Year 4 - English
Comparing Joseph Coelho's poems 'Teetering Towers' and 'City Kids'
Poet focus: 'Overheard in a Tower Block' by Jospeh Coelho
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils read, explore and peform a selection of poems from Joseph Coelho's collection, 'Overheard in a Tower Block'. They are first introduced to the poet, before exploring the poems and getting tips from Joseph on how to perform the poems.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to compare two of Joseph Coelho's poems: 'Teetering Towers' and 'City Kids'.
Key Notes
- Reading and re-reading poems leads to a richer response and a greater understanding of language within the poem.
- Engaging in conversations about poems allows us to make connections with our own lives and the world around us.
- Comparing poems involves exploring the themes, structures and language within them.
- A theme is a big idea, topic or message that recurs in a poem.
Vocabulary To Learn
- poem: a piece of writing that uses creative and rhythmic language to express thoughts, feelings or ideas
- language: includes the words, phrases and techniques used by the poet to convey meaning, evoke emotions and create imagery within the poem
- theme: a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a text
- comparing: identifying similarities and differences between two or more things, ideas, themes or texts
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils might think that all poems must include rhyming words.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Reading and re-reading poems leads to a richer response and a greater understanding of language within the poem. Engaging in conversations about poems allows us to make connections with our own lives and the world around us.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'poem'
a piece of writing that uses creative and rhythmic language to express thoughts, feelings or ideas.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils might think that all poems must include rhyming words. Correction: Use 'Teetering Towers' to exemplify that not all poems include rhyming words, but they can still follow a pattern and have a rythmic, musical quality.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Exploring and performing 'A Book for a Daughter' by Joseph Coelho Study Guide
- Introduction to the poet Joseph Coelho Study Guide
- Performing 'There are things that lurk in the library' by Joseph Coelho Study Guide
- Reading and responding to 'There are things that lurk in the Library' by Joseph Coelho Study Guide
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