Unseen Poetry: How to approach a poem

1. English Literature Exam: Poetry/ Unseen Unseen Poetry: How to approach a poem

2. In your response you need to show that you can; AO1 respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant quotations to illustrate and support interpretations AO2 explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings

3. Can you do empathy? If you were her mum, what would you want to give her advice on? • By the end of this lesson you will be able to: • Identify key words and themes in an unseen poem. • Read and responded to key ideas presented in an unseen poem. • Write a paragraph with three interpretations of the poem. English Literature Exam: Poetry/ Unseen

4. Carousel Graffiti Here are words/ phrases from the poem that we will study during today’s lesson. Whilst the music is playing look at each word/ phrase and graffiti your response to the connotations attached to it. SONG Connotation: Noun An idea or feeling that a word invokes for a person in addition to its literal or primary meaning. • By the end of this lesson you will be able to: • Identify key words and themes in an unseen poem. • Read and responded to key ideas presented in an unseen poem. • Write a paragraph with three interpretations of the poem. English Literature Exam: Poetry/ Unseen

5. Learning check point: initial response In the first section of your progression placemat answer the following question: Using the words around the room, what is your initial response to the poem? • By the end of this lesson you will be able to: • Identify key words and themes in an unseen poem. • Read and responded to key ideas presented in an unseen poem. • Write a paragraph with three interpretations of the poem. English Literature Exam: Poetry/ Unseen

6. Advice to a Teenage Daughter You have found a new war-game called Love. Here on your dressing-table stand arrayed brave ranks of lipsticks brandishing swords of cherry pink and flame. Behold the miniature armies of little jars, packed with the scented dynamite of flowers. See the dreaded tweezers; tiny pots of manufactured moonlight, stick-on-stars. Beware my sweet; conquest may seem easy but you can’t compete with football, motor-cycles, cars, cricket, computer games, or a plate of chips. ISOBEL THRILLING

7. Learning check point: after first reading In the second section of your progression placemat answer the following question: What do you think the poem is about? • By the end of this lesson you will be able to: • Identify key words and themes in an unseen poem. • Read and responded to key ideas presented in an unseen poem. • Write a paragraph with three interpretations of the poem. English Literature Exam: Poetry/ Unseen

8. Group task: analysis In the exam you only have 30 minutes to write about an unseen poem, therefore you must be clear about what to analyse! Important aspects of an unseen poem: Important images - what do they suggest? First line - what mood is created? Last line - what mood is created? Voice - who is speaking and how do you know? Title - how does it relate to the poem? In groups of four you will be given one of these key areas to study, be prepared to feedback your ideas. • By the end of this lesson you will be able to: • Identify key words and themes in an unseen poem. • Read and responded to key ideas presented in an unseen poem. • Write a paragraph with three interpretations of the poem. English Literature Exam: Poetry/ Unseen

9. Learning check point: initial response • In the third section of your progression placemat answer the following question: • How has the group discussion aided your understanding of the poem? • By the end of this lesson you will be able to: • Identify key words and themes in an unseen poem. • Read and responded to key ideas presented in an unseen poem. • Write a paragraph with three interpretations of the poem. English Literature Exam: Poetry/ Unseen

10. Model Response The beginning of the poem is used to immediately reveal the source of the mother’s concerns. “You have found a new war-game called Love.” The structure of the poem leaves love almost by itself on a line to highlight its importance or even to hint how love can be isolating and lonely. In the above quotation,Thrilling uses war languageto describe love, clearly suggesting that she believes it will be a painful and difficult experience, as well as fun and this is summed up by the use of oxymoron in “war game.” AO1 AO2 strucA02 lang and tech

11. Now it’s your turn! Now write one high quality paragraph as demonstrated on the previous slide about your favourite line within the poem. Use some of these phrases to help you express your ideas in a more sophisticated and literary way: The writer presents____________ as The writer has used_________ to intensify the feeling of_______ The use of ___________ accentuates the idea that_________ The writer’s use of ____________ emphasises Evocative imagery of ____________ encourages the reader to ____ Other useful words: illustrates, highlights, creates a sense of, creates the impression that… • By the end of this lesson you will be able to: • Identify key words and themes in an unseen poem. • Read and responded to key ideas presented in an unseen poem. • Write a paragraph with three interpretations of the poem. English Literature Exam: Poetry/ Unseen

12. Learning check point: initial response • In the third section of your progression placemat answer the following question: • Can you interpret a quotation from the poem in different ways? • By the end of this lesson you will be able to: • Identify key words and themes in an unseen poem. • Read and responded to key ideas presented in an unseen poem. • Write a paragraph with three interpretations of the poem. English Literature Exam: Poetry/ Unseen