World War Two Poetry

Lesson Overview

This 60-minute lesson consolidates Year 6 students’ learning about poems written during or about the Second World War, focusing specifically on Gaby Morgan’s poetry. It is designed to prepare students for the English reading content in the KS2 SATs and aligns with the English national curriculum for Year 6.

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National Curriculum Links

English Programmes of Study – Years 5 and 6

• Reading – Comprehension

  • Develop positive attitudes to reading and understanding of what they read by discussing and evaluating how authors use language, including figurative language, considering the impact on the reader.
  • Reading retrieval and summarising skills.
  • Identifying and discussing themes within a text.

• Writing – Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation

  • Continuing to develop understanding of vocabulary choice, including figurative language such as similes and metaphors.

English Programme of Study – Spoken Language

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

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Lesson Objectives (WALT)

• WALT: Analyse and consolidate understanding of WW2 poems by Gaby Morgan.
• WALT: Identify key themes, poetic devices, and language techniques used in war poetry.
• WALT: Answer SATs-style questions to prepare for Year 6 reading assessments.

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Success Criteria

• I can explain the meaning and themes in a poem about the Second World War.
• I can identify poetic devices like similes, metaphors and imagery within the text.
• I can answer questions that check my understanding of the poem, including inference and retrieval questions.
• I can discuss how the poem makes me feel and why.

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Resources

• Printed copies of selected excerpted poems by Gaby Morgan (see example texts below).
• Dyslexia-friendly printouts: coloured paper backgrounds (light yellow or blue), clear font (Arial or Comic Sans, 14-16pt), wider line spacing (1.5 or double).
• Whiteboard and pens, visual aids (poetry technique posters).
• SATs-style question sheets adapted to the poems.
• Laptops/tablets (optional) with text-to-speech software for dyslexic learners.

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Example Text Excerpts

“The sirens scream, a steel sky cracks,
Homes crumble where laughter once slept,
Yet hope in hearts will never collapse,
In shadows deep, dreams grow adept.”

“We carry the stories in cracked hands,
Of nights spent beneath darkened skies,
The cost of freedom, no one commands,
But in their silence, a truth never lies.”

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Recap previous learning about WWII poetry and Gaby Morgan.
• Explain today’s WALT and display success criteria visually.
• Read aloud an excerpt from one of Morgan’s poems, using expressive tone.
• Brief whole-class discussion on initial impressions and emotions evoked by the poem.

2. Exploration and Group Activity (15 minutes)

• Divide class into small mixed-ability groups (5-6 students).
• Each group receives an excerpt to read (dyslexia-friendly copies provided as needed).
• Groups tasked with identifying:
  • The theme of the poem.
  • Examples of poetic devices (similes, metaphors, imagery).
  • Feelings or atmosphere the poem creates.
• Use visual prompts on posters to support identification of techniques.
• Teachers circulate to support and prompt deeper thinking.

3. SATs-style Guided Practice (20 minutes)

• Distribute SATs-style question sheets based on the excerpts. Questions include:
  • Retrieval: “List three things happening in this excerpt.”
  • Inference: “How do you think the speaker feels about the war? Find evidence to support your answer.”
  • Language analysis: “What effect does the simile ‘steel sky cracks’ create? Why might the poet have chosen this image?”
  • Vocabulary: “What does the word ‘adept’ mean in this context? Use surrounding words to help you.”
• Allow paired work to encourage discussion and reasoning.
• Review answers together, modelling how to write answers for SATs style marking schemes.

4. Differentiation Strategies

• For dyslexic learners and reading difficulties:
  • Use dyslexia-friendly printouts.
  • Allow use of text-to-speech technology or reading aloud by teacher.
  • Provide sentence starters for answers (e.g. “The poem makes me feel ___ because ___.”).
• For EAL (English as Additional Language) learners:
  • Pre-teach difficult vocabulary and use visual aids.
  • Pair with a supportive classmate for discussions.
• For lower attainers:
  • Focus mainly on retrieval and simpler inference questions.
  • Use oral answers supported by sentence stems.

5. Extension Activities for Advanced Learners (5 minutes)

• Write a short stanza inspired by Gaby Morgan’s WW2 poetry using similes and metaphors.
• Discuss how their stanza reflects the themes of hope or loss during wartime.
• Encourage use of varied vocabulary and figurative language.

6. Plenary and Reflection (10 minutes)

• Each group shares one finding about poetic devices or theme from their excerpt.
• Reflect on how poetry can help us understand history and human emotion.
• Quick exit quiz: write down one new thing they learned about poetry or WW2 from the lesson.

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Assessment (Formative and SATs Preparation)

• Use responses to SATs-style questions to assess comprehension, inference and language analysis skills.
• Assess participation in group discussions for oral comprehension and confidence.
• Review extension stanzas for application of poetic techniques.

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Additional Notes for Teachers

• Emphasise historical context gently to deepen understanding but keep focus on language and poetry skills.
• Allow varied reading formats for dyslexic and reluctant readers to boost confidence.
• Celebrate all contributions during group work to build confidence for SATs assessments.

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This lesson plan provides a comprehensive and engaging consolidation of WWII poetry, scaffolding understanding and skill development aligned tightly with the national curriculum and Year 6 SATs expectations.