Introducing the context of 'London is the Place for Me'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can understand the context of 'London is the Place for Me’.
Key learning points
- ‘London is the Place for Me’ was written by Aldwyn ‘Lord Kitchener’ Roberts in 1948.
- To better understand the song and its lyrics, we can explore the context in which it was written.
- Roberts migrated to the UK aboard the Empire Windrush; his arrival coincided with a period of significant change.
- The first two stanzas were sung by Lord Kitchener at the Tilsbury docks, on board the HMT Empire Windrush.
- Roberts’ experiences were not the same for all people who migrated from the Caribbean.
Keywords
Context - the setting or background that helps us to understand something better
Lyrics - the words of a song, often written in a poetic style
Calypso - a style or genre of Afro-Caribbean music, which was developed in Trinidad and Tobago during the 19th and 20th century
British Empire - the name given to the colonies, dominions and other territories ruled to some degree by and from Britain
Migration - to move from one place to another
Common misconception
Pupils may not fully understand the context in which the song was written.
It would be useful to complete/recap the unit 'Coming to England: reading' prior to starting this unit, to further contextualise the experience from a biographical perspective.
Teacher tip
You may wish allow for time to play the song several times throughout the session. Additional songs by Lord Kitchener could be played at other times during the school day. The Pathé news clip (mentioned in the second cycle) is freely accessible online and can better contextualise the information.
Equipment
You need a copy of the lyrics & recording of ‘London Is the Place for Me’ by Lord Kitchener which is featured on the 2013 Honest Jon’s Records album ‘London Is The Place For Me’ for this lesson.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which best describes the lyrics of a song?
Q2.True or false? Finding out the context of when something was written can better support understanding.
Q3.Which of the following are genres of music?
Q4.True or false? All poetry has to rhyme.
Q5.Match the following types of figurative language to their definitions.
compares two things using 'like' or 'as'
describing a non-living thing as if it acts or feels like a human
comparing something by saying that it is something else
Q6.If someone migrates, what are they doing?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the keywords to the correct definitions.
the setting or background that helps us to understand something better
the words of a song, often written in a poetic style
a style of Afro-Caribbean music, developed in Trinidad & Tobago
the name given to the countries ruled to some degree by Britain
to move from one place to another
Q2.Who is the artist of the song 'London is the Place for Me'?
Q3.True or false? Aldwyn Roberts named himself after the British military figure Horatio Kitchener.
Q4.Which of the following statements are true?
Q5.Which best describes the atmosphere or tone of the song and the lyrics?
Q6.Put the following events in chronological order.
To help you plan your 6 English lesson on: Introducing the context of 'London is the Place for Me', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 6 English lesson on: Introducing the context of 'London is the Place for Me', 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 Poetry about migration unit, dive into the full primary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.