New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

Planning a comparative response to ideas of transience in unseen poetry

I can plan a comparative response to unseen poetry on ideas of transience.

New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

Planning a comparative response to ideas of transience in unseen poetry

I can plan a comparative response to unseen poetry on ideas of transience.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. You might begin gathering ideas by highlighting word(s) or images that relate to the theme of the question.
  2. Then, you might annotate the connotations of those word(s) and images.
  3. Next, you might consider how the structural elements relate to the theme of the question.
  4. Then, you might organise your ideas by theme in order to find common themes across both poems.

Keywords

  • Transience - the state or fact of lasting only for a short time

  • Coherent - logical and well organised; easy to understand and clear

  • Logical - characterised by or capable of clear, sound reasoning

  • Theme - a central, unifying idea

  • Progression - the act of changing to the next stage of development

Common misconception

That you should only look for differences between poems in a comparative response.

A comparative response involves analysing and exploring the similarities and differences in how two poems present an idea or concept.

It would be useful for pupils to share the notes they gathered on Robertson's 'Donegal' to see how any differences in ideas or opinions might help others develop their own ideas.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need a copy of Michael Laskey’s ‘Nobody’ and Robin Robertson’s ‘Donegal’ which are available in the additional materials.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
'A detailed proposal for doing or achieving something' is the definition of a .
Correct Answer: plan
Q2.
'The continuation of a sentence beyond the end of a line, stanza or couplet' is .
Correct Answer: enjambment
Q3.
'The central, unifying idea' in a text is the...
Correct answer: theme
mood
atmosphere
Q4.
'Characterised by or capable of clear, sound reasoning' is the definition of the word...
emotional
Correct answer: logical
dialogical
Q5.
'A pause or a break in a line of verse, often marked by punctuation' is the definition of .
Correct Answer: caesura, a caesura
Q6.
'The state or fact of lasting only for a short time' is the definition of .
Correct Answer: transience

6 Questions

Q1.
"Throw" and "plough" from Laskey's 'Nobody' and Robertson's 'Donegal' creates ideas of...
Correct answer: movement
staticity
immobility
Q2.
'Logical and well organised; easy to understand and clear' is the definition of .
Correct Answer: coherent
Q3.
'The act of changing to the next stage of development' is the definition of .
Correct Answer: progression, progress
Q4.
The word "snow" and "beach" in Laskey's 'Nobody' and Robertson's 'Donegal' suggest the transience of .
Correct Answer: nature
Q5.
The caesuras in Laskey's 'Nobody' arguably offer the reader a chance to and reflect.
Correct Answer: pause, stop
Q6.
What idea does Robertson end the poem 'Donegal' with?
Correct answer: the change in the father and daughter's relationship
missed opportunities
the end of the father and daughter's relationship

Additional material

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