Scheme of work
This scheme is based on the assumption that each lesson is one hour long. For a number of the poems, particularly the longer pre-1914 pieces, teachers may find that more than one lesson is required.
By the end of the unit of lessons, students should be able to…
- Understand and comment on the themes within the four poems in the unit;
- Use poetic terminology when evaluating features of the poems;
- Use the Point, Evidence, Evaluation method in their essays;
- Compare and contrast the poems in question effectively;
- Structure an essay containing four poems.
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Lesson One
As a previous homework, ask students to read Sonnet 130, Anne Hathaway, My father thought it bloody queer and My Last Duchess and make notes on what they consider to be important points of the poems. Do not let them write in their anthologies yet as they will end up with too much annotation.
Starter: Brainstorm facts about Shakespeare to assess prior knowledge; point out key features of sonnet.
Main: Read Sonnet 130 to class and discuss ideas raised in homework.
Development: Work through Powerpoint presentation, guiding students to annotate their anthologies. Teachers may wish to give extra information and expand on certain aspects of language [the amount of this will depend on the ability of the class].
Plenary: Sum up view presented by Shakespeare on the subject of love and relationships.
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Lesson Two
Starter: Discuss what is known about Anne Hathaway and her marriage to Shakespeare. Ask students to comment on their initial impressions of the quotation from Shakespeare’s will.
Main: Read Anne Hathaway.
Development: As with Sonnet 130, work through the presentation, discussing important points and highlighting comments for annotation.
Plenary: Consider how Duffy has given a very different view of Shakespeare’s marriage, one that was loving and passionate. Compare with ideas presented in Sonnet 130.
Lesson Three
Starter: Look at pictures on initial slide of My father thought it bloody queer presentation and give context of punk era.
Main: Read My father thought it bloody queer.
Development: Work through the presentation, discussing important points and highlighting comments for annotation. Encourage students to be considering links with poems previously studied and to incorporate these ideas into their notes.
Plenary: Consider similarities and differences between this poem and the two previously studied. Look at theme; for example, here is a relationship between father and son instead of between lovers; look at use of sonnet structure.
Lesson Four
Starter: Consider Renaissance setting. Use visual stimulus of renaissance painting and Italian setting.
Main: Read My Last Duchess.
Development: Work through the presentation, discussing important points and highlighting comments for annotation. Encourage students to be considering links with poems previously studied and to incorporate these ideas into their notes.
Plenary: Consider similarities and differences between this poem and the three previously studied. Focus on theme: relationship where husband was not prepared to work at it, unlike in My father thought it bloody queer; consider differences in structure.
Lesson Five
Work through the presentation, guiding students through essay on theme of love.
Complete essay under timed conditions.
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Lesson Six
Starter: Introduce students to Armitage and his particular style of poetry.
Main: Read November to class and discuss first impressions.
Development: Work through Powerpoint presentation, guiding students to annotate their anthologies. Teachers may wish to give extra information and expand on certain aspects of language [the amount of this will depend on the ability of the class].
Plenary: Sum up attitudes to death presented in this poem. Consider philosophical ideas and social comment.
Lesson Seven
Starter: Introduce Hardy and give context of Boer War.
Main: Read The Man He Killed.
Development: Work through the presentation, discussing important points and highlighting comments for annotation. Ensure comparisons with Armitage poem are constantly drawn and encourage students to develop comparative ideas.
Plenary: Discuss links between Hardy poem and modern Armitage; focus on first person, personal account and use of colloquial language.
Lesson Eight
Starter: Introduce Ben Jonson and give context as Shakespearean contemporary.
Main: Revise sonnet conventions through sequencing activity of lines of the poem On my first Sonne. Read through completed version of poem.
Development: Work through the presentation, discussing important points and highlighting comments for annotation. Focus on language choice and narrative voice.
Plenary: Consider similarities and differences between this poem and the two previously studied. Focus on religious imagery of older poem compared with Armitage’s piece.
Lesson Nine
Starter: Revise Anne Hathaway [presentation]
Main: Work through Powerpoint guiding students through essay based on theme of death.
Development: Students begin to work on essay and finish for homework.
Plenary: Share examples of work completed in lesson.
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Lesson Ten
Starter: Group discussion about own experiences of changing parental relationships. [Possible Speaking and Listening Assessment.]
Main: Read Mother any Distance to class and discuss first impressions.
Development: Work through Powerpoint presentation, guiding students to annotate their anthologies.
Plenary: Sum up attitudes of both the parent and the child presented in this poem. Consider use of figurative language and how Armitage uses it to create positive and negative images.
Lesson Eleven
Starter: Context: pictures of Marilyn Monroe.
Main: Read Before you were mine. Storyboard poem to understand structure of stanzas like pictures in a photo album.
Development: Work through the presentation, discussing important points and highlighting comments for annotation. Ensure comparisons with Armitage poem are constantly drawn and encourage students to develop comparative ideas.
Plenary: Discuss links Armitage poem: here it is jealous daughter rather than mother.
Lesson Twelve
Starter: Introduce Yeats and give Irish context.
Main: Read The Song of the Old Mother.
Development: Work through the presentation, discussing important points and highlighting comments for annotation. Focus on language choice and narrative voice. In particular, make links with On my first Sonne.
Plenary: Consider similarities and differences between this poem and the two previously studied. Consider differing messages poets may be trying to convey.
Lesson Thirteen
Starter: Revise On my first Sonne [presentation]
Main: Work through Powerpoint guiding students through essay based on theme of the parent-child relationship.
Development: Students begin to work on essay and finish for homework.
Plenary: Share examples of work completed in lesson.
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Lesson Fourteen
Starter: Context of Dickens’s novel, watch extract from Great Expectations if available.
Main: Read Havisham and consider similarities with Anne Hathaway, looking at why Duffy has chosen to give a voice to these both fictional and real women.
Development: Work through Powerpoint presentation, guiding students to annotate their anthologies. Teachers may wish to give extra information and expand on certain aspects of language (the amount of this will depend on the ability of the class).
Plenary: Sum up desire for revenge presented by Duffy. Focus on use of vivid, violent and sexual imagery.
Lesson Fifteen
Starter: Consider Browning as Victorian poet and male representation of female jealousy.
Main: Read The Laboratory. Ask students to consider first impressions of this woman compared with Duffy’s Havisham.
Development: Work through the presentation, discussing important points and highlighting comments for annotation. Ensure comparisons with Duffy poem are constantly drawn and encourage students to develop comparative ideas.
Plenary: Consider differences between Duffy and Browning poems, looking at both the female narrators and the structure of the poems.
Lesson Sixteen
Starter: Look at extract from 1960s TV programme ‘Batman and Robin’. Discuss language used.
Main: Read Kid. Highlight language which is in keeping with the original series.
Development: Work through the presentation, discussing important points and highlighting comments for annotation. Focus on effect of rhyme and rhythm. Consider whether the narrator remains a ‘kid’.
Plenary: Consider similarities and differences between this poem and the two previously studied. Look at representation of both the wounded party and the target for revenge.
Lesson Seventeen
Starter: Revise My Last Duchess [presentation]. Look at differences between male and female narrators in the four poems.
Main: Work through Powerpoint guiding students through essay based on theme of revenge.
Development: Students begin to work on essay and finish for homework.
Plenary: Share examples of work completed in lesson.
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