Lesson video

Hello and welcome.

Thank you so much for joining me for today's English lesson.

My name is Mrs. Butterworth and I will be guiding you through your learning.

Now, this lesson is all about comparing ideas of youth and nature in the poems, "The Schoolboy" and "Blackberry Picking." So make sure you have access to a copy of those because we will be doing a lot of work with those today.

So should we get started? So in this lesson, you would've compare the ideas of youth and nature in Heaney's "Blackberry Picking" and Blake's "The Schoolboy." So before we jump into the lesson, let's look at those all-important key words that will pop up throughout the lesson and will also help with our understanding.

So those words are transience, abundance, nostalgia, thesis, and conjunctions.

Now transience is the state of being temporary or short-lived, something that doesn't last long.

So we think about this word in relation to "Blackberry Picking" and the transience of time.

We also get this word abundance, and this means a large quantity or more than enough of something.

So in both poems we get this idea of the abundance of nature.

That nature is this all giving full thing.

So it has an abundance.

Nostalgia is that sentimental longing or affection for the past, often idealised.

So this is really prevalent in "Blackberry Picking," that bittersweet feeling when looking at the past.

And then we've got these two words that link to the essay writing or essay writing skills that we will look at today.

We've got the word thesis, which is a statement or argument that is developed and supported in an essay, often in response to a question, which is what we will be doing today.

And conjunctions, which are words that connect clauses, sentence or words.

So words like and, but, or, and because.

So the outline of our lesson looks like this.

We're going to begin by comparing the poems, thinking about the ideas of youth and nature.

Then we're going to look at writing comparative thesis statements.

So those all-important essay writing skills.

So let's begin by comparing the poems. So consider these summaries of Blake's "The Schoolboy," and Heaney's "Blackberry Picking." So let's look at the summaries.

So "The Schoolboy." Blake's "The Schoolboy" explores the loss of childhood freedom, contrasting the boy's joy in nature with the rigid confines of education where youth is stifled rather than nurtured.

And then "Blackberry Picking," Heaney's "Blackberry Picking" captures the fleeting excitement of childhood and the inevitable disappointment of decay, using nature's cycle to reflect the transience of youth and innocence.

So it's over to you.

I would like you please to discuss what initial similarities can you see between the poems. If you are working on your own, you may wish to think quietly to yourself or jot down some ideas.

But you will need to pause the video to get your answer to that question down.

Off you go.

So you might have said something along the lines that both poems present childhood innocence, nature's freedom, and the transition from joy to loss.

You may have something slightly different, but that's fine.

There's lots of ways of interpreting the similarities of these poems. Now I'd like you to consider the following words and phrases used to describe nature.

So in "The Schoolboy," we have these words.

The Skylark sings with me.

Oh, what sweet company.

And blasts of winter appear.

In "Blackberry Picking," we get sweet, glossy, fermented and sour.

Okay, so what I would like you to discuss please, is how do these words and phrases create a similar depiction of nature? So how are these poems using these words and phrases to create a similar depiction of nature? So you'll need to pause the video to discuss your answer to that question.

Or as I've said, you can think quietly to yourself or write down some ideas, pause the video, and off you go.

Okay, great, there's lots to think about already, isn't there? But let's just gather some key ideas.

So both poems do the following, present nature as a source of joy and abundance, highlighting its role in nurturing youth.

So both poems present nature in that way.

Both poems depict nature as awe inspiring and vibrant, evoking a sense of freedom and vitality.

So again, both similar depictions of nature in that way.

And both reveal the transition from the sublime beauty of nature to its decay and transience.

So both have these contrasts in them, don't they, these poems. So we thought about nature, I'd now like us to think about youth.

So considering the following words and phrases in relation to youth.

So let's look at those words and phrases.

So in "The Schoolboy," we get, I love to rise in a summer morn, if the tender plants are strip'd, and droop his tender wing.

In "Blackberry Picking," we get the words wine, lust, sticky and Bluebeard's.

And I'd like you to discuss, please, how do these words and phrases present the experience of youth and what might the significance be? Okay, so pause the video to discuss your ideas.

Off you go.

Thank you very much everyone.

Let's just share some of those ideas together.

So you may have said some of the following, you may have something different, that's fine.

But hopefully you are really starting to draw out those similarities of these themes.

So both poems depict youth as vibrant and full of energy, evoking excitement and vitality through nature's pleasure.

So there's those definite links isn't there, in the poems between youth, childhood and nature.

They present the experience of youth as tied to pleasure and temptation, but also they hint at the inevitable decay or loss of innocence over time.

Okay, so question time, which of the following, so there may be more than one, which of the following are similarities, so there's a plural, there's similarities between Blake's "The Schoolboy" and Heaney's "Blackberry Picking?" So you'll need to select your answers now by pausing the video.

Off you go.

Has everyone got some answers? Okay, shall we reveal the answers? And hopefully lots of you got A and C.

So A, both poems explore the theme of childhood innocence and the joy found in nature.

And both poems depict nature as a symbol of youthful freedom and abundance.

Great work everyone, let's keep going.

So now we're going to consider the following information.

Blake utilises a regular rhyme scheme throughout "The Schoolboy." Heaney uses an irregular rhyme scheme throughout "Blackberry Picking." So there's some contrasting, there's some contrasting ideas there around where how these poems use rhyme schemes.

Blake is regular, Heaney uses irregular.

We can also look at their structures and they can be represented like this.

So "The Schoolboy" has those six equal stanzas, whereas "Blackberry Picking" has two stanzas that are unequal and they're structured slightly differently within, aren't they both these poems. So I'd like you now to discuss thinking about the poems structures and rhyme scheme and form.

How might the different structures present the themes of youth and nature? Okay, so you'll need to pause the video to discuss your ideas, think quietly to yourself or jot down some ideas.

But pause the video and off you go.

Thank you so much for your interesting suggestions and perceptive observations.

So let's just look at how Andeep answered.

So Andeep says that "Blake's regular rhyme scheme reflects the constraints on youth and nature.

While Heaney's irregular structure may suggest the meandering nostalgic nature of memory and the fleeting quality of childhood joy." And I think that's a really interesting point from Andeep, isn't it, if we consider the poems. Heaney's looking back so he's presenting more of a memory, it feels very hazy.

It feels very nostalgic.

Whereas Blake's is much more immediate, isn't it? It's this child's experience right now, if you like, whilst reading the poem.

So I think Andeep is really onto something here when we are thinking about that rhyme scheme and structure in terms of what these poems are exploring and discussing.

So that's enough of me talking.

It's over to you now and I'd like you to pause the video and to discuss to what extent do you agree with Andeep's answer and why.

Off you go.

True or false time.

Blake uses an irregular rhyme scheme in "The Schoolboy" while Heaney uses a regular rhyme scheme in "Blackberry Picking." So let's read that again.

Blake uses an irregular rhyme scheme in "The Schoolboy," while Heaney uses a regular rhyme scheme in "Blackberry Picking" bit of a tongue twister there.

But you need to decide whether that statement is true or false.

So come up with your answer by pausing the video now.

Okay, so well done to everyone that noticed that that statement was false, but we now need to explain why that statement was false.

So pause the video to come up with your answer.

Okay, so it's actually the other way round in terms of regular and irregular.

So whilst both poems explore similar themes, Blake's regular rhyme scheme reflects the constraints on youth, whereas Heaney's irregular rhyme scheme conveys the nostalgic nature of memory.

We have now reached our first practise task.

So let's read this statement together.

Both poems use a first-person perspective to express personal experiences of youth and nature.

However, one significant difference between the two poems is "The Schoolboy" speaks from a child's direct viewpoint, whereas "Blackberry Picking" reflects on childhood through the lens of adult nostalgia.

So although they both use first-person perspectives, there is a slight significance between the viewpoints these are presented from.

So I'd like you please to write a response to the question, how does the difference in first-person perspective shape the portrayal of youth and nature in both poems? So think about everything we have explored and discussed up until this point to help you to answer that question.

So have you got everything you need to answer this? Great, you are going to do really well and I can't wait to see what you come up with.

So pause the video and get writing.

Well done everyone, and thank you so much for your thoughtful responses.

That was quite a tricky question and you really rose the challenge so, well done.

So let's just look at how Jacob answered.

So let's read this through together 'cause I think it's a really good response.

So, "In "The Schoolboy," the first-person perspective allows for an immediate unfiltered expression of a child's frustration and joy emphasising the between youthful freedom and societal constraints.

In contrast, "Blackberry Picking" uses adult reflection to evaluate the fleeting nature of childhood, suggesting that the intense joy of youth is inevitably followed by disappointment and decay.

This shift in perspective adds depth as the adult speaker conveys a sense of loss and nostalgia, enhancing the poem's exploration of the transience of time." So that's a really good response there, and I like how Jacob has really compared those different perspectives focusing on how "The Schoolboy" has that kind of unfiltered, immediate tone of frustration and joy next to the kind of reflective, maybe slower feeling in Heaney's poem.

So I'm now going to give you a few moments just to reread that response and then I'd like you to discuss please, to what extent do you agree and why.

So you'll need to pause the video to come up with your answers to that question.

Off you go.

And a very well done for getting this far, but there's still a little bit more work to do.

So we've compared the ideas of youth and nature in the poems and now we're going to move on to consider how we can use these to begin writing comparative thesis statements.

So first I would like to hear your thoughts.

So I'd like you to discuss or think quietly to yourself, what is the difference between a thesis and a topic sentence, okay? What is the difference between a thesis and a topic sentence? Pause the video so you can discuss your ideas now.

Off you go.

Okay, lots of really great ideas there.

So some of you really already understand that difference between thesis and a topic sentence well done.

So let's just share some answers so we are really clear on those differences.

So we've got our thesis and our topic sentence.

So a thesis is found at the start of an essay in the introduction, whereas a topic sentence is found at the start of every main body paragraph.

So you will only have one thesis, but you will have multiple topic sentences.

The thesis introduces your overarching argument.

So if we're thinking about this in terms of an essay, it will introduce what the whole essay is about, whereas a topic sentence just introduces the main idea of the paragraph of your paragraph.

And a thesis will have ideas supported by the whole text or wider themes.

So it's much more kind of general if you like.

It focuses on the big ideas, whereas a topic sentence is focused on a specific part of the text or a method.

So you can kind of think about the thesis as the big ideas, whereas the topic sentences really start to hone in on specific details.

And now a question for you.

Which of the following is a topic sentence? So should we read them through together first? Okay, both "The Schoolboy" and "Blackberry Picking" explore the fleeting nature of childhood joy and the inevitability of loss.

And B is arguably while Blake uses a child's voice to express frustration with rigid education, Heaney reflects on childhood from an adult perspective, highlighting the pain of hindsight.

Okay, so now you need to decide whether A or B is the topic sentence.

So pause the video to come up with your answer.

Off you go.

Okay, and well done to everyone that picked B, but I would like you to explain why B is the topic sentence.

Okay? So pause the video to give yourself time to think and answer that question.

Off you go.

Okay, so let's share an answer.

So sentence A makes an observation about the whole text and wider themes.

Okay, so this is more like part of a thesis statement, okay? It's talking about the wider themes, the big ideas, whereas sentence B conveys an argument that the paragraph will focus on.

So you can see that sentence or statement B is all about voice and perspective.

So it's really starting to hone in on those specific details from the poems. An effective comparative thesis statement will, present your overarching argument in response to the question and identify a similarity and a difference between the poems. So here is an essay question.

How do Blake and Heaney present the loss of childhood innocence in "The Schoolboy" and "Blackberry Picking?" So that's our essay question and here is a thesis statement in response to that.

Let's read it through together.

So both "The Schoolboy" and "Blackberry Picking" explore the loss of childhood innocence by showing how joy is temporary and inevitably fades.

However, while Blake presents this loss as a result of external control with school crushing a child's freedom, Heaney portrays it as a natural and unavoidable part of growing up.

So you can see that lovely thesis statement there really focuses on those big ideas and themes and presents a kind of overarching argument.

So everything that the analysis will be hooked onto and linked back to.

So we can also see that this thesis statement has effectively presented an overarching argument in response to the question, and it has identified both a similarity and a difference, just offering a much more interesting comparative argument.

So to express similarities between the two poems, you might use correlative conjunctions.

Now, correlative conjunctions are pairs of words that work together to connect ideas in a sentence.

So these words are things like both and, neither nor, either or, just as or so does.

Okay, so might not make sense at the moment, but let's look at some examples.

So for example, both Blake and Heaney arguably suggest that childhood freedom is fragile and easily disrupted.

So you can see those correlative conjunctions there.

Neither "The Schoolboy" nor "Blackberry Picking" presents growing up as a purely joyful experience.

So again, you can see those, that pair of correlative conjunctions working there.

So select the sentence now, which uses correlative conjunctions.

So out of a, B, and C, which sentence uses the correlative conjunctions? So pause the video to come up with your answer now.

Okay, we feeling confident? Ready for the answer? Well done to everyone that said C.

Both Blake and, so both and, Blake and Heaney referenced the fleeting nature of childhood innocence and the disappointment that follows.

So the other type of conjunction you can use as a comparative conjunction, and these can be used to demonstrate similarities or differences.

So comparative conjunction can be used, conjunctions can be used to compare ideas in a sentence.

So comparative conjunctions are things like, however, on the other hand, whereas, contrastingly, similarly, likewise, and equally.

They almost sound like those comparisons, don't they? Like they're introducing the comparison.

So let's look at an example.

Blake arguably creates a sense of loss and restriction in "The Schoolboy," however, Heaney presents a sense of inevitable disappointment in "Blackberry Picking." Let's look at another example.

Blake implies that childhood innocence is crushed by education, similarly, Heaney suggests that the joy of childhood is fleeting and marked by inevitable loss.

So you can see here how those comparative conjunctions can really help you focus your comparisons.

Okay, so we're looking for two statements now, which two of the statements use comparative conjunctions? So A, B, C, or D, you need to pick two statements that use comparative conjunctions.

So pause the video and come up with your answers now.

And a very well done to everyone that picked A and B.

So let's read those correct answers.

Blake presents the restrictions of school, whereas Heaney shows the fleeting nature of childhood joy.

Look at the next one.

Blake explores the loss of innocence through education, similarly, Heaney highlights the disappointment of growing up.

So we've got whereas, and similarly, those comparative conjunctions being used there.

Okay, so now it is over to you for your second and final practise task.

So what I would like you to do is to write your own comparative thesis statement in response to the question.

So the question is, how do Blake and Heaney explore the conflict between childhood freedom and societal expectations in "The Schoolboy" and "Blackberry Picking?" Okay, and remember that your thesis statement should, present your overarching argument in response to the question.

Identify a similarity and a difference between the poems and use conjunctions, okay? So think about the examples that we have looked at and really use them to inform your own writing of your thesis statement.

Okay, so are we ready to go? Brilliant, okay, so pause the video and get writing.

Great, thank you so much everyone.

Now getting to grips with thesis statements can take a lot of practise.

So if you are finding it challenging, I promise you the more practise you get, the easier they will become.

So a very well done for tackling that and doing your best work.

And once you get these, they're really good.

Okay, so here is Lucas's thesis statement.

"Blake and Heaney both explore the tension between childhood freedom and societal expectations.

But while Blake critiques the restrictive nature of formal education in 'The Schoolboy,' Heaney reflects on the inevitable loss of childhood freedom through the passing of time in 'Blackberry Picking.

' Both poets highlight the conflict between personal desires and external pressures, yet Blake focuses on the direct impact of societal structures, whereas Heaney emphasises the natural unavoidable process of growing up." So that's a really detailed response there from Lucas.

So let's just see where he has met the success criteria.

So Lucas has an overarching argument.

So both Blake and Heaney explore the tension between childhood freedom and societal expectations.

So we now know that in his essay, all of the analysis will kind of link back to that idea of childhood freedom and societal expectations.

It links to the question as well.

He's also identified a similarity and a difference, and you may have spied those conjunctions there that he has used to really focus his comparisons.

So it's a really detailed thesis statement from Lucas and a really good introduction for an essay.

So now I would like you to do the same with your own work.

So use the checklist to self-assess your own work.

So tick where you have an overarching argument linked to the question.

Tick where you've identified your similarity and difference and a tick where you have used conjunctions.

So pause the video to check your work.

Off you go.

Great, and now one final thing to do.

I would just like to give yourself a what went well.

So really celebrate what you have done well and an even better if, an EBI, okay? Also, if you want to change anything in your response or add something, now is a really good time to do that, okay? So pause the video to give yourself your WWW and your EBI.

Off you go.

So this marks the end of the lesson and a very well done for all of your hard work today.

We have really looked at some tricky ideas and some tricky writing skills, and you have really risen to the challenge.

So well done.

Let's just recap some of those key points.

So we know that both poems explore childhood innocence and the inevitable loss of joy.

Blake's rhyme scheme reflects social constraints, whereas Heaney's captures nostalgia.

The first-person perspective shapes how youth and nature are portrayed.

And I think that's a really interesting point of comparison there.

Comparative thesis statement should highlight both similarities and differences, which we know you can do now.

And comparative conjunctions help compare ideas.

Likewise, correlative conjunctions can create balanced comparisons.

Thank you again for your hard work.

Let's do this all again soon in another lesson.

But until then, goodbye.