Analysing the poem 'Island Man' by Grace Nichols
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can understand and analyse the poem ‘Island Man’.
Key learning points
- The process of moving home can be very difficult and emotional.
- The poem ‘Island Man’ is based on Nichols’ own experience of migration
- ‘Island Man’ suggests a fondness and nostalgia for life in the Caribbean.
- ‘Island Man’ shows the difficulties one might face adjusting to a new home.
- ‘Island Man’ is arranged in two sections perhaps reflecting the dual nature of the man’s identity after migration.
Keywords
Sensory language - language used to describe the five senses: touch, smell, sound, taste, sight
Nostalgia - longing for a past time or place
Identity - the characteristics that makes someone who they are
Migration - movement from one country to another
Common misconception
The poem 'Island Man' only tells the story of someone that misses the Caribbean.
The poem 'Island Man' can help to tell the story of any migrant who experiences nostalgia for their home country.
Teacher tip
If any of your pupils have experienced migration and are comfortable with the topic, they can base their letter on their own experiences for practice Task A.
Equipment
A copy of the poem 'Island Man' by Grace Nichols from 'The Fat Black Woman's Poems' is needed for this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is sensory language?
Q2.What sense is being appealed to in the following sentence: 'The sky was painted a deep blue.'?
Q3.What is a womb?
Q4.Which word is a possessive pronoun?
Q5.What does 'annotation' mean?
Q6.What is a stanza?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is nostalgia?
Q2.How does Nichols show the man's nostalgia for life in the Caribbean in the poem 'Island Man'?
Q3.Why might Nichols have used the word 'emerald' to describe the island in 'Island Man'?
Q4.What does the poem 'Island Man' suggest about Nichols' feelings towards London after she migrated from the Caribbean?
Q5.What is interesting about the structure of 'Island Man'?
Q6.Why may have Nichols written the poem 'Island Man'?
To help you plan your 7 English lesson on: Analysing the poem 'Island Man' by Grace Nichols, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 English lesson on: Analysing the poem 'Island Man' by Grace Nichols, 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 Poetry about place and home unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.