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Get ready to share your pupils' poetry on national poetry day! #mynpdpoem
The #MyNPDPoem poetry writing challenge is now open, after being launched by Forward Arts Foundation in association with CLPE at the CLiPPA 2019 poetry award ceremony.
The challenge encourages schools everywhere to create poems, performances, displays and special books on a grand scale as part of the 25th anniversary of the UK's biggest celebration of poetry on National Poetry Day, Thursday October 3rd.
This year's National Poetry Day theme is Truth, and #MyNPDPoem invites students aged 6 to 13 to express the truths that matter to them, in poems. Topics might be the truth about your family, or your school; nature might provide inspiration, provoking a poem about the truths the natural world reveals; perhaps you want to share a hidden truth about yourself and the way you feel about the world; or maybe you want to explore the opposite of truth - lies!
New films with inspiring poetry tips featuring poets from five National Poetry Day ambassadors - Michael Rosen, Rachel Rooney, Joseph Coelho, Victoria Adukwei Bulley and Karl Nova - as well as specially developed teaching plans by CLPE to support schools in carrying out the challenge - are available on the NPD website nationalpoetryday.co.uk. Find more poetry ideas at clpe.org.uk/poetryline.
Downloadable online resources include a complete #MyNPDPoem kit - prompt lines to write out as the first step to creating a new poem, plans, activity sheets, customisable #MyNPDPoem certificates and a press release template to enable schools to share activity with local press.
Once children have written a poem or poems on the theme of truth, schools or teachers can then share the best on National Poetry Day by tagging pictures on Instagram or Twitter with #MyNPDPoem. Schools can hold their own poetry show on National Poetry Day by inviting everyone to perform their poems aloud, and sharing select extracts as appropriate with the #MyNPDPoem hashtag. Go online and download an NPD certificate to present to each young poet during your National Poetry Day celebration.
Schools are also invited to publish the poems as books for pupils to take home to their families and friends, using Scholastic's WE ARE WRITERS scheme. The books can be sold to raise money for the school or other charities.
Everyone who writes an original work automatically owns the copyright, regardless of their age, and #MyNPDPoem is supported by the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS).
Barbara Hayes, Deputy Chief Executive, ALCS said: "ALCS is dedicated to encouraging young people to get involved with reading and writing. By sponsoring the #MyNPDPoem poetry writing challenge, we hope more school children will be able to enjoy poetry and express themselves celebrating National Poetry Day".
Andrea Reece, National Poetry Day manager, says: "On the 25th anniversary of National Poetry Day this year, we've made it easier than ever for schools to celebrate their pupils' creativity - on a grand scale. We know from our research that children love reading, writing and performing poetry, and we are so pleased to be extending the excitement of National Poetry Day into all schools. We are delighted to be working with CLPE and ALCS on this and can't wait to hear children's Truth poems, and to watch their special #MyNPDPoem poetry performances."
Charlotte Hacking, Learning Programmes Leader at CLPE, says: "We're really proud to be partnering with National Poetry Day to launch this writing challenge. Through our research and work with schools we know how powerful poetry can be for giving children a voice through their writing."
National Poetry Day will share the best work too and highlight the most enthusiastic schools and teachers as well as talented young poets.
Twitter @poetrydayuk
Instagram @nationalpoetryday
Facebook @PoetryDayUK
Website nationalpoetryday.co.uk
