Daydream activity. Ask the children to think for 5 mins in silence. Let their minds wander.
Go where ever it wants.
After 5 mins children to spend one minute writing down everything that they thought of in a list.
Encourage the use of vocabulary and describing words. / MAIN TEACHING
RYE “Pass the Squeeze” activity (yama – living together) – children hold hands and pass a squeeze around the circle.
In groups give the children some flipchart paper and ask the children to write on the paper any exciting words that they may have collected during their daydream. Can they think of any others?
Model what you thought!
I was in a forest and I was being as brave as a lion. Later my mind drifted and I felt as hungry as a wolf. I must have been as deaf as a post because I couldn’t hear the wolf that was in front of me!
How have I described my thoughts?
These are similes and they describe something using something else.
Look at the list of common similes below and ask the children to explain to their partner the story behind the simile. Try inventing new similes and listing them.
- As straight as an arrow
- As tall as a giraffe
- As floppy as a rag doll
- As solid as a rock/the ground we stand on
- As brave as a lion
- As cunning as a fox
- As busy as a bee
- As deaf as a post
- As dry as dust
- As happy as Larry
- As happy as a rat with a gold tooth
- As hungry as a bear /wolf
- As innocent as a lamb
SEN – work on developing ideas.
OA
Target children /
ACTIVITY
Think, and only come out of your 'daydream' to tune into the physical sensation of passing on the message.
Next my mind wandered to our new school.
We are going to create similes about our school.
As if it is an old friend that we are saying goodbye to.
The hall is as big as a cave,
The door creaks like mice.
The stairs are as steep as a mountain,
In pairs children to create similes about our old school.
EXTENSION
Develop ideas into a poem …
These three similes could develop into the RYE seven positions of the spine (asana - posture). Standing up really straight (as an arrow) stretching the arms up above the head and reaching for the leaves at the top of a tree (as tall as a giraffe), continuing to stretch with both arms to the right and the left, stretching down to the toes (as floppy as a rage doll), standing up straight again (as solid as a rock/the ground we stand on) and then twisting round for leaves to the left and right.
RYE humming bee breath technique (pranayama - breathing) could be added here. Children need to close their eyes and close off their ears with their index fingers. They should inhale through both nostrils and when they exhale they should exhale by making a ‘mmmm’ sound like the humming of a bee.
RYE ‘Cat’s Claws’ technique could be added here (niyama – spring clean toxins). The children sit at their desks and inhale through both nostrils, raising their arms above their heads. When they exhale they make a roaring sound (like a bear) and bring their hands (claws) down an imaginary rock face in front of them. / PLENARY
Can we share our best ideas?
We are going to use these ideas to create a poem tomorrow.