Poetry in the Outdoor Classroom 

Year 7 English students took their poetry to the Outdoor Classroom, immersing themselves in nature to inspire their anthology, Inspiration in Nature, which explores short poetic forms from around the world. Through a series of activities, they sharpened their observational skills and enriched their sensory writing:

• Task 1: Object Poem – Acting as ‘detectives,’ students closely observed a natural object, using a ‘word wheel’ to generate descriptive vocabulary before crafting an Object Poem.
• Task 2: The Nature Detective Challenge – Students photographed and described plants, pond life, and wildlife, expanding their vocabulary with a colour thesaurus. They explored species interactions, personification, and anthropomorphism, transforming nature into poetic subjects.
• Task 3: Acrostic Poem – Inspired by an animal, plant, or object, students used sensory details, figurative language, and precise vocabulary to plan an acrostic poem.

Crafting the Poetry Anthology
Back in the classroom, students will refine their poetry, analysing and explaining their structural and linguistic choices as they produce a diverse collection, including:

• Japanese Poetry – Haiku, Haiku Riddles, Senryu, and Haiga
• Rhyming Poetry about Wildlife 
• Ekphrastic Poetry – Inspired by artwork
• Kenning Poem – ‘What Animal Am I?’
• Shi Poetry – A challenging Chinese form reflecting nature’s rhythm
• Personification Poetry – Voices of Nature
• Free Verse, Shape Poetry and Odes – Celebrating the natural world

This immersive experience, alongside analysing accessible poetry from modern and contemporary poets and forms from around the world, not only nurtures creative expression but also fosters a deep appreciation for the beauty and complexity of nature, transforming close observations into enjoyable poetic experimentation. Their anthology will showcase their creativity, capturing the whispers and wonders of our environment.