Blackout Poetry Intro

Overview

This 35-minute lesson is the 17th session in the "Exploring Nature Through Poetry" unit, designed for Year 7 students (age 11-12). It introduces blackout poetry by enabling students to transform printed text into artistic poems. This creative task supports key skills in reading, writing, and spoken communication, fully aligning with the National Curriculum for English (England, 2014).

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National Curriculum Links

English Programme of Study – Key Stage 3 (Year 7):

• Reading:

  • Develop positive attitudes to reading and understanding of what they read by:
    • Selecting and discussing texts, building on their own experiences to explore themes, ideas, and meaning.
  • Comprehension skills:
    • Summarise and present key ideas from texts.

• Writing:

  • Writing composition:
    • Draft, edit and proofread their own writing.
  • Experiment with vocabulary, sentence structure, and layout to create distinctive texts.

• Spoken Language:

  • Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations and debates.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Select a printed text and identify key words or phrases to create blackout poetry.
2. Employ creative skills to redact (blackout) parts of the text, revealing a poem.
3. Discuss and share their creative process clearly with a partner.

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Success Criteria

• I can choose an appropriate printed text for blackout poetry.
• I can creatively select words/phrases and blackout the rest to form a poem.
• I can explain and reflect on how I created my blackout poem with a partner.

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Resources

• Printed short texts related to nature (e.g., excerpts from poems, short prose passages) copied onto A4 paper
• Black markers or blackout pens
• Pencils for underlining and planning
• A whiteboard and markers for teacher notes
• Worksheets with guiding questions for partners
• Scrap paper for drafting ideas

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (5 minutes)

Engage and connect

• Present a brief example of blackout poetry projected or displayed.
• Quickly discuss what blackout poetry is: transforming existing printed text into new poems by blacking out words.
• Ask students to share any words or phrases that stand out to them in the example.

Link to National Curriculum:
Develops positive reading attitudes by engaging curiosity and discussion (Reading KS3).

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2. Introduction / Modelling (7 minutes)

Teacher demonstration:

• Distribute printed texts focused on nature (e.g., a short descriptive passage about a forest).
• Model how to read through the text and lightly underline interesting or poetic words/phrases using pencil.
• Use a black marker (thinking aloud) to blackout the remaining words, revealing a new poem.
• Emphasise the creative aspect; students don’t need to use all words, but should seek a visual and poetic effect.

Talk through the process:

• Choosing meaningful words
• Considering how the poem ‘sounds’ and ‘looks’
• Using blacking out as an artistic choice, not just crossing out

Reference to National Curriculum:
Supports drafting and experimenting with vocabulary and layout in writing (Writing KS3).

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3. Main Activity (15 minutes)

Student activity:

• Students select their own printed text from the selection given.
• They read through carefully and lightly underline words and phrases that inspire them.
• Using black markers, students blackout the rest of the text to create their own blackout poems.
• Encourage risk-taking and originality in word selection and blackout patterns.

Teacher monitoring:

• Circulate to support and prompt ideas.
• Encourage students to think about tone and mood evoked by their chosen words.

National Curriculum focus:

• Encourages creative writing and planning skills (Writing composition KS3).
• Builds comprehension through selection and interpretation of language (Reading KS3).

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4. Peer Sharing (6 minutes)

Paired discussion:

• Students pair up to share their blackout poems and talk through their creative choices.
• Use provided worksheet questions such as:
  • What drew you to the words you chose?
  • How does your blackout poem make you feel?
  • Did you try any specific patterns or shapes with your blackout?
• Partners offer positive feedback and ask questions.

Supports Spoken Language KS3:

• Builds confidence in explanation and use of technical vocabulary.
• Promotes listening and collaborative learning.

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5. Plenary (2 minutes)

• Invite 2-3 volunteers to briefly share their blackout poem and process with the class.
• Reinforce the lesson objectives and celebrate creativity.
• Preview the next lesson focus: refining and deepening blackout poetry work.

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Differentiation

• Provide simpler or shorter texts for students who need more support.
• Offer extension challenge: create shadow or shape blackout poems (e.g., words forming leaf shape).
• Pair students strategically to support collaborative learning.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative assessment through teacher observations of students’ process and sharing.
• Evaluate students’ ability to select meaningful words and creatively blackout text.
• Assess spoken communication skills during paired discussions.

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Reflection for Next Lesson

• Consider student feedback on challenges faced selecting or blacking out words.
• Plan to introduce symbolism and tone more explicitly for blackout poetry Part 2.
• Integrate digital blackout poetry options for tech-enhanced creativity.

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By following this lesson plan, teachers will facilitate a hands-on, creative approach to poetry that nurtures analytical reading, inventive writing, and confident spoken language — fulfilling the National Curriculum aims and stimulating Year 7 students’ engagement with nature-themed poetry.