Exploring Walter de la Mare's poem 'Brueghel's Winter'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can write a descriptive paragraph inspired by Bruegel's painting 'The Hunters in the Snow' and Walter de la Mare's poem 'Breughel’s Winter'.
Key learning points
- Walter de la Mare's 'Brueghel’s Winter' is an ekphrastic poem.
- An ekphrastic poem is a poem which describes a piece of art, and is inspired by it.
- You can look at a poem as a whole and consider how the descriptions work together to create a particular tone or mood.
- You can look at the descriptions individually and consider the effect they have.
- You can consider the tone you wish to create in your own writing, and then select words and phrases to create this tone.
Keywords
Dominant - most powerful, overbearing, influential
Ekphrastic - a poem which describes a piece of art, and is inspired by it
Tone - the attitude and emotion of your voice - written or verbal
Dejected - depressed, downcast
Ominous - something suggesting something bad is about to happen
Common misconception
The use of adjectives is a simple technique, so there isn't much point analysing a writer's use of them, or planning for them in your own writing.
Adjectives are a wonderful way to express tone, nuanced meaning and atmosphere. As such, they can be rich for analysis, and have a powerful effect on your own descriptive writing.
Teacher tip
Consider how long your pupils will need to write their own descriptive paragraphs and work the timings for the rest of the lesson backwards from there.
Equipment
You will need a copy of Walter de la Mare's 'Brueghel's Winter' which can be found in the additional materials.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.In the unit 'Myths, Legends and stories', we look at two paintings by Pieter Bruegel. What are their names?
Q2.In the unit 'Myths, Legends and stories that inspire', we look at a painting called 'The Hunters in the Snow' by Pieter Bruegel. What is in the background of this painting?
Q3.In the unit 'Myths, Legends and stories that inspire', we look at a painting called 'The Hunters in the Snow' by Pieter Bruegel. What is in the foreground of this painting?
Q4.In the unit 'Myths, Legends and stories that inspire', we look at a painting called 'The Hunters in the Snow' by Pieter Bruegel. What is true of this painting?
Q5.In 'Myths, Legends and stories that inspire', we look at a painting called 'The Hunters in the Snow'. What word most accurately describes how Bruegel depicts the hunters?
Q6.In 'Myths, Legends and stories that inspire', William Carlos Williams's poem inspired by 'The Hunters in the Snow' by Bruegel. What word does he use to describe the hunters?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Starting with the first, put the selected artworks from 'Myths, Legends and stories that inspire' in chronological order.
Q2.Match each artist, all important to 'Myths, Legends and stories that inspire', to something we know about them.
16th century landscape painter
English 20th century poet; wrote 'Breughel’s Winter'
American poet; wrote two poems inspired by Bruegel
British-American 20th century poet; wrote 'Musée des Beaux Arts'
Q3.Match these words, all important to 'Myths, Legends and stories that inspire', to their meaning.
downcast, depressed
suggesting something bad is going to happen
thin
silent
menacing, scary
Q4.Both de la Mare and Williams wrote poems inspired by Bruegel's 'The Hunters in the Snow' ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire'). What are some of their differences?
Q5.These adjectives are all taken from Walter de la Mare’s poem 'Bruegel’s Winter' ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire'). Match each to the noun it describes.
mountains
scene
quiet
shapes
huntsmen
Q6.Walter de la Mare's poem 'Bruegel’s Winter' ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire') begins: "Jagg'd mountain peaks and skies ".
To help you plan your 8 English lesson on: Exploring Walter de la Mare's poem 'Brueghel's Winter', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 English lesson on: Exploring Walter de la Mare's poem 'Brueghel's Winter', 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 3 English lessons from the Myths, legends and stories that inspire unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.