World War I Poetry

Principles

• Engaging
• Informative (WW I)
• Train literary analysis skills.

Students can:

• recognise a tension
• provide argumented feedback on a poem

Visible learning:
choose a poem and underline the tension

Selection of poems

• In Flanders Fields, by John McRae
• Dulce et Decorum Est, by Wilfred Owen
• Break of Day in the Trenches, by Isaac Rosenberg
• June, 1915 by Charlotte Mew

Who thinks of June’s first rose today?

Only some child, perhaps, with shining eyes and
rough bright hair will reach it down.

In a green sunny lane, to us almost as far away

As are the fearless stars from these veiled lamps of town.

What’s little June to a great broken world with eyes gone dim

From too much looking on the face of grief, the face of dread?

Or what’s the broken word to June and him

Of the small eager hand, the shining eyes, the rough bright head?

Pre-reading:

watch (part of) WW I documentary regarding experiences of soldiers in the trenches. Discuss.

While reading

• Find tension
• Personal reaction

Post-reading:
Find own poem and give audio feedback on tension and personal reaction.

Reflection:
Have students react on feedback of another one.

Roles:

• Teacher: initiator and assessor
• Student: engaged-study-activate

Thank You