Content: This lesson explores language and structure in the poem ‘Half-Caste’ by John Agard. Students will complete a variety of independent and paired tasks in order to pick apart the subtleties of the popular poem. Also includes an interactive mini plenary that assesses the students’ understanding of the writer’s choices. Differentiation: Sentence stems provided for response task. Separate resource includes full writing frame to comment on language and structure. Extension and super extension tasks Links to AO2, typically for a mid-top set at KS3/4. Lesson duration: 100 minutes (double) Lesson recently rated good+ in an observation with outstanding features.

This lesson will prepare students for the new language exam for English. Students will review a selection of images and brainstorm ideas that will inform their writing. Differentiation: Exemplary paragraphs given Extended tasks for the more abled Planning resource sheet included Descriptive language lists provided Typically for a mid-low ability set. Can be used at KS3 for early preparation or KS4 for scheduled end of unit or end of year assessments.

Content: An accessible, but thoughtful lesson on structure in Carol Ann Duffy’s ‘Valentine.’ Students will execute independent and paired tasks in order to annotate and comment on the use of poetry devices that inform the language, structure and form in a poem. Differentiation: Extension and super extension tasks provided, as well as sentence starters and writing frames. Suitability: Most suitable for ability KS3/4, sets 2-6. Approximately a 50 minute lesson.