In this text based, 5 session English planning, a variety of poems, drama and research help to develop pupils’ knowledge of similes. They analyse poems based on The Magnificent Bull from the African Dinka Tribe and learn to edit and improve their work in a structured way with a partner.

All aspects of poetry from the national curriculum in reading, spoken language and writing composition will be covered across the full set Au1-Su2.

National curriculum skills for this unit:

Spoken language:

• Listen and respond
• Build vocabulary
• Maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations
• Speak audibly and fluently

Reading comprehension:

• Identify themes and conventions
• Prepare poems and play scripts to read aloud and to perform
• Show understanding through intonation, tone, volume and action
• Discuss words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination
• Draw inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions
• Identify how language, structure, and presentation contribute to meaning

Writing composition:

• Plan writing by discussing the structure, vocabulary and grammar of similar writing
• Discuss and record ideas
• Assess the effectiveness of own and others’ writing
• Propose changes to grammar and vocabulary to improve consistency
• Read aloud own writing using appropriate intonation and controlling the tone and volume so that the meaning is clear

For schools that use Pathways to Write, this unit aligns with the Sp2 set 1 unit.

Poems for this unit can be found in:

The Works Key Stage 2 chosen by Pie Corbett

Additional poems:

Leap Like a Leopard by John Foster (The Works (Red) chosen by Paul Cookson)

As, As, As by Robert Hull (Read Me Out Loud chosen by Nick Toczek and Paul Cookson)