New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

Understanding how Landon presents childhood in 'Captain Cook (To My Brother)'

I can explain how Landon presents ideas of childhood and the relationship with her brother.

New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

Understanding how Landon presents childhood in 'Captain Cook (To My Brother)'

I can explain how Landon presents ideas of childhood and the relationship with her brother.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Landon's poem is a nostalgic memory of her time spent playing with her brother in their garden.
  2. The use of "we" and the semantic field of happiness arguably represents Landon's happy childhood with her brother.
  3. However, the "mourn[ing]" at the end of the poem could represent their distance as adults.
  4. Landon's poem may be read as a reminder than childhood is temporary and relationships can change.

Common misconception

That using your imagination to create imaginary games is a way of withdrawing from the world.

While imaginary games can be used to withdraw from the world, our imaginations come from things we have seen or experienced and therefore imaginary games can be a way of connecting to the world and finding your place in it.

Keywords

  • Nostalgia - a feeling of pleasure and also slight sadness when you think about things that happened in the past

  • Imaginary - something created by and existing only in the mind

  • Reminiscing - to talk or write about past experiences that you remember with pleasure

  • Belonging - a feeling of being happy or comfortable as part of a particular group

It would be useful for pupils to share their ideas about how childhood imaginary games connect to belonging so that they can start to conceptualise where the poem fits in the anthology.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to a copy of the Edexcel Belonging anthology 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.
'Something created by and existing only in the mind' is something ...
Correct Answer: imaginary
Q2.
'A set of words grouped by a common theme' is the definition of a field.
Correct Answer: semantic
Q3.
A semantic field of 'danced', 'smile', and 'fancies' creates a __________ atmosphere.
Correct answer: pleasant
lethargic
chaotic
Q4.
A semantic field of 'darker', 'dim' and 'haunted' creates a __________ atmosphere.
jubilant
Correct answer: foreboding
cathartic
Q5.
Calling someone an 'idol' suggests that you __________ them.
Correct answer: admire
envy
Correct answer: respect
revile
Q6.
'To feel or show sorrow for the death of someone (or something)' is to them.
Correct Answer: mourn

6 Questions

Q1.
During their childhood, Landon had a relationship with her brother.
Correct answer: close
distant
tumultuous
Q2.
'A feeling of being happy or comfortable as part of a particular group' is the definition of ...
Correct Answer: belonging
Q3.
'To talk or write about past experiences that you remember with pleasure' is the definition of ...
Correct Answer: reminiscing, reminisce, reminiscence
Q4.
We might interpret the inclusion of "mourn[ing]" in the final line of Landon's 'Captain Cook (To My Brother)' as representing which of the following?
Correct answer: Landon grieving the change in her relationship with her brother.
Landon celebrating the change in her relationship with her brother.
Landon appreciating the unchanged nature of her relationship with her brother.
Q5.
'A feeling of pleasure and also slight sadness when you think about things that happened in the past' is the definition of ...
Correct Answer: nostalgia, nostalgic
Q6.
Arguably, the image of leaving "fairy land behind" in Landon's 'Captain Cook (To My Brother)' implies that childhood is ...
Correct answer: temporary.
indefinite.
enduring.
Correct answer: ephemeral.