Year 5 - English
Exploring human relationships with animals through poetry
Poetry inspired by animals
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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, respond to and perform classic and contemporary poetry about animals by a range of different poets. They explore form, structure and language, whilst developing personal responses. Finally, pupils use a range of strategies to support learning poetry by heart.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to compare and contrast two poems with similar themes.
Key Notes
- 'The Song of the Whale' was written by Kit Wright in 1982.
- Whales face a multitude of threats from humans, which include hunting, pollution and captivity in zoos and water parks.
- 'The Panther' was written by Rainer Maria Rilke between 1902 and 1903; it describes a captive panther behind bars.
- Themes of captivity and freedom can be found in both poems.
- We can compare and contrast poems with similar themes or messages, noticing the impact that they have on us as readers.
Vocabulary To Learn
- theme: a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a text
- captivity: being confined or imprisoned
- freedom: being unrestrained, independent, or liberated
- compare: involves identifying similarities between two or more things, ideas, themes or texts
- contrast: involves identifying differences between two or more things, ideas, themes or texts
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may not recognise that a poem's structure can also convey meaning to a poem.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
'The Song of the Whale' was written by Kit Wright in 1982. Whales face a multitude of threats from humans, which include hunting, pollution and captivity in zoos and water parks.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'theme'
a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a text.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may not recognise that a poem's structure can also convey meaning to a poem. Correction: Highlight how the poem's lines in 'The Panther' form bars, similar to the ones imprisoning the panther in the poem. Pupils could read additional poems (such as concrete/shape poetry) to explore this feature further.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Introduction to 'The Tyger' by William Blake Study Guide
- Learning animal poetry by heart Study Guide
- Performing 'The Tyger' by William Blake Study Guide
- Reading and performing 'Blackbird' by John Foster &'Hawk Roosting' by Ted Hughes Study Guide
- Reading and performing 'The Snow Leopard' by Philip Gross Study Guide
- Reading and responding to 'Pike' by Ted Hughes Study Guide
- Reading and responding to 'The Invaders' and 'Kingfisher' by John Foster Study Guide
- Reading and responding to 'The Tyger' by William Blake Study Guide
- Reading, responding to&performing 'A Bird came down the Walk' by Emily Dickinson Study Guide
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