Understanding 'Death of a Naturalist' by Seamus Heaney
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the story that the poem tells, as well as how the poem is used as a metaphor.
Key learning points
- Seamus Heaney's 'Death of a Naturalist' tells the story of a young child who frequents a flax-dam to observe the nature.
- The naturalist is the young speaker, whose enthusiasm and love of nature "dies" in the poem.
- The speaker's intrigue and excitement for nature is replaced by a fear of nature.
- The poem could be a metaphor for growing older and becoming more disillusioned with the world around you.
- Arguably, the adult frogs could represent the ugliness of the adult world.
Keywords
Naturalist - a person who studies plants, animals, insects and other living things
Obscene - shocking and offending
Intrigue - interest and curiosity
Disillusioned - feeling disappointed in the reality of something you thought would be better than it actually is
Common misconception
Students think that the frogs are literally attacking the speaker.
The description in the poem of the frogs as an army is the speaker's perception of the frogs - it is how he imagines them to be behaving.
Teacher tip
Show the students some pictures of flax-dams or some videos about how flax is prepared and used so that they better understand the context.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the Eduqas poetry anthology for this lesson.
Content guidance
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 a metaphor?
Q2.Which of the following words have negative connotations?
Q3.What might the word 'obscene' mean?
Q4.What does the word 'nimble' mean?
Q5.Which of the following words suggests decay?
Q6.Which of the following poems explore the theme of a loss of innocence?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a naturalist?
Q2.Who does the speaker learn about frogs from in 'Death of a Naturalist'?
Q3.What tone does the speaker adopt when describing the transforming frogspawn in 'Death of a Naturalist'?
Q4.'Death of a Naturalist' could be a for our loss of innocence as we mature from childhood to adulthood.
Q5.Which of the following sentences uses the word 'disillusioned' (or a form of it) correctly?
Q6.What might the adult frogs represent in 'Death of a Naturalist'?
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Understanding 'Death of a Naturalist' by Seamus Heaney, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Understanding 'Death of a Naturalist' by Seamus Heaney, 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 Poetry anthology (Assessment until summer 2026) unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.