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Year 8

Performing your chosen Gothic poem

I can effectively deliver a Gothic poem using a range of performance techniques.

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New
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Year 8

Performing your chosen Gothic poem

I can effectively deliver a Gothic poem using a range of performance techniques.

Download all resources
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Share activities with pupils
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These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Performing a poem means bringing out the drama of the poem.
  2. It is important to vary the pace and tone in your performance.
  3. It's best to learn the poem so you can perform the poem and not just say it.
  4. You should make eye contact with the audience when performing a poem.
  5. Peer-assessment is a useful tool to help each other make a range of improvements.

Keywords

  • Performance - a performance is a way of entertaining an audience with speech, acting or music

  • Tone - how speakers use their voice to convey their feelings is known as tone

  • Pace - to change your speaking pace is to change how quickly or slowly you speak

  • Fluent - we call performers fluent if they speak without hesitation or mistakes

Common misconception

Students might try to read the poem rather than recite.

Encourage students to learn as much of the poem as possible.


To help you plan your year 8 english lesson on: Performing your chosen Gothic poem, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Beginning practice in pairs and then moving to groups of four can build up confidence for whole class performances.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

You will need access to copies of Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Raven' and 'The Haunted Palace'. These are available in the additional materials.

content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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.
If a piece of music is discordant, what is it like?
Correct answer: harsh and out of tune
sweet sounding and pretty
modern and upbeat
Q2.
Which is the best synonym for 'assail'?
soothe
mourn
Correct answer: attack
Q3.
Starting with: 'It was on a bleak December night', put the events of 'The Raven' in chronological order.
1 - It was on a bleak December night.
2 - A man hears a tapping at the door.
3 - The man opens the door and a raven flies in.
4 - The man becomes convinced that the raven knows about his lost wife Lenore.
5 - Over and over again, the man asks the raven about Lenore.
6 - All the raven will say is "nevermore."
7 - The man is so overcome with grief that he becomes insane.
Q4.
Match the imagery in 'The Haunted Palace' with their mostly likely meanings.
Correct Answer:evil things,wicked thoughts
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wicked thoughts

Correct Answer:robes of sorrow,deep unhappiness
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deep unhappiness

Correct Answer:banners glorious ,triumph
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triumph

Correct Answer:the palace ,the self
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the self

Correct Answer:hideous throng,destruction
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destruction

Q5.
The last two lines of the poem 'The Raven' are: "And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor/shall be lifted - nevermore!" Which of the following is the best interpretation?
The raven is cruel and merciless in his treatment of the man.
The man fears that he will be destroyed by the raven.
Correct answer: The man will never escape the unhappiness that has come over him.
The darkness of the night echoes the darkness in the man's soul.
Q6.
The last line of 'The Haunted Palace is: "And laugh - but smile no more." What is the best interpretation of these lines?
The ruin of the palace has made everyone miserable.
Correct answer: There is no genuine happiness, only mocking laughter.
There are only tears left and the speaker is in mourning.
All the laughter has left the valley and the palace.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the words with their definition.
Correct Answer:performance ,a form of entertainment for an audience
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a form of entertainment for an audience

Correct Answer:pace ,the speed at which something happens
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the speed at which something happens

Correct Answer:fluent,clear, easy expression
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clear, easy expression

Correct Answer:tone ,the way a speaker uses their voice to convey meaning
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the way a speaker uses their voice to convey meaning

Correct Answer:mumble ,speak quietly and indistinctly
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speak quietly and indistinctly

Q2.
What advice would you give to someone who reads from a piece of paper in their performance?
Correct answer: Learn your lines as much as possible.
Use a bigger piece of paper so it is easier to read from.
Make more eye contact with your audience.
Have someone hold up the paper so you can look up as you read.
Q3.
Select the best ways in which we can emphasise the important parts of the poem when reciting one aloud.
You can say those words louder.
You can make your voice go up high when you say those words.
Correct answer: You can stress key words.
Correct answer: You can pause before and after key words.
You can make your voice go down when you say those words.
Q4.
When you give feedback to someone, it is important that you are:
Correct answer: clear, precise and kind.
firm, critical and clear.
kind, practical and supportive.
supportive, firm and kind.
Q5.
When you see a dash in a poem, how should that affect the way you say those lines?
say the next word louder
say the next word in a softer voice
Correct answer: treat it as a pause to draw attention to key words
treat it as a sign to speed up and speak faster
Q6.
Why is peer assessment useful?
It allows students to be teachers.
Correct answer: It sharpens students' judgement of good work.
Correct answer: It allows students to share in the good work of the classroom.
Correct answer: It means you can help other students.

Additional material

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