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This blog post presents a creative listening activity based on the poem “My Hat Has Three Corners” to help learners grasp the concept of possessive adjectives. Through this activity, students will enjoy the poem’s rhythm and melody and develop their understanding of how possessive adjectives are used in everyday language. The activity is designed to be interactive, with multiple listening stages and follow-up exercises, ensuring students can confidently identify and use possessive adjectives in various contexts.
Introduction
“My Hat Has Three Corners” is a classic children’s poem that has been cherished for generations. The poem’s simplicity and rhythmic structure make it easy to memorize, and its repetitive nature is ideal for language learners.
The poem revolves around a playful and whimsical scenario where a character describes their unique hat, emphasizing its three corners. This light-hearted poem entertains and provides an excellent framework for teaching key grammatical concepts, especially possessive adjectives.
Teaching Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives, such as “my,” “your,” “his,” and “her,” are fundamental components of English grammar. They help learners describe ownership or relationships between people and objects, which is essential for effective communication.
For ESL/EFL students, mastering possessive adjectives can significantly enhance their ability to express themselves clearly and accurately.
Integrating these adjectives into familiar contexts, like the poem “My Hat Has Three Corners” can make the learning process more engaging and memorable.
The Poem: ‘My Hat Has Three Corners’
Possessive Adjectives Used in the Poem
The poem creatively incorporates various possessive adjectives: “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “our,” and “their.” Each verse changes the subject while maintaining the same structure, allowing learners to see how possessive adjectives modify different subjects (singular and plural). This progression from “my” to “their” helps students grasp how possessive adjectives change depending on the subject.
How the Repetitive Structure of the Poem Helps Reinforce Learning
The repetitive nature of this poem is a powerful tool for reinforcing the concept of possessive adjectives. Each verse follows the same pattern, with only the possessive adjective changing. This repetition allows learners to focus on the differences between the adjectives while keeping the rest of the structure constant. By practicing each verse, students can internalize the function and use of possessive adjectives in a fun and rhythmic way, which is especially beneficial for language retention
Full Text of the Poem
My hat, it has three corners.
Three corners has my hat.
And had it not three corners,
It would not be my hat.
Your hat, it has three corners.
Three corners has your hat.
And had it not three corners,
It would not be your hat.
His hat, it has three corners.
Three corners has his hat.
And had it not three corners,
It would not be his hat.
Her hat, it has three corners.
Three corners has her hat.
And had it not three corners,
It would not be her hat.
Our hats, they have three corners.
Three corners have our hats.
And had they not three corners,
They would not be our hats.
Your hats, they have three corners.
Three corners have your hats.
And had they not three corners,
They would not be your hats.
Their hats, they have three corners.
Three corners have their hats.
And had they not three corners,
They would not be their hats.
Listening Activity
Instructions
This listening activity is designed to help students become familiar with possessive adjectives through the rhythmic and repetitive poem “My Hat Has Three Corners.”
What Students Need to Focus On
Students should focus on identifying the possessive adjectives used throughout the poem, such as “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “our,” and “their.”
These adjectives indicate who owns or possesses the hat in each verse. The activity will help students recognize these adjectives and understand how they change according to the subject.
First Listening: Listen to the Poem Without Any Tasks
The objective of this step is to familiarize students with the poem’s rhythm, vocabulary, and overall structure.
Instructions:
Play the poem for the students without any tasks. Encourage them to simply listen and enjoy the rhythm and flow of the poem. This will help them get comfortable with the language and structure.
Second Listening: Fill in the Blanks
The objective of this step is to practice identifying possessive adjectives by filling in missing words.
Gap-Fill Exercise:
Listen to the poem ‘My Hat Has Three Corners’ and fill in the blanks with the correct possessive adjectives (e.g., ‘my,’ ‘your,’ ‘his,’ etc.).
___ hat, it has three corners.
Three corners has ___ hat.
And had it not three corners,
It would not be ___ hat.
___ hat, it has three corners.
Three corners has ___ hat.
And had it not three corners,
It would not be ___ hat.
___ hat, it has three corners.
Three corners has ___ hat.
And had it not three corners,
It would not be ___ hat.
___ hat, it has three corners.
Three corners has ___ hat.
And had it not three corners,
It would not be ___ hat.
___ hats, they have three corners.
Three corners have ___ hats.
And had they not three corners,
They would not be ___ hats.
___ hats, they have three corners.
Three corners have ___ hats.
And had they not three corners,
They would not be ___ hats.
___ hats, they have three corners.
Three corners have ___ hats.
And had they not three corners,
They would not be ___ hats.
Third Listening: Identify and Circle the Possessive Adjectives
Students will listen to the poem, circle each instance of the possessive adjectives, and complete the chart below. This activity will help them focus on the specific words and reinforce their understanding of how possessive adjectives are used in context.
Now, complete the table below by filling in the correct possessive adjectives:
| Subject Pronouns | Possessive Adjectives |
|---|---|
| I | |
| You (singular) | |
| He | |
| She | |
| We | |
| You (plural) | |
| They |