ESL Voices, June 9, 2011
I will be the gladdest thing
Under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers
And not pick one.
~Edna St. Vincent Millay, “Afternoon on a Hill” (1892 –1950)
Hi Everyone,
The weather is wonderful and (as you’ve guessed by now) it’s all about the flowers!
We wanted to take a moment and share these beautiful photographs of flowers. Teachers might consider using the photos as a starting point for some of the following activities. Enjoy!
(To R. D. and L. J. — They are truly beautiful — Many Thanks)
Foxglove- Photo: courtesy of R. Deck
Red Dahlia-Photo: courtesy of R. Deck
White Peony- Photo: courtesy of R. Deck
The temple bell stops but I still hear the sound coming out of the flowers. ~Basho
Pink Peony- Photo: courtesy of R. Deck
‘Tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes!
~William Wordsworth, “Lines Written in Early Spring,” Lyrical Ballads, 1798
Flowers… are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, (1803 – 1882)
Lesson Plans:
For those of you working with young ESL learners or beginning students, here are several very good lesson plans that include practice in all of the language skills.
Growing Flowers– Lesson plan by C. Gorman, and J. Haynes
April Showers-Bring Me Flowers! Lesson plan by T. B. Grünenfelder
The Four Main Parts of a Flower -Lesson plan by L. Martin
(Intermediate-advanced level)
Science: Discovery Education
This is an interesting lesson plan for more advanced ESL students.
Plant Pollination–Lesson plan by M. C. Cahill
Additional Activities
Place students in groups and have them try to create a poem about flowers.
Have students try to draw the flowers presented in the photos above.
For more advanced students, have them try to create a haiku about flowers.
image of Basho Matsuo (1644-1694)
First day of spring–
I keep thinking about
the end of autumn.by Basho Matsuo
Image of Basho Matsuo, courtesy of Mushimegane