Understanding the Poem 'Kamikaze'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the events and big ideas of the poem ‘Kamikaze’.
Key learning points
- The poem is based on Kamikaze pilots in WW2 who sacrificed their lives whilst attacking enemy ships.
- Garland explores national vs personal duty in the poem.
- In the poem, thoughts of nature and family seem to make the pilot turn back on his mission.
- The Kamikaze pilot is shunned upon returning home.
- Garland explores the importance placed upon honour and national duty.
Keywords
Honour - good character and reputation; highly respected.
Shame - loss of honour or respect.
Shun - persistently avoid or reject something/someone.
Poignant - evoking sadness or regret.
Common misconception
Students may not recognise the act of storytelling in the poem nor the four generations that feature.
Explain to the students the poem has one narrator but she is telling the story in 3rd person at the beginning, later revealing herself as the main character as the poem uses italics.
Teacher tip
You may want to spend a little more time looking at the context and Beatrice Garland's motivation for writing the poem in this lesson.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the AQA Power and Conflict Anthology for this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What are incantations?
Q2.Which line below contains natural imagery?
Q3.What is national duty?
Q4.What does it mean if something is ironic?
Q5.When did WW2 occur?
Q6.What is nostalgia?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.How many generations are referred to in the poem 'Kamikaze'?
Q2.Who is the narrator of 'Kamikaze'?
Q3.What summarises the job of a Kamikaze pilot?
Q4.In the poem 'Kamikaze', how did the family treat the Kamikaze pilot once he returned home?
Q5.In 'Kamikaze', the way in which the family of the Kamikaze pilot shun him when he returns home, reflects...
Q6.In 'Kamikaze', the difficult decision of the Kamikaze pilot to turn back and come home reflects...
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: Understanding the Poem 'Kamikaze', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: Understanding the Poem 'Kamikaze', 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 from summer 2027) unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.