New
New
Year 3

Writing a free verse poem about small objects

I can write a free verse poem about a small object.

New
New
Year 3

Writing a free verse poem about small objects

I can write a free verse poem about a small object.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Free verse poems do not require the poet to follow poetic rules, but tend to follow the rhythm of natural speech.
  2. Free verse poems may include a range of poetic techniques such as: alliteration, kennings and rhyme.
  3. Verse refers to a single line or a group of lines within a poem.
  4. Rhyme in poetry is the similarity of sounds between the ending syllables of words.
  5. Poems can evoke a positive or negative emotion and a poet must carefully consider what atmosphere they wish to create.

Keywords

  • Verse - refers to a single line or a group of lines within a poem, often characterised by rhythm, meter and rhyme, forming a unit of poetic language

  • Kennings - phrases of two words that replace a noun and are often used in poetry

  • Rhyme - the similarity of sounds between the ending syllables of words, creating a musical quality and pattern in the poem

Common misconception

Pupils may get stuck on trying to make every line rhyme.

Explain that free verse poems may use rhyme, but it's usually irregular and doesn't follow a particular pattern. Encourage pupils to include two rhyming words if they wish, but not to make this a focus of the poem.

Encourage pupils to share their poems aloud in small groups and to respond to each other's poetry.
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).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which form of poetry sounds similar to songs and has words that sound the same at the end of some of the lines?
haikus
kenning poems
Correct answer: rhyming poems
Q2.
Words that rhyme have the same __________ sound.
beginning
Correct answer: end
middle
Q3.
Which of these words rhymes with the word 'school'?
playground
Correct answer: pool
awful
Q4.
True or false? Kenning poems are just like riddles and they hint at the subject of a poem rather than telling the reader.
Correct Answer: True, true
Q5.
Which of these could be used as a kenning for a seatbelt in a car?
car-driver
Correct answer: life-saver
road-user
Q6.
How many lines does a sonnet have?
5
7
Correct answer: 14
21

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to the correct definitions.
Correct Answer:verse,a single line or a group of lines within a poem

a single line or a group of lines within a poem

Correct Answer:kennings,phrases of two words that replace a noun and are often used in poetry

phrases of two words that replace a noun and are often used in poetry

Correct Answer:rhyme,the similarity of sounds between the ending syllables of words

the similarity of sounds between the ending syllables of words

Q2.
True or false? Free verse poems are poems which follow a strict and consistent pattern of rhyme or rhythm.
Correct Answer: False, false
Q3.
True or false? Words that rhyme always have the same spelling at the end of the word.
Correct Answer: False, false
Q4.
Which of these kennings could be used to refer to a cat?
Correct answer: whisker-wanderer
Correct answer: purr-master
door-unlocker
wind-rider
Q5.
True or false? A free verse poem has no rules about the number of verses.
Correct Answer: True, true
Q6.
Which of the following contain alliteration?
Correct answer: dreamy daisy drifting in the breeze
the daisy swayed gently in the breeze
Correct answer: daisy's delightful dance in the dewy grass
the daisy's yellow centre seemed to glow