Sessions 6 and 7: Responding to a visual image, reading and responding to a poem

Focus objectives

• To explore how figurative language is used to create images and atmosphere
• To use evidence from the poem to discuss events and ideas
• To explore the poet's perspective from what is written and from what is implied
• To explore how the poet uses language for effect

Key teaching approaches

• Responding to a visual image
• Reading aloud
• Discussion

This session focuses on 'Preludes' (T.S. Eliot). The text of the poem should be available on a flipchart, IWB or OHP.

Responding to a visual image

If you have an IWB, introduce the session with an image that evokes the atmosphere of the poem.

If you don't have an IWB, you could print an image and use several enlarged copies, which can be shared between groups of children.

Ask the children to look at the selected image and to talk to a partner about what they can see - record their responses on a flipchart or in the class poetry journal around a copy of the image. Alternatively, the children could write their responses on a sticky note and stick them around the image.

You could extend the discussion by asking what the image tells the children about the place, time, season, etc. Also, ask if they can imagine what smells might be associated with the images. Again, record responses on the flipchart or in the class poetry journal.

Reading and discussing the poem

Then introduce the poem 'Preludes' (T.S. Eliot). You could tell the children that just as the artist or photographer communicates using the tools of painting or photography, this time they are going to hear a picture painted in words.

Read the poem and then reread it with the class. Ask the children to discuss with a partner and to note in their poetry journals any words or phrases that they particularly like. After these have been discussed in the whole-class group, ask the children to discuss with their partner what they know about the place, time and season, etc.

Ask children to speculate about the 'story' behind the poem and to make some notes in their poetry journals.

Finding images

Ask the children to find or create an image to illustrate all or part of the poem - these can form a display around the text of the poem.