CATAPILLOW

One of my favourite poetry books for children is "An Imaginary Menagerie" written
by Roger McGough. Puffin Publishers ISBN 0-14-032790-8
It's a collection about both real and imagined animals and contains wonderful
examples of word play.
My particular favourire is a play on the word 'caterpillar' where the poet plays
with the word to imagine a creature called a 'catapillow'.

A catapillow
is a useful pet
To keep
upon your bed
Each night you simply
fluff him up
Then rest
your weary head.

Use this poem as a wonderful stimulus for work with fabric and fibre.
Each child is asked to bring to school a pillow/cushion (or indeed to bring
pillowcases and stuff these).
They collect pieces of interesting fabrics and varieties of fibres.
They are asked to imagine a creature called a 'catapillow' that lives
on their bed.
By sticking, stitching, collaging, using applique, embroidering, etc etc they
construct their creature.

Follow up by writing about their creature.