, red rose, blood, brick, fire-cracker, the Red-Indian,
Valentines Heart, lipstick, signals and a rubber ball. Besides, it also signifies the
feelings that are associated with the colour RED such as bravery, being hot,
embarrassment, anger and show-off look. However, different people will have different
interpretation of the colours having in mind that peoples passion towards colours which
may differ.

WHAT IS RED?

ACTIVITY P1

RED RIDING HOOD ADVENTURE

Aims
Aims
To expose students to writing simple descriptions

40
minutes

Materials
Materials

An object that is red in colour.

An object that is red in colour.

Steps
Steps

Instruct the students to bring an item that is red in colour. (before the lesson)
Share with the students what the teacher has and describe the object.
Ask the students to share in their small groups (Group of 4/5) why the object is
red and describe the object. Students may share with them what it signifies.
Describe the object in 2 lines individually. For example, Angpau is a symbol of
prosperity. Everyone loves to have.
Combine the lines composed by all the students to form a Jigsaw Poem.
Give a title to the poem.
Display the new poem created on the notice board.

WHAT IS RED?

ACTIVITY P2

RED RED RIGHT

Aims
Aims
To train students to listen, read and comprehend the poem
To recite the poem aloud in groups
To match the pictures with the appropriate words from the poem.

40
minutes

Materials
Materials
A video on What id Red ? poem
A video on What id Red ? poem

Steps
Steps

Instruct the students to sit in their respective groups, away from the teacher.
Tell them to listen to the model reading / one of them reads the poem aloud.
Hand out the envelopes (one envelope per group). Tell them not to open
until they are told to do so.
Start the race! Tell them to name the label the pictures with a word / phrase
from the poem. Tell them to use the blue tag and paste it on an A4 paper.
Check the answer. If one answer is wrong, students must correct it.

Tell them that the group that hands up all the correct answers in the shortest
time wins. Alternative: The group that gets the most answers correctly at the
end of the set time wins!

WHAT IS RED?

HANDOUT P2

Red Red Right

Task : Match the pictures given with a word / phrase found in the poem.

WHAT IS RED?

ACTIVITY P3

Round Red Round

Aims
Aims
To enable students to understand the meaning of the poem

40
minutes

Materials
Materials
Cut out the different couplet / stanza of the poem
Cut out the different couplet / stanza of the poem

Steps
Steps

Divide the students into 6 groups. Read out the poem to them with the right
enunciation and intonation.
Distribute one stanza / couplet to one group. Tell them to practise reading the
stanza. Get them to read the stanza aloud to the class.
Prepare the meaning of the assigned couplet/ stanza/lines in their own group.
Using the Gallery Walk method, appoint 1 student to stay at each station. Others,
go to all the stations to listen to the recitation and meaning. Students at the station
have to read the lines aloud and explain the meaning of the assigned lines.
Finally, all the students write a short paragraph on their understanding of the poem

WHAT IS READ?

ACTIVITY P3

Kill 3 Birds With 1 Red

Stone
Aim(s)
Aim(s)
To introduce students to the literary devices

40 minutes

To identify the themes and moral values

Materials
Materials
Worksheet 1 (Literary Devices) Worksheet 2 (Themes & Values)
Worksheet 1 (Literary Devices) Worksheet 2 (Themes & Values)

Steps
Steps

Listen to the explanation of the literary devices found in the poem. Use the
worksheet to assist the students. (Worksheet 1)
Divide students into groups of 4. Each group is required to complete the above tas.
In the same group, identify the possible themes highlighted in the poem.
(Worksheet 2)
Discuss the responses from each group.
Transform the themes to moral values.

10

WHAT IS RED?

WORKSHEET P3a

Kill 3 Birds With 1 Red

Stone
List the following lines in the boxes provided.
METAPHOR

PERSONIFICATION

Red is sunset

Red is a sunburn

Red squiggles out

Is a red, red, rose.

Red is hotness

fire-cracker, fire-engine
fire- flicker red

fire-cracker, fire-engine
fire- flicker red

Red is an Indian

Red is a shout

Red is a signal
that says WATCH OUT!

Red is a show-off.

Blazing and bright

11

ALLITERATION

WHAT IS RED?

WORKSHEET P3b

List the themes AND values of the poem.

THEMES
WHAT IS RED ?
VALUES

12

WHAT IS RED?

BEYOND THE TEXT/ ACTIVITY P3

Red Alert !
poet

I am a

Aims
Aims
To enable students to use their schemata to write another poem
on a different colour
To enable students to use their creativity to decorate their poem.
To encourage collaborative team work

40 minutes

Materials
Materials
A4 colored paper, Mahjong Paper
A4 colored paper, Mahjong Paper

Steps
Steps

Divide students into groups of four. Provide them with a piece of coloured paper.
They are supposed to write based on the colour assigned to them.

Give them time to prepare.

Decorate their poem

Get them to read out the poem they have created.

Alternatively, get them to paste them on the board, on the cork boards or walls and
they could do a gallery walk.

Take it further by getting them to choose the stanza or stanzas that appeal to them
and write a journal entry on them.

13

Variation
Variation

Give each group a piece of mahjong paper.

Give each group a piece of mahjong paper.
Tell them to write only one line of the stanza.
Tell them to write only one line of the stanza.
Then tell them to pass it to another group who will write the second line.
Then tell them to pass it to another group who will write the second line.
Then it is passed to the third group who will write the third line and so on.
Then it is passed to the third group who will write the third line and so on.
Once it is completed, get a representative from each group to read out their
Once it is completed, get a representative from each group to read out their
stanzas.
stanzas.

14

WHAT IS RED?

Answer Key
ANSWER
ANSWERTO
TOWORKSHEET
WORKSHEETP3a
P3a: :Kill
Kill33birds
birds11Stone
Stone
List the following lines in the boxes provided.
METAPHOR

*Red is sunset
*Red is hotness
* Red is an Indian
Red is a show-off.

PERSONIFICATION

*Red is a signal
that says WATCH
OUT!
* Red is a shout

*Notes : Add own examples if necessary

15

ALLITERATION

*Is a red, red, rose.

*fire-cracker, fireengine fire- flicker
red
* Blazing and bright

ANSWER
ANSWERTO
TOWORKSHEET
WORKSHEETP3a
P3a: :Kill
Kill33birds
birds11Stone
Stone

List the themes AND values of the poem.

Colours can mean
different things to
different people
Colours
influence ones
mood

Mood
influences the
choice of your
colours
ofcolours
THEMES
WHAT IS RED ?
VALUES

We learn that colours

may influence our
food.

We learn that colours

may symbolize different
meanings.

16

We know that your mood

will influence the choice
of your colours.