Starter quiz
- True or false? Poems written about animals must always be positive.
- True
- False ✓
- What is the poetic term for when a sentence or phrase continues over the end of a line of poetry?
- impression
- enjambment ✓
- theme
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- Another word for the atmosphere of a poem is the ...
- mood. ✓
- volume.
- subject.
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- True or false? A poem must always contain four lines in each verse.
- True
- False ✓
- Which of the following words links to the speed at which poetry is read aloud?
- figurative language
- pace ✓
- imagery
-
- When reading an exciting piece of poetry aloud, what volume is most appropriate?
- whispering
- soft
- loud ✓
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Exit quiz
- Who is the poet of 'A Bird came down the Walk'?
- 'Emily Dickinson' ✓
- Which country did Emily Dickinson write most of her poetry in?
- the United States of America ✓
- Canada
- England
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- Match the following keywords to their definitions.
- imagery⇔the use of language to create a mental picture or sensory experience ✓
- gestures⇔a movement that helps express an idea or meaning ✓
- pace⇔the speed or rhythm at which a poem is read or performed ✓
- Put the following events found in the poem ‘A Bird came down the Walk’ in order.
- 1⇔The bird eats an angleworm.
- 2⇔The bird has a drink from a dew drop on a blade of grass.
- 3⇔The bird lets a beetle pass.
- 4⇔The speaker of the poem offers the bird a crumb to eat.
- Match the following words to their definitions.
- dew⇔tiny drops of water that form on surfaces ✓
- seam⇔a line or division ✓
- velvet⇔a soft fabric ✓
- Which of the following effects can dashes (caesuras) have on a poem?
- A dash can create emphasis. ✓
- A dash can control the pacing of a poem. ✓
- A dash can add dramatic effect. ✓
- A dash can signal the end of the poem.
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- The poem describes a bird that comes down a garden path and interacts with the natural world around it.
- ‘A Bird came down the Walk’ can be described as a fixed verse poem; it consists of five verses, containing four lines.
- Dashes create a pause in the poem; these can also be called caesuras.
- Dashes can be used to create emphasis, add dramatic effect or control the pacing of a poem.
- Understanding a poem, its language, imagery & the impression it creates will help us to create an impactful performance.
Common misconception
Pupils may not recognise all of the rhyming words.
Explain to pupils that some words may not rhyme based on the accent of the person reading them. Likewise, other words may rhyme when read in Dickinson's native American accent.
Keywords
Atmosphere - the mood created in a section or whole of a text
Imagery - the use of language to create a mental picture or sensory experience for the reader or listener
Gesture - a movement that helps express an idea or meaning
Pace - the speed or rhythm at which a poem is read or performed
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