Starter quiz
- Which of the following poems explore the theme of nature in the Eduqas poetry anthology?
- 'Living Space'
- 'Hawk Roosting' ✓
- 'The Prelude' ✓
- 'The Manhunt'
- 'London'
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- What might the word 'serenity' mean?
- the state of being deeply reflective and thoughtful
- the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled ✓
- the state of being deeply unsettled and anxious
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- Complete the quotation from Wordsworth's 'The Prelude': "So through the darkness and the cold we ______".
- 'flew' ✓
- What is 'natural imagery'?
- language associated with nature that creates a vivid picture in the mind ✓
- language associated with nature that inspired the poet's writing
- language associated with nature that the poet repeats throughout the poem
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- What does the phrase 'using something as a vehicle' mean?
- using one thing as a means of undermining another
- using one thing as a means of exploring or meeting another aim ✓
- using one thing as a way of championing another
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- Match the poem up to the correct summary of it.
- 'Hawk Roosting'⇔written from the perspective of a bird ✓
- 'The Prelude'⇔about the young speaker ice skating with his friends ✓
- 'Death of a Naturalist'⇔about the speaker's enthusiasm for nature that turns to fear ✓
- 'To Autumn'⇔a love poem to the poet's favourite season, used to reach acceptance ✓
- 'As Imperceptibly as Grief'⇔used to explore the slow passing of time ✓
Exit quiz
- Which of the following is the correct definition for the word 'transition'?
- a state of consistency and regulation
- a change or shift from one thing into another ✓
- a state of disorder or disarray
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- How might you describe the tone used in Dickinson's poem 'As Imperceptibly as Grief'?
- angry
- ominous
- reflective ✓
- optimistic
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- Which of the following makes a great comparative topic sentence?
- a summary of both poems
- comparative connectives ✓
- clear signposting of which poem you are referring to ✓
- using a quotation
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- What similar method do Heaney and Wordsworth use in their poems 'Death of a Naturalist' and 'The Prelude'?
- repetition
- extended metaphor
- onomatopoeia ✓
- mirroring
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- What similar method do both Keats and Dickinson employ in their poems 'To Autumn' and 'As Imperceptibly as Grief'?
- They both use a consistent rhyme scheme.
- They both use natural imagery to represent human emotion. ✓
- They both use onomatopoeia throughout their poems.
- They both use enjambment frequently.
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- Here is an example thesis statement: In the poem, the poet illustrates the lack of dignity in dying at war, thereby portraying the brutal reality of war.' How could we improve this thesis statement?
- include a quotation to support the argument
- include discussion of methods
- be clearer about which poem you are discussing ✓
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Some of the poems’ subject is nature, others use nature as a vehicle for the exploration of human emotion.
- Comparing poems that explore the same theme in a different way can make for an interesting comparison.
- Comparative conjunctions should be used to compare language, form and structure of poems.
- Your comparison can explore the similar methods that poets use to convey their perspectives or ideas.
- For example, some of the poets on the anthology use seasonal transitions as a metaphor for human emotion.
Common misconception
Students might not realise that they can talk about how the theme of nature is used in a poem, as well as how it is presented.
Keats and Dickinson both use the theme of nature as a vehicle to explore human emotion. Here, the theme of nature is used almost as a method in the poems.
Keywords
Transition - a change or shift from one thing into another
Reflective - deeply thoughtful
Serenity - being calm, peaceful and untroubled
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