Year 5 - English
Reading and responding to 'The Invaders' and 'Kingfisher' by John Foster
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 explain what the poems are about and the impression they create.
Key Notes
- 'The Invaders' and 'Kingfisher' are two poems based on a similar theme: birds.
- Both poems are written in free verse, they do not adhere to a specific rhyme scheme or meter.
- 'The Invaders' describes the competition between two rival species, the sparrows and starlings.
- 'Kingfisher' describes the story of a kingfisher who successfully hunts for its food.
- Both poems use imagery to convey an atmosphere to the reader or listener.
Vocabulary To Learn
- theme: a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a text
- imagery: the use of language to create a mental picture or sensory experience for the reader or listener
- atmosphere: the mood created in a section or whole of a text
- impression: refers to initial feelings about a person, place or thing, gained from reading a poem
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may not know the birds described prior to reading the poems.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
'The Invaders' and 'Kingfisher' are two poems based on a similar theme: birds. Both poems are written in free verse, they do not adhere to a specific rhyme scheme or meter.
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 know the birds described prior to reading the poems. Correction: Pupils could research the three species before reading. Alternatively, the poem could act as a stimulus to prompt further reading.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Exploring human relationships with animals through poetry Study Guide
- 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 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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