Exploring Parental Feelings

National Curriculum Links

• Reading: Word Reading & Comprehension
  Note: At Key Stage 4, students should read a wide range of classic poetry and modern text, developing critical understanding and fluency (English programmes of study, KS4).

• Writing: Composition
  Note: Pupils should develop the ability to analyse language, form, and structure, and clearly express their understanding through structured writing (KS4 English programmes of study).

• Speaking and Listening
  Note: Pupils should consolidate their competence in expressing ideas and engaging in discussion, including exploring unseen texts and complex themes such as parenting and emotion (KS4).

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Analyse how the poet presents the speaker’s feelings about parenting in Make the Ordinary Come Alive.
2. Identify language, form, and structural techniques that convey meaning and emotion.
3. Write a coherent and analytical response to interrogate unseen poetry, developing exam-style skills (AO1, AO2, AO3).
4. Engage confidently in spoken discussion, articulating personal interpretations supported by the text.

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Success Criteria

• Use quotes to support points.
• Explain how language and structure create a tone or feeling.
• Link ideas to broader themes of parenting and everyday life.
• Create a clear and well-organised written response with introduction, main points, and conclusion.
• Contribute to group discussion with relevant observations.

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Timings & Activities (60 minutes)

Time	Activity	Description	Resources
0-5	Starter - Reflective Question	In silence, students write a sentence on: “What feelings do you associate with parenting?”	Whiteboard, pens
5-10	Activate Prior Knowledge	Brief discussion: What do we expect from unseen poetry questions? Introduce mark scheme focus.	Interactive whiteboard
10-20	Reading and Initial Response	Read Make the Ordinary Come Alive aloud. Students annotate key words/phrases that stand out.	Printed poem copies, highlighters
20-30	Language & Structure Exploration	In pairs, identify poetic devices (imagery, repetition, enjambment). How do these present feelings?	Handout: list of poetic terms
30-40	Whole-Class Discussion	Share ideas. Teacher models linking quotes to feelings about parenting. Highlight “the ordinary” theme.	Board for summarising points
40-50	Writing Task: Exam-style Question	Students write an analytical paragraph responding to: “How does the poet present the speaker’s feelings about parenting?”	Lined paper, pens
50-55	Peer Assessment	Swap responses and give feedback based on success criteria using a simple checklist.	Peer assessment sheets
55-60	Plenary - Reflection & Review	Quick round: What have we learnt about parenting feelings and unseen poetry skills?	Oral feedback

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Teaching Notes & Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters and vocabulary banks for emerging writers; work with small groups for scaffolding where needed.
• Challenge: Encourage more confident students to explore the poet’s tone and suggest alternative interpretations of “ordinary life.” Ask probing 'why' and 'how' questions.
• Engagement: Use real-world examples of parenting or everyday moments to relate poem’s message to students’ own experiences.
• Assessment Focus: Adapt marking criteria to incorporate AO1 (interpretation), AO2 (language/form/structure), and AO3 (context/themes), reflecting GCSE assessment for English Literature.

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Resources Required

• Copies of the poem Make the Ordinary Come Alive (printed for each student)
• Highlighters/coloured pens
• Whiteboard and marker pens
• Handouts with poetic terminology
• Peer assessment checklists
• Writing materials

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Extension Ideas

• Homework: Research another poem about parenting (e.g., Praise Song for My Mother by Grace Nichols) and prepare a short comparison.
• Creative Task: Write your own short poem that “makes the ordinary come alive.”

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This lesson plan ensures students develop critical unseen poetry analysis skills central to the KS4 national curriculum, with a focus on emotional and thematic depth, aligned to assessment criteria. It promotes discussion, close reading, and formal writing in a structured, engaging way, honouring the teacher's focus on unseen poems and exploring feelings about parenting.