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Year 5

Reading and responding to 'Pike' by Ted Hughes

I can engage with a poem and research the subject.

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New
New
Year 5

Reading and responding to 'Pike' by Ted Hughes

I can engage with a poem and research the subject.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. ‘Pike’ was written by Ted Hughes in 1960; the poem consists of eleven verses, each with four lines.
  2. Hughes often used animals, landscapes and elemental forces as symbols in his work.
  3. Hughes uses vivid imagery in the poem to create a rich and sensory description of the pike and its environment.
  4. Researching about the subject of a poem can greatly enhance readers' understanding.
  5. The goal of research is to enrich and engage readers in a poem.

Common misconception

Pupils may find some of the language new or unfamiliar to them.

An extended definition list could be created to support pupils in understanding. Explain that it is normal to not understand all the language in a poem, especially when we first read it.

Keywords

  • Subject - the main topic or idea that the poet is writing about

  • Imagery - the use of language to create a mental picture or sensory experience for the reader or listener

  • Research - to find out more about a topic or idea, using reliable sources

Pupils would benefit from seeing a video clip of a pike in its natural habitat to gauge size and movement. A list of preapproved websites could be provided during Task B to support research.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need a copy of the poem ‘Pike’ which is featured on pages 38-39 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 poet wrote the poem 'The Song of the Whale'?
Philip Gross
John Foster
Correct answer: Kit Wright
Q2.
Which of these examples use alliteration?
a glint of silver
Correct answer: silver scales shimmer
Correct answer: flickering fins flash
in watery depths
Q3.
Which of these is the most appropriate definition of a predator?
an organism that eats other organisms to obtain energy and nutrients
an animal that is hunted and eaten by other animals as food
Correct answer: an animal that hunts and eats other animals for food
Q4.
Which of the following best describes a free verse poem?
a form of poetry consisting of five lines
Correct answer: a form of poetry that doesn't follow any set rules of rhyme or structure
a form of poetry that expresses deep admiration for a person, object or idea
Q5.
Which of these examples use personification?
Correct answer: the waves whispered secrets; the fish listened
Correct answer: in the ponds, the fish nodded silently
fish play various roles in ecosystems
fish breathe through gills
Q6.
Which of the following are types of fish?
goose
beaver
otter
Correct answer: tuna
Correct answer: salmon

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match these keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:subject,the main topic or idea that the poet is writing about

the main topic or idea that the poet is writing about

Correct Answer:imagery,the use of language to create a mental picture or sensory experience

the use of language to create a mental picture or sensory experience

Correct Answer:research,to find out more about a topic or idea, using reliable sources

to find out more about a topic or idea, using reliable sources

Q2.
What colour are pikes?
Correct answer: green
pink
Correct answer: gold
red
Q3.
True or false? Pike are apex predators.
Correct Answer: True, true
Q4.
Which of these adjectives best describe the pike in the poem?
Correct answer: vicious
Correct answer: threatening
calm
caring
Q5.
True or false? Doing research around a poem's subject can provide readers with a deeper understanding of a poem’s themes.
Correct Answer: True, true
Q6.
Match each verse grouping to the topic explored.
Correct Answer:Verses 1 and 2,describes the pike from infancy

describes the pike from infancy

Correct Answer:Verses 3 and 4,describes the pike’s natural habitat and how they are apex predators

describes the pike’s natural habitat and how they are apex predators

Correct Answer:Verses 5 - 7,describes the speaker’s own experience of keeping pike in a fish tank

describes the speaker’s own experience of keeping pike in a fish tank

Correct Answer:Verses 8 - 11,describes a pond where the speaker used to fish

describes a pond where the speaker used to fish