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Context

• Year group: 1st Year (approx. 12-13 years old)
• Class size: 20 students (mixed ability, including EAL and dyslexia)
• Duration: 40 minutes
• Country: Ireland
• Subject: English
• Curriculum: Curriculum framework for IE (Ireland)

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Learning Intentions

By the end of this lesson, students will:

1. Recognise and understand key similarities between poetry and song.
2. Discuss personal experiences and emotional responses to poems and song lyrics.
3. Formulate and write their own definition of poetry.

(Aligned with IE Curriculum, Strand: Expressing and Responding [English], Learning Outcome: Students engage with a range of texts and express ideas clearly, with attention to language features and form.)

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Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

• Identify common features of poetry and songs through discussion and collaborative tasks.
• Share and listen respectfully to diverse personal experiences relating to poems and song lyrics.
• Write an accurate and personally meaningful definition of poetry, using sentence starters and scaffolds.

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Success Criteria

I know I have succeeded when I can:

• Explain at least two things that poetry and song have in common.
• Contribute meaningfully to pair and group discussions using sentence starters.
• Write my own sentence that begins with "Poetry is..." which reflects my understanding.
• Use vocabulary and ideas discussed in class appropriately in my writing.

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Differentiation & Inclusion

• For EAL learners:

  • Visual supports (images, keyword walls, exemplars)
  • Sentence starters: e.g., "One similarity is...", "Poetry and songs both..."
  • Peer buddy support during discussions
  • Simplified language in instructions without oversimplifying concepts

• For students with dyslexia:

  • Dyslexia-friendly font handouts or slides
  • Audio examples of poems and songs to aid comprehension
  • Chunking content with clear transitions and break times
  • Use of mind maps or graphic organisers to visualise ideas
  • Allow use of spelling check technology in writing task

• For advanced learners:

  • Encourage use of figurative language terms (e.g., metaphor, rhyme, rhythm) during discussions
  • Challenge to write a ‘simile’ or ‘metaphor’ in their definition of poetry
  • Extension: Compare a brief poem and a song excerpt, identifying techniques used

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Materials & Resources

• Projector / Interactive whiteboard with slides adapted from LP4_Slides_Poetry and Song_1st Year English_12_01_2026.pdf
• Copies or visuals of a short poem and song lyrics (age-appropriate)
• Sentence starter cards available to all students
• Individual copybooks for writing definitions
• Mind map template handouts for group discussions
• Audio playback of a short song excerpt and a poem reading
• Dyslexia-friendly font version of key text pages (p.68 from provided resource)

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Lesson Structure

Time	Activity	Teaching & Learning	Differentiation	Assessment for Learning
0-5 mins	Starter: Whole-Class Discussion
Question: “What do you know about poetry and songs?”	Activate prior knowledge, eliciting ideas from students. Display the question visually. Use open-ended prompts and cue quiet students with sentence starters.	Use visuals (icons representing poetry and music), allow EAL students to answer in L1 as scaffold, support dyslexic students by repeating key terms	Observe participation levels, note variety of ideas and language used
5-15 mins	Pair Work: Exploring Similarities
Task: Pairs discuss and list three similarities between poems and song lyrics. Use sentence starters: "Both poetry and songs...","One thing they share is..."	Model answers with examples on board. Provide printed sentence starters and keywords. Circulate and support	Paired mixed-ability grouping, EAL encouraged to use first language vocabulary if stuck, dyslexic learners paired with patient partners	Monitor pairs, question individuals to check understanding; collect lists for feedback
15-25 mins	Group Discussion and Mind Mapping
Groups share their lists, create one larger mind map of similarities on whiteboard/projector. Prompt with: "Why do people turn to poems or songs in happy or sad times?"	Facilitate structured, turn-taking discussion. Use visual mind map with images to support meaning. Summarise main themes aloud.	Provide visual cues, regular summaries for attention, aid EAL understanding by rephrasing and checking comprehension	Use questioning to assess reasoning; check student contributions and note understanding
25-30 mins	Class Discussion: “Paintings in Words”
Read aloud p. 68 excerpt (dyslexia-friendly version). Discuss metaphor “paintings in words” and use of poetic techniques in songs.	Show visual examples of imagery from poems and lyrics. Model how to identify literary techniques.	Pre-teach metaphor concept for EAL; provide glossary of key terms; visual representations of 'painting' and 'words'	Use student explanations as formative feedback; note depth of understanding
30-38 mins	Individual Writing: “Poetry is…”
Task: Students write their own definition, finishing sentence starter: “Poetry is...” Use scaffolds and word banks on board	Provide dyslexia-friendly lined paper, allow oral dictation if needed. Encourage use of ideas from discussion and mind map.	Optional writing frames for EAL or dyslexic learners; advanced students encouraged to include literary devices	Collect writing samples to assess understanding and literacy skills
38-40 mins	Sharing and Reflection
Invite volunteers to share their definitions. Summarise key ideas and acknowledge different perspectives.	Positive feedback; encourage paraphrasing and respectful listening	Use clear oral questioning to check comprehension	Oral participation and written work serve as assessment

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Homework Extension (Optional)

• Choose a favourite song or poem at home and write 3–5 sentences about what feelings it evokes and why.
• For advanced learners: Identify one poetic technique used in the song or poem and explain its effect.

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Constructive Alignment Summary

Learning Intention	Learning Outcome	Success Criteria	Learning Activity	Assessment
Understand similarities between poetry and song	Identify common features	Explain at least two similarities	Pair discussion listing commonalities	Questioning, observation during pair work
Discuss personal experiences with poems and lyrics	Share own experiences respectfully	Participate meaningfully in group discussion	Group mind mapping & discussion	Observing contribution quality
Define poetry in own words	Write a personal, clear definition	Write a sentence “Poetry is…” including vocabulary	Individual writing task	Written sample collected and reviewed

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References to IE Curriculum Framework

• Strand: Expressing and Responding
  Students engage with various text genres including poetry and song, developing comprehension and expressive skills.
• Competency: Communication
  Students participate in structured dialogue, adapting language to context and audience, deploying appropriate vocabulary and conventions.
• Cross-Curricular Skills: Critical and Creative Thinking
  Students analyse language features and construct their own meanings.

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Final Notes

This lesson balances explicit instruction, modelling, scaffolding, and personalised student voice. It uses Universal Design for Learning principles with multimodal input (audio, visual, verbal, kinesthetic) and varied means of expression (oral, written, graphic). Active learning strategies through peer and group collaboration, and differentiated supports make content accessible yet challenging for all learners. This coherent, constructively aligned plan supports deep understanding of poetry and song, as culturally and personally meaningful forms of expression.