Exploring what home means through the poem ‘Filter’
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explore how the poem 'Filter' by Suma Subramaniam shows that home can reflect our authentic self.
Key learning points
- The poem 'Filter' reveals that home is a place that reflects our authentic selves.
- Subramaniam seems to take pride in her identity as reflected in her home.
- Home can reveal our heritage, hobbies and personality.
- We can help the reader understand what our home is like by inviting them inside via poetic descriptions.
Keywords
Authentic - real and/or true
Filter - something that holds back elements or modifies the appearance of something
Heritage - the history, traditions and practices of a particular country or society
Common misconception
Students may not immediately think they can relate to the poem, if their own home does not have distinct elements of their culture or heritage.
Explain how everyone can relate to the idea of having a filter on. Whilst Subramaniam takes off her filter and reveals her heritage at home, your students might reveal their true personality or hobbies through home.
Teacher tip
If you feel comfortable doing so, tell students about your authentic self to foster a safe and open environment.
Equipment
You will need a copy of the poem 'Filter' by Suma Subramaniam 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 might it mean if someone has a filter on when interacting with you?
Q2.If something is called 'authentic', what does it mean?
Q3.Your heritage is shaped by ...
Q4.What is direct address?
Q5.Why might a writer use direct address?
Q6.What is the purpose of a list?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why is the title important when reading a poem?
Q2.In her poem 'Filter', what does Suma Subramaniam reveal to the reader about her identity through her home?
Q3.If we are able to shed our filter when we are at home, what does it suggest?
Q4.What does Suma Subramaniam invite the reader to do in her poem 'Filter'?
Q5.What emotion does Suma Subramaniam seem to have towards her authentic self in 'Filter'?
Q6.Why might Suma Subramaniam have used direct address in 'Filter'?
To help you plan your 7 English lesson on: Exploring what home means through the poem ‘Filter’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 English lesson on: Exploring what home means through the poem ‘Filter’, 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.