Poetry with Jackie Kay
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THE POETRY
OF JACKIE KAY
Let’s Face It!
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ABOUT THIS
UNIT AND
THE AUTHOR
Lesson one
In this unit you will learn to:
Look how a writer develops ideas through
the way they write and organise poetry.
Work out your own interpretation of a
poem.
Develop the specific vocabulary needed to
discuss a poem.
Use speaking and listening skills to develop
your thinking and express your ideas.
What you will study…
Poems by Jackie Kay.
Poems written before 1900 which
are linked by theme to Jackie Kay’s
modern poems.
Some media articles about the
themes in the poems
The Pen…
When you see this be
ready to do some writing!
Sometimes it will be
notes and sometimes it
will be a more formal
task.
I will tell you which!
The Questioning Sheet
You should stick this into your
book after the title page for this
unit.
Use it to help you whenever you
get stuck talking about a poem.
In your groups think about the following question:
WHAT IS POETRY FOR?
Why do people write it?
Why do people read it?
Why do we study it in school?
On A1 paper make a list of the ideas your group has.
Remember
what I have said about opinions.
Be ready to feedback your ideas and opinions .
All About Jackie Kay
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1961
Mixed heritage – Scottish and Nigerian
Adopted
Bought up in Glasgow
Studied at The royal Scottish Academy of Music and
Drama , Glasgow
Studied English at Stirling University
First Published in 1991
Has won several Awards for her writing
MBE – services to literature
LOOKING AT A
POEM AND
TALKING ABOUT
IT
LESSON TWO
The First Poem
The title is: ‘At Home, Abroad.’
Jackie Kay thinks about her mixed heritage
You will read it in silence.
We will read it together.
There will be 30 seconds thinking time before
anyone talks.
I call this ‘Impact Time’ it allows everyone to decide
what they think before we discuss the poem together.
At Home, Abroad
All Summer
I dream of
Places I’ve never
Been
Where I Might
See faces
I’ve never seen,
Like the dark
Face of my
Father in
Nigeria,
Or the pale
Face of my Mother in
The Highlands
Or the bright
Faces of my
Cousins at
Land’s End.
All Summer
I spell the names
Of tricky countries
Just in case
I get a sudden
Invite: Madagascar,
Cameroon. I draw
Cartoons of
Airports, big and small
Who will meet me?
Will they
Shake hands or
Kiss both cheeks?
I draw
Duty frees
With every
country’s favourite
Sweetie, smiling
A sugary welcome
And myself
Cap-peaked,
Wondering if I am
‘Home’.
New Vocabulary!
STANZAS
Poets often divide their poems into groups
of lines called ‘stanzas’.
Stanzas are separated by a space on the
page.
It is much better when talking about
poetry to say ‘stanzas’ rather than ‘verses’!
In Pairs…
Discuss how Jackie Kay feels about not knowing her birth
parents.
How does Jackie Kay use words and punctuation to
suggest her own uncertainty about her background?
Think about –
Settings and locations
Why the poem is divided into two stanzas
Repetition of words and phrases
Contrasting Language
Discussion Toolkit:
I think…
This suggests…
I wonder…
I guess…
I suppose…
It can…
It may…
It might…
Probably…
Possibly…
Maybe…
perhaps…
Presumably…
What if ...?
What About…?
Be ready to feedback your ideas.
LEARNING TO
WRITE ABOUT
POETRY
LESSON THREE
Today we are learning to:
What poetic devices are.
How we talk about them.
What words we need to learn to use.
Poetic Devices
This is the academic name for all the words and
expressions we use when we are talking about
poetry.
There are a LOT of them – we will learn them in
small groups as we need to use them.
YOU DON’T NEED TO WRITE THIS BIT….
If you are not sure about a poetic device and how it
is used - look in your notes first. If you cannot find
the answer – ASK!
Word List
Imagery
Contrasts
Comparisons
Metaphor
Tone
Rhythm
Pace
Definitions
Repetition –
When a word or phrase is repeated for
emphasis or effect.
Imagery - When words are used to paint pictures.
Contrasts – When opposites are used together for effect.
Comparisons - When two or more things are compared to
create more meaning.
Metaphor - When a word or phrase usually linked to a
specific item or situation is used out of context
to imply some similarity.
Tone - The ‘sound’ or emotion of the poetic voice.
Rhythm - The beat of the poetry
Pace - The speed the sound of poetry moves at – easy to
hear when you read it aloud.
Working on the poem
We will be looking for these devices in ‘At Home,
Abroad’
Make notes on your copy.
Ask questions and think hard! A lot of interpretation
begins with opinions.
You can say what you like – but you must be able to
say
WHY
you think it and give
EXAMPLES
from
the poem to support your opinion.
PEE!!
P
oint:– What you want to say/what you think.
- this is your idea or opinion.
E
vidence:– An example of exactly what makes you
think that – a quote from the text you are
analysing .
E
xplanation :– WHY you think it – explain yourself!
So now you know what we mean by P.E.E!
(you will hear it a LOT)
Stanza One
All Summer
I dream of
Places I’ve never
Been
Where I Might
See faces
I’ve never seen,
Like the dark
Face of my
Father in
Nigeria,
Or the pale
Face of my Mother in
The Highlands
Or the bright
Faces of my
Cousins at
Land’s End.
Stanza Two
All Summer
I spell the names
Of tricky countries
Just in case
I get a sudden
Invite: Madagascar,
Cameroon. I draw
Cartoons of
Airports, big and small
Who will meet me?
Will they
Shake hands or
Kiss both cheeks?
I draw
Duty frees
With every
country’s favourite
Sweetie, smiling
A sugary welcome
And myself
Cap-peaked,
Wondering if I am
‘Home’.
Homework
Due:
Write an analysis of ‘At Home, Abroad’.
Answer the following:
1.
What does Jackie Kay say about her feelings towards her birth
parents? How do you know?
2.
What are the main images in this poem – give examples.
3.
Do you like this poem? Explain your answer.
Extension Question (optional)
What do you think the title means? Explain your opinion.
You should aim to write at least one page but no more than two.
Remember PEE!!!
JACKIE KAY ON
BULLIES!
LESSON FOUR
Today we are learning to:
Think about how feelings are expressed
through poetry
Think about the theme of Bullying
Find evidence from a media text as well as a
poem.
Own
experiences
Jackie Kay often draws
upon her own
experiences as
inspiration for her
writing.
Here is an extract from
a newspaper article
where she talks about
her experience of racist
bullying taken from the
BBC Scotland Website.
Writer’s ‘revenge’ on school
bullies.
An Award winning Scottish Author has told how racist bullying
at school started her on the path to becoming a writer.
Jackie Kay told a newspaper how she would write “Little poems
of revenge” . She said that she thought she would always be
affected by the taunts she suffered at school.
She told the newspaper that three boys at her school had taunted
her because of the colour of her skin and forced her to eat
mud.
“What I found excruciatingly embarrassing was that I was with
friends.”
“In a strange way you felt you were embarrassing your friends.”
She said. She did not recall any of her friends sticking up for
her.
The Poet said she was no longer angry at what happened to her.
“But it still affects me, always will. If I pass a group of laughing
kids, even now, part of me thinks they ‘re laughing at me.”
TASK
Using the Article printout
How did Jackie Kay feel about being bullied?
How does she feel now?
Record your comments in a table:
(I have done the first entry for you.)
Read ‘Duncan Gets Expelled.’
This poem describes the event Jackie Kay tells the
newspaper reporter about.
It describes being bullied at Primary school and is about
one particular boy who made her break times a real
misery.
The name she gives the boy in the poem is not his real
name.
If he read it do you think he would recognise himself?
THINKING ABOUT
DUNCAN MACKAY
Lesson five
Today we are Learning to:
Analyse poetry for mood and tone.
Think actively about language
choices and how they influence the
reader
Thinking about advice on bullying
– and what to do
Vocabulary
Perspective
Alliteration
Sentence length
Direct speech
Definitions
Perspective – whose point of view is it written in –
first or third person.
Alliteration – The repetition of a sound at the start of
a word
Sentence length – can change the speed of a poem
and the feeling of the message.
Direct speech – shown in speech marks – gives a
poem a more personal tone.
Task
Working in small groups
Discuss how Jackie Kay uses her imagination and skill as a poet
to make the experience of being bullied really frightening and
threatening.
THINK ABOUT, and write down with examples:
How she describes the boys’ physical appearance .
the use of dialogue.
How she describes ‘fear’ both hers and her friends.
Her own behaviour in school.
What tone of voice do you think the last stanza should be read
in? Explain your reasons.
Be ready to feedback your answers to the class
Thinking about Bullying
What advice would you give to someone being
bullied?
Make a list of helpful suggestions.
HOMEWORK
Design a ‘top five’ advice poster
for school
JACKIE KAY
AND GROWING
UP
Lesson six
Today we are learning to:
Think about how a poet grabs
our attention
How to find clues about the
theme of a poem
Analyse your own response to a
poem
‘Attention Seeking’
We will read this together and then have 30 seconds
impact time.
In silence write down your response to this poem.
In pairs consider:
How Jackie Kay grabs our attention in this poem
Think about the answer to this and write down (using
PEE) your ideas on:
The subject matter.
The poetic devices used.
How a strong viewpoint is conveyed.
Has this changed your own response?
You can use your questioning sheet if you get stuck!
Why does the boy behave like this?
Find five examples from the text that help you to
understand why the boy behaves so badly.
Can you empathise with him?
Be ready to share your suggestions
BEING
‘STRESSED OUT’
Lesson Seven
Today we are learning to:
Empathise with the character in a
poem
Share ideas and use the correct
language when talking about poetry
Respond to unexpected questions
Read ‘Stressed Out’
I am totally stressed out.
I can’t sleep at night.
I shake when I hear them shout.
He has his nerve pills, she has her alcohol.
Me? I have nothing at all.
There is no one to talk to.
I have this strange singing in my head.
At night, alone in bed,
The Stress is in my sheets,
Clinging to my nightdress,
Climbing in through the windows.
There are tests tomorrow;
Bullies Posted in the playground.
Many things to remember.
I told my mother: I said,
‘I am totally stressed out.’
She said: ‘Don’t be silly
Children don’t get stressed.’
‘Like hell they don’t .’I said.
And she sent me to my room for swearing.
So now here I am,
Stuck in my stupid bedroom,
Locked up, stressed out, all alone.
I swear to bring my stress levels down.
Life Sucks.
In Pairs
Read the poem and think about the girl in it.
Use the question sheet and together select five
questions you would like to ask about the poem.
Write just the questions down on a piece of paper.
TASK
Exchange your questions with another pair
In your own pair write an answer to the questions
you have been given – Remember to PEE. (both of
you must write this down in your books)
Join up with the pair you swapped with and discuss
your answers.
Think about the toolkit we used earlier when we
explored ‘At Home, Abroad’.
Don’t forget to include everyone in the discussion.
EXPLORING THE
IDEAS AND
PROBLEMS SHOW
IN ‘STRESSED
OUT’
Lesson Eight
Today we are Learning to:
Convert a text to another type
Use a poem to open a discussion
about a theme
Use our imaginations
In Groups
Discuss what advice you would give to the narrator
in the poem ‘Stressed Out’
What Problems do you think she faces?
Share your Ideas with the rest of the class.
Letters
Laying out a letter depends on who you are writing to:
Start with Dear… (put in the name if you know it)
Finish with Yours Faithfully if you don’t know the
person and sincerely if you do.
You Should date your letter and put an address at the
top.
TASK - individual
Imagine you are the narrator in the poem.
Write a letter to an agony aunt or advice column telling
them what your problems are and asking for help.
Here’s some help – you don’t have to use it!
Dear Deadre,
Things have got so bad I don’t know what to do. Every night I
listen to my parents fighting.
I am so Stressed out.
On top of that…..
To make it even worse……
COMPARING
JACKIE KAY TO
OTHER POETS
Lesson Nine
Today we are learning to:
Think about the themes common to Jackie Kay’s
Poems
Compare poetry by other poets to Jackie Kay’s
work
Use the right language to talk about the
comparisons we find
Themes
These are the underlying subjects of a poem.
Often they can be expressed as a single word.
What Themes have you seen in Jackie Kay’s Poetry
so far?
Comparisons
Very often when we are writing about poetry we are
asked to compare two poems.
It is important that you still use PEE when you do
this.
Knowing how to do this is important to your work –
especially as you get close to exams.
Comparison Vocabulary
In comparison to: - when things are the same.
In contrast to: - when things are different.
Conversely – ‘on the other hand’.
Alternatively – ‘you could say that’.
Similar to – ‘ Almost the same as’.
Opposite – ‘not the same at all!’
Nothing New…
Crabbed old age and youth cannot live together,
Youth is full of pleasance, Age is full of care,
Youth, like summer mourne, Age like winter weather,
Youth like summer brave, Age like winter bare.
Youth is full of sport, Age’s breath is short,
Youth is nimble, Age is lame,
Youth is hot and bold, Age is weake and cold,
Youth is wild, Age is tame.
Age I doe abhor thee, Youth I doe adore thee
O my love, My love is young
Age I doe defie thee. O sweet Shephard hie thee:
For methinks thou stay’st too long.
Shakespeare!
This poem is called ‘Age and Youth’ and is by William
Shakespeare
In it Shakespeare presents a much more positive image
of youth that Jackie Kay does in her poems.
What views do you think Shakespeare presents?
ANALYSE!
Write a paragraph discussing the following:
How does Shakespeare use contrasts to present his
image of being young and old?
Are the images linked in any way?
What do you think of this poem? Use PEE.
In Pairs… discuss
What do you see as the benefits of
being young?
How do you imagine yourself when
you are older?
Be ready to feedback your ideas
Homework Due:
Write your own Poem contrasting Age and Youth.
Draft it in your book then make a good copy on a plain
piece of paper.
USE
Shakespeare structure – repeating the words ‘Age’ and
‘youth’.
Keep the lines short.
Make sure you use contrasting images.
Try to link your images.
MORE OLD POETRY!
Lesson Ten
Today we are learning to:
Look for keywords that help us to understand the
emotion of a poem.
Analyse the structure used by the poet to create
emotion.
Understand the description of setting – even when it
is unfamiliar.
Vocabulary
Onomatopoeia
Simile
Rhyme scheme
emphasis
Definitions
Onomatopoeia – a word that imitates the sound it
represents.
Simile – a comparison using ‘like’ or ‘as’.
Rhyme scheme – a regular pattern of rhyme at the
end of lines of poetry
Emphasis – highlighting an aspect of your poem for
specific effect.
‘From Child Labour’ By Elizabeth Barrett-
Browning
In pairs Working on copies of this poem:
Highlight all the words that emphasise the hardship and
drudgery of the child’s life.
Look for:
Descriptions of the setting
Descriptions of the children
What the children say
How the poet emphasises the endlessness of the work
How the poet suggests the situation will not improve.
Be sure you both have a highlighted copy in your book.
How does this make you feel?
Poetry is all about feelings! So, how does this poem
make you feel?
Sum up this poem in ten words
Now sum it up in five
Now sum it up in one word.
Be ready to share your thoughts with the class
COMPARISONS –
KAY AND
BROWNING!
Lesson Eleven
Today we are learning to:
Talk about poetry in comparison
Write about poetry in comparison
Find information which will
support our ideas
Explain our opinions using the
correct vocabulary
.
Looking back…
Look back at the notes you have made about Jackie
Kay’s poetry.
Make a table showing all the issues and problems
facing young people that she talks about in her
poems.
Repeat this process for Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s
poem.
What do you notice?
What Differences do you notice
and how do you explain them?
We will discuss this as a class.
LIES AND TRUTH
Lesson Twelve
Today we are learning to:
Evaluate our own opinions and those of
others
Think about the difference between
truth and lies
Use Speaking and Listening skills to
debate.
Jackie Kay Says:
“It’s a huge freedom to be allowed to make things up in
your head. I always loved that as a kid. I used to
make up terrible lies. I liked seeing whether or not I
could be believed.”
What do you think about this?
Telling Lies
There’s a huge difference between telling lies and using
your imagination.
Why do you think people make things up?
What sort of thing do people lie about?
Working in Groups
Use the cut out List of Lies.
Put them in order from the most serious at the top to
the least serious at the bottom.
As you do this remember you are being asked to
judge and state your opinion. Think carefully about
your choices.
JACKIE KAY’S
IMAGINATION
Lesson Thirteen
Today we are learning to:
Evaluate a poem.
Think about the narrator of a
poem
Use the correct vocabulary to
write about the poem
Write to a time limit
Read: ‘Brendon Gallacher’
You have half an hour to write a response to the poem
that includes the following:
Techniques used by Jackie Kay to create effect.
How she describes Brendon.
How she describes his family.
The way she compares Brendon to herself.
How she feels when she is ‘found out’.
Consider what she means by the line ‘and then he
died, my Brendon Gallacher’.
Don’t forget – Use PEE.
Discussion
How was that?
Did you find it difficult?
After discussion write a sentence that shows:
What Went Well…
Even Better If...
IMAGINARY
FRIENDS
Lesson Fourteen
Today we are learning to:
Think about the power of
imagination
Discuss the idea of imaginary
friends
Use speaking and listening skills to
discuss experiences.
Have you eve had an imaginary friend?
How old were you?
Do you have any funny stories to tell?
What did they look like?
What did your family think?
Think about the qualities an imaginary friend would have
Discuss this with your partner.
Write a short paragraph about your imaginary friend – if
you have never had one then think about what you might
have had.
Write a poem about your imaginary friend
Use all the skills we have learned so far!
Think about contrasts and consequences.
Write it on a single piece of paper. Put your initials
on the back
Swapping poems
Give in your poem
I will give them back out.
Evaluate the poem you are given. Think
about all the techniques we have
learned and be fair!
Once you have your poem back stick it
into your book.
END of Topic
Look at the front of your book.
Add ‘Jackie Kay’s poetry’ to the topic section.
Spend five minutes thinking and adding your
opinions of this unit to your grid.
Review your targets set By Mr Peel and Mrs
Wrycraft.
How do you think you have done?
Delve into the world of poetry with Jackie Kay through this enriching unit. Learn to analyze and interpret poems, develop vocabulary for discussion, and enhance speaking and listening skills. Discover the art of poetry through works by Jackie Kay and other poets, exploring themes and engaging in writing tasks to deepen your understanding.
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Presentation Transcript
Lets Face It! THE POETRY OF JACKIE KAY
Lesson one ABOUT THIS UNIT AND THE AUTHOR
In this unit you will learn to: Look how a writer develops ideas through the way they write and organise poetry. Work out your own interpretation of a poem. Develop the specific vocabulary needed to discuss a poem. Use speaking and listening skills to develop your thinking and express your ideas.
What you will study Poems by Jackie Kay. Poems written before 1900 which are linked by theme to Jackie Kay s modern poems. Some media articles about the themes in the poems
The Pen When you see this be ready to do some writing! Sometimes it will be notes and sometimes it will be a more formal task. I will tell you which!
The Questioning Sheet You should stick this into your book after the title page for this unit. Use it to help you whenever you get stuck talking about a poem.
In your groups think about the following question: WHAT IS POETRY FOR? Why do people write it? Why do people read it? Why do we study it in school? On A1 paper make a list of the ideas your group has. Remember what I have said about opinions. Be ready to feedback your ideas and opinions .
All About Jackie Kay Born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1961 Mixed heritage Scottish and Nigerian Adopted Bought up in Glasgow Studied at The royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama , Glasgow Studied English at Stirling University First Published in 1991 Has won several Awards for her writing MBE services to literature
LESSON TWO LOOKING AT A POEM AND TALKING ABOUT IT
The First Poem The title is: At Home, Abroad. Jackie Kay thinks about her mixed heritage You will read it in silence. We will read it together. There will be 30 seconds thinking time before anyone talks. I call this Impact Time it allows everyone to decide what they think before we discuss the poem together.
At Home, Abroad All Summer I dream of Places I ve never Been Where I Might See faces I ve never seen, Like the dark Face of my Father in Nigeria, Or the pale Face of my Mother in The Highlands Or the bright Faces of my Cousins at Land s End. All Summer I spell the names Of tricky countries Just in case I get a sudden Invite: Madagascar, Cameroon. I draw Cartoons of Airports, big and small Who will meet me? Will they Shake hands or Kiss both cheeks? I draw Duty frees With every country s favourite Sweetie, smiling A sugary welcome And myself Cap-peaked, Wondering if I am Home .
New Vocabulary! STANZAS Poets often divide their poems into groups of lines called stanzas . Stanzas are separated by a space on the page. It is much better when talking about poetry to say stanzas rather than verses !
In Pairs Discuss how Jackie Kay feels about not knowing her birth parents. How does Jackie Kay use words and punctuation to suggest her own uncertainty about her background? Think about Settings and locations Why the poem is divided into two stanzas Repetition of words and phrases Contrasting Language Discussion Toolkit: I think I suppose Probably Presumably This suggests It can Possibly What if ...? I wonder It may Maybe What About ? I guess It might perhaps Be ready to feedback your ideas.
LESSON THREE LEARNING TO WRITE ABOUT POETRY
Today we are learning to: What poetic devices are. How we talk about them. What words we need to learn to use.
Poetic Devices This is the academic name for all the words and expressions we use when we are talking about poetry. There are a LOT of them we will learn them in small groups as we need to use them. YOU DON T NEED TO WRITE THIS BIT . If you are not sure about a poetic device and how it is used - look in your notes first. If you cannot find the answer ASK!
Word List Imagery Contrasts Comparisons Metaphor Tone Rhythm Pace
Definitions Repetition When a word or phrase is repeated for emphasis or effect. Imagery - When words are used to paint pictures. Contrasts When opposites are used together for effect. Comparisons - When two or more things are compared to create more meaning. Metaphor - When a word or phrase usually linked to a specific item or situation is used out of context to imply some similarity. Tone - The sound or emotion of the poetic voice. Rhythm - The beat of the poetry Pace - The speed the sound of poetry moves at easy to hear when you read it aloud.
Working on the poem We will be looking for these devices in At Home, Abroad Make notes on your copy. Ask questions and think hard! A lot of interpretation begins with opinions. You can say what you like but you must be able to say WHY you think it and give EXAMPLES from the poem to support your opinion.
PEE!! Point: What you want to say/what you think. - this is your idea or opinion. Evidence: An example of exactly what makes you think that a quote from the text you are analysing . Explanation : WHY you think it explain yourself! So now you know what we mean by P.E.E! (you will hear it a LOT)
All Summer I dream of Places I ve never Been Where I Might See faces I ve never seen, Like the dark Face of my Father in Nigeria, Or the pale Face of my Mother in The Highlands Or the bright Faces of my Cousins at Land s End. Stanza One
All Summer I spell the names Of tricky countries Just in case I get a sudden Invite: Madagascar, Cameroon. I draw Cartoons of Airports, big and small Who will meet me? Will they Shake hands or Kiss both cheeks? I draw Duty frees With every country s favourite Sweetie, smiling A sugary welcome And myself Cap-peaked, Wondering if I am Home . Stanza Two
Homework Due: Write an analysis of At Home, Abroad . Answer the following: 1. What does Jackie Kay say about her feelings towards her birth parents? How do you know? 2. What are the main images in this poem give examples. 3. Do you like this poem? Explain your answer. Extension Question (optional) What do you think the title means? Explain your opinion. You should aim to write at least one page but no more than two. Remember PEE!!!
LESSON FOUR JACKIE KAY ON BULLIES!
Today we are learning to: Think about how feelings are expressed through poetry Think about the theme of Bullying Find evidence from a media text as well as a poem.
Writers revenge on school bullies. An Award winning Scottish Author has told how racist bullying at school started her on the path to becoming a writer. Jackie Kay told a newspaper how she would write Little poems of revenge . She said that she thought she would always be affected by the taunts she suffered at school. She told the newspaper that three boys at her school had taunted her because of the colour of her skin and forced her to eat mud. What I found excruciatingly embarrassing was that I was with friends. In a strange way you felt you were embarrassing your friends. She said. She did not recall any of her friends sticking up for her. The Poet said she was no longer angry at what happened to her. But it still affects me, always will. If I pass a group of laughing kids, even now, part of me thinks they re laughing at me. Own experiences Jackie Kay often draws upon her own experiences as inspiration for her writing. Here is an extract from a newspaper article where she talks about her experience of racist bullying taken from the BBC Scotland Website.
TASK Using the Article printout How did Jackie Kay feel about being bullied? How does she feel now? Record your comments in a table: (I have done the first entry for you.) How she felt/feels now (felt) Embarrassed Evidence You were embarrassing your friends
Read Duncan Gets Expelled. This poem describes the event Jackie Kay tells the newspaper reporter about. It describes being bullied at Primary school and is about one particular boy who made her break times a real misery. The name she gives the boy in the poem is not his real name. If he read it do you think he would recognise himself?
Lesson five THINKING ABOUT DUNCAN MACKAY
Today we are Learning to: Analyse poetry for mood and tone. Think actively about language choices and how they influence the reader Thinking about advice on bullying and what to do
Vocabulary Perspective Alliteration Sentence length Direct speech
Definitions Perspective whose point of view is it written in first or third person. Alliteration The repetition of a sound at the start of a word Sentence length can change the speed of a poem and the feeling of the message. Direct speech shown in speech marks gives a poem a more personal tone.
Task Working in small groups Discuss how Jackie Kay uses her imagination and skill as a poet to make the experience of being bullied really frightening and threatening. THINK ABOUT, and write down with examples: How she describes the boys physical appearance . the use of dialogue. How she describes fear both hers and her friends. Her own behaviour in school. What tone of voice do you think the last stanza should be read in? Explain your reasons. Be ready to feedback your answers to the class
Thinking about Bullying What advice would you give to someone being bullied? Make a list of helpful suggestions. HOMEWORK Design a top five advice poster for school
Lesson six JACKIE KAY AND GROWING UP
Today we are learning to: Think about how a poet grabs our attention How to find clues about the theme of a poem Analyse your own response to a poem
Attention Seeking We will read this together and then have 30 seconds impact time. In silence write down your response to this poem.
In pairs consider: How Jackie Kay grabs our attention in this poem Think about the answer to this and write down (using PEE) your ideas on: The subject matter. The poetic devices used. How a strong viewpoint is conveyed. Has this changed your own response? You can use your questioning sheet if you get stuck!
Why does the boy behave like this? Find five examples from the text that help you to understand why the boy behaves so badly. Can you empathise with him? Be ready to share your suggestions
Lesson Seven BEING STRESSED OUT
Today we are learning to: Empathise with the character in a poem Share ideas and use the correct language when talking about poetry Respond to unexpected questions
Read Stressed Out I am totally stressed out. I can t sleep at night. I shake when I hear them shout. He has his nerve pills, she has her alcohol. Bullies Posted in the playground. Many things to remember. I told my mother: I said, I am totally stressed out. Me? I have nothing at all. There is no one to talk to. I have this strange singing in my head. At night, alone in bed, She said: Don t be silly Children don t get stressed. Like hell they don t . I said. And she sent me to my room for swearing. The Stress is in my sheets, Clinging to my nightdress, Climbing in through the windows. There are tests tomorrow; So now here I am, Stuck in my stupid bedroom, Locked up, stressed out, all alone. I swear to bring my stress levels down. Life Sucks.
In Pairs Read the poem and think about the girl in it. Use the question sheet and together select five questions you would like to ask about the poem. Write just the questions down on a piece of paper.
TASK Exchange your questions with another pair In your own pair write an answer to the questions you have been given Remember to PEE. (both of you must write this down in your books) Join up with the pair you swapped with and discuss your answers. Think about the toolkit we used earlier when we explored At Home, Abroad . Don t forget to include everyone in the discussion.
Lesson Eight EXPLORING THE IDEAS AND PROBLEMS SHOW IN STRESSED OUT
Today we are Learning to: Convert a text to another type Use a poem to open a discussion about a theme Use our imaginations
In Groups Discuss what advice you would give to the narrator in the poem Stressed Out What Problems do you think she faces? Share your Ideas with the rest of the class.
Letters Laying out a letter depends on who you are writing to: Start with Dear (put in the name if you know it) Finish with Yours Faithfully if you don t know the person and sincerely if you do. You Should date your letter and put an address at the top.
TASK - individual Imagine you are the narrator in the poem. Write a letter to an agony aunt or advice column telling them what your problems are and asking for help. Here s some help you don t have to use it! Dear Deadre, Things have got so bad I don t know what to do. Every night I listen to my parents fighting. I am so Stressed out. On top of that .. To make it even worse
Lesson Nine COMPARING JACKIE KAY TO OTHER POETS
