‘Where Have All the Flowers Gone?’: a song of conviction
I can explain how structure and imagery can be used to take a stand.
‘Where Have All the Flowers Gone?’: a song of conviction
I can explain how structure and imagery can be used to take a stand.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- A poem can be turned into song and used to take a stand.
- ‘Where Have All The Flowers Gone’ is a famous anti-war song.
- The song uses a cyclical structure to show the inevitability of war.
- The imagery of flowers in the poem reflects the beauty and innocence that is destroyed by war.
- Repetition of “where” and “learn” reinforces the sense of loss and history’s inability to teach us about violence.
Keywords
Poignant - making you feel sad
Melancholy - feeling or expressing a deep sadness
To reinforce - to make something stronger
Refrain - a short part of a song or poem that is repeated
Indictment - something that shows a policy or system is bad or wrong
Common misconception
Students may think that there is a very clear distinction between poetry and music lyrics.
Encourage students to consider what the poetry and song lyrics have in common. For example the use of verses and refrains, as well as the use of figurative language, often crosses over.
To help you plan your year 8 english lesson on: ‘Where Have All the Flowers Gone?’: a song of conviction, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 english lesson on: ‘Where Have All the Flowers Gone?’: a song of conviction, 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 Taking a stand unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
You will need access to the words of the song 'Where Have All the Flowers Gone' by Pete Seeger.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
moving, touching
sad, sorrowful
to strengthen
accusation