the main topic or idea that the poet is writing about

the use of language to create a mental picture or sensory experience for the reader or listener

to find out more about a topic or idea, using reliable sources

Reading and responding to 'Pike' by Ted Hughes

English

Reading and responding to 'The Invaders' and 'Kingfisher' by John Foster

Reading, responding to&performing 'A Bird came down the Walk' by Emily Dickinson

Reading and performing 'The Snow Leopard' by Philip Gross

Exploring human relationships with animals through poetry

Reading and performing 'Blackbird' by John Foster &'Hawk Roosting' by Ted Hughes

Introduction to 'The Tyger' by William Blake

Reading and responding to 'The Tyger' by William Blake

Performing 'The Tyger' by William Blake

Learning animal poetry by heart

In this unit, pupils read and analysed classic and contemporary poetry about animals, exploring structure, form and language, whilst developing personal responses. In 'Poetry of Place', pupils build on this knowledge, reading and analysing classic and contemporary poetry that evokes a strong sense of place.

In 'Poetry inspired by weather', pupils read and responded to a range of poetry linked to weather, exploring form, structure and language, whilst developing personal responses. In 'Poetry inspired by animals', pupils build on this knowledge, reading and analysing classic and contemporary poetry about animals, exploring structure, form and language, whilst developing personal responses.

In this unit, pupils read, respond to and perform classic and contemporary poetry about animals by a range of different poets. They explore form, structure and language, whilst developing personal responses. Finally, pupils use a range of strategies to support learning poetry by heart.

Poetry inspired by animals

the use of language to create a mental picture or sensory experience

Match these keywords to their definitions.

Which of these adjectives best describe the pike in the poem?

True or false? Doing research around a poem's subject can provide readers with a deeper understanding of a poem’s themes. 

describes the pike’s natural habitat and how they are apex predators

describes the speaker’s own experience of keeping pike in a fish tank

describes a pond where the speaker used to fish

Match each verse grouping to the topic explored.

Which poet wrote the poem 'The Song of the Whale'?

Which of these examples use alliteration?

an organism that eats other organisms to obtain energy and nutrients 

an animal that is hunted and eaten by other animals as food

an animal that hunts and eats other animals for food

Which of these is the most appropriate definition of a **predator**?

a form of poetry consisting of five lines

a form of poetry that doesn't follow any set rules of rhyme or structure

a form of poetry that expresses deep admiration for a person, object or idea

Which of the following best describes a **free verse poem**?

the waves whispered secrets; the fish listened

Which of these examples use personification?

Which of the following are types of fish?

Starter Quiz

Which poet wrote the poem 'The Song of the Whale'?