The Manhunt - Simon Armitage

This two-lesson mini-unit covers Simon Armitage’s ‘The Manhunt’ in detail. Designed for GCSE pupils, the resource explores the poem in depth and explains how to compare it to other poems from the anthology. It is made up of a 52-slide editable PowerPoint presentation and 5 accompanying worksheets.

The lessons contain the following:

Lesson One contains an extract from the Channel 4 documentary ‘Forgotten Heroes’ and an introduction to PTSD; a reading and discussion of ‘The Manhunt’ by Simon Armitage with comprehension / consolidation questions - answers included; analysing Armitage’s use of language and asking and answering questions that delve deeper (model answers provided); an essay question to assess students’ initial understanding of the poem. An example model essay response is included.

Lesson Two covers imagery - analysing Armitage’s use of imagery. Themes - discussing the poem’s themes. Structure and Form - Considering how Armitage uses form, structure, rhythm and rhyme. The GCSE exam - Comparing ‘The Manhunt’ with ‘A Wife in London’ and explaining how to write a comparison essay in the exam.

This is a comprehensive resource containing a range of activities, however it can also be edited, personalised and differentiated to suit your teaching needs. To preview ‘The Manhunt’, please click on the images.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click below to see more GCSE Poetry resources for Eduqas and Edexcel:

Sonnet 43
London
The Soldier
Living Space
As Imperceptibly as Grief
Cozy Apologia
A Wife in London
Death of a Naturalist
Hawk Roosting
To Autumn
Afternoons
Dulce et Decorum Est
Excerpt from The Prelude
Mametz Wood
Ozymandias
La Belle Dame sans Merci
A Complaint
My Father Would Not Show Us
My Last Duchess
Neutral Tones