The Red Room Company presents The Poetry Object 2013 Powerpoint Resource for Teachers
What is The Red Room Company? The Poetry Object is created by The Red Room Company, a not-for-profit arts organisation that creates, commissions, publishes and promotes poetry in unusual ways. The Red Room Company has worked with more than 700 poets to produce 40 major public arts projects across Australia. Red Room Education also brings poets into classrooms across Australia and New Zealand. To find out more visit www.redroomcompany.org
What is The Poetry Object? The Poetry Object is a writing project that provides students the opportunity to publish and display 1. a poem and 2. photograph of an object that is special to them. This special object is known as a 'Talismanic Object'.
What is a talismanic object? 1) A talisman is any object that brings a person protection or good luck e.g. a plant, coin, ring or other item of jewellery. OR 2) It is an object that is special to you. Your poem will be about this second type of talismanic object.
Examples of student talismans 1 2 3 4 5 6 1. A pair of booties were this Stanmore student s Poetry Object 2. Winning teacher, Lana Howlett, with her Poetry Object 3. Sydney poet Kate Middleton s Poetry Object 4. A student from Croydon Public School displays her Poetry Object 5. The winner of The Poetry Object 2012 6. This Stanmore Public School student demonstrates her Poetry Obejct, a snow globe.
You and Your Talismanic Object Before you bring your special object to school, tell the people at home where you are taking it - and why. Ask permission. It might be better to bring a photograph of your object to school Think about how to keep your object safe at school. Perhaps leave it in your locker or with your teacher.
Talismanic Object Poem Your task is to compose a poem about a talismanic object. The choice of genre or form of poem is up to you. You should write no more than 20 lines. Your talismanic object poem has TWO purposes: 1) To describe your talismanic object for a reader who is unfamiliar with the object and 2) To explain to the reader why you value your talismanic object
Name:...................................................................................... Title:....................................................................................... 1........................................................................................... The Poetry Object 2013 2........................................................................................... 3........................................................................................... 4........................................................................................... 5........................................................................................... 6........................................................................................... 7........................................................................................... 8........................................................................................... 9........................................................................................... 10.......................................................................................... Talismanic Object Poem Activity: Your project is to compose a poem about a talismanic object. A talismanic object is an object that is special to you. Your poem should be no more than 20 lines in length. Remember that your poem does not need to rhyme. Your talismanic object poem has two purposes: 2. to explain to the reader why your object is special to you 1. to describe your talismanic object for a reader who is unfamiliar with it and 11.......................................................................................... 12.......................................................................................... 13.......................................................................................... 14.......................................................................................... 15.......................................................................................... 16.......................................................................................... 17.......................................................................................... 18.......................................................................................... 19.......................................................................................... 20.......................................................................................... 1/1 Poem Template The Poetry Object, The Red Room Company redroomcompany.org
But I don t know what to write! Before you compose your poem you will complete some prewriting that will help you write your poem. These pre-writing prompts will give you the raw material you can edit to create your poem.
Examples of Writing Prompts Imagine you have to describe this object to a person who is blind or to someone a long distance away to whom you are speaking by telephone. Describe the appearance of your object
More Writing Prompts Imagine you could ask this object one question. What would this question be? Imagine you had to give this object away. Who would you give it to? Why? Explain how you would feel if you lost the object or it was destroyed. Why do you think you would feel this way? Use a simile to describe your object.
MEtaphor Warm Up: Feeling/ Sensing/ Imagery Feeling Sense Metaphor Jealousy is the taste of rusty nails Fear is the smell of a blown out candle Sadness is the sound of a tin can blowing down and empty street
How to use your free writing Read over your writing and circle or highlight any images or words that stand out or appeal to you. Circle or highlight any images or phrases that you feel are poetic or poem like. Circle or highlight any words, phrases or images that describe your talismanic object.
using your free writing Circle or highlight any phrases or words, which help, explain why your talismanic object is important to you. Circle any words or phrases that you feel might make a good title for your poem. Once you have done this copy out everything that is circled or highlighted onto a new sheet of paper. Edit and type up your final poem ready for uploading and publication.
How do I submit my poem and photograph? All submissions will be made electronically. No paper or hard copy submissions will be accepted. Ask your teacher to help you photograph your object. Ask your teacher for submission link or to help you upload your poem and photograph. Final date for submission No later than 5:00 pm on Friday 20th September 2013 (End of Term 3)
Photographing your Object Participants are asked to take a digital photograph of the object that inspired their poem (preferred file format is as a jpeg, no bigger than 5 MB, if scanned at 300 dpi). Photographs should be LANDSCAPE, not portrait. For privacy reasons, photographs should NOT include student faces. Both the poem and photograph will be submitted as part of the competition.
What Happens Next? All poems and photographs submitted to The Poetry Object will be published on a dedicated online gallery www.redroomcompany.org/projects/poetry-object/ All poems will be judged by poet Rachael Briggs A selection of student poems and images will also be exhibited at Customs House Library, Sydney from November 18th 2013 January 10th 2014.
Group Activity Within their school, year or class group, teachers are encouraged to publish and display the poems and digital images produced by students in a group installation of their own interpretation. Schools can also submit a digital photograph of this group installation and a written explanation of their approach to their cabinet. The written explanation should be no more than 250 words in length. The 'Best School Installation' also wins a prize.
What is an installation? An installation is an artwork designed for a specific site. In this case an installation is your school s approach to displaying your poems, photographs and/or objects for The Poetry Object.
Models of school-based group installations
Fitzroy High School's Library installation Students at Fitzroy High also included handwritten copies of their poems in their library-based installation. Students placed poems in old chocolate tins and decorated boxes, transforming the library space for a reading event to which they invited family and friends. Each student brought a lamp to illuminate their poems and objects
How Does The Poetry Object recognise and reward student achievement? Public displays in schools, Red Room website and concluding eexhibition at Customs House Library, Sydney. All students receive certificates of achievement. Prizes for Winning Student, Winning Teacher poems and 'Best School Installation' will be announced in November 2013.
Questions? If you do have any questions or concerns about The Poetry Object please contact Dr. Tamryn Bennett, The Red Room Company s Education Director phone: 02) 93 19 5090 email: education@redroomcompany.org Thank you for participating in The Poetry Object. We look forward to reading and publishing your poems.