New
New
Year 7

Comparing poems about place and home

I can identify similarities and differences between poems about place, home and identity.

New
New
Year 7

Comparing poems about place and home

I can identify similarities and differences between poems about place, home and identity.

warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Comparative and correlative conjunctions are useful when explaining similarities and differences.
  2. Comparative conjunctions can be used to compare ideas in a sentence and show difference.
  3. Correlative conjunctions are pairs of words that work together to connect ideas in a sentence.
  4. 'Island Man' and 'Search for My Tongue' both explore immigration, pride and identity.

Keywords

  • Comparison - a consideration of the similarities and differences between two things

  • Correlative conjunction - pairs of words that work together to connect ideas in a sentence

  • Comparative conjunction - a conjunction used to indicate how things are different and/or similar

Common misconception

Students may not at first understand that they must use a parallel sentence structure when using correlative conjunctions e.g. Both 'Island Man' uses imagery as well as 'Search for My Tongue'.

Model a few sentences with correlative conjunctions to show that parallel structures are needed. e.g. Both 'Island Man' and 'Search for My Tongue' use imagery.

If you would prefer to compare other identity/home poems, you can swap them in.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to 'Search for My Tongue' by Sujata Bhatt and 'Island Man' by Grace Nichols for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
To discuss the similarities and differences between two things is to ...
Correct answer: compare.
summarise.
analyse.
Q2.
Match each word class with the correct example.
Correct Answer:Conjunction,but

but

Correct Answer:Adjective,vibrant

vibrant

Correct Answer:Pronoun,she

she

Correct Answer:Verb,uses

uses

Q3.
What is a conjunction?
a word used in the place of a noun
Correct answer: a word used to link clauses
a word used to emphasise ownership
Q4.
Both 'Island Man' and use imagery to describe the Caribbean.
'Search for My Tongue'
Correct answer: 'Childhood Tracks'
'My City'
Q5.
Which of the below is a comparative conjunction?
both
and
neither
Correct answer: whereas
Q6.
Which poem does not touch upon the poet's own personal story of immigration?
Correct answer: 'My City'
'Search for My Tongue'
'Island Man'

6 Questions

Q1.
What is the purpose of correlative conjunctions?
to express a difference between two things
Correct answer: to connect ideas in a sentence
to summarise an idea
Q2.
Select the sentence which uses correlative conjunctions.
Whereas ‘Island Man’ describes two places, ‘Childhood Tracks’ describes one.
Correct answer: Both George The Poet and Nichols write about their struggles in London.
Whereas Bhatt focuses on language, Berry focuses on scenery.
Q3.
Complete the sentence with the most appropriate comparison: 'Whereas Bhatt is prideful about her native language ...'
Berry writes about vivid memories of the Caribbean.
Correct answer: George The Poet is critical about inequality in his hometown.
Nichols is nostalgic about life in the Caribbean.
Q4.
Complete the sentence: Nichols shows pride for her home country by describing scenery in 'Island Man' whereas in 'Search for My Tongue' Bhatt shows her pride through …
food.
clothes.
Correct answer: language.
Q5.
Which conjunction is missing from the following sentence? 'Bhatt struggles to adapt to a new language after immigration. Nichols struggles to adapt to new climate and scenery.'
for
so
Correct answer: whereas
Q6.
Which sentence uses correlative conjunctions correctly?
Both Nichols uses imagery and Berry does too.
Nichols and Berry use imagery.
Correct answer: Both Nichols and Berry use imagery.