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Year 10
AQA

Analysing the poem 'Thirteen'

I can explain how Femi uses language and structure to express his viewpoint.

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New
New
Year 10
AQA

Analysing the poem 'Thirteen'

I can explain how Femi uses language and structure to express his viewpoint.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Femi uses “star” imagery throughout the poem to perhaps symbolise the boy’s loss of hope and opportunities.
  2. The use of the extended metaphor could perhaps suggest that people often perceive the boy as different from who he is.
  3. The structural progression of the poem could represent the boy’s journey.
  4. The use of caesuras throughout could imply that Femi wants us to continually stop and consider the effects of prejudice.

Common misconception

That the order of words in a poem is random and unimportant.

The order of words creates a journey and progression through the poem which can influence the overall message.

Keywords

  • Prejudice - an unfair feeling of dislike for a person or group because of race, sex, religion, etc.

  • Caesura - a pause or a break in a line of verse, often marked by punctuation

  • Symbolise - to represent, express, or identify by a symbol

  • Extended metaphor - a metaphor that unfolds across multiple lines or stanzas of a poem

You might like to have the students map out some of the structural progression on their copies of the poem.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need a copy of the AQA Worlds and Lives anthology for GCSE.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of upsetting 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).

Video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
A metaphor is...
a word that describes or modifies a noun
a poem or song that narrates a story in short stanzas
Correct answer: a figure of speech that involves comparing two things using the verb "to be"
attribution of human emotions or characteristics to nature or inanimate objects
Q2.
Which of the following is an accurate summary of Femi's 'Thirteen'?
The boy hears an inspiring speech by police officers in his school
Correct answer: The boy is wrongly accused of being involved in a robbery
The boy is rightfully accused of being involved in a robbery
Q3.
What is a caesura?
intentionally repeating words, lines, stanzas
Correct answer: a pause or a break in a line of verse, often marked by punctuation
a word for a person, place or thing
repetition of the hissing sound "s" in nearby words
Q4.
Which piece of contextual information is accurate for Femi's poetry?
Femi was a Romantic poet who believed in the power of social change.
Correct answer: Femi's work often explores the experiences of young black men in London.
Femi's father was stopped by the police and falsely accused of a crime.
Q5.
Which of the following is a connotation of "star"?
Correct answer: hope
death
love
spirituality
Q6.
Which of the following images suggests a lack of hope?
star
school
Correct answer: black hole

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Throughout 'Thirteen' there is an extended metaphor of a...
Correct answer: star
school
flower
sun
Q2.
To represent, express, or identify by a symbol is known as to...
Correct Answer: symbolise
Q3.
Throughout the poem 'Thirteen', the image of the "star" changes from a "star", to a "supernova" to "black holes" - what might this indicate?
The boy is the hope of his generation.
The police officers see a bright future for the boy.
Correct answer: The progression of the boy's lack of hope,
Q4.
An unfair feeling of dislike for a person or group because of race, sex, religion, etc is known as...
Correct Answer: prejudice
Q5.
Starting with the first, put these words from the poem 'Thirteen' in the order they appear.
1 - "you"
2 - "star"
3 - "organs"
4 - "don't"
5 - "black holes"
Q6.
In the poem 'Thirteen', what is the significance of ending on the image of a black hole?
it suggests that young boys from a similar background will avoid the same fate
Correct answer: it symbolises a lack of hope and opportunity for boys from a similar background
it symbolises the lack of investment made in youth services to support young boy