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Year 8

‘The Chimney Sweeper’: a protest against child labour

I can explain why and how William Blake took a stand against child labour.

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Year 8

‘The Chimney Sweeper’: a protest against child labour

I can explain why and how William Blake took a stand against child labour.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Industrial Revolution created great wealth and great poverty.
  2. Young children were used to sweep the chimneys of houses in the growing cities.
  3. Poet William Blake used his writing to took a stand against the exploitation of child workers.
  4. His poem ‘The Chimney Sweeper’ uses the language of religion and the language of social issues to take a stand.

Keywords

  • Influence - to affect or change how someone or something develops, behaves, or think

  • Awareness - knowing that something exists

  • Harsh - cruel, unkind, or unpleasant in a way that seems unfair

  • Widespread - existing or happening in many places and/or among many people

  • Exploitation - the use of something in order to get an advantage from it

Common misconception

Students often think that serious topics need serious text types such as articles or speeches.

Encourage students to consider why a writer might choose to use a poem to write about a serious topic and take a stand.


To help you plan your year 8 english lesson on: ‘The Chimney Sweeper’: a protest against child labour, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

This version of 'The Chimney Sweeper' is from Blake's 'Songs of Innocence'. You could extend the learning by reading the corresponding 'The Chimney Sweeper' from 'Songs of Experience' and compare it with 'The Chimney Sweeper' from 'Songs of Innocence'.
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Teacher tip
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Equipment

You will need access to a copy of 'The Chimney Sweeper' by William Blake which is available in the additional materials.

content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
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.
What was the primary religion of Great Britain in the 18th century?
Correct Answer: Christianity
Q2.
Which of the following are the conventions of a poem?
Correct answer: rhyme
Correct answer: imagery
Correct answer: figurative language
paragraphs
full stops
Q3.
Which of the following are types of text?
Correct answer: recipes, articles, poems
spelling, punctuation and grammar
simile, metaphors and personification
alliteration and onomatopoeia
Q4.
If we say someone is innocent, we mean they are...
violent, aggressive and angry.
Correct answer: inexperienced, young and trusting.
wise, well read and knowledgeable.
calm, gentle and kind.
Q5.
Which of the following is the best definition of a social issue?
a topic affects a small group of people
Correct answer: a problem or concern that impacts society as a whole
a personal dilemma that someone has to solve
a debate about how a company should be organised
Q6.
Which of the following is the best description of fantasy literature?
writing with with realistic and events
writing that focuses on historical events and figures
Correct answer: imaginative texts with supernatural elements
texts that explore everyday life and human relationships

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the words on the left with their synonyms on the right.
Correct Answer:harsh,severe
tick

severe

Correct Answer:widespread,everywhere
tick

everywhere

Correct Answer:influential,impactful
tick

impactful

Correct Answer:exploit,take advantage of
tick

take advantage of

Q2.
Which word beginning with A refers to a new law passed by Parliament
Correct Answer: Act
Q3.
The economic and technical changes in the UK in the 18th and 19th century is known as the...
Correct Answer: Industrial Revolution
Q4.
Which of the following is not true of William Blake?
He was born in the 18th century.
He was a poet.
He was an artist.
He was religious.
Correct answer: He was an actor.
Q5.
How did the fact that Blake lived in London affect his writing?
Correct answer: He saw the consequences of the Industrial Revolution and the growing city.
He loved London and wanted to celebrate all the people who lived there.
He believed that he could see angels.
He was an artist and liked to sketch London.
Q6.
What might be the best interpretation of the quotation "wash in a river"?
The sweeps are glad to be able to wash themselves clean.
Victorians thought cleanliness was very important.
Correct answer: The sweeps are cleaned literally but also baptised.
The sweeps are given a day of freedom and fun by the river.

Additional material

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