Poetic style
(2 weeks)

• Children hear, read, and respond to a range of poems from two contrasting writers. They write their own free verse poems, inspired by those they have read, and borrowing, melding and adapting elements and features from these in order to begin to develop a style of their own.
• As a class and in groups, children hear, read and study in depth a range of poems from two significant writers*. They explore some of the many elements and features of these poems which together constitute the writer's distinctive style, including language effects, pattern and form, subjects, themes and meaning. Children are encouraged to respond to and perform the poems in a variety of ways.

* Note: Although the content of the poems may well relate to areas across the curriculum, and these links can and should be fully exploited, for this particular unit it is more important that texts are selected as representing the range of work of the two writers rather than for any particular subject matter of theme.

• One or two poems from those introduced are analysed in detail. The teacher then models a writing process and leads the shared writing of a free verse poem, drawing on features and elements from the analysis. Children practise writing a similar free verse poem to a common subject or theme to allow ongoing comparisons, discussion and evaluation.
• Children write their own free verse poem (preferably about something they know and that matters to them), drawing from the earlier reading and modelling, but also attempting to find a style of their own.

1998 Framework objectives covered:

Year 5 term 1 T6 and T7 read poems by significant poets and identify what is distinctive about the style or content of their poems; analyse and compare poetic style, use forms and themes of significant poets; to respond to shades of meaning; to explain and justify personal tastes;

T 16 convey feelings, reflections or moods in a poem through the careful choice of words and phrases.