Lesson video

Hi there, my name is Mr. Charlesworth.

And in today's reading lesson, we're developing our reading preferences by exploring a range of forms. During today's lesson, we'll be looking at poetry and verse novels, before you have a go at performing your own.

This is one of my favourite areas of reading, and one that I'm always developing.

I hope you're looking forward to the lesson.

Let's get started.

Today's lesson outcome is, I can develop my awareness of a range of forms. The key words are, my turn, your turn.

Form.

Poetry collection.

Fixed verse.

Free verse.

Verse novel.

Let's try those once more.

Form.

Poetry collection.

Fixed verse.

Free verse.

And verse novel.

Well done.

Form is the way that a text can be presented.

A poetry collection is a text that contains multiple poems by one author, or is centred around a particular subject or theme.

Fixed verse is poetry with a specific structure, rhyme, and metre.

Free verse is poetry without strict rhyme or metre.

It emphasises natural speech rhythms. A verse novel is a narrative told through poetry, blending prose and poetic elements.

In today's lesson, we're developing our reading preferences by exploring a range of forms. We're going to begin by looking at poetry.

Then we'll be exploring verse novels, before you have a go at performing your own poem or song lyric in the third part of the lesson.

Let's get started by looking at forms of poetry.

There are many different forms of reading, including chapter books, picture books, magazines and newspapers, blogs, reference texts, these are sometimes called information books, graphic novels, song lyrics, and poetry collections.

Well done for noticing the keyword.

These are just some of the forms of reading, there are many more.

Which do enjoy reading? Tell your partner and give a reason why.

Pause the video now.

Great discussion.

It's important to remember that all forms are equally as valid as each other.

In today's lesson, we're exploring song lyrics and poetry collections.

Let's find out more.

Poetry is a form of reading.

It's a way that text can be presented.

Poetry is written to convey ideas, express emotions, or to create imagery in the mind of the reader.

Imagery is when you visualise the words on the page in your imagination.

There are two main categories that we can use to define poems; fixed verse, which is structured, and free verse, which is unstructured.

Well done for noticing two of our keywords.

If you want to explore poetry in more detail, "What is Poetry: The Essential Guide to Reading and Writing Poems" by Michael Rosen is a fantastic place to start.

Let's continue to explore the two terms fixed verse and free verse.

Fixed verse poems can take many forms, including couplet, haiku, limerick, acrostic, and sonnet, as well as ballad, villanelle, cinquain, tanka, and concrete.

Some of these might be new to you, or you might know lots of them already.

These forms of poems are usually structured in different ways, or they have a particular theme or subject content.

There are several other poetry forms in other cultures and languages, each with its own unique characteristics and traditions.

I wonder if you're intrigued to find out more.

Free verse poetry does not adhere to specific rhyme or metre poems, it's completely free of any constraints.

Here's our first check for understanding.

True or false, poems with poetry collections can be presented in a range of different forms. Is that true or false? Pause the video now whilst you decide.

Well done, it's true.

Now, I'd like you to justify your answer.

Is it because, A, poetry collections only contain poems written in free verse.

These poems do not have to follow a particular structure.

Or B, poetry collections can contain poems written in fixed verse or free verses.

Have a look back to the statement above, which justification best fits? Pause the video now whilst you decide.

Well done, let's see if you're correct.

It's B.

Poetry collections can contain poems written in fixed verse or free verse.

It doesn't have to be one or the other.

Poetry collections can cover a wide range of themes.

Let's have a look at a few examples.

There's "Caribbean Dozen: Poems from 13 Caribbean Poets." This is a great poetry collection to explore culture and language, and also the impact that lots of Caribbean poets have had on Britain.

Next, "The Same Inside." This is a poetry collection with poems all about empathy and friendship.

Just like the apples on the cover, it celebrates that everyone is the same inside.

Up next is "Rhythm and Poetry." I wonder if you spotted the acronym.

R-A-P, rap is explored lots in this poetry collection, and the poet includes reasons for lots of his poems, as well as the choices in theme and subject matter.

The next poetry collection, "And Everything Will Be Glad to See You," contains poem by women and girls.

It's a really important poetry collection which seeks to empower, delight, and inspire young readers.

It has some very well loved poets, as well as new voices too.

And finally, we have "Belonging Street." These poems all contain themes around identity and our place in the world.

I hope you're interested to find out more about these fantastic poetry collections, and to explore more.

Within the form of poetry, various genres or themes can be explored, such as love poetry and nature poetry.

So poetry is the form, and genres within poetry encompasses specific themes and content of the poems. Two such examples are "Dark Sky Park," which explores poems around the themes of nature, and "Happy Poems," which explores poems that make you feel happy when you perform them and look at them.

You can see from the title that the words make us smile.

That's just like a shape poem.

We're now going to explore how song lyrics are linked to poetry.

Lyrics are closely linked with forms of poetry.

They harness the power of language, rhythm, and imagery to create an emotional and artistic connection with the listener, much like traditional poetry does with its readers.

Reading lyrics are a great way to develop reading for pleasure alongside an appreciation of music.

One such example is Taylor Swift.

She's really well known for crafting lyrics that tell a story, a narrative that the listeners can then follow.

We'll be exploring lyrics later on in the lesson.

I wonder, do you have a favourite song lyric already? Reading poetry offers a range of benefits to readers.

It can help readers express emotions, foster empathy, think creatively, reflect on their own lives, and it can also encourage mindfulness.

Reading a variety of poetry collections can have a positive impact on our emotional wellbeing, our personal growth, and our understanding of the world around us.

A poetry collection that did all three of these for me is "On the Move: Poems About Migration." This poetry collection contains some really serious poems, with emotional and heartfelt messages.

It's incredibly empathetic, and it gets you to consider an alternative point of view, one that might be different to your own.

In our next check for understanding, I'd like you to consider, in which ways are lyrics linked to poetry.

Is it because, A, they use imagery to convey emotions, tell stories, or evoke feelings? B, they frequently use rhyme and repetition for emphasis and to create memorable lines.

C, Some songs use repetitive and straightforward lyrics without exploring complex themes or emotions.

Or D, some lyrics may not present a complete narrative or idea.

There may be more than one.

Pause the video now whilst you decide.

Well done, did you get both? The answers are A and B.

Lyrics are linked to poetry because they use imagery to convey emotions, tell stories, and evoke feelings.

And also they frequently use rhyme and repetition for emphasis and to create memorable lines.

In this first task, I'd like you to explore a range of poems and song lyrics.

Take the time to read and reflect.

I'd like you to select one poem and one song lyric that resonates with you.

That means it has a personal connection, or it had an effect on you when you read it.

One such example for me would be Ted Hughes's collection, "Poems for Children." It has one of my favourite poems within it, called "Amulet." Which is not only descriptive, but it gets you to picture the imagery in your head as you read.

It's beautifully illustrated too.

I wonder if you've got a favourite song lyric or poem already.

If not, perhaps explore the book area, school library, local library, or even online.

Poetry Archive has a fantastic website full of poems for children.

Pause the video here whilst you go off and explore a range of poems and song lyrics.

Great work, I hope you enjoyed all the reading.

I'm interested, which poem did you choose? Which song lyric, and why? Pause the video and tell your partner.

Great discussion.

Let's have a look at a possible example from Sam.

They say, "I really like the poem "Michael" by Matt Goodfellow.

It encourages empathy for other people around you.

One of my favourite song lyrics is "Three Little Birds," written by Bob Marley and The Wailers.

It's a positive tune, which fills me with happiness and joy." Perhaps you have had a chance to listen to the song or the poem that Sam chose.

Maybe your choices were similar.

We're now going to move on to exploring verse novels.

Verse novels are a type of narrative where the story is told primarily through poetry.

Poets can use poetic language, line breaks, and other poetic devices to convey the plot, characters, and emotions of the story.

Some features of verse novels include visual appeal, figurative language.

Examples of these are similes and metaphors.

Varied forms. Enjambment, which is when words continue from one line to the next in a poem.

Line breaks, and stanzas.

A recent read that contains lots of these features is "The Final Year." It's a beautiful verse novel which explores themes around family, friends, teachers, as well as the transition to year seven.

If you haven't read a verse novel before, this is a fantastic place to start.

Just like other texts, verse novels can be in a variety of forms and cover a range of themes.

Let's have a look at some examples.

There's "The Deepest Breath," which is a verse novel all about identity and relationships.

Then there's "The Bird Within Me." This is a biographical verse novel about the Swedish artist Berta Hanson.

Up next is "The Crossover." This originally started life as a verse novel, but is now a verse novel and a graphic novel.

It explores themes around family, friendship, and sports.

The main sport being basketball, obviously.

Then there's the verse novel "Love That Dog." This is a beautiful quick read, and explores the true power of poetry.

Finally, we have the verse novel "Other Words for Home," which explores the complex feelings and emotions of a person who's leaving from one country and joining another.

Maybe your next read will be a verse novel.

Perhaps it'll be one of these.

Here's our next check for understanding.

Can you name three features of verse novels? I wonder if you can remember them from earlier.

Pause the video now whilst you note them down.

Great work.

Did you manage all six? Verse novels have visual appeal, figurative language, varied forms, enjambment, line breaks, and stanzas.

Well done if you got them all.

Verse novels use a variety of poetic techniques and devices to tell a story.

Verse novels unique format makes them a compelling choice for a wide range of readers.

They appeal to readers for a number of reasons.

Their accessibility, they're usually shorter in length, they have less text on the page, and there's a strong feeling of success when you read.

The space on a page.

Poets can use the entire page to play with language and form.

They can also allow you to focus on scene to scene.

Poets can jump from key scenes without having to write paragraphs joining them.

In verse novels, the reader is able to infer and deduce what's happened from one poem to the next.

Characters and emotions are a key feature of verse novels.

The poetic language can evoke strong emotions, drawing readers into the story and characters on a much deeper level.

Many verse novels feature diverse characters and voices, broadening readers' perspectives and promoting empathy.

Two of my favourites are "Cloud Busting and "Zombierella." I wonder what yours are.

What appeals to you about verse novels? Pause the video now and reflect on the question.

Fantastic work.

I think what appeals to me most about verse novels is that I can read an entire narrative in one sitting.

It doesn't mean I speed through the text.

I take the time to visualise it, and think deeply about verse novels.

They're fantastic.

Here's our next check for understanding.

True or false, reading longer text is more important than reading verse novels.

Is that true or false? Pause the video now whilst you make your choice.

Well done, it's false.

Now, I'd like you to justify your answer.

Is it because, A, all forms of reading are valid, no one form has greater importance over another.

Or B, verse novels are very accessible, they usually have less text on a page.

Pause the video now whilst you consider your justification.

Great work.

I wonder if you're correct.

It's A, all forms of reading are valid.

No one form has greater importance over another.

The length of a verse novel does not mean that it's any easier than any other text.

All texts are equal.

In this next task, I'd like you to match the following terms to their features.

We have poetry, song lyric, and verse novel.

And here are the features.

Pause video now whilst you read and match the following terms to their features.

Fantastic work, let's see if you're correct.

Poetry is comprised of fixed verse and free verse, with a clear rhythm and metre.

Song lyrics are words specifically written to be sung.

They're combined with melody, harmony, and rhythm.

And finally, verse novel can tell a complete story through poetry or verse.

The narrative structure focuses heavily on characters, plot, and themes.

It's important to remember that poetry does not have to have one specific feature.

It can mix and combine several of them.

We're now at a final part of the lesson, which is all about performing poetry.

Performing poetry out loud serves as a powerful means of expression and connection.

It brings poetry to life, and allows for a deeper connection between the poet, the audience, and the words themselves.

There are many places where poetry is performed.

These include poetry slams, which are a bit like poetry competitions for poets.

You might see poetry in schools via a poet visit or performances.

You might also see poetry performed at literary festivals or open mic nights.

Finally, you might see them on online platforms or community gatherings, where people might share their favourite poems. When performing poetry, it's as important to make sure you make the experience as engaging as possible.

Some top tips include practising and rehearsing thoroughly to ensure you're comfortable with the words, the meaning, and the flow of the poem.

Introduce yourself and the poem that you'll be performing, alongside the poet who created it.

Perform in a loud, clear voice so the audience can hear you.

Make eye contact with the audience.

And vary your voice's pitch, volume, and speed to match the poem's content.

In this final check for understanding, I'd like you to order the following steps for performing.

A, perform the poem, taking care to ensure it can be heard, and you can vary the pitch, volume, and speed to match the poem's content.

B, introduce yourself and the poem you'll be performing, alongside the poet who created it.

C, practise and rehearse thoroughly to ensure you're comfortable with the words and the flow.

Which one comes first, which one comes last, and which one must go in the middle? Order them one, two, and three.

Pause the video now whilst you do so.

Well done.

Let's have a look at the correct order.

One, to practise and rehearse thoroughly to ensure you're comfortable with the words and the flow.

Two, introduce yourself and the poem you'll be performing, alongside the poet who created it.

And three, perform the poem, taking care to ensure it can be heard, and you can vary the pitch, volume, and speed to match the poem's content.

It's important to note that movement when performing poetry is encouraged.

However, the focus should be on emphasising key points in the poem, its words, and the effect and connection it has with the audience.

In our final task in today's lesson, I'd like you to choose either the poem or song lyric from task A, and make it ready for a performance.

Remember to consider the following.

Practise and rehearsing thoroughly to ensure you're comfortable with the words, the meaning, and the flow.

Introduce yourself and the poem you'll be performing, alongside the poet who created it.

Perform in a loud, clear voice so the audience can hear you.

Make eye contact with the audience.

And vary your voice's pitch, volume, and speed to match the poem's content.

Pause the video now whilst you get your poem or song lyric ready for a performance.

Well done.

Now, I'd like you to share your performance with your class or a friend.

Once you've done so, reflect on the following questions.

What was their response? Were they excited, enthralled? Did they want to find out where your poem or song lyric had come from? What went well with your performance? Had you practised and rehearsed it well? Did you emphasise the flow and the rhythm of the poem or the song lyric? What could go better next time? Are there any constructive comments that you or your partner could mention to help you improve for your next performance? Remember, practise makes perfect.

In today's lesson, we've been developing reading preferences through exploring a range of forms. We've understood that poetry is written to convey ideas, express emotions, or to create imagery in the mind of the reader.

We know there are two main categories that we can use to define poems; fixed verse or free verses.

We've understood that poetry is the form, and genres within poetry encompasses specific themes and content of the poems. We've explored verse novels, and understood that there are types of narratives where the story is told primarily through poetry.

Finally, by performing poetry out loud, it serves as a powerful means of expression and connection.

Well done for all your hard work.

I hope you've enjoyed exploring this form of reading.

I'm looking forward to working with you again soon.