Understanding connections in Antrobus' 'With Birds You're Never Lonely'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can understand how Antrobus presents the contrast between the natural and urban world in ‘With Birds You’re Never Lonely’.
Key learning points
- The title implies that Antrobus’ intention is to encourage the reader to forge a connection with nature.
- Arguably, the modern, urban world is presented as isolating.
- In contrast, we might see nature as being full of life and connections.
- Antrobus is a d/Deaf poet and the use of sound implies that silence can be enriching in certain circumstances.
- Antrobus often explores themes of communication, connection, and cultural inheritance.
Keywords
Aural - relating to the ear or the sense of hearing
Forge - to make or produce something, often with great difficulty
Profound - (of a state, quality, or emotion) very great or intense
Maori - a member of the indigenous people of New Zealand
Homogenous - of the same or a similar kind in nature
Common misconception
That silence is a negative thing.
Silence can also be peaceful, enriching and calming.
Teacher tip
You might talk about how Maori culture values human connections with nature.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the AQA World and Lives anthology 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.Which of the following colours do we associate with boredom and the mundane?
Q2.Imagining and describing trees that can talk is an example of...
Q3.Catching someone’s eye suggests __________ with them.
Q4.Which of the five senses does ‘aural’ refer to?
Q5.Using words that imitate the natural sound associated with their meaning is called ...
Q6.What might ‘stumbling’ represent?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.The opposite of lonely is ...
Q2.In 'With Birds You're Never Lonely', words such as “slam” and “blaring” suggest the __________ noise of the modern world.
Q3.The Maori woman in 'With Birds You're Never Lonely' learned her natural knowledge from ...
Q4.Profound means something ...
Q5.In 'With Birds You're Never Lonely', the speaker’s experience in the forest makes them __________ humanity’s relationship with nature.
Q6.Why might representing the opening stanzas of the poem 'With Birds You're Never Lonely' as a black and white picture be appropriate?
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Understanding connections in Antrobus' 'With Birds You're Never Lonely', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Understanding connections in Antrobus' 'With Birds You're Never Lonely', 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 World and lives poetry continued unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.