Year 10 Poetry Collection Lesson 13 – ‘Poppies’ by Jane Weir

Learning Objective To understand how Weir uses imagery to convey the themes of fear and suffering in this poem. Outcomes: You MUST annotate your poem independently with as much info as possible. You will need this for your revision next year. Anything you miss, it is your responsibility to catch up/complete Flipped Learning

Read and listen First impressions? What is it about? Repeated ideas? Tone? Message? Words – specific/interesting/unusual? Alliteration or other devices? Rhyme and rhythm? Structure?

Glossary Armistice Remembrance Sunday crimped bias binding peace agreement nearest Sunday to November 11th, Armistice Day crinkled decorative ribbon edging sewn around the collar/cuffs of uniforms

Glossary using an image or object or idea to represent a broader concept or theme symbolism

Background to poem Carol Ann Duffy made a request for poets to write a piece on the suffering and death of war, following the 2004 events commemorating the centenary of WWI outbreak Armistice Day established in 1919 to pay tribute to millions of war dead. Is now Remembrance Day and commemorates all war dead. What does Remembrance Day mean to you? What associations does it have? Is this commemoration still relevant to young people now? Can you relate to it?

Exploring the poem… Read poem and think about immediate impression. What does it mean? What is being described? Meaning is ambivalent so varying options available – is it a mother mourning her son? Or saying goodbye to him as he leaves for war? Can you see subtle references to his schoolboy days? Why are these included? What do you think? How can you use the text to support your interpretation?

Extended metaphor Weir also has her own textiles business. There are lots of references to this in the poem – highlight them. Why has this extended metaphor been used? Evokes sense of mother/son closeness and extends further to show tactile need from mother for comfort. She needs to get fluff off his jacket, etc. Look at colours used in poem – red, yellow, white, black. Context of these colours in the poem? Symbolism in poem…select quotation from second half. What do the two birds symbolise?

Consolidation How does Weir’s use of imagery and symbolism illustrate the themes of fear and suffering in the poem ‘Poppies’? Two paragraphs, please.

Peer assessment Are they using correct terminology? Are they using appropriate quotations? References to language, structure and form? GCSE Mark Scheme for Paper 2 Section B  Level 1 Identification of language, form and structure is minimal. Little evidence of relevant subject terminology. Level 2 There is some comment on the language, form and structure of the text. Limited use of relevant subject terminology to support examples given. Level 3 The response shows an understanding of a range of language, form and structure features and links these to their effect on the reader. Relevant subject terminology is used to support examples given. Level 4 Analysis of language, form and structure features and their effect on the reader is sustained. Relevant subject terminology is used accurately and appropriately to develop ideas. Level 5 The response is a cohesive evaluation of the interrelationship of language, form and structure and their effect on the reader. Relevant subject terminology is integrated and precise.