This text based, 5 session English planning poetry unit focuses on endangered animals. A range of poetry is studied including William Blake’s Tyger, Tyger. There is also a focus on making effective language and authorial choices, giving opinions and considering viewpoint. 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
• Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations and debates, conversations

Reading comprehension:

• Make comparisons within and across poems
• Learn poetry by heart
• Prepare poems and plays for performance
• Ask questions to improve understanding
• Evaluate authors’ language choice
• Explain and discuss understanding of reading

Writing composition:

• Identify the audience for and purpose of writing
• Note and develop initial ideas, drawing on reading and research
• Enhance meaning through selecting appropriate grammar and vocabulary
• Propose changes to vocabulary, grammar and punctuation to enhance effects and clarify meaning
• Perform own compositions using appropriate intonation, volume and movement

For schools that use Pathways to Write, this unit aligns with the autumn 2 set 1 unit.

Poems for this unit can be found within the unit and in: The Works 3: A Poet A Week chosen by Paul Cookson, The Works: Key Stage 2 chosen by Pie Corbett.