14.6 Writing and Speaking
Writing
1. Close observation
Choose one small thing (a leaf, a coin, an insect, a flower) and look at it as closely as you can. Write a descriptive paragraph (100 words) about the hidden details you notice, using at least one simile and one metaphor.
2. A paragraph
In about 100 words, explain how the poem shows that “the world extends beyond what is immediately visible.” Use examples from the poem.
3. Write your own verse
Write four to six lines of your own poem describing something tiny seen up close. Try to include a simile (using like or as) and vivid imagery.
4. A science note
Write a short note (80 words) explaining how a magnifying glass or microscope helps scientists, and give one real example (studying cells, insects, crystals, etc.).
Writing tip To write vivid description, use comparisons. A plain “the dewdrop was shiny” becomes memorable as “the dewdrop was a tiny mirror” (metaphor) or “shone like glass” (simile). Comparisons help your reader see.
Speaking
Show and tell
Bring (or imagine) a small object, examine it through a magnifying glass, and describe to the class what you see. Use words of wonder and at least one comparison.
Discuss
- Why is curiosity such an important quality, especially in science?
- The poem moves from a drop of water to the moon. What other tiny and huge things would you like to observe closely?
Speaking tip When you describe something amazing, let your voice carry your wonder. Pause before the most surprising detail - “and inside the chalk… were tiny shells!” - so your listeners share your sense of discovery.