Embedded Files
Cityscapes from the past
Cityscapes from the past
Many Australian writers have been capturing the past in their novels. Ruth Park's Harp in the South or Playing Beattie Bow would be an ideal study for a class; especially if they could visit Surry Hills and the Rocks and do an Historical Tour. Reading Australia has excellent resources at https://readingaustralia.com.au/essays/playing-beatie-bow/. You can even do a ghost tour at night in the Rocks area. However, there are other great texts that reflect different cities in Australia and beyond that could be studied. Students could combine research and narrative writing to craft their own historical fiction story.
Bringing the city to life
Bringing the city to life
Our cities are full of interesting structures, iconic buildings and machinery. This writing activity challenges students to take one of these in their city and bring it to life.
Some call it ugly, I call it lovely
Some call it ugly, I call it lovely
Cities are paradoxical. They can be ugly and lovely as Australian poet and Irish American writer Colum McCann observed. Students are challenged in this activity to capture the contradictory aspects of a city in a discursive response that could be a photographic essay.
Unique landmarks
Unique landmarks
Every city and town has a unique or iconic landmark. This activity challenges students to capture it. Australian writer Gail Jones' Five Bells evocatively describes the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Students are asked to compose a poem or a micro-story that describes a unique landmark in their city,
CITYSCAPES FROM THE PAST.docx.pdfBRINGING THE CITY TO LIFE.pdfYou find this ugly, I find it lovely.pdfUnique landmarks.pptx
City poets
City poets
This writing focuses on the poetry of Lachlan Brown who candidly describes Macquarie Fields and the Northern Beaches. Two of his poems are used to inspire the students to write about their city mirroring his form.
City Poets - Lachlan Brown.pptx
Found poems
Found poems
This is a fun activity that requires students in a set time to work with a team to create an "original" poem that is a composite of lines borrowed from newspaper and magazine articles, poems and novel excerpts on the net.
Found City Poems.pdf
Street art
Street art
Street art or graffiti can be a powerful inspiration for writing. Clarion Alley in San Francisco is one of the most famous places for street art. The community tired of the terrible reputation for this place have painted every garage door with scenes that celebrate the community. The power point contains photographs of street art that I have taken to inspire the students and a writing challenge.
Street Art.pptx
Suggested literature
Suggested literature
Lachlan Brown’s poetry Limited Cities
Omar Musa’s slam poem “Amsterdam”
TS Eliot’s “Preludes”
Excerpts from Gail Jones’ novels Five Bells and Guide to Berlin
Steve Denham’s poem “Sydney Town Hall Tree”
Mantra’s poem “City Boy”
William Blake’s poem “London”
Elizabeth Harrower’s short story “The City at Night”
Aidan Coleman’s poetry Avenues & Runways
Ralph Crane and Danielle Wood’s Island Story: Tasmania in Object and Text
Excerpts from Delia Falconer’s Sydney
Scott Gardner’s Off the Map
Kerryn Goldsworthy's Adelaide
https://redroompoetry.org/poets/mantra/city-boy/
Excerpts from David Malouf’s Johnno
Ruth Park’s Playing Beattie Bow and The Harp in the South
Poetry in the City -http://readingthecityofliterature.com/poetry/blog/2018/05/09/industry-melbourne/
Archie Roach’s song ‘Down City Streets’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RCcs6AOdT0
Kenneth Slessor’s poem ‘William Street’
Nadia Wheatley’s My Place
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