Starter quiz
- What is identity?
- the qualities that make a person unique or themself ✓
- regarded as perfect or better than in reality
- spread through something
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- What does tone mean?
- whether a poem is written in first, second or third person
- whether a poem is written in past, present of future tense
- the mood and feelings within a poem ✓
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- What is colonisation?
- the act of settling and establishing control over an area and its people ✓
- the act of freeing an area
- the act of moving home for safety reasons
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- What is included when thinking of the context of a poem?
- the interesting language choices the poet has used
- the reason why a poet may have written their poem ✓
- a poet's background ✓
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- What do you notice about the following words: 'star', 'fire', 'sunrise'?
- they all use natural imagery ✓
- they all evoke light and warmth ✓
- they all evoke feelings of violence
- they use anti-pastoral imagery
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- What does it mean to advocate?
- to fight against something
- to stand up for yourself
- to support a cause ✓
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Exit quiz
- Where was Agard educated?
- Britain
- Guyana ✓
- Ghana
- Jamaica
- USA
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- What type of education did Agard receive?
- holistic
- diverse
- Eurocentric ✓
- Caribbean focused
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- Why was Agard's education Eurocentric?
- Guyana was colonised by Britain ✓
- Guyana was independent
- Agard sought to learn more about European history
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- In the italicised sections of 'Checking Out Me History', Agard...
- condemns his Eurocentric education
- celebrates Caribbean figures ✓
- asks the reader questions about their own history
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- Which stylistic choice within 'Checking Out Me History' shows Agard affirming his identity and heritage?
- use of Guyanese creole ✓
- use of enjambment
- use of indignant tone
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- What could one of Agard's purposes be for writing the poem 'Checking Out Me History'?
- to advocate for more cultural awareness and diverse curriculum in schools ✓
- to encourage other people to write poetry
- to celebrate British history
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Agard received a Eurocentric perspective on history, growing up in Guyana whilst it was a British colony.
- Agard shares his indignation that the education system restricted him from understanding his full identity.
- In his poem, Agard affirms his Caribbean heritage through his use of Guyanese creole.
- Agard celebrates Caribbean figures, neglected in his history lessons, in the italicised sections of the poem.
- One of Agard’s messages could be the importance of breaking free from restrictive systems.
Common misconception
Students may think that Agard went to school in Britain and that is the reason for his Eurocentric education.
Agard was schooled in Guyana whilst it was a British colony, this is the reason for his Eurocentric education. Learning about the colonisation of Guyana can help students to understand Agard's indignation.
Keywords
Eurocentric - focusing on European culture to the exclusion of the rest of the world
Indignant - showing anger or frustration at unfair treatment
Creole - a language developed from a mixture of different languages
Colonisation - the act of settling and establishing control over the indigenous people of an area
Indigenous - the people inhabiting a land before the arrival of colonists
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