Writing a poem about a place | English | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

Which of these is the best definition of a free verse poem?
- to draw conclusions or make interpretations based on clues or suggestions
- a form of poetry that doesn't follow any set rules of rhyme or structure ✓
- poetry with a specific structure, rhyme and meter
Who is the poet of the poem 'London'?
- Jackie Kay
- William Blake ✓
- Joseph Coelho
Which of these best describes imagery?
- the use of language to create a mental picture or sensory experience ✓
- the overall feeling or impact that a poem leaves on the reader
- a comparison between two things by stating that one thing is another
Who is the poet of the poem 'No. 115 Dreams'?
- Jackie Kay ✓
- Ian McMillan
- Matt Goodfellow
Who was the poet of the poem 'The Old Farmer's Song'?
- Matt Goodfellow ✓
- William Blake
- Joseph Coelho
True or false? All poems about place must refer to a place that the poet has lived in.
- True
- False ✓

Match the keywords to their definitions.
- form
  
  ⇔
  
  the way that a poem can be presented ✓
- 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 ✓
True or false? Enjambment affects the flow of the poem.
- True ✓
- False
Jun's example poem about the view from his home had what kind of atmosphere?
- energetic and frantic
- strong and powerful
- calm and tranquil ✓
True or false? Poetry about a place has to contain positive imagery.
- True
- False ✓
Put the following verses in order to match the poem template based on 'Tempest Avenue' by Ian McMillan.
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  waking up
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  observation of others
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  community or environment
- 4
  
  ⇔
  
  final reflection
True or false? Writers can experiment with word order, punctuation and phrasing when developing a poem.
- True ✓
- False

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When writing a poem about a place, it’s important to paint a vivid picture of the setting through our description.
Sensory description can be used to help the reader visualise the place being written about.
Imagery we create can convey an atmosphere.
We can use poems that we have studied to inspire us in our own poem.
Using enjambment in our poems can enhance the flow of the poem, engaging the reader or listener.

Pupils may find it challenging to come up with imagery to describe their individual settings.

It would be useful to have a word bank with specific words or phrases to describe some key settings (for example, city, rural and coastal).

Form - the way that a poem can be presented
Atmosphere - the mood created in a section or whole of a text
Imagery - the use of vivid and sensory language that appeals to the reader's senses, creating vivid mental pictures and enhancing the emotional impact of the poem
Enjambment - when a line in poetry continues onto the next line without pause or punctuation, creating a sense of flow