Grade 4 students have been learning about the similarities between songs and poetry. They both use emotion and interesting words to appeal the reader/listener and often include rhythm, rhyme and repetition. There are many songs that start out as poems and if you read the lyrics of songs they often sound like poems.

First, students read the lyrics of a song we often sing at assembly, "I Am Australian", and considered it as a poem rather than a song. Each verse represents an aspect of Australian history, culture or environment. Students then wrote their own original verses using the structure and rhythm of the song as inspiration.

I am the Snowy Mountains

the cold wind when it blows

I am the desert and the valleys

I'm the river as it flows

I am the sand, I am the sea

The burning heat of the sun

Destroyer and creator

I am Australian

Felix

I am all of the water

the ocean is my name

I controlled the tsunamis

and the riptides when they came

Iʼm the oldest Aussie here

and I love celebration

I may not be human but

I am Australian

Mia

I came from the red earth

I point to the sun

I look forward to the rain

I am many, I am one

The wind sweeps through my leaves

I shelter everyone

I've lived here for a hundred years

I am Australian

Sid

I come from Australia

with scorching desert air

I am the man from Snowy River,

riding my horse with no fear.

I am Ned Kelly the bushranger,

stealing with my gang

The Southern Cross shines above me

I am Australian

Angus

I come from the bush

and only eat gum leaves

I have soft grey lovely fur

I live up high in trees

My beautiful joey is carried in my pouch

Playing around in trees all day is very fun

but sadly I am very slow

I am Australian

Daisy O’Reardon

I’m the sacred red rock of dream time

I rise from the ground

People come to see me,

to hear the ancient sound

of the Anangu people who love to dance and sing

Now we respect Uluru from afar

But it remains a good meaning

Just because we can’t climb the rock

Doesn’t mean we can’t keep dreaming

I am Australian

Lochie

I was born in England

came to Australia as a boy

I was part of the first group

to go to the South Pole

Knighted in 1914, my work exploring Antarctica is legendary

and I'm on the one hundred dollar note

I am Australian

Theo

I spent my lifetime in a field

I hit the ball into the crowd

I kick the last minute winning goal

I work to make my country proud

I run around the oval ground

I tackle, race and run

the sport field is my home

I am Australian

Bailey

I am faster than the roaring forties,

I am swifter than an emu

that is hunting in the reeds,

I am Cathy Freeman

I extend beyond the horizon,

I am home to countless breeds

I am Kati Thanda

I am Australian

Julian

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