Comparing ‘Checking Out Me History’ and ‘The Émigrée’
I can compare how Agard and Rumens present conflict and identity in their poems.
Comparing ‘Checking Out Me History’ and ‘The Émigrée’
I can compare how Agard and Rumens present conflict and identity in their poems.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Both ‘The Émigrée’ and ‘Checking Out Me History’ explore big ideas of oppression, power and identity.
- Both poems criticise oppressive systems due to the detrimental effect they can have on identity.
- Both poets reconnect with their heritage: Rumens personifying her country and Agard telling stories in his dialect.
- Both poems use the motif of light to show the power of personal identity.
- Both poets ultimately reveal how one can reclaim their sense of identity.
Keywords
Oppression - cruel or unfair treatment
Triumph - to defeat someone or something
Heritage - a person’s racial, religious or cultural background
Reclaim - to take back something that was yours
Common misconception
Pupils may notice the theme of oppression in ‘The Émigrée’ due to the mention of war, but not notice this in 'Checking Out Me History'.
'Checking Out Me History' explores how Agard presents colonisation and its effects as oppressive.
To help you plan your year 11 english lesson on: Comparing ‘Checking Out Me History’ and ‘The Émigrée’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 english lesson on: Comparing ‘Checking Out Me History’ and ‘The Émigrée’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 english lessons from the Power and conflict poetry continued unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the AQA Power and Conflict Anthology for this lesson.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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