Exploring Michael Rosen

Year Group

Year 5 (ages 9-10)

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

30 students

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Unit Overview: Performing Poems of War (6 lessons)

This unit aims to foster students’ understanding of poetry, focusing on themes of war, emotion, and historical context. Students will engage with poetry by Michael Rosen, a prominent British poet, performing and analysing his works that relate to World War 2. This unit develops key skills in reading, comprehension, empathy, and oral performance aligned with the National Curriculum for England.

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National Curriculum Links

English Programmes of Study: Year 5

• Reading – Comprehension

  • Draw inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justify inferences with evidence (English Appendix 2).
  • Identify how language, structure, and presentation contribute to meaning (English Appendix 2).

• Writing – Composition

  • Discuss and evaluate how authors use language, including figurative language, considering the impact on the reader.

• Spoken Language

  • Give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including expressing feelings.
  • Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations and debates.

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Learning Objectives

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

1. LO1: Describe key facts about Michael Rosen’s life and career as a poet and author.
2. LO2: Read and listen to selected poems by Michael Rosen that relate to World War 2.
3. LO3: Identify and discuss the themes, emotions, and historical context conveyed in these poems.
4. LO4: Express personal responses to the poems through guided group discussion and reflective talk.

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Resources Needed

• Copies of selected Michael Rosen poems relevant to WW2, e.g.:
  • “The Blitz” (or a similar Michael Rosen poem on wartime experience)
  • “The Ball” (alternative poem with war or conflict themes if appropriate)
• Biography summary of Michael Rosen (prepared by teacher)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Interactive display or projector for video clip / audio reading
• Poetry annotation worksheets (simple, guided)
• Pencils and coloured pens for annotations
• Post-it notes for student reflections

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Lesson Outline

Starter Activity (10 minutes)

Hook: Begin with a brief video/audio recording of Michael Rosen reading one of his World War 2-themed poems aloud (approx. 2-3 minutes).

• Ask students to close their eyes and listen carefully, imagining the scene or emotion portrayed.
• After listening, ask: What did you feel or imagine during the poem? Record a few student responses on the whiteboard to capture initial emotional impressions.

Introduction to Michael Rosen (10 minutes)

• Share a short, engaging biography of Michael Rosen, emphasising:
  • His background and work as a poet, author, and performer.
  • His interest in social history and war themes.
  • His influence in contemporary British poetry.
• Use visuals/photos on the interactive board to support learning and engagement.
• Ask students what kinds of feelings and stories they might expect in poems about war.

Exploring the Poems (20 minutes)

• Distribute copies of 2 selected Michael Rosen poems linked to World War 2.
• Guided reading: Read aloud one poem first, modelling expression and intonation.
• Students read the second poem in pairs, taking turns.
• Use annotation worksheets:
  • Highlight words or phrases that stand out.
  • Circle any words that describe feelings or emotions.
  • Identify any references to war or historical events.
• Circulate to support and prompt deep thinking using scaffold questions:
  • How does Rosen make you feel about war?
  • What pictures do his words paint in your mind?
  • What do you think he wants us to remember or understand?

Class Discussion (15 minutes)

• Facilitate a group discussion focussing on:
  • Themes explored in the poems (e.g., fear, courage, loss, hope).
  • The emotions the poet conveys and how language helps express these emotions.
  • The role of historical context in understanding the poems better.
• Encourage students to use evidence from the text to support their ideas ("In the poem, Rosen says...").
• Use a two-column chart on the board:
  • Left column: Themes/emotions
  • Right column: Supporting words/phrases from the poems
• Record key points and model how to back up opinions with text references.

Plenary & Reflection (5 minutes)

• Ask students to write a post-it note response to the prompt:
  “How do Michael Rosen’s poems help us understand what it was like during World War 2?”
• Collect post-it notes and display them on a ‘Wall of Thoughts’ for reference throughout the unit.
• Recap main learning points of the lesson, referencing the learning objectives.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation during reading, annotation, and class discussion.
• Use of annotation worksheets to check understanding of language and themes.
• Review of post-it note reflections to gauge individual comprehension and empathy.

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Differentiation & Support

• Provide sentence starters on annotation sheets for lower-attaining students to scaffold responses (e.g., I think the poem shows...).
• Challenge higher-attaining pupils to discuss the impact of figurative language (metaphor, simile) and the poet’s choice of words.
• Encourage EAL pupils to focus on key vocabulary with picture aids for difficult words.

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Extension Ideas

• Introduce a short writing activity where students write their own short poem or paragraph expressing feelings about a historical event.
• Begin simple performance practice with paired reading, emphasising expression and emotion.

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Teacher Notes: Wow Factor

• Use soundscape or gentle background music (e.g., air raid sirens, wartime radio sounds) subtly during the first poem reading to immerse pupils in the mood.
• Invite students to imagine themselves as “war reporters” capturing emotions through poetry – this ties into empathy and creativity.
• Incorporate expressive arts by having students draw quick ‘emotion maps’ from the poems in support of verbal discussions.

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This lesson sets a strong foundation for the unit by not only learning about the poet Michael Rosen but engaging pupils emotionally and intellectually with the poetry of war, firmly aligned to the National Curriculum expectations for Year 5 literacy.