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Tangled Up In Poetry

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I teach English Lit and Lang at IGCSE and IB Level. Resources here are mainly for these courses but I often upload KS3 resources too. Currently I am working on War of the Worlds and the new Songs of Ourselves for 2026. Drop me a line on: underthevolcanoagain@gmail.com for one-to-one tuition.

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I teach English Lit and Lang at IGCSE and IB Level. Resources here are mainly for these courses but I often upload KS3 resources too. Currently I am working on War of the Worlds and the new Songs of Ourselves for 2026. Drop me a line on: underthevolcanoagain@gmail.com for one-to-one tuition.
The Spirit Is Too Blunt An Instrument by Anne Stevenson  - Full Lesson - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25
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The Spirit Is Too Blunt An Instrument by Anne Stevenson - Full Lesson - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25

(3)
This detailed PowerPoint takes students through some of the big questions raised in the poem, having them discuss in groups and then feedback to the class. It picks out key vocabulary and and has students analyse language. There is a short close analysis of sound imagery and an essay question with “break down” questions. Also, there are a couple of model analytical paragraphs to help with essay writing.
Songs of Ourselves - Volume 1 Part 4 - CIE 2023-25 - All Poems Analysed
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Songs of Ourselves - Volume 1 Part 4 - CIE 2023-25 - All Poems Analysed

17 Resources
Not made with AI. Here you will find a detailed PowerPoint presentation for every single poem in the new iGCSE syllabus. In addition, there is a selection of 1000-word model essays responding to a variety of the poems to share with students. In other lessons, there are model paragraphs, colour-coded for clarity. Some of the poems have a supplementary YouTube video where I have broken down the poems for students to revise at home (more videos to come soon). The lessons have a very wide range of activities to engage students, and most poems have either line by line questions or line by line annotations (or both). This is all you need to be prepared to teach these 15 poems. I have also included a 16th poem (The Bay) that could be used as an “unseen” exam example. I have also made a full anthology for easy printing. Poems covered here are: The City Planners The Planners The Man With Night Sweats Night Sweat Rain The Spirit Is Too Blunt An Instrument From Long Distance Funeral Blues He Never Expected Much The Telephone Call A Consumer’s Report Request To A Year On Finding A Small Fly Crushed In A Book Ozymandias Away, Melancholy Bonus Poem (The Bay) Full Printable Anthology (PDF)
On Finding a Small Fly Crushed in a Book - Full Lesson - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25
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On Finding a Small Fly Crushed in a Book - Full Lesson - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25

(3)
In this PowerPoint you will find a detailed breakdown of the poem’s central meaning, line by line questions, line by line summary, a true/false quiz, finish the sentences activity, a group work discussion task, and students end the analysis by creating their own YouTube video exploring the theme of ‘death’ in the poem. Prompts have been provided for the video’s content.
Funeral Blues by WH Auden - Full Lesson - Variety of Activities - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25
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Funeral Blues by WH Auden - Full Lesson - Variety of Activities - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25

(2)
In this PowerPoint you will find: three readings of the poem, the poem’s backstory, questions on form/technique/ambiguity, a technique/quote matching activity, a line by line commentary, a final fun task where students perform the poem dramatically in small groups as others rate them on a simple performance rubric. It is informative but also quite fun and you can skip activities as you wish. I hope it is useful and any feedback would be much appreciated.
War of the Worlds - HG Wells - IGCSE First Exams 2024 - Full SOW - Every Chapter Planned
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War of the Worlds - HG Wells - IGCSE First Exams 2024 - Full SOW - Every Chapter Planned

12 Resources
In this bundle you will find a wide variety of resources to help you teach War of the Worlds. This is a new text for the iGCSE syllabus starting in September 2022 ready for first exams in 2024. It is also a useful resource if you just want to teach the text as part of KS3/5, or for a different spec. It is ready to be shared with students so that they can keep up with the work from home and access the PowerPoints for revision. The activities are broad and varied, ranging from traditional teacher-led tasks, to paired/group work, and individual assignments. There are some more creative activities included throughout, like designing aliens and drama. I have also included some model paragraphs of analysis, technique analysis, quite a few vocabulary tasks, discussion topics, and I have included a selection of tailor-made assessments. Every chapter has also been summarised. Lessons have objectives, and are aesthetically striking. Each of the 12 PowerPoints vary in length of delivery. Some will take between 1 and 2 lessons, others may take between 3 and 4, but you can pick and choose the activities to skip as you go along. I have tried my best to pitch a range of different tasks for a range of abilities, including regular extension work. Instructions and tasks are very clear for students and teachers to follow. This should be all you need to teach the text, and if you need a copy of it, there are many freely available online. If you buy the whole bundle, you will save £18 compared to if you had bought each PowerPoint separately.
06 War of the Worlds - HG Wells - Chapters 8, 9 and 10 - IGCSE First Exams 2024
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06 War of the Worlds - HG Wells - Chapters 8, 9 and 10 - IGCSE First Exams 2024

(0)
20-slide PowerPoint. Guided reading and analysis tasks based on key extracts. The starter is a selection of vocabulary games and activities, based on tricky vocabulary found in chapter 8. This is followed by some personal response questions and a summary of the chapter. For chapter 9 we have some reciprocal reading tasks and a question about connotations, pathetic fallacy, imagery, personification etc. The extract here is provided and colour-coded. This should work as build up for the chapter 10 lesson where students have to compare and contrast two extracts which show a technologically driven power imbalance between the Martians and Humans. Students watch a short video of technology around 1898 (the time the book was published), and make some connections to the real world. Then they must complete a close analysis of the two extracts. Guided annotations and note-taking methods are included, as well as links to the marking criteria for the iGCSE syllabus. I have also written a 200-word model response for students to understand what is required of them, and how they should be embedding quotes, commenting on language and providing a personal opinion. I have uploaded most of these PowerPoints as one lesson but in reality each one will probably take around 2 hours to complete. All chapters are also summarised, just in case students miss a class, or need a reminder of key events. I would advise sharing all PowerPoints with students before the course starts so that they have a reference point to go back to should they require it.
He Never Expected Much by Thomas Hardy- Full Lesson - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25
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He Never Expected Much by Thomas Hardy- Full Lesson - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25

(3)
In this PowerPoint you will find a detailed summary of the poem, some pre-reading activities, a breakdown of structure, style and rhyme, teacher annotations, and a model analysis and interpretation, which I have colour-coded to highlight embedded quotes, techniques and personal interpretation. Overall, this poem resource is quite a teacher-led presentation as this is one of the trickier poems in the anthology to break down from first glance. By using this resource, the poet’s central message and some of his techniques should be understood by your students. I hope it is useful for your iGCSE class. I have also added a supplementary YouTube video to help with introducing the poem to students - it could be a homework task to watch the video before the lesson.
The Telephone Call by Fleur Adcock - Full Lesson - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25
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The Telephone Call by Fleur Adcock - Full Lesson - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25

(4)
In this 20-slide PowerPoint presentation you will find: about the author, breaking down the title, a dramatic reading activity, 5 thought-provoking/annotation questions on each stanza, tasks on theme, tone, structure and the author’s message; and finally a short creative-writing activity. It will require at least one full hour of teaching but could easily be amended. If you take the writing activity further, it might be better spread over two lessons. Hopefully this PP will be of use in preparing your students for their iGCSE exams, or beneficial to anyone studying this poem. Any feedback is always appreciated.
The City Planners by Margaret Atwood - Lesson and 1000 Word Model Essay - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25
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The City Planners by Margaret Atwood - Lesson and 1000 Word Model Essay - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25

(4)
A detailed PowerPoint that provides: prereading activities, about the author, annotations, comprehension questions, line by line technical/language analysis, and three essay questions to challenge students. I have also written an example essay, which is also included. Students like the fun activity which involves them comparing the poem to the opening scene of David Lynch’s movie, Blue Velvet. I hope you like it. Here is a link to my supplementary YouTube video too: https://youtu.be/vTm92Pokmc0
Away Melancholy by Stevie Smith - Full Lesson of Activities - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25
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Away Melancholy by Stevie Smith - Full Lesson of Activities - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25

(3)
In this 20 slide PowerPoint presentation, you will find: a selection of artwork from Boticceli, Munch, and Monet with discussion questions around the theme of “melancholy”, further thematic discussion questions, a gap filling task on the potential meaning and purpose of the poem (with answers), a line by line interpretation/analysis, and then the lesson culminates with an extended plenary whereby students are provided with colour-coded annotations that they have to label on the poem - these are more technical features, such as imagery, tone, assonance, repetition, asyndeton, and contrast. There are also a few possible essay questions at the very end that could be useful if you think students are ready to tackle an essay, or paragraph. By completing these activities, students will have a good understanding of the poem; it could be shared with them when exams are nearing. Also included is an essay planning sheet and a model paragraph.
A Consumer's Report by Peter Porter - Full Lesson - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25
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A Consumer's Report by Peter Porter - Full Lesson - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25

(3)
In this PowerPoint presentation you will find: 20 questions to help students annotate and understand the poem, pre-reading activities related to the theme of commodification, a brief introduction to Marxism, an example of how the brand Oreo used the Gay Pride flag to help sell its product and brand itself, about the author (very brief), and finally an example analytical paragraph used for modelling, answering the question: How does Peter Porter, in his poem A Consumer’s Report, convey his views on the commodification of life? This PowerPoint can be bought individually or as part of a bundle at a discount.
The Man with Night Sweats by Thom Gunn - Lesson and 1000 Word Model Essay - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25
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The Man with Night Sweats by Thom Gunn - Lesson and 1000 Word Model Essay - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25

(3)
The PowerPoint includes: mindmapping the title, comprehension questions for every line, a variety of activities, line by line analysis, contextual information, rhyme scheme, essay questions, criteria, and an example colour-coded paragraph. Also, I have included a link to my YouTube analysis and a 1000 word essay. It is very thorough and detailed, easy to follow, and with logical animations. It will take between two and three hours to cover fully.
Request To A Year by Judith Wright - Full Lesson Activities - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25
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Request To A Year by Judith Wright - Full Lesson Activities - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25

(2)
In this simple 9 slide PowerPoint, you will find: thematic questions about heroes and feminist struggles, line by line questions, detailed summary of the poem with a gap-fill task, a drama activity where students act the event in the poem out, and a writing activity where students write a letter from the great-great-grandmother in the poem to the author. Finally, students peer assess their writing based on spelling, punctuation, grammar, paragraphing, and tone. It is a fairly easy-to-understand poem that students will benefit from exploring using these different pedagogical platforms.
The Bay by James K Baxter - Lesson and 1000 Word Model Essay
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The Bay by James K Baxter - Lesson and 1000 Word Model Essay

(2)
A full and detailed lesson with plenty that will challenge students. PowerPoint presentation includes: vocabulary explained, questions about every line of the poem, line by line technical analysis, about the author, and a 1000 word example essay has also been added. I have made a supplementary YouTube video, that can also be found here, which should help students when at home or revising. I really hope it is useful. This poem is no longer in the iGCSE anthology.
From Long Distance by Tony Harrison - Lesson Activities - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25
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From Long Distance by Tony Harrison - Lesson Activities - CIE Poetry iGCSE 2023-25

(4)
In this PowerPoint presentation, you will find: line by line questions, analysis of rhyme scheme and tense shifts, a comparison task where students interpret the opening page of The Stranger by Albert Camus to discuss the poem’s theme of “the irrationality of grief”, and a media based activity where students have to create a YouTube video of the poem using still images. It should be quite an interesting and fun series of tasks for students to develop a good understanding of the poem.
10 War of the Worlds - HG Wells - Book 2 - Chapters 01, 02, 03 - IGCSE First Exams 2024
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10 War of the Worlds - HG Wells - Book 2 - Chapters 01, 02, 03 - IGCSE First Exams 2024

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In this 18-slide PowerPoint, you will find an initial vocabulary activity based on some of the tricky words in Book 2, Chapter 1, then some straightforward discussion questions to facilitate active reading, followed by a fun activity where students design their own technological alien and write a 200-word profile for it. Included is a gap fill activity to check understanding of Book 2, Chapter 2, followed by a “discussion” with HG Wells regarding the themes of reason/belief. This final activity should really get to the heart of the book and with the right teacher guidance there will hopefully be a rich discussion. All three chapters are also concisely summarised.