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Year 2 - English

Exploring and performing 'Elephant Beat' and 'Night Soup' by James Carter

Performance poetry

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils read, respond to and perform a variety of poems by different poets. They will watch the poets perform their own poems and learn from them about what makes an effective performance. Finally, pupils will practise different skills to perform each poem effectively to an audience.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to perform a poem in front of an audience.

Key Notes

  • The poem 'Elephant Beat' tells a story about the adventure of riding an elephant.
  • It has a structured rhythm, which gives it a marching feel.
  • 'Night Soup' is a poem about creating an imaginary, magical 'soup' made from elements of the night.
  • When performing a poem, we can vary our volume to create different effects.
  • Using expression and gestures can make our performances fun and interesting for the audience to watch.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • rhythm: the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that creates the beat or flow of the poem
  • volume: the loudness or softness of your voice when speaking or reading a poem
  • expression: reading with feelings and emotion to bring the poem to life
  • gesture: a movement that helps express an idea or meaning

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils may find it hard to identify the rhythm of the poem.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

The poem 'Elephant Beat' tells a story about the adventure of riding an elephant. It has a structured rhythm, which gives it a marching feel.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'rhythm'

the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that creates the beat or flow of the poem.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Pupils may find it hard to identify the rhythm of the poem. Correction: The best way to model this is through clapping or marching out the rhythm and letting them hear the beat.

More Lessons In This Unit

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