I wish to speak for...activity.

Ask kids to become the voice for those that cannot speak: a polar bear, the ocean, an oak tree, the air. Have your child choose a natural entity to "speak for" and then use his/her imagination and empathy to go inside that being and discover what it wants to say. Have them write a poem that begins with "I wish to speak for..."

The activity can be taken a step further with kids creating drawings or masks or puppets of the entities they choose. For classes or groups, the poems can be shared aloud or used for a play to present to parents. The images and words can be compiled into a large group mural.