Oxford Level 7 Oxford Level 8

Water Poems
Teaching Notes author: Thelma Page
Vocabulary chart
It’s Raining Out Rhymes and spelling patterns hat/that rain/lane me/tea

High frequency words by don’t down got home just new out over put
so your

The Great Water Giant Rhymes and spelling patterns splooshes splashes plishes ploshes gushes/slushes

High frequency words as his out pulls

The Day the Hose Rhymes and spelling patterns back/black Chris/hiss gush/rush snake/lake
Flipped about/waterspout gosh/wash

High frequency words about as back came door got jumped next then
water were when with

Going for a Swim Rhymes and spelling patterns school/pool in/skin side/slide with

High frequency words after as back but don’t jump pull go/below
care/air that then water

The Sea Rhymes and spelling patterns rough/tough tear/bear flat/cat sand/hand

High frequency words as be over

Without Any Water Rhymes and spelling patterns drinks/sinks seas/trees drop/stop

High frequency words be there trees would

Water Rhymes and spelling patterns face/place bath/laugh

High frequency words down from laugh over with your

Guided/Group reading activities

To identify speech marks in reading, understand their purpose, use the term correctly.

The Day the Hose Flipped

• Read the title of the poem. Look at the pictures, and ask the children: What do you think will happen?
• Read the first line together, and ask: What did Dad say? How can we tell?
• Ask: Does Dad go on talking? Read what Dad says next.
• Finish reading the verse together. Ask: Is someone saying this bit out loud?
• Re-read the whole verse together. Try out ways to change expression when someone is speaking.
• Ask different children to read a verse each on pages 6, 7 and 8. Look at the verse on page 9.
Ask: Which words does Dad say out loud? Ask the children to find the speech marks. Encourage
them to practise saying the words that Dad speaks with expression.

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 • Re-read the whole poem for enjoyment.
• Ask: What might the characters have said about it afterwards?
• Choose some ideas and write them on a board, asking the children where to place the speech marks,
e.g. “My jeans got soaked!”
Are the children able to differentiate speech from the narrative? Can they suggest what might have
been said and explain how to write it down? Do they use the term “speech marks’” correctly?

Independent/paired activities
• Ask the children to make up something a character said about the hose. Ask them to write the
sentence using speech marks.
• Ask the children to draw a picture of Dad and to write what he said in a speech bubble. Ask them to
write what Dad said underneath, using speech marks (Dad said, “…”).

Speaking and listening activities

To respond to presentations by describing characters, repeating some highlights and commenting
constructively.

It’s Raining Out

• Talk about going out to play when it is wet. Ask: What do you wear to go out in the rain?
• Ask: What do you like to do when you are out in the rain?
• Read the poem and talk about what happens in each verse.
• Encourage the children to focus on what Mum says and to practise reading her words with
appropriate expression.
• Ask the children to think of actions and poses for Mum as she tells the girl what to wear.
• Ask the children to think of ways to mime the actions in the next two verses.
• Let the children think of expressions and poses for Mum as she tells the child off at the end.
• Read the poem again, putting in the actions and expressions.
• Ask the children to say which parts they thought were the most effective.
Check that the children:
■ read clearly with appropriate intonation
■ comment constructively on the presentation of the poem.

Writing
To use story settings from reading, e.g. re-describe, use in own writing, write a different story in the
same setting.

The Sea
• Read the poem together. Re-read the first verse and make a list of the adjectives.
• Read the third verse again and make a list of these adjectives. Compare the two lists and notice that
they are opposites.
• Ask the children to think of words that describe what waves do, e.g. crash, smash, lap, ripple.
• Make up some sentences together, beginning “When the sea is rough the waves…” and “When the
sea is calm the waves…”.
• Focus on the similes at the end of verses two, three and four.

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 • Use the words that describe the waves and compare them with something, e.g. “The waves crashed
on the shore with a sound like thunder.”
• Ask the children to think of other comparisons that describe rough or calm seas. Ask them to say or
write their sentences.
Can the children find the adjectives? Can they think of more adjectives and verbs that describe the
sea? Can they make up their own similes?

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