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Year 5

Exploring human relationships with animals through poetry

I can compare and contrast two poems with similar themes.

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New
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Year 5

Exploring human relationships with animals through poetry

I can compare and contrast two poems with similar themes.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. ‘The Song of the Whale’ was written by Kit Wright in 1982.
  2. Whales face a multitude of threats from humans, which include hunting, pollution and captivity in zoos and water parks.
  3. ‘The Panther’ was written by Rainer Maria Rilke between 1902 and 1903; it describes a captive panther behind bars.
  4. Themes of captivity and freedom can be found in both poems.
  5. We can compare and contrast poems with similar themes or messages, noticing the impact that they have on us as readers.

Keywords

  • Theme - a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a text

  • Captivity - being confined or imprisoned

  • Freedom - being unrestrained, independent, or liberated

  • Compare - involves identifying similarities between two or more things, ideas, themes or texts

  • Contrast - involves identifying differences between two or more things, ideas, themes or texts

Common misconception

Pupils may not recognise that a poem's structure can also convey meaning to a poem.

Highlight how the poem's lines in 'The Panther' form bars, similar to the ones imprisoning the panther in the poem. Pupils could read additional poems (such as concrete/shape poetry) to explore this feature further.

You could use the poems as a prompt for pupils to explore the creatures in more detail, through research and home learning.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

You need a copy of the poem ‘The Song of the Whale’ which is featured on pages 17-18 in the 1982 Puffin edition of ‘Hot Dog’ written by Kit Wright, and illustrated by Posy Simmonds for this lesson.

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which poet wrote 'The Snow Leopard'?
John Foster
Emily Dickinson
Correct answer: Philip Gross
Q2.
Which of these is the best definition of a theme?
a group of lines within a poem that form a distinct group
Correct answer: a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a text
the loudness or softness of the voice when speaking or reading a poem
Q3.
What is the best description of a metaphor?
the feeling or mood created in a section or whole of a text
the overall feeling or impact that a poem leaves on the reader
Correct answer: a way of describing and comparing something by saying that it is something else
Q4.
Which of these words best describe freedom?
imprisoned
Correct answer: liberated
Correct answer: independent
restricted
Q5.
Which of these are members of the whale family?
Correct answer: blue
orange
meerkat
armadillo
Correct answer: humpback
Q6.
Which of these animals are members of the cat family?
elephant
Correct answer: tiger
Correct answer: cheetah
Correct answer: lion
kangaroo

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:theme,a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a text
tick

a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a text

Correct Answer:compare,involves identifying similarities between two or more things
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involves identifying similarities between two or more things

Correct Answer:contrast,involves identifying differences between two or more things
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involves identifying differences between two or more things

Q2.
Kit Wright was born in which year?
1854
Correct answer: 1944
2004
Q3.
True or false? Whales face a number of threats due to humans.
Correct Answer: True, true
Q4.
Match these words from 'The Song of the Whale' to their definitions.
Correct Answer:"grieving",feeling deep sadness or sorrow
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feeling deep sadness or sorrow

Correct Answer:"tumbling",falling or rolling in an uncontrolled manner
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falling or rolling in an uncontrolled manner

Correct Answer:"heaving",moving or rising with great force
tick

moving or rising with great force

Q5.
True or false? 'The Panther' is based on a real-life experience.
Correct Answer: True, true
Q6.
Who was the translator of the poem 'The Panther' which we read?
Correct Answer: Stephen Mitchell, Stephen mitchell, stephen mitchell

Additional material

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