Inspired by: The Whisperer - Week 3

Inspired by the tale of Amber and Monty from "The Whisperer," students are encouraged to enhance their understanding of prepositions, particularly focusing on expressing time, place, and cause. The activity starts with a scenario: after Amber and Monty's departure, the usual chaos amongst the cats resumes. Students are tasked with crafting sentences using 'after' to describe subsequent events, and then using 'during' to imagine what Amber and Monty experienced while they were away. This exercise not only helps students practice using prepositions but also stirs their imagination and storytelling abilities as they consider the adventures and challenges faced by the two feline characters.

Shifting to poetry, students explore the character of Macavity, the mystery cat, through T.S. Eliot's famous work. The learning objective is to recognize different forms of poetry, and the activity involves listening to a recitation of the poem, analyzing the type of cat Macavity is, and the mischievous acts he performs. Students are encouraged to observe how Michael Rosen's use of facial expressions, gestures, and voice contribute to the vivid portrayal of Macavity. Following this, the class is invited to create their own recital, potentially enriched by watching a performance from "Cats" the musical or reading more poems from Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats." This multi-faceted approach to learning poetry aims to deepen students' appreciation of literary techniques and performance art.