Revising Science Terminology Imaginatively Using Quintain Poetry Form

A quintain is a five line syllabic stanza varied in line with 2,4,6,8 and 2 syllables respectively in the lines. Since in all, a quintain has 22 syllables, it was deemed suitable to carry out an intervention action research of converting scientific terms (n=50) into quintains for grade nine (CBSE syllabus) at the end of the academic session.

The first step in the procedure was to introduce and demystify a quintain with an example of a science term. The example the quintain was: A thing/With a fixed shape/And fixed volume too/ Is called a solid in science/ You know. It was followed by the assignment of converting five terms into quintain by each student; sharing and refining them; displaying them and reciting them with rhythm.

A quota sample (N=30, age: 15-17 years; English medium) who underwent the experiment reacted significantly favorably (p<.01, d.f.=2 ). The chi-square technique was used for analyzing the reactions of students.

Linking Physics and Language Art through Tetractys Poetry

A tetractys is the syllabic verse of five lines with 1,2,3,4 and 10 syllables respectively in its lines. Since a tetractys has 20 syllables, in all, it can be suitable to transform the definition of a physics term in to it by playing with word imaginatively. A one-week intervention action research was done in converting physics terms (n=60) for grade nine (CBSE school) at the end of the academic session.

The procedure was to introduce the verse with an example first of a physics term with the following tetractys: Force/Applied/Accelerates Most objects/Or changes their shapes or tends to move them. It was followed by the assignment of converting five terms into tetractys by each student; sharing and refining them; displaying them and reciting them with rhythm.

A quota sample (N=30, age: 15-17 years; English medium) who underwent the experiment reacted significantly favorably (p<.01, d.f. =2). The chi-square technique was used for analyzing the reactions of studen