Analysing ‘This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land’
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how Clarke presents colonisation in 'This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land'.
Key learning points
- 'This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land' is a poem about the colonisation of Native America.
- Clarke shows her condemnation of Native America's colonisation through the title and the description of the colonisers.
- Clarke laments the devastating effects that colonisation has had on Indigenous populations.
- Clarke ends the poem by emphasising the strength and resilience of Indigenous populations.
Keywords
Indigenous - people inhabiting land before the arrival of colonists
Colonialism - the practice of acquiring control over another country
Displaced - move something from its usual position
Connotations - the feelings, images or associations that come to your mind when you hear a word
Common misconception
Students may not immediately understand the title if they have never come across 'colonialism' before.
Take some time unpicking why Clarke equates colonisation to stealing.
Teacher tip
If your students need more context around colonialism to understand the poem, feel free to supplement the information displayed with the first reading of the poem with your own notes/visual cues/video.
Equipment
You will need a copy of 'This Poem Is Taking Place on Stolen Land' by Emily Clarke.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What does it mean to be savage?
Q2.Which words belong to the first person plural?
Q3.If using the word 'you', a poem is being written in ...
Q4.Why might a poet choose to write in the second person?
Q5.What is a connotation of the word 'dove' (the bird)?
Q6.What might the poem 'This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land' be about?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is colonisation?
Q2.What is 'This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land' by Emily Clarke about?
Q3.What was one effect of the colonisation of Native America?
Q4.'This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land' is addressed to …
Q5.Why might Clarke have written the poem 'This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land' using first person plural?
Q6.What does Clarke's transition from calling the indigenous people "pests" and then "eagles" suggest about her feelings towards colonisation in 'This Poem is Taking Placce on Stolen Land'?
To help you plan your 7 English lesson on: Analysing ‘This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 English lesson on: Analysing ‘This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land’, 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.