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Year 4

Comparing John Lyons' poems ‘Happy Hummingbird Food’ and ‘Tadpole Comets’

I can compare two of John Lyons’ poems: ‘Happy Hummingbird Food’ and ‘Tadpole Comets’.

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New
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Year 4

Comparing John Lyons' poems ‘Happy Hummingbird Food’ and ‘Tadpole Comets’

I can compare two of John Lyons’ poems: ‘Happy Hummingbird Food’ and ‘Tadpole Comets’.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Reading and rereading poems leads to a richer response and a greater understanding of language within the poem.
  2. Engaging in conversations about poems allows us to make connections with our own lives and the world around us.
  3. Comparing poems explores the themes, structures and language within them.
  4. A theme is a big idea, topic or message that recurs in a poem.

Common misconception

There is a set of rules to follow when comparing poems.

Comparing poems often involves exploring similarities and differences, but remind pupils that it is a subjective process.

Keywords

  • Poem - a piece of writing that uses creative and rhythmic language to express thoughts, feelings or ideas

  • Language - includes the words, phrases and techniques used by the poet to convey meaning, evoke emotions and create imagery within the poem

  • Comparing - involves identifying similarities and differences between two or more things, ideas, themes or texts

Copies of both poems should be printed out for children to annotate in pairs.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Why do we compare poems?
To judge which poem is better than the other.
Correct answer: To identify differences and similarities in themes, structure and language.
To categorise poems into specific genres.
To memorise their content easily.
Q2.
Which of the following is true about poetry?
Poems rely on factual information and evidence.
Correct answer: Poems include creativity and emotions and they make use of figurative language.
Poems strictly adhere to a narrative structure.
Poems strictly adhere to punctuation rules.
Q3.
Who illustrated John Lyons' poetry collection 'Dancing in the Rain'?
Dr. Seuss
Correct answer: John Lyons
Beatrix Potter
J.K. Rowling
Q4.
What is the job of an illustrator in the context of a book?
Correct answer: To create visual images that complement the text.
To edit and proofread the written text.
To write the storyline and narrative.
Q5.
What role does rhythm serve in poetry?
It tells you the length of the poem.
Correct answer: It creates a melodic flow and musicality in the poem.
It determines the theme of the poem.
Q6.
What does the term 'rhythm' refer to in poetry?
The number of lines in a verse.
The emotional mood conveyed in a poem.
The volume at which a poem is read aloud.
Correct answer: The pattern of the words when spoken out loud.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the poem 'Happy Hummingbird Food' mainly about?
a frog
Correct answer: a hummingbird
a bee
a hedge
Q2.
True or false. John Lyons feels positively towards hummingbirds.
Correct Answer: true, True
Q3.
What are the main themes in both poems 'Happy Hummingbird Food' and 'Tadpole Comets'?
Correct answer: nature
love
Correct answer: animals
family
Q4.
Match the animals to their corresponding poems.
Correct Answer:candle flies,'Tadpole Comets'

'Tadpole Comets'

Correct Answer:hummingbirds,'Hummingbird Happy Food'

'Hummingbird Happy Food'

Correct Answer:bees,'Hummingbird Happy Food'

'Hummingbird Happy Food'

Q5.
Which of these words rhyme with 'about'?
Correct answer: shout
sight
Correct answer: out
flight
Q6.
Which of these words rhyme with 'tune'?
Correct answer: spoon
food
flowers
Correct answer: moon