Robert Frost - Home Burial

Designed to accompany the Robert Frost poetry anthology for CIE AS English, but will be appropriate for any senior study of the poem Home Burial. This lesson (intended to be taught over two periods, though can be condensed into one) introduces students to the idea of strong relationships by evaluating those in another poem by Frost, Death of the Hired Man. The main part of the lesson focuses on analysis of the title, identifies the speaker and situation, suggests useful vocabulary and appropriate language techniques necessary for studying the poem, sets comprehension questions and prompts students to consider the similar and contrasting ideas presented in this poem and Death of the Hired Man. After a short starter activity encouraging students to recap the characterisation within the poem, the second lesson then moves on to close analysis of the rest of the poem, prompting students to demonstrate their learning through an evaluation of relevant contextual knowledge and consideration of techniques used to present a failure in communication. A final comparison table sets students up for an essay question comparing the presentation of relationships in Frost’s poetry. A blank and annotated copy of the poem are also included with this resource, as well as a critical essay students can look at for homework.