If We Must Die' by Claude McKay

In this lesson, we will meet the poem 'If We Must Die' for the first time. We will explore our first impressions of this powerful writing from the poet Claude McKay and learn more about what it means to study poetry.

Video

Click on the play button to start the video. If your teacher asks you to pause the video and look at the worksheet you should:

  • Click "Close Video"
  • Click "Next" to view the activity

Your video will re-appear on the next page, and will stay paused in the right place.

Worksheet

These slides will take you through some tasks for the lesson. If you need to re-play the video, click the ‘Resume Video’ icon. If you are asked to add answers to the slides, first download or print out the worksheet. Once you have finished all the tasks, click ‘Next’ below.

This quiz includes images that don't have any alt text - please contact your teacher who should be able to help you with an audio description.

Unit quizzes are being retired in August 2023

Why we're removing unit quizzes from the website >
Quiz:

'If We Must Die' by Claude McKay - Quiz

Use these questions to text your knowledge of Lesson 1: 'If We Must Die' by Claude McKay. Good luck!

Q1.Who wrote the poem 'If We Must Die'?

1/8

Q2.How do we first approach a poem?

2/8

Q3.When we first look at the sounds and language of a poem, what is it good to think about?

3/8

Q4.What does it mean to do something nobly?

4/8

Q5.Which of the two groups in the poem are described as behaving nobly?

5/8

Q6.Which of these words is used to describe the 'we' group in the poem?

6/8

Q7.Which of these words is used to describe the 'they' group in the poem?

7/8

Q8.What have we learnt 'If We Must Die' is about so far?

8/8

This quiz includes images that don't have any alt text - please contact your teacher who should be able to help you with an audio description.

Unit quizzes are being retired in August 2023

Why we're removing unit quizzes from the website >
Quiz:

'If We Must Die' by Claude McKay - Quiz

Use these questions to text your knowledge of Lesson 1: 'If We Must Die' by Claude McKay. Good luck!

Q1.Who wrote the poem 'If We Must Die'?

1/8

Q2.How do we first approach a poem?

2/8

Q3.When we first look at the sounds and language of a poem, what is it good to think about?

3/8

Q4.What does it mean to do something nobly?

4/8

Q5.Which of the two groups in the poem are described as behaving nobly?

5/8

Q6.Which of these words is used to describe the 'we' group in the poem?

6/8

Q7.Which of these words is used to describe the 'they' group in the poem?

7/8

Q8.What have we learnt 'If We Must Die' is about so far?

8/8

Lesson summary: If We Must Die' by Claude McKay

It looks like you have not completed the quiz.

To share your results with your teacher please complete the quiz.

Time to move!

Did you know that exercise helps your concentration and ability to learn?

For 5 mins...

Move around:
Walk

On the spot:
Dance