Entering a Persona

Overview

Lesson 10 of 18 in Poetry: Craft, Revise, Perform. Students explore how a non-human speaker’s history, attitude and desire shape language choices, then draft a 10–14 line persona poem about an object, place or natural feature.

Learning intentions

• WALT create a convincing speaker with a clear viewpoint.
• WALT use specific details to reveal history, attitude and desire.
• WALT control first-person voice, vocabulary, imagery and syntax for effect.
• WALT draft poetry for an audience and purpose.

Success criteria

• I can establish who or what is speaking.
• I can reveal the speaker’s history, attitude and desire.
• I can use first-person voice consistently.
• I can include specific evidence rather than generic claims.

Curriculum links

• Te Mātaiaho English, Phase 3 Years 7–8: Creating Texts—develop, structure and craft ideas for purpose, audience and effect.
• Te Mātaiaho English, Phase 3 Years 7–8: Language—manipulate voice, vocabulary, imagery and syntax.
• Speaking, Writing and Presenting—craft and share ideas clearly, responding to feedback.
• Developing communication, creative and critical thinking through discussion, drafting and reflection.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 minutes — Observe and imagine

Display photographs of bridges and other evocative places using the observation image. Ask students to look silently, then discuss with a partner: “What might this place have witnessed?” and “What could it notice that a human speaker might miss?” Invite two or three specific observations.

2. 4–10 minutes — Hear a model persona

Read the original mentor poem aloud twice from the model poem: first for listening, then with students tracking the language. Ask: “Which detail establishes time?” “What does the final question reveal?” and “What does the bridge notice that a human speaker might miss?” Briefly identify first-person voice, sensory detail, personification and the speaker’s implied history.

Model thinking aloud: “Because the bridge has held people for seventy winters, I expect it to sound patient, observant and slightly worried about being forgotten.”

3. 10–16 minutes — Analyse voice and viewpoint

In pairs, students use the persona planning and analysis sheet to underline or record evidence from the model. They identify:

• who or what speaks
• one detail showing history
• one detail showing attitude
• one desire or worry
• a language choice that reveals viewpoint

Take feedback, prompting students to explain how a particular word or image creates the voice. Emphasise that the speaker should not simply describe itself; it should notice and interpret the world from its own position.

4. 16–25 minutes — Draft a persona poem

Students choose an object, place or natural feature and complete the speaker profile on the persona planning and analysis sheet. They then draft 10–14 lines, using first person throughout. Encourage sensory evidence and precise verbs rather than general claims such as “I am old” or “I am sad”.

Offer sentence openings orally or display them on the drafting prompts:

• “I remember…”
• “Every day I notice…”
• “People think…, but…”
• “I still hope…”
• “When…, I…”

Confer with students by asking, “What would only this speaker know?” and “What does your speaker want?”

5. 25–28 minutes — Partner share and response

Students read their draft to a partner. The listener underlines or points out one line that provides evidence of voice, then asks one viewpoint question, such as “Why does your speaker see people that way?” or “What has caused this attitude?” Students make one immediate improvement to a line.

6. 28–30 minutes — Exit response

Students complete the final section of the persona planning and analysis sheet: “My speaker’s viewpoint is shaped by…” and copy one line that best reveals that viewpoint. Collect sheets or scan drafts as students leave.

Resources

• the persona poetry slide deck with bridge photographs, model poem, analysis questions, drafting prompts and exit instructions.
• the persona planning and analysis sheet with model analysis, speaker profile, drafting space and exit response.
• Photographs of bridges, objects, places and natural features.
• The original mentor text, “I Am the Old Bridge”.
• Pens or pencils and writing books.
• Highlighters for identifying evidence of voice.
• Dictionaries or classroom word walls.
• Timer.

Assessment

• During discussion, listen for students explaining how specific details reveal a speaker’s history, attitude or desire.
• Check drafts for an established speaker, consistent first-person voice and evidence-based details.
• Use partner responses and exit statements to identify whether students understand how viewpoint shapes language choices.

Differentiation

• Support students with the profile prompts, oral rehearsal, sentence openings and a choice of familiar photographs or objects.
• Allow students to dictate or voice-record ideas before writing, then transfer selected lines to the draft.
• For EAL learners and students needing additional support, pre-teach viewpoint, history, attitude, desire and evidence with simple examples; provide a word bank of sensory verbs and feelings.
• Extend confident writers by asking them to layer an unreliable viewpoint or a cultural or historical tension, while keeping the speaker’s perspective recognisable.