Year 9 - English
How Simon Armitage writes about the world in 'Resistance' and 'Out of the Blue'
Simon Armitage: writing your world
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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 learn more about how to read and write poetry by listening to words of wisdom from the Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage. They read a range of his poems about his life and the wider world, and start to write increasingly poetically in response to them.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to respond to how Armitage writes about the world in 'Resistance' and 'Out of the Blue'.
Key Notes
- Armitage's 'Resistance' was written about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
- Armitage suggests that poetry can be a form of resistance and support.
- Armitage's 'Out of the Blue' was written to be part of a film about 9/11.
- Armitage suggests that you have a responsibility and accountability when writing about world events.
- Armitage also says that you need to reflect how you personally feel about world events in your writing.
Vocabulary To Learn
- resistance: the act of fighting against something that is attacking you, or refusing to accept something
- provoke: to excite to some action or feeling
- traumatic: causing severe and lasting emotional shock and pain; deeply disturbing or distressing
- responsibility: something that it is your job or duty to deal with
- accountability: the acknowledgment of and assumption of responsibility for actions and decisions
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- You should be objective when you are writing about world events.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Armitage's 'Resistance' was written about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Armitage suggests that poetry can be a form of resistance and support.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'resistance'
the act of fighting against something that is attacking you, or refusing to accept something.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: You should be objective when you are writing about world events. Correction: Armitage suggests that poetry is about the individual and that we have a responsibility to reflect our personal responses to what's happening in the world.
More Lessons In This Unit
- How Armitage writes about personal events and memories in 'Harmonium' Study Guide
- How Simon Armitage writes about climate change in 'Futurama' Study Guide
- How Simon Armitage writes about hope in 'We'll Sing' and 'Only Human' Study Guide
- How Simon Armitage writes about human connection in 'All Right?' and 'Give' Study Guide
- How Simon Armitage writes about life in 'About his person' and 'Poem' Study Guide
- How Simon Armitage writes about news and media in 'Transmission Report' Study Guide
- Simon Armitage and the power of poetry Study Guide
- Simon Armitage talks about 'I am very bothered' and 'My father thought it' Study Guide
- Writing about the self and the world with Simon Armitage Study Guide
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