Simple starts : Shaping Up

Making calligrams - pictures with words arranged in a shape - is lots of fun, but planning is needed to get a really good result. The worksheet provides a grid and two examples.
Note that the examples are in a fixed typewriter face which means that a picture made with the grid will hold its shape if printed.

To make a calligram, first choose a subject. The subject needs to be simple and recognisable by its shape. Then think of what you want to say about it, listing useful words and phrases on a seperate sheet.

Then draw a rough shape on the grid:
it will be stepped rather than curved but so is print.
Then you can play with the words to work your ideas into the
shape. A pencil, a rubber and lots of patience are strongly recommended.



Traffic Jam Buttie

pavement pavement pavement pavement pavement
gutter gutter gutter gutter puddle gutter
car lorry bus car car van truck fire-engine
bus car van lorry car coach mini-van taxi
gutter gutter gutter puddle gutter gutter
pavement pavement pavement pavement pavement

This poem is more for looking at as a picture, for reading all in one eyeful as much as one word at a time.
But the words describe the place and more comment could easily be added: "gutter litter gutter" or "car fumes lorry".
You could choose any place to "map" in this way.
The best results will come from thinking carefully about what should be in the picture - what sounds, what objects - and then, remembering that it is a poem, try to make the picture so that it says more than just being a list.

For further information on this sort of game click on any under SIMPLE STARTS in the INDEX side bar.