Michael Rosen & HistoryWorks
Michael Rosen's Books & Films to Inspire Work for Refugee Week
Michael Rosen will be working with Helen Weinstein at HistoryWorks, writing new poems as 'Poet in Residence" at HistoryWorks for inspiring young people to perform dramas and dances, composing music and artworks, and writing their own poetry and songs lyrics too.
Please find on the pages here links to books by Michael Rosen which HistoryWorks is using for our work with Cambridge schools and teachers, plus short films and audio produced by HistoryWorks with Michael Rosen. Please use freely in Cambridge and beyond, and mark Refugee Week by writing poetry on the theme of OUR HOME.
WRITING FOR REFUGEE WEEK
Refugee Week runs from 17th June onwards, and Michael Rosen is visitng schools from early June in order to prepare for this week, inspiring young people to write their own poetry or song lyrics or prose or to produce other creative artworks in empathy with refugees. Find out more about our Refugee Week theme:
https://refugeeweek.org.uk/theme-2024-ourhome/
MICHAEL ROSEN'S TOP TIPS FOR WRITING A POEM FOR REFUGEE WEEK
MICHAEL TALKS ABOUT HOW WRITE A POEM ABOUT HELPING & HEALING
HOW TO WRITE A POEM ABOUT FEELINGS?
HOW TO WRITE A POEM USING THE PAST, LIKE USING AN OBJECT?
HOW TO WRITE A POEM USING A PHOTO, LIKE A PICTURE OF A PERSON?
HOW TO WRITE POETRY
Here are some short films which may help you get started on writing poetry together in a class or at home:
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE ON HOW TO START A POEM?
WHAT IS A POEM? HOW TO MAKE PICTURES IN WORDS
HOW TO WRITE A POEM ON A THEME YOU ARE GIVEN?
WHAT IS THE EASIEST & SIMPLEST WAY TO WRITE A POEM BY IMITATION?
HOW CAN REPETITION BE FUN & HELP YOU WRITE A POEM, LIKE USING A RIFF OR A CHORUS?
HOW CAN RHYTHM HELP YOU WRITE A POEM & STICK WORDS TOGETHER?
POETRY PERFORMANCES
MIchael Rosen's films produced by HistoryWorks supporting young people to understand and empathize with the Refugee Experience and to have support in writing their own poetry about the past and the present:
VOICES OF HOPE
ONE DAY GETTING AWAY (with explanation of prose history)
NOTHING IS FOREVER
WE'RE ALL HERE TOGETHER (LYRICAL VERSION)
WE'RE ALL HERE TOGETHER (RAP VERSION)
HEALING - PUT YOUR ARMS AROUND ME
THE ABSENTEES
DEAR OSCAR (narrated by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Cambridge Secondary School Pupils inspired by the poetry, music and graphic artwork directed by Helen Weinstein, Music composed & performed by Alex Cook, film edit by Toby Peters)
LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS (narrated by Michael Rosen, performed by Elevation Youth Dance, filmed at Hills Road Sixth Form College)
WHEN TIME STOOD STILL (drama inspired by Oscar & Rachel)
OUR WORD, OUR WORLD (song lyrics by Michael Rosen, composed by Bethany Kirby, performed by Sing! Community Choir)
STRONG TOGETHER, HAND IN HAND (song lyrics by Michael Rosen, composed by Bethany Kirby, performed by Cambridge Secondary School Singers)
MICHAEL ON POETRY AND PERFORMING
WHY DO YOU WRITE POEMS?
HOW DOES POETRY MAKE YOU FEEL & WONDER ABOUT THINGS?
WHY DO YOU WRITE POEMS FOR CHILDREN?
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE POEM?
HOW MAY WE USE POEMS IN THE CLASSROOM?
WHAT GUIDANCE DO YOU HAVE FOR PERFORMING POETRY OUT LOUD?
BOOKS about the Refugee Experience
Michael Rosen has written several books about the Refugee experience and the theme often is expressed in his poetry collections too, including his recent poetry collection called ON THE MOVE plus the book about his family missing in World War 2 and his quest to find out what happened to them called THE MISSING. Michael Rosen has also written a book in collaboration with Anne-Marie Young called WHO ARE REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS? See below photographs with Michael and some links to his reading from some of these works. At the end of this section you'll also find links to other books for KS2 and KS3 available from Cambridgeshire Libraries.
ON THE MOVE
THE MISSING
WHO ARE REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS
CAMBRIDGESHIRE LIBRARY SERVICE BOOKS FOR KS2 AND KS3
Wisp : a story of hope | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
Lily and the polar bears | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
Refuge / Anne Booth & Sam Usher. | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
Refugee boy | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
The boy at the back of the class | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
The bone sparrow | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
Boy 87 | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
Boundless sky | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
Lubna and Pebble | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
For older readers in KS2 and KS3:
Alpha : Abidjan to Gare du Nord | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
When stars are scattered | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
Illegal | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
