Wild Words: Teacher Resource Guide

1. Introduction

Chapter 1: Introduction

What's in this teacher guide and how best to use it?

Welcome to the Teacher Resource Guide

This guide is filled with suggested activities and resources which help pupils explore and connect with the natural world in a creative way. All activities work alongside our guided sessions in the Garden or stand on their own.

Use the next and previous buttons at the bottom of each page to navigate through this guide or skip to certain sections using the Table of Contents on the top right hand side of the page (or if viewing on a mobile, this may be located at the bottom of the page). 

To print this guide out select the cog icon in top right of the page which will give you options to print the whole guide or just a chapter.

This guide is split into three chapters

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3

1.1. What is a poem?

Before going out into the wild it's important to be well equipped - so make sure your class is all on the same page about what a poem is.

If you've already joined us for the Wild Words session in the Garden we will have done this with you, but it can be a good exercise to follow-up back in the classroom and see what the children remember and if there's anything else they might now add to the list. 

If you are doing this for the first time, create a list of suggestions with the children and then select the hotspots on the image below to add any others to the list. An alternative accessible version is available in Word document format. 

2. Activities

Chapter 2: Activities

Explore this chapter for suggested activities

2.1. An Explorer's Guide to The Lost Words

For more information and resources around 'The Lost Words' we recommend taking a look around the John Muir Trust website (link opens in a new window/tab). 

2.2. Dandelion Poems

First, let's experience some examples of dandelion poems (all links below open in a new window/tab):

• Dandelion poem from The Lost Words
  This poster is the original poem from 'The Lost Words' by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris. Hosted by the John Muir Trust.

• A dandelion song 
  This is a song about dandelions from the book 'Spell Songs' - the partner to 'The Lost Words'.

• Dandelion poem
  This is a poem by Gerda Stevenson at the Scottish Poetry Library.

• Dandelion song
  A dandelion song example from Jen's Forest School

How to write your own

Here are some top wild tips of what to get your class to think about when writing their poems:

• Where does the dandelion live?

• What does it look like?

• Describe the colours, shapes, roots, leaves, flowers and the clocks

• How does it make you feel?

• Will your poem rhyme?

• Will your poem have a special rhythm?

Extend the wildness of the activity: Set your class the challenge of making it an acrostic poem where each line starts with a letter of the word DANDELION. Maybe have them illustrate their poem with a picture (check out the bonus activities section for ideas around this).

2.3. Bonus Activities

Don't let the wonder and magic stop there... keep exploring with these bonus activities (all links open in a new window/tab):

3. Additional Resources

Chapter 3: Additional Resources 

Explore the following additional resources and next steps

Wild Words Completion Award

View the Wild Words completion award (opens in a new tab/window) to mark your students achievement – there is also a printer friendly version included.

An alternative version is available in Word document format.

The End

Thank you for using our Teacher Resource Guide!