The Forgotten fork I

The Forgotten fork I

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about visual techniques and how they add meaning to a poem.
This resource uses a presentation from 'The Underwater Melon Man' by Flaws, Baysting and Dasent. 
Read the poem and look closely at the illustration to help you answer the following questions.  
forgotten fork illustrated poem

Question 2Change answer

a)  How does the lettering of the poem title match the topic of the poem?

Question 2Change answer

b)  Write three different ways the illustration gives you clues that the fork has been behind the cooker (stove) for a long time:
1. 2. 3.

Question 2Change answer

c)  The illustration makes us feel trapped. How does it do this?
     List three different ways:
1. 2. 3.
 

Question 2Change answer

d)  What is the name of the visual technique that is used to create this feeling of being trapped?

Question 2Change answer

e)  How is the illustration's gloomy mood achieved?
     List two ways:
1. 2.

Question 2Change answer

f)  In the poem, personification is used to give the fork human qualities.
     Identify one way the illustration makes the fork seem human?
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper or online,
 
The book used in this resource is "The Underwater Melon Man and other unreasonable rhymes" by Flaws, F., Baysting, A., and Dasent, P., (1999), produced by Monkey Biz Music Ltd. (Book and CD).Flaws wrote and illustrated the poem being used in this resource. Listening to the music that goes with this poem and picture would add another dimension and further understandings.
 
This resource is  about viewing and thinking critically and exploring language.
 
Prior teaching needed
Students should have explored the techniques of perspective, alliteration, personification, and foreground and background before attempting either part of this resource. Some ARB resources focusing on these techniques are:
The resource could be done either in groups or individually, depending on the nature of the assessment taking place. If the task is done in groups, to facilitate a greater exchange of ideas, one student from each group could move to another group to share their group's responses. Likewise, each group shares theirs with the "ambassador", followed by a discussion of both. The "ambassador" then returns to their home group to share the ideas gained from their "mission". All the ideas could be collated on a class chart.
Copyright: 
Flaws, F., Baysting, A., and Dasent, P., (1999). The Underwater Melon Man and other unreasonable rhymes. Monkey Biz Music Ltd. (Book and CD).
Permission granted for use August, 2004.
Level:
4
Curriculum info: 
English, Making meaning, Viewing
Keywords: 
perspective, personification, foreground, mood, main idea, analysis
Description of task: 
Students identify the visual techniques used within a static image and describe how they support the meaning of the written text.
Answers/responses: 
    Y9 (04/2005)
a) Any 1 of:

  • The middle parts of the letters have separated lines similar to fork prongs.
  • The lettering is like cutlery/looks metallic/silvery/shiny like cutlery, and the poem is about a piece of cutlery.
  • The word "fork" in relation to the other words in the title is smaller, emphasising the fact that the fork has been forgotten.
 moderate
b) Any 3 of:

  • A coin/safety pin/ball/ is also behind the cooker.
  • Other objects are behind the cooker, which shows that time has passed.
  • A spider has made a web, indicating time has passed.
  • Food has been spilt/is behind the cooker, indicating that it hasn't been cleaned for a while.
  • The fork has become bent with time/warped, suggesting that over time, the cooker's heat has had this effect.
 
 
3 ideas – moderate
2 ideas – very easy
1 idea – very easy
c) Any 3 of:

  • The illustration positions us (the viewer) behind the cooker.
  • The space is small/we are inside an enclosed space.
  • We are trying to be "got-at" by the cat/ the cat is scratching towards us/looking at us.
  • We are looking out, towards the light, and freedom/we look in from the dark end, which gives the impression there is no other exit.
  • The perspective narrows us towards the cat.
  • The objects block the only exit, which is guarded by the cat.
  • The frame makes it feel small.
 
 
3 ideas – very difficult
2 ideas – moderate
1 idea – easy
d) Perspective (3-D was accepted.) very difficult
e) Any 1 of:

  • Use of dark/sombre/black and white colours.
  • Shading.
  • If students have the text in colour - choice of colours (the fork is coloured blue in the original).
moderate
f) Any 1 of:

  • The fork is leaning against the cooker, as a person would against a wall.
  • The fork is bent (makes it seem miserable/sad/depressed).
  • One of the fork's prongs is turned up, it could be beckoning to us/it seems to move/one prong is turned back, suggesting it is unkempt or dejected.
  • Its shape is not symmetrical, it is more than an inanimate object.
 difficult