A comparison of ‘Poppies’ by Jane Weir with other Edexcel 'Conflict' poems
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain similarities and differences between poets' viewpoints.
Key learning points
- 'Poppies' can be compared to many of the other war poems in the anthology.
- Unlike other war poems, 'Poppies' focuses on the relatives of soldiers who go off to war.
- 'Poppies' could be compared with poems that explore inner conflict and themes of loss.
- It's important to choose poems that complement each other and avoid tenuous links.
- Comparative language enables us to signpost the similarities and differences between two poems.
Keywords
Futility - uselessness, pointlessness or ineffectiveness
Periphery - the outer edges or boundary of something
Tenuous - lacking a strong basis, support, or clarity; weak or easily challenged
Complement - when something supports something else or makes it more effective
In media res - a story begins in the middle of the action without any exposition or introduction
Common misconception
Poppies is a poem about a mother whose son died during WWI.
Although Poppies are a symbol of remembrance for those who died in WWI, Weir uses her poem to draw attention to the many conflicts that have occurred throughout history. It isn't clear which conflict the son is heading off to fight in.
Teacher tip
When pupils are deciding how to compare, it may be a good idea to print out the titles on flash cards so students have a tactile representation of each poem that they can move around to compare in different combinations.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the Edexcel GCSE Conflict Poetry Anthology.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
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.Which of the following poems from the Edexcel 'Conflict' anthology could be described as a war poem?
Q2.Which of the following poets wrote about their firsthand experience of war?
Q3.Jane Weir's poem 'Poppies' is about ...
Q4.What is propaganda?
Q5.What is inner conflict?
Q6.Which of these sentences is written in the first person?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What does periphery mean?
Q2.What does tenuous mean?
Q3.If two poems are closely linked and there are lots of common features to explore, we could say they each other.
Q4.Which of these poems is best complements 'Poppies' when exploring the theme of war?
Q5.As well as military conflict, which other type of conflict can we identify in 'Poppies'?
Q6.Which of these poems begins 'in medias res'?
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: A comparison of ‘Poppies’ by Jane Weir with other Edexcel 'Conflict' poems, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: A comparison of ‘Poppies’ by Jane Weir with other Edexcel 'Conflict' poems, 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 Conflict poetry continued unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.