New
New
Year 7

Exploring memories of home in the poem ‘Childhood Tracks’

I can explore how James Berry presents memories of his hometown and use this to help me write about my own experiences.

New
New
Year 7

Exploring memories of home in the poem ‘Childhood Tracks’

I can explore how James Berry presents memories of his hometown and use this to help me write about my own experiences.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Berry uses sensory language in 'Childhood Tracks' to evoke a vivid image of his hometown, Jamaica.
  2. Berry describes details unique to Jamaica to help us have an insight into what it is like to live there.
  3. Berry also uses prepositions to add detail to each of his memories.
  4. Berry creates a nostalgic tone throughout the poem.
  5. Using triplets can add even more detail when writing about our memories.

Common misconception

Students may be used to starting any sensory language sentences with 'I can see, I can hear ...'

Poetry allows us to innovate with traditional writing structures to help a rhythmic flow and sense of nostalgia; help students recognise the difference between 'I can see ...' and 'Seeing ...'

Keywords

  • Vivid - producing strong and clear images in the mind.

  • Nostalgia - longing for a time in the past.

  • Unique - belonging or connected to one particular place or thing.

  • Preposition - a word usually signifying the direction, time or place of something else.

Model writing about your own memories to help students express their own experiences.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to a copy of 'Childhood Tracks' by James Berry 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).

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is sensory language?
language that expresses possibility
language that describes emotions
Correct answer: language that appeals to the five senses
Q2.
Match the sense to the sentence describing it.
Correct Answer:Smell,The aroma of fresh bread wafted through the kitchen.

The aroma of fresh bread wafted through the kitchen.

Correct Answer:Taste,The sweet juice of the apple seeped onto her tongue.

The sweet juice of the apple seeped onto her tongue.

Correct Answer:Touch,She swept her fingers over the soft silk.

She swept her fingers over the soft silk.

Correct Answer:Sight,The orange and pink hues of the sunset were mesmerising.

The orange and pink hues of the sunset were mesmerising.

Correct Answer:Sound,Loud caws echoed in the cave.

Loud caws echoed in the cave.

Q3.
What is a preposition?
a word that describes a noun
a word used to form a compound sentence
Correct answer: a word that signals the location, direction, time of something else
Q4.
Which sentence contains a prepositional phrase?
Correct answer: I admired the flowers in the palace garden.
The flowers were delicate, beautiful and vibrant.
Delicately I caressed the flower petals.
Q5.
What is a stanza?
a pause within a line of poetry
Correct answer: each section of a poem separated by a line break
a type of rhyme scheme
Q6.
What is one possible meaning of the word 'tracks'?
something forgotten easily
Correct answer: marks left behind by something
open space not discovered by anyone

6 Questions

Q1.
In 'Childhood Tracks' what does James Berry write about?
growing up
living in England
Correct answer: living in Jamaica
Q2.
Which technique does Berry use throughout 'Childhood Tracks'?
simile
Correct answer: sensory language
alliteration
Q3.
What is structurally interesting about 'Childhood Tracks' by James Berry?
Each stanza is set around a different stage of Berry's life.
The poem is written in the style of a letter.
Correct answer: Each stanza describes a different sensory experience.
Q4.
Which memory below is unique to London?
Correct answer: Seeing tired faces nestled into shoulders on the Piccadilly line train.
Eating strawberries with sugar in a summer garden.
Smelling the sweet fuschia outside my grandmother's porch.
Q5.
What tone does 'Childhood Tracks' have?
regretful
Correct answer: nostalgic
resentful
mournful
sarcastic
Q6.
Which of the below uses a triplet?
Correct answer: seeing the shades of pink, orange and blue mix in the sky
listening to the melodic twinkle of the bells on the hillside
smelling the cosy, comforting aroma of baked bread.