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Year 5

Reading and responding to 'Hawk Roosting' by Ted Hughes

I can give my personal response to the poem, including some evidence to justify my ideas.

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New
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Year 5

Reading and responding to 'Hawk Roosting' by Ted Hughes

I can give my personal response to the poem, including some evidence to justify my ideas.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. ‘Hawk Roosting’ can be described as a fixed verse poem; it consists of six verses, each with four lines.
  2. The poem is written in first-person perspective.
  3. The hawk views itself as a powerful, god-like figure with control over its environment.
  4. The hawk describes how it likes to kill its prey in a violent manner.
  5. We can respond to a poem by writing a personal response to it.

Common misconception

Pupils may find it challenging to discuss how perspective can have an effect on their understanding of the poem and its themes.

It may be useful to remind pupils of the different perspectives that writing can take and the effect they can have on a reader or listener.

Keywords

  • Enjambment - when a line in poetry continues onto the next line without pause or punctuation, creating a sense of flow

  • Perspective - the point of view from which the poet writes, influencing the way events or ideas are portrayed and understood

  • Interpretation - the process of understanding and assigning meaning to a poem

  • Personal response - reflections that we make about a poem after reading or listening to it

Pupils could explore a typical food chain of a hawk, to gain a deeper insight into its perspective and how it is portrayed in the poem.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need a copy of the poem ‘Hawk Roosting’ which is featured on page 41 in the 2019 Faber & Faber edition of ‘The Thought Fox: Collected Animal Poems Vol 4’ written by Ted Hughes for this lesson.

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.
Which of the following is written in first-person perspective?
The hawk spotted its prey with pinpoint accuracy.
Correct answer: My wings spread wide as I soar through the boundless sky.
With wings outstretched, the hawk gracefully navigated the currents of the wind.
Correct answer: In the silence of the forest, I am the silent hunter, unseen yet ever watchful.
Q2.
Which of the following is written in third-person perspective?
With each beat of my heart, I feel the pulse of the earth beneath me.
From my lofty perch, I survey the world below with keen eyes.
Correct answer: As the hawk descended, the smaller creatures scattered in fear.
Correct answer: In the golden light of dawn, the silhouette of the hawk painted against the sky.
Q3.
What is a suitable definition of a fixed verse poem?
a text that contains multiple poems by one author
Correct answer: poetry with a specific structure, rhyme and meter
the way the information is organised on the page
Q4.
Who wrote the poem 'Pike'?
Emily Dickinson
Correct answer: Ted Hughes
Rainer Maria Rilke
Q5.
Which of the following are types of birds?
ladybird
Correct answer: eagle
dragonfly
Correct answer: robin
Correct answer: pigeon
Q6.
Which of the following is a suitable definition for enjambment?
Correct answer: when a line in poetry continues onto the next line without pause or punctuation
the use of language to create a mental picture or sensory experience
to find out more about a topic or idea, using reliable sources

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definition.
Correct Answer:enjambment,when a line in poetry continues onto the next line without pause

when a line in poetry continues onto the next line without pause

Correct Answer:perspective,the point of view from which the poet writes

the point of view from which the poet writes

Correct Answer:interpretation,the process of understanding and assigning meaning to a poem

the process of understanding and assigning meaning to a poem

Correct Answer:personal response,reflections that we make about a poem after reading or listening to it

reflections that we make about a poem after reading or listening to it

Q2.
'Hawk Roosting' is written by which poet?
Correct Answer: Ted Hughes, Ted hughes, ted hughes
Q3.
Which is the most suitable definition of the word roosting?
Correct answer: to settle for rest or sleep
moving through the air using wings
searching for food or provisions, typically in the wild
Q4.
Match the following key terms to their definitions.
Correct Answer:inaction,being inactive or not taking action

being inactive or not taking action

Correct Answer:buoyancy,the ability to float or rise in a fluid

the ability to float or rise in a fluid

Correct Answer:falsifying,to make false or deceive

to make false or deceive

Q5.
Which of the following are true about hawks?
Hawks cannot see long distances.
Correct answer: Hawks have strong, curved beaks.
Correct answer: A common buzzard is a type of hawk.
Hawks can only catch their food in the air.
Q6.
Put the following events found in the poem ‘Hawk Roosting’ in order.
1 - The hawk rests on a perch, with a view over the woodland.
2 - The hawk describes how it is a very accomplished killer.
3 - The hawk does not want its situation to change.