Day 62 – Menus (creative ideas for home schooling)
For anyone new to this blog, the idea is simple - each day my boys (Joshua - 9 and Archie - 8) choose a stimulus that drives the learning. We hope that you enjoy the blog and can take some inspiration from what we love doing - making learning as engaging as possible!
Menus
In the teaching of English, I make a lot of reference to menus. A great writer develops a menu of things to choose from for a desired effect. This is at the heart of Talk for Writing and is what I love so much about it - it teachers children to be writers. So when the boys asked to do menus, I thought - GREAT! However, the menus they had in mind were a little different. We hope you enjoy!
English
Persuasive adjectives
Alliteration
Word play / rhyme
Persuasion / advertising
So it turns out that the boys really wanted to create a menu...for an ogre! I had to laugh as boys will be boys and the prospect of creating an ogre's favourite meal clearly had their creative juices flowing. I decided to focus in, therefore, on the purpose of adjectives and the effect they have on a reader. After all, when used poorly, adjectives destroy writing.
We began with a monster brainstorm of words to describe food, focusing on which we thought were positive and which were negative. This in its own right was a super activity as it got the boys really talking about words.
Before we wrote an ogre's favourite meal, I thought it would be good to see the contrast. So we began by writing our own perfect menu, consisting of a starter, main and pudding. Whilst modelling this to the boys, I explained the importance of language to hook the reader, alliteration to play with the sounds of the words, and catchy slogans or descriptions to intrigue. Here is my model:
Starter
Perfect Parmesan Soufflé
Soft, delicate and delicious. A melt-in-the-mouth sensation!
Main
Herb-infused Luscious Lamb
An explosion of spring that will leave you jumping for joy.
Pudding
Chocoholic's Paradise
The dessert of your dreams - rich, creamy and very very naughty!
Here is Joshua's menu:
Starter
Soft, Smooth Smoked Salmon
A pure taste of joy on a crunchy cracker.
Main
Fresh Fish and Salty Chips
Seaside on your plate!
Pudding
Mum's Magnificent Malteser Mountain
Munch, crunch - it packs a punch!
Here is Archie's menu:
Starter
Crunchy Crudities & Healthy Hummus
One bite and you'll be begging for more!
Main
Brilliant BBQ Beef
Perfectly pink, sizzling and saucy!
Pudding
Cheeky Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Too good to share (don't tell your parents!)
We then designed our menus for an ogre, thinking how truly vile we could be. Understandably, the boys loved this one! Hope this does not put you off your dinner!
Starter
Spicy Sparrow-foot Soup
A slurpy, sloppy, slimy sensation...with a kick!
Main
Tangy Toenail Tarts
A satisfying crunch with every bite.
Pudding
Blackened Bogey BonBons
Stringy, gooey and beautifully rolled.
Here is Joshua's menu:
Starter
Spicy Sour Snails
Stingy, slimy and satisfying.
Main
A Genuine Toad in the Hole!
Earthy and tender.
Pudding
Crunchy Crab Claw in Sour Yogurt
A perfect pinch of the tongue!
Here is Archie's menu:
Starter
Stinky Slug Stew
Smoky, slimy stew...smells a bit like you!
Main
Dirty, Disgusting Donkey Hooves
A filthy kick in the teeth!
Pudding
Mushy, Crunchy, Chewy Cucumber Cake
Disgusting to share. Be transported to your worst paradise.
If you are enjoying this blog, please do share it and spread the word. Thank you to all of you who have got in touch and shared some of the outcomes from what you have tried - we love to hear from you.
Do tune in tomorrow, where we exploring:
NAMES
My thanks to Pie Corbett, Julia Strong and the Talk for Writing team for inspiring many of the ideas explored in this blog.
This blog is copyright. All materials herein, texts and supporting resources are copyright to Jamie Thomas & Talk for Writing. They may be used to support children/staff/parents in home-learning ONLY and not for commercial gain or for training or sharing widely, in their original form or any variations. They must also not be shared online or on any social media platforms without prior permission.
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