Natural imagery is the use of images of animals, landscapes and nature in a poem.

To symbolise means to represent something.

Reassurance is the action of removing someone's doubts or fears.

Consequence is a result or effect, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant.

Analysing John McCrae’s call to arms in ‘In Flanders Fields’

English

In 'Unseen Poetry', pupils need to consider the choices made by a poet, to explain how they convey meaning without having context or prior knowledge of the poem to draw on. In 'A World at War: Poetry, pupils have several opportunities to write their own poems in the style of the war poems studied, which pushes them to consider the craft of writing poetry more closely. 

In 'Myths and Legends Re-Told', pupils explore the way that poets use imagery and structural features, to inspire their own choices in narrative writing. In 'A World at War: Poetry', pupils practise adopting Wilfred Owen's style in their own poetry and also use a range of literary techniques encountered through the different poems, to produce a piece of descriptive writing.

In this unit, pupils explore how poets responded to the horrors of the First World War. They first explore Brooke's 'The Soldier', before looking at McCrae's 'In Flanders Fields' and Naidu's 'The Gift of India'. They finally write a comparative response on perspectives of war and sacrifice.

Comparing poetry from the First World War

Depiction of war, threats of war, death or the aftermath of war.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

What is dawn generally said to represent?

Typically, birds in literature represent {{ }}.

A pause in a line of poetry is known as a {{ }}.

Match the natural image from 'In Flanders Field' with the symbolism.

The act of remembering the dead is known as {{ }}.

What does the speaker in John McCrae's 'In Flanders Fields' ask the reader to do?

The action of enlisting new people in the armed forces is known as {{ }}.

What will happen to the dead soldiers if the reader of John McCrae's 'In Flanders Fields' does not take up the call to arms?

The ability to understand and share the feelings of another is known as {{ }}.

Why might John McCrae have written 'In Flanders Fields' from the perspective of the dead soldiers?

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Adult supervision recommended

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Analysing John McCrae’s call to arms in ‘In Flanders Fields’

Lesson outcome

Content guidance

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.