First KS3 poetry lesson plan
Use our first KS3 poetry lesson plan from Susie Musgrove to make poetry relevant to learners by asking them to apply their critical skills to song lyrics…
Learning objectives
- Learn about the links between poetry and music
- Identify poetic techniques in song lyrics
- Understand the tone of a song by analysing key lyrics
You will need
- your choice of song lyrics
- poetry grid sheets
- internet connection
- post-it notes
KS3 poetry starter activity
As students enter the room, project the lyrics of the chorus of the song MOSH by Eminem on your whiteboard, using the heading “War Poetry”.
Ask your students to guess the title and author of the ‘poem’, prompting them with questions about the tone and subject of the poem and the language used. Then reveal the answer, if they don’t themselves.
If you’re not sure about the appropriateness of Eminem in your classroom you could use an alternative, such as I Will Wait by Mumford and Sons or Set Fire to the Rain by Adele and use the heading ‘Love Poetry’.
This activity should get your students thinking about the similarities between song lyrics and poetry.
Susie Musgrove is schools officer at the National Literacy Trust. Follow the National Literacy Trust on Twitter at @Literacy_Trust.
Second KS3 poetry lesson plan
Help your students sharpen their critical skills by pairing poems with popular music that covers similar thematic ground, suggests Emily Bearman….
Utilise the medium of music and role models, in the form of rap, hip hop and spoken word artists, to help students explore shared conventions and express themselves, while building their confidence and ability to inspire their peers.
By comparing poets to songwriters, and making connections between poetry and rap music, it’s possible to develop students’ creativity, oracy, confidence and ability to express themselves.
Learning objectives
- Identify and compare key poetic conventions used in a variety of texts
- Explore narratives from different genres, considering the contextual factors of each piece
- Strengthen students’ cultural capital, enabling them to access a broader range of creative stimuli
KS3 poetry starter activity
Start with an open-ended question on the board, assigning students two images that relate to the poem and/or piece of music you’re looking at.
Encourage students to make connections between each of the images and present these via mini-whiteboards or Post-it notes. How can you get from each image in five words?
Students will sometimes make the same connections, indicating shared ideas. Challenge more able students to identify common themes or emotions linked to both images.
Emily Bearman is second in English at Maltings Academy in Witham, Essex. Browse more KS3/4 poetry lesson plans.
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- Power and conflict poetry – Use war photos to make thematic links
- Worlds and Lives poetry anthology – Ultimate revision guide
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- GCSE English creative writing – Practical guide for students
