Talking Turkeys
(Key Stage 1)
Citizenship
Key stage 1: 2e: Pupils should be taught to realise that people and other living things have needs, and that they have responsibility to meet them.
1a: Pupils should be taught to recognise what they like and dislike, what is fair and unfair, and what is right and wrong
Food Technology
Key Stage 1: 5a: Pupils should be taught the knowledge, skills and understanding through investigating and evaluating a range of familiar products.
Teachers’ Note: Read the poem aloud to the class.
Talking Turkeys!!
by Benjamin Zephaniah
BE NICE TO YU TURKEYS DIS CHRISTMAS
COS TURKEYS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN
TURKEYS ARE COOL, TURKEYS ARE WICKED
AN EVERY TURKEY HAS A MUM.
BE NICE TO YU TURKEYS DIS CHRISTMAS,
DON’T EAT DEM, KEEP DEM ALIVE,
SHE COULD BE YU MATE AN NOT ON YU PLATE
SAY, YO! TURKEY, I’M ON YOUR SIDE.
I GOT LOTS OF FRIENDS WHO ARE TURKEYS
AN ALL OF DEM FEAR CHRISTMAS TIME,
DEY WANNA ENJOY IT, DEY SAY HUMANS DESTROYED IT
AN HUMANS ARE OUT OF DERE MIND,
YEAH, I GOT LOTS OF FRIENDS WHO ARE TURKEYS
DEY ALL HAVE A RIGHT TO A LIFE,
NOT TO BE CAGED UP AN GENETICALLY MADE UP
BY ANY FARMER AN HIS WIFE.
TURKEYS JUST WANNA PLAY REGGAE
TURKEYS JUST WANNA HIP-HOP
CAN YU IMAGINE A NICE TURKEY SAYING,
‘I CANNOT WAIT FOR DE CHOP’?
TURKEYS LIKE GETTING PRESENTS,
DEY WANNA WATCH CHRISTMAS TV,
TURKEYS HAV BRAINS AN TURKEYS FEEL PAIN
IN MANY WAYS LIKE YU AN ME.
I ONCE KNEW A TURKEY CALLED TURKEY
HE SAID ‘BENJI EXPLAIN TO ME PLEASE,
WHO PUT DE TUKEY IN CHRISTMAS
AN WHAT HAPPENS TO CHRISTMAS TREES?’
I SAID, ‘I AM NOT TOO SURE TURKEY
BUT IT’S NOTHING TO DO WID CHRIST MASS
HUMANS GET GREEDY AN WASTE MORE DAN NEED BE
AN BUSINESS MEN MEK LOADSA CASH.’
BE NICE TO YU TURKEY DIS CHRISTMAS
INVITE DEM INDOORS FE SUM GREENS
LET DEM EAT CAKE AN LET DEM PARTAKE
IN A PLATE OF ORGANIC GROWN BEANS,
BE NICE TO YU TURKEY DIS CHRISTMAS
AN SPARE DEM DE CUT OF DE KNIFE,
JOIN TURKEYS UNITED AN DEY’LL BE DELIGHTED
AN YU WILL MEK NEW FRIENDS ‘FOR LIFE’.
Activity One
Research turkeys. You can do this by looking on the Internet, by visiting the library or by contacting farming, wildlife and animal protection organisations. See below for a few addresses to get you started. Answer these questions.
How do turkeys live in the wild?
How are they farmed?
Is it right to farm them this way?
How would you feel if you were a turkey kept in a factory farm?
Activity Two
Make an Amazing Turkey Fact File. While researching the subject of turkeys you will come across some fascinating facts about these incredible birds. Choose one fact and write it on a piece of paper, and illustrate it. Put these Amazing Turkey Facts on the classroom wall to remind yourself that turkeys are wonderful creatures!
Activity Three
Imagine you are a turkey. Make a list of all the things you would like for Christmas. Decorate it and send it to Santa Claus.
Activity Four
Find out what vegetarians might have for their Christmas lunch. Design a menu for a meat-free festive meal. Decorate your menu.