English

Y8 English

Key Stage 3

Year 8

Romanticism and Nature

Romantic poetry and paired texts

THEME

Nature poetry: 'Sycamore Gap' Zoe Mitchell, 'A Sunset' Ari Banias, 'California Dreaming' Lachlan Mackinnon, 'Causeway' Matthew Hollis.

Introduction to the Romantics

Revolutionary and Protest poetry: ‘America’ Claude McKay, ‘Rosa’ Rita Dove, ‘Torture’/ ‘We alone can devalue gold’ Alice Walker, ‘Good Bones (2016)’ Maggie Smith, 'To the Indifferent Women' Charlotte Perkins Gilman, ‘Caged Bird’ Maya Angelou

Romanticism and Revolution

UNIT

This lesson will introduce you to William Wordsworth and what happened in his life which might have influenced his writing. We will explore the form of lyric poetry, before reading and beginning to analyse one of his most famous poems.

The Life and Times of William Wordsworth

In this lesson, I will show you the difference between metaphor, simile and personification. We will then find examples of these types of figurative language in Wordsworth's poem and write about the effect that they might have on a reader.

Language in 'I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud'

This lesson will explore why nature was such an important and commonly used theme in Romantic writing. Afterwards, we will analyse how Wordsworth explores his own perceptions of nature and expresses how it makes him feel.

Nature in 'I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud'

This lesson is an introduction to John Keats, one of the best known writers from the second generation of Romantics. We will briefly look at some key events in Keats' life, before learning about the form of an ode. We will then read 'To Autumn' for the first time to get a general understanding of the attitudes which Keats expresses.

The Life and Times of John Keats

In this lesson, we will consider how Keats uses personification to make autumn seem like a magical and busy time of year. We will think how and why the way Keats presents autumn changes throughout the poem, before writing up our thoughts at the end of the lesson.

Language in 'To Autumn'

This lesson will focus on Keats' views on the power of nature and the ways in which autumn's power grows and wanes as the season continues. We will start by considering the imagery of the first stanza, before continuing to examine the rest of the poem to chart the power which Keats finds in nature.

The Power of Nature in 'To Autumn'

This lesson will introduce you to Charlotte Smith and the events in her life which influenced her writing. We will look at the form of a sonnet, before reading and annotating the rhyme scheme of Smith's 'To A Nightingale', in order to ascertain which form of sonnet it is.

The Life and Times of Charlotte Smith

This lesson will allow you to explore the meaning of Charlotte Smith's 'To A Nightingale' by breaking the sonnet down into sections and carefully analysing the language Smith uses.

Exploring 'To A Nightingale'

This lesson continues to examine Charlotte Smith's 'To A Nightingale' and considers her use of rhetorical questions and symbolism to convey her emotions to her reader.

Language in 'To A Nightingale'

In this lesson we will look at the way Charlotte Smith writes about the themes of power and freedom in 'To A Nightingale', and consider how her poem might be a reflection of her own feelings at the time she was writing.

Key Stage 3, English
Romanticism and Nature

Lessons in this unit

The Life and Times of William Wordsworth

Language in 'I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud'

Nature in 'I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud'

The Life and Times of John Keats

Language in 'To Autumn'

The Power of Nature in 'To Autumn'

The Life and Times of Charlotte Smith

Exploring 'To A Nightingale'

Language in 'To A Nightingale'

Themes in 'To A Nightingale'

Key Stage 3, English Romanticism and Nature

Lessons in this unit

The Life and Times of William Wordsworth

Language in 'I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud'

Nature in 'I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud'

The Life and Times of John Keats

Language in 'To Autumn'

The Power of Nature in 'To Autumn'

The Life and Times of Charlotte Smith

Exploring 'To A Nightingale'

Language in 'To A Nightingale'

Themes in 'To A Nightingale'

Key Stage 3, English
Romanticism and Nature