Poet Bernard Young Classroom ideas, Poem

Trick or Treat? Halloween Poems for Kids

Children love it when the evenings are dark and Halloween is upon us. It’s a great opportunity for creative themed pictures, stories and poems in the classroom.

Here’s one of mine, from Wanted Alive (to buy a copy of this book please look at the books page on this site).

A Witch Must Have a Cat

Friendly Witch DrawingA witch must have a cat

So I cast a spell
But I got a rat
I mixed a potion
Out flew a bat

I wasn’t very happy about that
A witch must have a cat

I went to the pet shop
They locked me out
They said, “You’re the sort of customer
We can do without.”

I wasn’t very happy about that
A witch must have a cat

So I’m knocking on doors
Ratatat-tat
I’m looking for a suitable cat

If you’re the owner
I’ll pay well
But there’ll be trouble
If you won’t sell

I won’t be very happy about that
A witch must have a cat

Yes I’m knocking on doors
Ratatat-tat
I’ll be knocking on yours
Ratatat-tat

Ratatat-tat
Ratatat-tat
A witch must have a cat

Other Links

Here are some other resources that KS1 and KS2 teachers may find useful:

The Owl by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Poet Bernard Young Classroom ideas, School visit

Safety in Numbers on National Poetry Day 2024

National Poetry Day is is held on the first Thursday of October. This year, National Poetry Day is on Thursday 3 October 2024 and the theme is COUNTING.

If you need a little help, there are some FREE LESSON PLANS and other resources for National Poetry Day on the NPD website: https://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/resources/

Here is a poem of mine that fits the theme of counting, which you are welcome to use as a resource.

Safety In Numbers

I don’t seek the limelight
Don’t stand centre stage
I look and I act
Just like my mates

I’m part of the gang
One of the crowd
Safe in the knowledge
That I don’t stand out

Brave in a group
Proud to belong
Surrounded by friends
I feel big and strong

It’s great to be in
I’d hate to be out
I’m part of the gang
One of the crowd

Perhaps when I’m older
I won’t need an army
Of identical pals
Gathered around me

But right now?

I’m part of the gang
One of the crowd
Secure in the knowledge
That I don’t stand out

Poet Bernard Young Classroom ideas, School visit

It’s Time to Book a Poet for World Book Day 2024

Every year World Book Day is the first Thursday in March – this year the date is Thursday 7th March. There are lots of resources for primary schools on the UK World Book Day website here: https://www.worldbookday.com/resources/primary/

I’m already booked for one day that week, so if you are thinking you might like a poet to come into your school to liven things up, please do contact me early to avoid disappointment.

You can find a write up about the sort of thing that I would do in a primary school for World Book Day here: https://bernardyoung.co.uk/2019/03/07/world-book-day-at-greenfield-primary/

Poet Bernard Young Classroom ideas, School visit

What are you doing for National Poetry Day?

National Poetry Day 2023 Poster

Well the Summer is almost over and teachers will be thinking about going back to work. Already planning a few lessons, probably. I hope you will be thinking about some poetry orientated lessons for National Poetry Day, which is coming up on Thursday 5th October. If you need a little help, there are some FREE LESSON PLANS and other resources for National Poetry Day on the NPD website: https://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/resources/

The theme this year is REFUGE, which is a great one for our current times. There are some poems on that theme on the NPD website here: https://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/poems/

I still have some availability that week, if you want me to come to your school to perform and run workshops, but please contact me soon to avoid disappointment.

This post was edited June 2023

Poet Bernard Young Classroom ideas, School visit

Time to Book a Poet for World Book Day 5th March 2020

Image with words World Book Day Thursday 5 March Save the date

Every year World Book Day is the first Thursday in March – this year the date is Thursday 5th March. There are lots of resources for primary schools on the UK World Book Day website here: https://www.worldbookday.com/resources/primary/

I’ve already had enquiries about that week, so if you are thinking you might like a poet to come into your school to liven things up, please do contact me early to avoid disappointment.

In 2019 I had a busy week around World Book Day and spent the day itself at Greenfield Primary in Hyde near Manchester. Here is a write up about that day:
https://bernardyoung.co.uk/2019/03/07/world-book-day-at-greenfield-primary/

Poet Bernard Young Classroom ideas

Tell the truth, are you ready for National Poetry Day (3rd October)?

I hope you have all had wonderful holidays. Teachers will be thinking about going back to work, planning a few lessons, probably. I hope you will be thinking about some poetry orientated lessons for National Poetry Day, which is coming up on Thursday 3rd October. If you need a little help, there are some FREE LESSON PLANS and other resources for National Poetry Day on the NPD website.

The theme this year is TRUTH. There are some poems on that theme on the NPD website here: https://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/poems/poems/ 

I still have some availability that week, if you want me to come to your school to perform and run workshops, but contact me soon to avoid disappointment.

Poet Bernard Young Classroom ideas

World Book Day Lesson Planning Resources – Save the Date 7 March 2019

Every year World Book Day is the first Thursday in March – this year the date is Thursday 7th March. There are lots of resources for primary schools on the UK World Book Day website here: https://www.worldbookday.com/resources/primary/

I’ve already had enquiries about that week so if you are thinking you might like a poet to come into your school to liven things up, please do contact me early to avoid disappointment.

In 2018 I had a busy week around World Book Day and spent the day itself at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary school in Cheshire. There is a write up and some pictures here: http://www.stjosephs.cheshire.sch.uk/news/world-book-day-/32704

Poet Bernard Young Classroom ideas

There’s still time to book a poet for National Poetry Day on 4th October

Book a Poet for National Poetry Day

I hope you have all had wonderful holidays. Teachers will be thinking about going back to work, planning a few lessons, probably. I hope you will be thinking about some poetry orientated lessons for National Poetry Day, which is coming up on Thursday 4th October. If you need a little help, there are some FREE LESSON PLANS and other resources for National Poetry Day on the NPD website.

The theme this year is CHANGE. There are some poems about change on the NPD website here: https://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/poems/change-poems/

I still have some availability that week, if you want me to come to your school to perform and run workshops, but contact me soon to avoid disappointment.

This is a poem of mine that I have recently written on this theme, which might be suitable for KS2 and above to read and discuss.

Changes

I recall
us playing bat and ball,

my daughter and I,
under an ever changing sky

(sun – clouds – sun)
for year after year.

We played on this familiar beach
with those bats, and that ball,

which I’ve now passed on
to a couple of friends with a son

still young enough to have some fun
with them.

We,
my daughter and I,

(she being grown up
and busy busy busy)

had left them for I don’t know how long
among the cobwebs in memory’s forgotten cupboard.

It’s good
to see them being used again.

Poet Bernard Young Classroom ideas, Performance

Photos from Durham Junior Road Safety Officers Event 2018

Bernard on Guitar at JRSO Event Durham 2018

Here are the photos from the Junior Road Safety Officers event in Durham on 13th June 2018. The photos are great and all taken by Lee Dobson. There are a few of me and the poetry workshops below. More about getting the road safety message across through poetry in Durham schools here.

Poet Bernard Young Classroom ideas, Performance

20 is Plenty! – Promoting Road Safety in Durham Schools

Teachers Are Terrific photo by Bernard Young
A great message in a shop window in Barnard Castle

I’ve done a lot of work over the years in schools promoting the Road Safety message using poetry. People ask me how does that work? Well, the Road Safety officers of the council block book me and then make the arrangements with a number of schools where they want to get the message across about things like crossing the road carefully, riding a bike wearing a helmet, encouraging adults not to speed (20 is plenty)… I visit with the Road Safety Officers and we have a fun time with a serious theme. Examples of some of my poems that I use for these kind of workshops are on my Road Safety Poems page, but we also get children to write and perform their own.

I’ve had 2 such weeks in June funded by Durham County Council and I have another in September. So far I’ve visited the following Durham and Barnard Castle primary schools: Finchale, Framwellgate, St Godric’s, Blue Coat, Green Lane, St Mary’s RC and Montalbo Nursery and Primary School.

It was such an enjoyable time with great work from the pupils and enthusiastic teachers. We produced some particularly good class poems with music accompanied by guitar.

As part of this block of work, I also performed and led a workshop at a Junior Road Safety Officers (JRSO)* event at County Hall in Durham, with pupils and teachers from 12 Durham schools, officers from Durham County Council, the Mayor and Ron Hogg (the Police and Crime Commissioner for Durham Constabulary). It was a fantastic celebratory event of the work of the JRSOs over the past academic year. We split up into 3 groups with 20 JSROs from the different schools in each. A Road Safety Officer facilitated each group, and 3 group poems were produced in under 30 minutes and then performed at the event. The standard was excellent.

* Schools nominate a minimum of two Year 5 and 6 pupils to be junior road safety officers for their school. Their job is to spread road safety messages by running competitions, speaking in school assemblies, creating noticeboards and organising campaigns. (https://www.durham.gov.uk/article/6548/School-road-safety-schemes)