Understanding ideas of power imbalance in Femi's 'Thirteen'
I can explain how Femi presents concepts of power imbalance.
Understanding ideas of power imbalance in Femi's 'Thirteen'
I can explain how Femi presents concepts of power imbalance.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The title 'Thirteen' has connotations of an unlucky, transitional period.
- The poem implies the officers now perceive the boy as threatening because he has transitioned from child to adolescent.
- There is a power imbalance between the officers and the boy.
- The boy feels physically intimidated and scared by the officers,
- The poem is based on Femi’s real-life experience of being stopped by police and falsely accused when he was thirteen.
Keywords
Power imbalance - a situation of inequality between parties that leaves one side relatively unable to defend its own interests
Transition - the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another
Visceral - felt in or as if in the internal organs of the body
Liminal - occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold
Intimidation - the action of frightening or threatening someone
Common misconception
Poems are purely works of imagination.
While poems draw on the poet's imagination, many poems are drawn from real-life experiences which is why there is such an emotional resonance in them.
To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Understanding ideas of power imbalance in Femi's 'Thirteen', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Understanding ideas of power imbalance in Femi's 'Thirteen', 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.
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Explore more key stage 4 english lessons from the 'World and Lives' 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 World and Lives anthology for this lesson.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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