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      Performing the poem 'The Morning Rush' by John Foster

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can perform ‘The Morning Rush’ by John Foster.

      Key learning points

      1. Performing poetry can be an effective way to bring a poem to life for an audience.
      2. Physical gestures and actions help to make a poem more engaging to watch.
      3. We can improve our performances of poetry through practice.
      4. Varying the volume and tone of your voice when performing a poem can make a poem more engaging to listen to.

      Keywords

      • Performance - refers to the act of presenting or reciting a poem in front of an audience

      • Expression - reading with feelings and emotion to bring the poem to life

      • Volume - the loudness or softness of the voice when speaking or reading a poem

      • Gesture - a movement that helps express an idea or meaning

      Common misconception

      Pupils may think that performing a poem is the same as reading a poem aloud.

      Teach pupils that performing a poem involves carefully considering how to use volume and gestures to bring the poem to life for an audience.

      Teacher tip

      Model performing a poem yourself so your class can experience how to use volume and gestures effectively.

      Equipment

      You need a copy of the poem ‘The Morning Rush’, which is in the 2000 Oxford University Press edition of ‘Time for a Rhyme: Around the Day (Rhyme Time)’ complied by John Foster, for this lesson.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      John Foster is a __________ poet.

      French
      Correct answer: British
      Spanish

      Q2.
      John Foster is known for his engaging and __________ poetry for children.

      Correct answer: humorous
      serious
      scary

      Q3.
      Which of these is the title of a poem written by John Foster?

      'The Morning Rain'
      'The Morning Bus'
      Correct answer: 'The Morning Rush'

      Q4.
      True or false? John Foster's poems often explore both everyday experiences and imaginative scenarios and Foster is famous for finding the humour in these situations.

      Correct Answer: true, True

      Q5.
      Which of these images does Foster create in his poem 'The Morning Rush'?

      someone desperately trying to finish their homework
      Correct answer: someone frantically squeezing out toothpaste and brushing their teeth
      someone quickly putting their socks on

      Q6.
      Which of these poetic techniques is used in 'The Morning Rush' to create a sense of speed and urgency?

      alliteration
      Correct answer: repetition
      rhyming words

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      True or false? Performance in poetry refers to the act of presenting or reciting a poem in front of an audience.

      Correct Answer: true, True

      Q2.
      An __________ is a group of people gathered together to watch or listen to a performance.

      organisation
      Correct answer: audience
      order

      Q3.
      Which of these should we use to bring our performance to life and have an impact on the audience?

      Correct answer: our voice
      our handwriting
      Correct answer: our gestures
      Correct answer: our expression

      Q4.
      'The Morning Rush' by John Foster is a __________ poem, which means it is intended to be funny and make the audience smile and laugh.

      Correct answer: humorous
      sad
      calm

      Q5.
      A __________ volume could show excitement or amazement.

      quiet
      Correct answer: loud
      soft

      Q6.
      Using __________ when performing means reading with feeling to bring the poem to life.

      frustration
      Correct answer: expression
      concentration

      To help you plan your 2 English lesson on: Performing the poem 'The Morning Rush' by John Foster, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...