THE POETRY OF JACKIE KAY Let’s Face It!. ABOUT THIS UNIT AND THE AUTHOR Lesson one

THE POETRY OF JACKIE KAY

Let’s Face It!

ABOUT THIS UNIT AND

THE AUTHOR

Lesson one

In this unit you will learn to:

Look how a writer develops ideas through the way they write and organise poetry.

Work out your own interpretation of a poem.

Develop the specific vocabulary needed to discuss a poem.

Use speaking and listening skills to develop your thinking and express your ideas.

What you will study…

Poems by Jackie Kay. Poems written before 1900 which are linked by theme to Jackie Kay’s modern poems.

Some media articles about the themes in the poems

The Pen…

When you see this be ready to do some writing!

Sometimes it will be notes and sometimes it will be a more formal task.

I will tell you which!

The Questioning Sheet

You should stick this into your book after the title page for this unit.

Use it to help you whenever you get stuck talking about a poem.

In your groups think about the following question:

WHAT IS POETRY FOR?

Why do people write it? Why do people read it? Why do we study it in school?

On A1 paper make a list of the ideas your group has.

Remember what I have said about opinions.

Be ready to feedback your ideas and opinions .

All About Jackie Kay

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1961Mixed heritage – Scottish and NigerianAdoptedBought up in GlasgowStudied at The royal Scottish Academy of

Music and Drama , GlasgowStudied English at Stirling UniversityFirst Published in 1991Has won several Awards for her writing MBE – services to literature

LOOKING AT A POEM AND TALKING ABOUT IT

LESSON TWO

The First Poem

The title is: ‘At Home, Abroad.’Jackie Kay thinks about her mixed heritage

You will read it in silence.We will read it together.There will be 30 seconds thinking time before

anyone talks. I call this ‘Impact Time’ it allows everyone to

decide what they think before we discuss the poem together.

At Home, Abroad All SummerI dream ofPlaces I’ve neverBeenWhere I MightSee faces I’ve never seen,Like the darkFace of myFather inNigeria,Or the pale Face of my Mother inThe HighlandsOr the brightFaces of myCousins at Land’s End.

All SummerI spell the namesOf tricky countriesJust in caseI get a sudden Invite: Madagascar,Cameroon. I draw Cartoons of Airports, big and smallWho will meet me?Will theyShake hands orKiss both cheeks?I drawDuty freesWith every country’s favourite Sweetie, smilingA sugary welcomeAnd myselfCap-peaked,Wondering if I am‘Home’.

New Vocabulary!

STANZAS

Poets often divide their poems into groups of lines called ‘stanzas’.

Stanzas are separated by a space on the page.

It is much better when talking about poetry to say ‘stanzas’ rather than ‘verses’!

In Pairs…Discuss how Jackie Kay feels about not knowing her birth parents.

How does Jackie Kay use words and punctuation to suggest her own uncertainty about her

background?Think about – Settings and locations Why the poem is divided into two stanzas Repetition of words and phrases Contrasting Language

Discussion Toolkit:I think… This suggests… I wonder… I guess… I suppose… It can… It may… It might… Probably… Possibly… Maybe… perhaps… Presumably… What if ...? What About…?

Be ready to feedback your ideas.

LEARNING TO WRITE ABOUT

POETRY

LESSON THREE

Today we are learning to:

What poetic devices are.How we talk about them.What words we need to learn to use.

Poetic Devices

This is the academic name for all the words and expressions we use when we are talking about poetry.There are a LOT of them – we will learn them in small groups as we need to use them.

YOU DON’T NEED TO WRITE THIS BIT….If you are not sure about a poetic device and how it is used - look in your notes first. If you cannot find the answer – ASK!

Word List

ImageryContrastsComparisonsMetaphorToneRhythmPace

Definitions

Repetition – When a word or phrase is repeated for emphasis or effect.

Imagery - When words are used to paint pictures.Contrasts – When opposites are used together for effect.Comparisons - When two or more things are compared to

create more meaning.Metaphor - When a word or phrase usually linked to a

specific item or situation is used out of context to imply some similarity.

Tone - The ‘sound’ or emotion of the poetic voice.Rhythm - The beat of the poetry Pace - The speed the sound of poetry moves at – easy to

hear when you read it aloud.

Working on the poem

We will be looking for these devices in ‘At Home, Abroad’

Make notes on your copy.

Ask questions and think hard! A lot of interpretation begins with opinions.

You can say what you like – but you must be able to say WHY you think it and give EXAMPLES from the poem to support your opinion.

PEE!!

Point:– What you want to say/what you think. - this is your idea or opinion.

Evidence:– An example of exactly what makes you think that – a quote from the text

you are analysing .

Explanation :– WHY you think it – explain yourself!

So now you know what we mean by P.E.E!(you will hear it a LOT)

Stanza One

All SummerI dream ofPlaces I’ve neverBeenWhere I MightSee faces I’ve never seen,Like the darkFace of myFather inNigeria,Or the pale Face of my Mother inThe HighlandsOr the brightFaces of myCousins at Land’s End.

Stanza Two

All SummerI spell the namesOf tricky countriesJust in caseI get a sudden Invite: Madagascar,Cameroon. I draw Cartoons of Airports, big and smallWho will meet me?Will theyShake hands orKiss both cheeks?I drawDuty freesWith every country’s favourite Sweetie, smilingA sugary welcomeAnd myselfCap-peaked,Wondering if I am‘Home’.

HomeworkDue:

Write an analysis of ‘At Home, Abroad’. Answer the following:1. What does Jackie Kay say about her feelings towards her birth

parents? How do you know?2. What are the main images in this poem – give examples.3. Do you like this poem? Explain your answer.

Extension Question (optional)What do you think the title means? Explain your opinion.

You should aim to write at least one page but no more than two.

Remember PEE!!!

JACKIE KAY ON BULLIES!

LESSON FOUR


Think about how feelings are expressed through poetry

Think about the theme of BullyingFind evidence from a media text as

well as a poem.

Own experiences

Jackie Kay often draws upon her own experiences as inspiration for her writing.

Here is an extract from a newspaper article where she talks about her experience of racist bullying taken from the BBC Scotland Website.

Writer’s ‘revenge’ on school bullies.

An Award winning Scottish Author has told how racist bullying at school started her on the path to becoming a writer.

Jackie Kay told a newspaper how she would write “Little poems of revenge” . She said that she thought she would always be affected by the taunts she suffered at school.

She told the newspaper that three boys at her school had taunted her because of the colour of her skin and forced her to eat mud.

“What I found excruciatingly embarrassing was that I was with friends.”

“In a strange way you felt you were embarrassing your friends.” She said. She did not recall any of her friends sticking up for her.

The Poet said she was no longer angry at what happened to her.

“But it still affects me, always will. If I pass a group of laughing kids, even now, part of me thinks they ‘re laughing at me.”

TASKUsing the Article printout

How did Jackie Kay feel about being bullied?How does she feel now?

Record your comments in a table: (I have done the first entry for you.)

How she felt/feels now

Evidence

(felt) Embarrassed ‘You were embarrassing your friends’

Read ‘Duncan Gets Expelled.’

This poem describes the event Jackie Kay tells the newspaper reporter about.

It describes being bullied at Primary school and is about one particular boy who made her break times a real misery.

The name she gives the boy in the poem is not his real name.If he read it do you think he would recognise himself?

THINKING ABOUT DUNCAN MACKAY

Lesson five

Today we are Learning to:

Analyse poetry for mood and tone.

Think actively about language choices and how they influence the reader

Thinking about advice on bullying – and what to do

Vocabulary

PerspectiveAlliterationSentence lengthDirect speech

Definitions

Perspective – whose point of view is it written in – first or third person.

Alliteration – The repetition of a sound at the start of a word

Sentence length – can change the speed of a poem and the feeling of the message.

Direct speech – shown in speech marks – gives a poem a more personal tone.

TaskWorking in small groups

Discuss how Jackie Kay uses her imagination and skill as a poet to make the experience of being bullied really

frightening and threatening.THINK ABOUT, and write down with examples:How she describes the boys’ physical appearance . the use of dialogue.How she describes ‘fear’ both hers and her friends.Her own behaviour in school.

What tone of voice do you think the last stanza should be read in? Explain your reasons.

Be ready to feedback your answers to the class

Thinking about Bullying

What advice would you give to someone being bullied?

Make a list of helpful suggestions.

HOMEWORKDesign a ‘top five’ advice poster for school

JACKIE KAY AND

GROWING UP

Lesson six


Think about how a poet grabs our attention

How to find clues about the theme of a poem

Analyse your own response to a poem

‘Attention Seeking’

We will read this together and then have 30 seconds impact time.

In silence write down your response to this poem.

In pairs consider:

How Jackie Kay grabs our attention in this poem

Think about the answer to this and write down (using PEE) your ideas on:

The subject matter.The poetic devices used. How a strong viewpoint is conveyed.

Has this changed your own response?You can use your questioning sheet if you get stuck!

Why does the boy behave like this?

Find five examples from the text that help you to understand why the boy behaves so badly.

Can you empathise with him?

Be ready to share your suggestions

BEING ‘STRESSED OUT’

Lesson Seven


Empathise with the character in a poem

Share ideas and use the correct language when talking about poetry

Respond to unexpected questions

Read ‘Stressed Out’

I am totally stressed out.I can’t sleep at night.I shake when I hear them shout.He has his nerve pills, she has her alcohol.

Me? I have nothing at all.There is no one to talk to.I have this strange singing in my head.At night, alone in bed,

The Stress is in my sheets,Clinging to my nightdress,Climbing in through the windows.There are tests tomorrow;

Bullies Posted in the playground.Many things to remember.I told my mother: I said,‘I am totally stressed out.’

She said: ‘Don’t be sillyChildren don’t get stressed.’‘Like hell they don’t .’I said.And she sent me to my room for swearing.

So now here I am,Stuck in my stupid bedroom,Locked up, stressed out, all alone. I swear to bring my stress levels down.

Life Sucks.

In Pairs

Read the poem and think about the girl in it.

Use the question sheet and together select five questions you would like to ask about the poem.

Write just the questions down on a piece of paper.

TASK

Exchange your questions with another pairIn your own pair write an answer to the questions

you have been given – Remember to PEE. (both of you must write this down in your books)

Join up with the pair you swapped with and discuss your answers.

Think about the toolkit we used earlier when we explored ‘At Home, Abroad’.

Don’t forget to include everyone in the discussion.

EXPLORING THE IDEAS AND PROBLEMS SHOW IN

‘STRESSED OUT’

Lesson Eight

Today we are Learning to:

Convert a text to another type

Use a poem to open a discussion about a theme

Use our imaginations

In Groups

Discuss what advice you would give to the narrator in the poem ‘Stressed Out’

What Problems do you think she faces?

Share your Ideas with the rest of the class.

Letters

Laying out a letter depends on who you are writing to:

Start with Dear… (put in the name if you know it)

Finish with Yours Faithfully if you don’t know the person and sincerely if you do.

You Should date your letter and put an address at the top.

TASK - individual

Imagine you are the narrator in the poem.

Write a letter to an agony aunt or advice column telling them what your problems are and asking for help.

Here’s some help – you don’t have to use it!Dear Deadre,Things have got so bad I don’t know what to do. Every

night I listen to my parents fighting.I am so Stressed out.On top of that…..To make it even worse……

COMPARING JACKIE KAY TO OTHER POETS

Lesson Nine


Think about the themes common to Jackie Kay’s Poems

Compare poetry by other poets to Jackie Kay’s work

Use the right language to talk about the comparisons we find

Themes

These are the underlying subjects of a poem. Often they can be expressed as a single

word.

What Themes have you seen in Jackie Kay’s Poetry so far?

Comparisons

Very often when we are writing about poetry we are asked to compare two poems.

It is important that you still use PEE when you do this.

Knowing how to do this is important to your work – especially as you get close to exams.

Comparison Vocabulary

In comparison to: - when things are the same.In contrast to: - when things are different.Conversely – ‘on the other hand’.Alternatively – ‘you could say that’.Similar to – ‘ Almost the same as’. Opposite – ‘not the same at all!’

Nothing New…

Crabbed old age and youth cannot live together,Youth is full of pleasance, Age is full of care,Youth, like summer mourne, Age like winter weather,Youth like summer brave, Age like winter bare.Youth is full of sport, Age’s breath is short,Youth is nimble, Age is lame,Youth is hot and bold, Age is weake and cold,Youth is wild, Age is tame.Age I doe abhor thee, Youth I doe adore theeO my love, My love is youngAge I doe defie thee. O sweet Shephard hie thee:For methinks thou stay’st too long.

Shakespeare!

This poem is called ‘Age and Youth’ and is by William Shakespeare

In it Shakespeare presents a much more positive image of youth that Jackie Kay does in her poems.

What views do you think Shakespeare presents?

ANALYSE!

Write a paragraph discussing the following:

How does Shakespeare use contrasts to present his image of being young and old?

Are the images linked in any way?What do you think of this poem? Use PEE.

In Pairs… discuss

What do you see as the benefits of being young?

How do you imagine yourself when you are older?

Be ready to feedback your ideas

Homework Due:

Write your own Poem contrasting Age and Youth.

Draft it in your book then make a good copy on a plain piece of paper.

USE Shakespeare structure – repeating the words ‘Age’

and ‘youth’. Keep the lines short. Make sure you use contrasting images. Try to link your images.

MORE OLD POETRY!

Lesson Ten


Look for keywords that help us to understand the emotion of a poem.

Analyse the structure used by the poet to create emotion.

Understand the description of setting – even when it is unfamiliar.

Vocabulary

OnomatopoeiaSimileRhyme schemeemphasis

Definitions

Onomatopoeia – a word that imitates the sound it represents.

Simile – a comparison using ‘like’ or ‘as’.Rhyme scheme – a regular pattern of rhyme

at the end of lines of poetry

Emphasis – highlighting an aspect of your poem for specific effect.

‘From Child Labour’ By Elizabeth Barrett-Browning

In pairs Working on copies of this poem:

Highlight all the words that emphasise the hardship and drudgery of the child’s life.

Look for:Descriptions of the settingDescriptions of the childrenWhat the children sayHow the poet emphasises the endlessness of the workHow the poet suggests the situation will not improve.

Be sure you both have a highlighted copy in your book.

How does this make you feel?

Poetry is all about feelings! So, how does this poem make you feel?

Sum up this poem in ten wordsNow sum it up in fiveNow sum it up in one word.

Be ready to share your thoughts with the class

COMPARISONS – KAY AND

BROWNING!

Lesson Eleven


Talk about poetry in comparison

Write about poetry in comparison

Find information which will support our ideas

Explain our opinions using the correct vocabulary.

Looking back…

Look back at the notes you have made about Jackie Kay’s poetry.

Make a table showing all the issues and problems facing young people that she talks about in her poems.

Repeat this process for Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem.

Jackie Kay Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Bullying Exhaustion

What do you notice?

What Differences do you notice and how do you

explain them?

We will discuss this as a class.

LIES AND TRUTH

Lesson Twelve


Evaluate our own opinions and those of others

Think about the difference between truth and lies

Use Speaking and Listening skills to debate.

Jackie Kay Says:

“It’s a huge freedom to be allowed to make things up in your head. I always loved that as a kid. I used to make up terrible lies. I liked seeing whether or not I could be believed.”

What do you think about this?

Telling Lies

There’s a huge difference between telling lies and using your imagination.

Why do you think people make things up?What sort of thing do people lie about?

Working in Groups

Use the cut out List of Lies.

Put them in order from the most serious at the top to the least serious at the bottom.

As you do this remember you are being asked to judge and state your opinion. Think carefully about your choices.

JACKIE KAY’S IMAGINATION

Lesson Thirteen


Evaluate a poem.Think about the narrator of a poem

Use the correct vocabulary to write about the poem

Write to a time limit

Read: ‘Brendon Gallacher’

You have half an hour to write a response to the poem that includes the following:

Techniques used by Jackie Kay to create effect.How she describes Brendon.How she describes his family.The way she compares Brendon to herself.How she feels when she is ‘found out’.Consider what she means by the line ‘and then

he died, my Brendon Gallacher’.

Don’t forget – Use PEE.

Discussion

How was that?Did you find it difficult?

After discussion write a sentence that shows:What Went Well…Even Better If...

IMAGINARY FRIENDS

Lesson Fourteen


Think about the power of imagination

Discuss the idea of imaginary friends

Use speaking and listening skills to discuss experiences.

Have you eve had an imaginary friend?

How old were you?Do you have any funny stories to tell?What did they look like?What did your family think?

Think about the qualities an imaginary friend would have

Discuss this with your partner.

Write a short paragraph about your imaginary friend – if you have never had one then think about what you might have had.

Write a poem about your imaginary friend

Use all the skills we have learned so far!Think about contrasts and consequences.Write it on a single piece of paper. Put your

initials on the back

Swapping poems

Give in your poemI will give them back out.Evaluate the poem you are given. Think about all the techniques we have learned and be fair!

Once you have your poem back stick it into your book.

END of Topic

Look at the front of your book.

Add ‘Jackie Kay’s poetry’ to the topic section.

Spend five minutes thinking and adding your opinions of this unit to your grid.

Review your targets set By Mr Peel and Mrs Wrycraft.

How do you think you have done?

Documents

THE POETRY OF JACKIE KAY Let’s Face It!. ABOUT THIS UNIT AND THE AUTHOR Lesson one