Writing a free verse poem inspired by John Lyons' poem 'Carnival Dance Lesson'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can write a free verse poem inspired by John Lyons' poem 'Carnival Dance Lesson'.
Key learning points
- ‘Free verse’ refers to a type of poetry that doesn’t follow a specific rhyme scheme or structure.
- The themes and tone of a poem can be inferred from analysing the structure and language of the poem.
- Descriptive vocabulary using the five senses enables the poet to paint a vivid picture for the reader.
- Writing a free verse poem relies on the poet’s creativity rather than following rules of traditional poems.
- Both rhyme and rhythm contribute to the overall musical quality of a poem by emphasising certain words or emotions.
Keywords
Free verse - a form of poetry that does not adhere to regular meter or rhyme patterns, allowing for greater flexibility and freedom of expression
Rhyme - the similarity of sounds between the ending syllables of words, creating a musical quality and pattern in a poem
Rhythm - the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables, creating a musical and rhythmic flow in a poem
Common misconception
The focus should be on finding rhyming words.
Poets should aim for natural and purposeful rhymes that complement the poem's intent rather than forcing words to fit a specific pattern.
Teacher tip
Find videos of carnivals that showcase the extravagance of parades, costumes and music, pausing at various points to discuss how each of the five senses of sight, sound, taste, touch and smell are affected.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What effect does rhyme have in the poem ‘Carnival Dance Lesson’?
Q2.Which poetic devices does John Lyons use in the poem ‘Carnival Dance Lesson’?
Q3.Which verb best fits the following sentence? The electrifying atmosphere of carnival __________ with vibrant music, dazzling colours and joyous celebrations.
Q4.Which pair of adjectives best fits the following sentence? The __________ street revellers sang and danced to the calypso music at carnival.
Q5.Which noun phrase best fits this sentence? The __________ paraded along the crowded, noisy streets.
Q6.Match the pair of adjectives to the noun.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What are the senses that are used to generate vocabulary for a free verse poem?
Q2.True or false? John Lyons' poem 'Carnival Dance Lesson' has a repeated rhyming refrain.
Q3.What are the main themes of the poem 'Carnival Dance Lesson'?
Q4.Which pair of adjectives best fit the blanks in the following sentence? The __________, __________ costumes dazzled the rowdy crowds at carnival.
Q5.Which pair of adjectives best fit the blanks in the following sentence? __________, __________ music boomed through the streets.
Q6.Which pair of adjectives best fit the blanks in the following sentence? The smell of __________, __________ caramel popcorn permeated the air.
To help you plan your 4 English lesson on: Writing a free verse poem inspired by John Lyons' poem 'Carnival Dance Lesson', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 4 English lesson on: Writing a free verse poem inspired by John Lyons' poem 'Carnival Dance Lesson', 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.