Comparing ‘Checking Out Me History’ and ‘The Émigrée’
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can compare how Agard and Rumens present conflict and identity in their poems.
Key learning points
- Both ‘The Émigrée’ and ‘Checking Out Me History’ explore big ideas of oppression, power and identity.
- Both poems criticise oppressive systems due to the detrimental effect they can have on identity.
- Both poets reconnect with their heritage: Rumens personifying her country and Agard telling stories in his dialect.
- Both poems use the motif of light to show the power of personal identity.
- Both poets ultimately reveal how one can reclaim their sense of identity.
Keywords
Oppression - cruel or unfair treatment
Triumph - to defeat someone or something
Heritage - a person’s racial, religious or cultural background
Reclaim - to take back something that was yours
Common misconception
Pupils may notice the theme of oppression in ‘The Émigrée’ due to the mention of war, but not notice this in 'Checking Out Me History'.
'Checking Out Me History' explores how Agard presents colonisation and its effects as oppressive.
Teacher tip
You can substitute another poem about identity to compare with either 'Checking Out Me History' or 'The Emigree' if it better suits the needs of your class.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the AQA Power and Conflict Anthology for this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
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 is 'oppression'?
Q2.What does Agard present as unfair in his poem 'Checking Out Me History'?
Q3.Why did the speaker of 'The Émigrée' leave her native country?
Q4.How do both Agard and Rumens present 'identity' in their poems 'Checking Out Me History' and 'The Émigrée'?
Q5.Both Agard and Rumens use __________ imagery to highlight the power of their heritage.
Q6.What is a multiple paragraph outline?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.How could Agard's education be considered 'oppressive'?
Q2.How do both Agard and Rumens present insitutional power in their poems 'Checking Out Me History' and 'The Émigrée'?
Q3.Both Agard and Rumens experience a __________ identity due to oppressive external factors.
Q4.What method do both Agard and Rumens use to present the power of identity in 'Checking Out Me History' and 'The Émigrée'?
Q5.Which word best describes the tone at the end of both 'Checking Out Me History' and ‘The Émigrée’?
Q6.What might both Agard and Rumens message be about identity through their poems 'Checking Out Me History' and 'The Émigrée'?
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Comparing ‘Checking Out Me History’ and ‘The Émigrée’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Comparing ‘Checking Out Me History’ and ‘The Émigrée’, 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 4 English lessons from the Power and conflict poetry continued unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.