RIC-0205 Discovering Poetry

This poem is about
Themes
Style
Curriculum Links
driving in a vintage car with grandma
olden-days, automobiles, curiosity, companionship
short narrative poem.
Grandma’s Vintage Car talks about someone’s particular experience. What makes
this poem interesting is the focus on the old-fashioned motorcar horn which is
described using alliteration and assonance to make a catchy phrase.
Society and Environment, technology
Page 59
1. high seats, big gearshift, running boards, the klaxon-style horn, different type of chassis springing,
mainly open air
2. fold-back sunroof
3. Uses too much fuel, doesn’t go fast enough for current motorway speeds, liable to break down,
Grandma nervous in speeding traffic
4. Teacher check
5. Teacher check
• In the mid-twentieth century, 50 km per hour was the
usual speed limit. This was raised to 80 km/h and then
raised again. Why? What speed limits apply on
motorways/freeways now? In suburban areas? What
do you think they should be and why?
• Arrange for someone to bring a vintage car to school
and talk about it to the class. Have students prepare
questions.
Small-group Work
• Students in groups undertake research in the library
and prepare a report on transport throughout history.
• Students write a short play about a bus journey. They
use a line of chairs as bus seats for their performance.
Individual Writing
©R.I.C. Publications
Low Resolution Images
Display Copy
• Students select two construction or maintenance
vehicles (e.g. grader, roadsweeper etc.) and write a
conversation between them about their working
conditions.
• Students design, describe, illustrate and label their
own ‘ideal’ vehicle.
Use the Internet to find poems about vehicles. Use your
local council library to find poems about the following:
– racing cars
– earthworks machines
– tanks
– planes
R.I.C. Publications www.ricgroup.com.au 57 Discovering Poetry
ISBN 978-1-86311-834-7