Expanded noun phrases: sparrowhawk

Writing Ideas

• Sparrowhawks aren’t the only speedy animal in the wild (think hares, cheetahs, antelopes etc). Write a description of fast animals, comparing the sparrowhawk to another swift creature.
• As sparrowhawks fly, they are constantly manoeuvring and adjusting their speed and flight position. Imagining that you are a sparrowhawk, write a descriptive passage about what you can see, feel and hear as you navigate your way through a maze of small gardens in search of prey.
• Kennings are often used in poetry for effect. A kenning is the process of using a two-word phrase in the place of a one-word noun. Kennings were first used in Anglo-Saxon and Norse poetry. The famous Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf uses many kennings. Once familiar with these phrases, write a poem about a sparrowhawk that includes several kennings.