Learning about the poet John Lyons
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can recall key information about the poet John Lyons.
Key learning points
- John Lyons is an English painter, writer and award-winning poet.
- John Lyons was born and brought up in Trinidad and Tobago.
- A poet is the name for someone who writes poems.
- John Lyons has published eight poetry collections.
Keywords
Poet - a writer who uses verse to convey emotions
Poem - a piece of writing that uses creative and rhythmic language to express thoughts, feelings or ideas
John Lyons - an English poet who has written numerous poems often exploring themes of nature, love and the human experience
Common misconception
There is only one correct interpretation of a poem.
There can be various ways to understand and appreciate a poem, making it a rich and subjective experience.
Teacher tip
Have copies of 'Dancing in the Rain' for pupils to read in pairs. You could also watch videos of John Lyons talking about his poems.
Equipment
You will need a copy of the 2015 Peepal Tree Press edition of Dancing in the Rain by John Lyons for this lesson.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a poem?
Q2.Which of the following are examples of figurative language?
Q3.Which of these are examples of poetic devices?
Q4.What is the purpose of rhythm in poetry?
Q5.Which of these are not a poetic form?
Q6.John Lyons is known for what?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following is true of a poet?
Q2.Which of the following is true of John Lyons?
Q3.'Dancing in the Rain' is a poetry collection for whom?
Q4.True or false? John Lyons often wrote about his childhood.
Q5.What does John Lyons describe as 'warm' in his poem 'Dancing in the Rain'?
Q6.Match the images with the language Lyons uses to describe them.
vexed
crowing loud
rattling on tin roofs
charcoal black
To help you plan your 4 English lesson on: Learning about the poet John Lyons, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 4 English lesson on: Learning about the poet John Lyons, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 English lessons from the John Lyons poetry unit, dive into the full primary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.