About the author:
I am currently a teacher of English in a wonderful West Midlands secondary school, having prior experience as a Literacy Lead, Specialist Leader of Education, SLT Lead, AQA examiner and Head of English. I am in my fourteenth year of teaching and as such am keen to share resources I have used successfully, both in my own lessons and across my school / MAT.
About the author:
I am currently a teacher of English in a wonderful West Midlands secondary school, having prior experience as a Literacy Lead, Specialist Leader of Education, SLT Lead, AQA examiner and Head of English. I am in my fourteenth year of teaching and as such am keen to share resources I have used successfully, both in my own lessons and across my school / MAT.
This resource is a full lesson PPT on the poem ‘Tissue’ by Imtiaz Dharker for the AQA power and conflict poetry cluster. It includes the following lesson tasks:
connotations of tissue mind map task
link to video of poem and reflections
imagery task, linking quotes to pictures
fully annotated poem
further analysis video link
creative cross-over task (writing a ‘life receipt’ and using inference skills - modelled example)
Imtiaz Dharker biog info
exam question and planning task (NB not a comparison question)
Created April 2022
A complete lesson looking at the character of Havisham - the poem written about her by Carol Ann Duffy, supported by an extract from Great Expectations featuring the character. Great as a cross over for pupils studying Dickens, Victorian literature and for refining unseen poetry / annotation and analysis skills. Updated March 2022.
The files include a PPT, on which there is a copy of the poem, the extract and an image of Havisham from a film version of the story. There are also some analysis questions to guide study of the poem itself and some notes for class feedback on the annotations (an annotated poem).
Excellent to broaden students’ understanding of literature, poetry and Dickens.
This resource includes an 8 slide PPT (full lesson) on how to write effective introductions and conclusions, with a focus on AQA’s poetry element of the examination. The examples used are from the power and conflict cluster (Remains) and could be used as a way to teach unseen poetry intros/ conclusions or comparative poetry intros and conclusions - the PPT is flexible and allows for both.
The PPT covers the following aspects:
example introductions and discussion of their effectiveness
a formula for writing a strong intro
a practice task for writing a main body essay paragraph focused on the question provided
an exemplar main body paragraph using PEEZL and an opportunity for pupils to link to another poem
A summary of what a good conclusion entails
an exemplar conclusion
This resource is a full lesson, updated March 2022, on Beatrice Garland’s poem ‘Kamikaze’, part of the AQA English Literature conflict and power cluster for GCSE. It could however also be used as a lesson for any exam board, looking at poetry.
The PPT is 15 slides and could potentially be 2 full lessons with the amount of content included. It works through the following aspects:
-Intro to the term ‘Kamikaze’ and its history
a look at a Kamikaze pilots oath
considering elements of British culture that others may find strange
a light look at the poem to develop analysis skills
deconstructing the narrative perspective - plotting a family tree of the people included
investigating language and structure in more depth (with hints to help pupils)
a look at the themes of conflict, power and death in the poem
a possible comparison at the end
This resource includes a full lesson (possibly 2) on Shakespeare’s poem ‘Sonnet 18’. It originally formed part of a scheme for year 9 looking at a wide variety of poetry in preparation for their GCSE study, but would be suitable for any GCSE group as practice. The lesson approaches the poem as an unseen text, helping pupils develop poetic analysis skills (for AQA, but would work for any exam board).
The PPT includes:
Introduction to the poem through images
Brief contextual info to aid understanding
More in-depth discussion through key questions
Pupil-centred annotation task with brief guidance info
Creative writing cross over (where pupils write their own contrasts poem - including scaffolded planning sheet if required)
This resource includes a full lesson on Poe’s poem ‘The Raven’, shortened and edited to enable teaching of it in 1 lesson. It originally formed part of a scheme for year 9 looking at a wide variety of poetry in preparation for their GCSE study, but would be suitable for any GCSE group as practice.
There are 2 lessons in total which approach the poem as an unseen text, helping pupils develop poetic analysis skills (for AQA, but would work for any exam board); before moving into a creative writing cross-over task where pupils write their own Gothic story opening (as per English language paper 1 on the AQA spec).
The PPT includes:
Introduction to the poem through an image
Introduction to the Gothic genre and recap of what it means through key images and features
A video reading of The Raven if required
guided light touch annotation through hints and an exam style question (optional paragraph writing task)
A creative writing task of a 100-200 word story, based around key vocabulary from the poem
Creative writing cross over (where pupils write their own Gothic story opening, using the poem and images as inspiration. Guided planning an peer assessment).
This resource includes a 1-2 lesson PPT on the poem ‘Exposure’ by Wilfred Owen, for the AQA power and conflict poetry cluster (Eng lit).
Tasks as follows:
reflection on the title
crunched poem categorising task (allows close word level analysis)
image reflection task (WW1 images)
Wilfred Owen contextual info
Discussion task around the biggest threat in war
focus question for a close analysis task
exemplar response paragraph
full notes on the poem
2nd discussion task on what is meant by ‘exposure’
creative writing cross-over task (soldier writes a letter home)
Created March 2022
This resource is a full lesson PPT on Heaney’s Storm on the Island, for AQA literature power and conflict poetry cluster.
The lesson includes:
imagery task considering connotations of storms and islands
first reading task (with glossary) sketching the island
language analysis questions
biographical info on Heaney
fully annotated poem
subtextual reading task including a video on the NI Troubles and note making from info provided
comparison to Ozymandias task, including exam question and planning table
Created April 2022
This resource is a full lesson PPT on Jane Weir’s ‘Poppies’ for AQA power and conflict poetry. The lesson includes:
imagery task discussing thoughts on poppies, soldiers, war and aggrieved relatives
task considering the different thoughts and feelings of mothers and sons on war
link to President Zelensky appealing to Russian mothers (video)
biographical info on Jane Weir and link to a video of her discussing the poem
Fully annotated poem
Challenge and stretch task on the role of women in war (discussion)
Lesson created April 2022
This resource includes a full lesson PPT for the poem ‘Remains’ by Simon Armitage, for the AQA power and conflict cluster for English Literature.
The lesson includes:
dictionary definition task for close analysis of title
Role of a soldier task (role on the wall style)
Guided annotation questions
Group annotation task (stanza each)
Biographical info on Armitage
Fully annotated poem
Exam question slide (1 paragraph, PEEZl acronym)
Created April 2022
This resource includes a 6 slide PPT forming an introduction to the theatre styles theatre of the absurd and theatre of cruelty.
It includes several links to Youtube performances relevant to each style followed by notes summarising their key features and key playwrights associated with them.
The lesson culminates in a devised performance task in the theme of twisted fairy tales in the relevant theatre style.
Suitable for introducing theatre styles for GCSE drama students
Explanatory writing lesson on the topic of celebrities being useless. First, teaching the concept of establishing your point of view on a topic, before looking at what is meant by ‘writing to explain’. Updated March 2022
The lesson moves on to look at how to plan an effective piece of writing in this style, before providing a high grade exemplar for pupils to analyse and reference to the mark scheme.
Suitable for high ability year 9s, or years 10-11. Originally written for AQA, but suited to other exam boards (with a few tweaks).
A full lesson (possibly 2) on John Agard’s Checking Out Me History for the AQA English literature examination (updated Jan 2022), or as an exploratory lesson on poetry for any other exam board. Approaches the poem as an ‘unseen’ to consolidate and practice these skills, before helping pupils build a comprehensive set of notes for the conflict cluster.
Includes a 12 slide PPT and the following:
A Wordle looking at language patterns
A key focus question to help students understand how to approach poetry in their exam
Background knowledge of the historical figures mentioned in the poem
Discussion of the use of accent and dialect with a video link
An activity where students look at culture and identity and how we see it in the poem
Guided additional annotation
Focus on metaphorical language
Suitable for GCSE learners
Updated Jan 2022
This resource includes a full lesson on Rumen’s poem ‘Emigree’ for the AQA English literature power and conflict cluster. Pupils should approach the poem from zero prior knowledge for this lesson to be most effective. It could potentially span 2 lessons and includes a 10 slide PPT as follows:
discussion of dictatorships and what this entails
approaching the poem cold from a pupil-centred stance (their interpretation)
guided analysis on key aspects (starting with positive and negative imagery)
guided analysis through key themes
investigation of the title and its significance
links to key videos to boost analysis
creative writing crossover piece
Updated Jan 2022
This resource is a full lesson on Shelley’s ‘Ozymandias’, part of the AQA power and conflict poem cluster for the GCSE examination. It is designed to help pupils be more independent with their poetry analysis rather than teacher dictated notes and explores the poem from a standpoint of no prior knowledge.
There is a 10 slide PPT which could potentially span 2 full lessons, working through the following aspects:
A news article on Rameses the Great and the discovery of his statue (possible lang paper 2 cross over work)
information on the etymology of ‘Ozymandias’
a picture puzzle for students to consider what the story of the poem may be
background information on the real Ozymandias
discussion of statements about the poem’s message
finding evidence to support opinions
analysis using STRIVE (pupil led)
group task on specific language/ structure techniques
link to a video with detailed poem analysis if required
This resource contains enough for 2 full lessons on the poem Bayonet Charge for the AQA power and conflict cluster.
Lesson tasks are as follows:
opening using a video link and recording plot/ emotions
WW1 context mini quiz
Ted Hughes context
opportunity for unseen skills annotation
guided annotation questions
full annotation notes
imagery analysis task
drawing task to consolidate
Created March 2022
This resource is a 15 slide PPT (1-2 lessons) on the poem ‘London’ by William Blake, for the AQA power and conflict cluster. The lessons include tasks/ info on the following:
Task describing modern London
Task comparing this to Victorian London (using images)
A summary of the differences
Biographical info on Blake
Pupil annotation task plus a full set of notes for teaching
Figurative language quote explosion task
Task on structure (iambic tetrameter)
Challenge and stretch discussion of structure
Creative cross-over task (write a poem inspired by a city)
Comparison task - table comparing London with Emigree
Lesson created April 2022
This resource is 1-2 lessons on Carol Ann Duffy’s War Photographer for AQA power and conflict poetry cluster, English lit.
It includes the following tasks/slides:
series of war photographs and prompt questions
discussion and table task - pros and cons of being a war phorographer
contextual info on photo processing from film + 2 video links
perspectives task on the photographer, the public and the editor
matching quotes to images task
language analysis table task
guided annotation questions for each verse (can be a group task)
fully annotated poem
A lesson looking at comparing poetry and unseen poetry skills, designed for AQA Literature. This lesson is for higher ability pupils who have ideally looked at the poems previously (Bright Star and Love’s Philosophy), though this is not essential. (A Romantic poetry unit is also available for sale, covering these poems in depth).
The lesson PPT gears pupils toward planning to compare the poems, before showing a list of comparative points, generating potential questions, discussing exam and planning techniques and honing annotation skills. It then moves to a 2 paragraph typed comparative essay that models a top grade response to a given question.
Great as wider literature poetic study in preparation for exams.
Updated Jan 2022
This resource includes 1-2 lessons worth of activities on Wordsworth’s Prelude, for AQA power and conflict poetry.
The lesson PPT includes:
2 imagery tasks (thoughts and feelings on a natural image of a foreboding mountain/ what nature is)
contextual info on Romantic poetry and questions on links to this poem
Language and tone guided annotation questions + Youtube video link
autobiographical info on Wordsworth for note making
fully annotated poem
further sub-textual reading questions (sexual awakening - requires a mature audience)
challenge and stretch discussion task around the Enclosure Acts
Ordering statement task (overview of the poem’s meaning/ subject)
further analysis link through Youtube video + exam practice question (focused on single poem, not comparative)
Written April 2022