New
New
Year 4

Writing a free verse poem about weather inspired by John Lyons' poems

I can write a free verse poem about the weather inspired by John Lyons' poems.

New
New
Year 4

Writing a free verse poem about weather inspired by John Lyons' poems

I can write a free verse poem about the weather inspired by John Lyons' poems.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. 'Free verse’ refers to a type of poetry that doesn’t follow a specific rhyme scheme or structure.
  2. The themes and tone of a poem can be inferred from the structure and language of the poem.
  3. Generating vocabulary and figurative language using the senses enables the poet to paint a vivid picture for the reader.
  4. Writing a free verse poem relies on the poet’s creativity rather than following rules of traditional poems.

Common misconception

Free verse allows for entirely random writing without any consideration for form or craft.

Successful free verse poetry involves deliberate choices regarding line breaks, rhythms and imagery to create a meaningful poem.

Keywords

  • Tone - refers to the emotion expressed by the poet towards the reader, enhancing the mood or atmosphere of the poem

  • Descriptive vocabulary - words and phrases used to vividly convey sensory details, emotions or experiences

  • Figurative language - the use of simile and personification to paint vivid pictures for the reader

Analyse and compare free verse poems by different poets. Pupils practise in pairs on mini-whiteboards when writing their free verse poems.
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).

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
Which noun phrase best describes a hot Caribbean sun?
cold metal
glassy marble
Correct answer: fiery orb
soft ball
Q2.
Which phrase best describes a heavy downpour?
light sprinkling
Correct answer: torrential flood
gentle pitter patter
tiny droplets
Q3.
Which phrase best describes a strong wind?
playfully jostling
blazing relentlessly
calmly drifting
Correct answer: wildly ferocious
Q4.
Which phrase best describes the stars that could fill a night sky?
Correct answer: white specks of dust
marine-blue swirls of foam
grey blanket of clouds
Q5.
Match the elements in the natural world with their corresponding descriptive vocabulary.
Correct Answer:stars,dotted across the sky like diamonds

dotted across the sky like diamonds

Correct Answer:sunset,dropping down beyond the horizon

dropping down beyond the horizon

Correct Answer:forested hills,densely packed behind the row of houses

densely packed behind the row of houses

Correct Answer:rain,heavy and warm

heavy and warm

Q6.
Match the animals in John Lyons' poems to their corresponding descriptive vocabulary.
Correct Answer:hummingbird,sipping sweet nectar from flowers in bloom

sipping sweet nectar from flowers in bloom

Correct Answer:tadpoles,huddled in a pond watching candleflies

huddled in a pond watching candleflies

Correct Answer:mosquito,playing high octave tunes

playing high octave tunes

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following are typically found in John Lyons' poems?
Correct answer: figurative language
subheadings
bullet points
Correct answer: descriptive vocabulary
Q2.
Which of the following are typical aspects of a free verse poem?
rhyme scheme
set number of lines
Correct answer: imagery and descriptive language
Correct answer: simile
Q3.
True or false? There is always repetition in free verse poems.
Correct Answer: false, False
Q4.
Which adjective best fits the blank in the following sentence? __________ stars were dotted across the sky like diamonds.
Imaginative
Responsible
Correct answer: Sparkling
Dangerous
Q5.
Which verb best fits the blank in the following sentence? The sun was __________ like a hot ball of gas.
Correct answer: glowing
freezing
crying
lying
Q6.
Which noun phrase best fits the blank in the following sentence? The __________ drifted gracefully like dancers.
howling wind
torrential rain
scorching sun
Correct answer: wispy clouds