Module: Cultures of the World
Unit: Travelling and Visiting
Task: Where go the Boats?
Description
Learners read the poem “Where go the boats?” by R.L. Stevenson. With the help of
questions, they consider the poem both in terms of its ideas and feelings and the language the
poet has used to express them. They then write 4 lines along the models given.
5 Fundamental Intertwining Ways of Learning and Using Knowledge
þ Communicating (Learners discuss the ideas and feelings expressed in the
poem.)
þ Conceptualizing (Learners form some ideas about rivers and man’s relationship
with them.)
þ Inquiring (Learners find out more information about rivers.)
o Reasoning
o Problem-solving
Learning Targets (KS3) (Only relevant parts of the Learning Targets in the syllabus are
presented below.)
To develop an ever-improving capability to use English
to develop a response to imaginative literature including poems through activities such as:
identifying and discussing themes
understanding and appreciating the effect of sound patterns including rhythm and
rhyme (EDa)
to respond to characters and events in imaginative and other narrative texts through oral,
written and performative means such as
making predictions and inferences
making evaluative comments
explaining one’s feelings towards characters and events
relating to one’s experiences
putting oneself in the imaginary roles and situations in the story (EDb)
to give expression to imaginative ideas through oral, written and performative means such
as creating simple poems using given models (EDc)
Learning Objectives
Text-types
poems
Vocabulary
-Words to describe feelings e.g. The poet wonders who will pick up his boats
downstream.
1
Language Items & Communicative Functions (KS3)
e.g. Use adjectives etc., to make comparisons and give descriptions of processes
and situations
The waters of the river are murky and swift.
Language Skills
1. Reading (KS3)
Understand, interpret and analyze different written texts
make use of knowledge of the world to make sense of the written text
understand different feelings, views and attitudes
recognize how writing conventions affect meaning and cohesiveness
2. Speaking (KS3)
Present information, ideas and feelings clearly and coherently
convey ideas and information in conversations or discussions
Participate effectively in an oral interaction
make a balanced contribution without either dominating the discussion or
being too reticent
express, elicit and respond to ideas, opinions and feelings in a group
discussion
3. Writing (KS3)
Present information, ideas and feelings clearly and coherently
describe, express or explain ideas and experiences
use appropriate tone, style and register for various purposes
Language Development Strategies (KS3)
-Develop thinking skills
think creatively/innovatively
Attitudes
Keenness to participate in activities leading to improvement of knowledge
and skills in the language (KS1)
Sensitivity towards language use in the process of communication (KS1)
Appreciation of the beauty of the language (KS1)
Enjoyment of reading (KS2)
Module: Cultures of the World
Unit: Travelling and Visiting
Task: Where go the Boats?
* Teachers’ Notes:
Pre-reading activities
Teacher shows pictures of rivers. Some are calm and some are wild. Some are wide
and some are narrow.
The following questions may be asked:
1. Do you remember the colour of the rivers in the pictures?
2. Do the rivers move quickly or slowly?
3. (Show picture of a wild river) What will happen if you put paper boats into this river?
4. (Show picture of a calm river) What will happen if you put paper boats into this river?
Either read the poem aloud for the class or play a taped reading.
Task : “Where go the boats?”
Worksheet
Read the poem and answer the questions.
Where go the Boats?
Dark brown is the river,
Golden is the sand.
It flows along for ever,
With trees on either hand. 4
Green leaves a-floating,
Castles of the foam,
Boats of mine a-boating -
Where will all come home? 8
On goes the river
And out past the mill,
Away down the valley,
Away down the hill. 12
Away down the river,
A hundred miles or more,
Other little children
Shall bring my boats ashore. 16
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)
1. Draw a picture of the river as the poet has described it. (e.g. What colours are there?
What can you see in the river and near the river?)
2. What kind of boats are they? Are they big or small? Which line/s in the poem
suggest/s this to you? What will happen to these boats?
3. “Dark brown is the river...”
The usual order of the sentence is: “The river is dark brown.” Poets often change the
order of words to create special effects. Can you find other examples in the poem?
4. Based on the model of the first stanza, try to write 4 lines on anything of your choice.
Two more examples are given below.
Example 1:
Rich green is the grass,
Yellow are the daisies.
I lie under the shade
Of an old oak tree.
Example 2:
(Note: This example may be given to more able learners.)
Jet black is her hair,
Bright are her eyes.
She waves her magic wand
And disappears into the air.
