Year 7 - English
Analysing the poem 'Island Man' by Grace Nichols
Poetry about place and home
Study Hub
Study Guides
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 and respond to poems that explore the links between place and identity. They start by exploring a selection of poems including Grace Nichol's 'Island Man' and Lemn Sissay's 'Anthem of the North'. They then write and perform their own poems about place and home.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to understand and analyse the poem 'Island Man'.
Key Notes
- The process of moving home can be very difficult and emotional.
- The poem 'Island Man' is based on Nichols' own experience of migration
- 'Island Man' suggests a fondness and nostalgia for life in the Caribbean.
- 'Island Man' shows the difficulties one might face adjusting to a new home.
- 'Island Man' is arranged in two sections perhaps reflecting the dual nature of the man's identity after migration.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Sensory language: language used to describe the five senses: touch, smell, sound, taste, sight
- Nostalgia: longing for a past time or place
- Identity: the characteristics that makes someone who they are
- Migration: movement from one country to another
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- The poem 'Island Man' only tells the story of someone that misses the Caribbean.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
The process of moving home can be very difficult and emotional. The poem 'Island Man' is based on Nichols' own experience of migration.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'Sensory language'
language used to describe the five senses: touch, smell, sound, taste, sight.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: The poem 'Island Man' only tells the story of someone that misses the Caribbean. Correction: The poem 'Island Man' can help to tell the story of any migrant who experiences nostalgia for their home country.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Analysing 'Search for My Tongue' Study Guide
- Analysing 'This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land' Study Guide
- Comparing poems about place and home Study Guide
- Considering the nature of home Study Guide
- Exploring example poems about place and home Study Guide
- Exploring memories of home in the poem 'Childhood Tracks' Study Guide
- Exploring regional pride in the poem 'Anthem of the North' Study Guide
- Exploring the link between place and identity Study Guide
- Exploring what home means through the poem 'Filter' Study Guide
- Performing our poems about place and home Study Guide
- Planning ideas for a poem about your home Study Guide
- Using punctuation in poetry Study Guide
- Writing our own poetry about home Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 7 English guide library.