Lesson Planning
Poetry
English Year 5/6 Autumn Poems on a Theme
Diverse Voices
This engaging poetry block blends reading, performance, and creative writing, building students’ skills in poetic techniques, modal verbs, and punctuation. Emphasizing diversity and self-expression, it encourages students to write authentically, share their voices, and engage in meaningful discussions.
Start with the core unit to introduce key texts. Then select from comprehension, SPAG and composition units.
Unit 1 Core: Introduction to poetry from diverse voices
(suggested as 5 days)
SPaG: Grammar and Punctuation
There is no spelling and grammar presentation for this unit.
You Will Need
Essential Texts
Wicked World! by Benjamin Zephaniah
Spin!: 10 Exciting New Voices in Poetry by Joseph Coelho
Weblinks
Performance of ‘The British’
Benjamin Zephaniah reads ‘People Need People’
‘Hollow’ by Vanessa Kisuule
Vanessa Kisuule performs ‘Hollow’
Lemn Sissay performs ‘Let There Be Peace’
CBBC article about the appropriateness of statues
Unit 2 SPAG: Modal Verbs: Relationships and making our voices heard
(suggested as 2 days)
Lesson Planning
SPaG: Grammar and Punctuation
You Will Need
Essential Text
Spin!: 10 Exciting New Voices in Poetry by Joseph Coelho
Unit 3 SPaG: Revising punctuation: Communicating with Impact
(suggested as 3 days)
Lesson Planning
SPaG: Grammar and Punctuation
You Will Need
Essential Texts
Wicked World! by Benjamin Zephaniah
Spin!: 10 Exciting New Voices in Poetry by Joseph Coelho
What is Race? Who are Racists? Why Does Skin Colour Matter? And Other Big Questions by Claire Heuchan and Nikesh Shukla
Unit 4 Composition: Writing and speaking: our diverse voices
(suggested as 5 days)
Lesson Planning
SPaG: Grammar and Punctuation
There is no spelling and grammar presentation for this unit.
You Will Need
Essential Texts
Wicked World! by Benjamin Zephaniah
Spin!: 10 Exciting New Voices in Poetry by Joseph Coelho
Weblinks
Newsround Introduction about Edward Colston's statue
Raw footage of the toppling of Edward Colston’s statue
ITV News report about Edward Colston’s statue (1st min)
Renaming of venue in Bristol
BBC report 'What do we do with the UK's symbols of slavery?'
‘Hollow’ by Vanessa Kisuule on the Poetry International website
Vanessa Kisuule performs ‘Hollow’