National Poetry Day

The Live Lesson was led by award-winning performance poet, author and National Poetry Day ambassador Joseph Coelho, poet and author Tony Walsh, and CBBC's Katie Thistleton. It featured poetry reading and performance along with critical analysis of similes, metaphors and other poetic techniques.

Throughout the broadcast there were opportunities to send in ideas and questions to be incorporated into the lesson. Our learners were thrilled when they realised that their question had been chosen to feature live on air! They asked, "How long have you been a poet and what is it like to be one?"

Their question got full and interesting answers from both poets.

The full lesson can be found at  Writing and Performance Poetry - Live Lesson (opens new window)

Our moment of fame is around 31 minutes in.

After the lesson, our learners contributed to a collaborative poem called "Change is..." and then used some of the techniques from the Live Lesson to write individual poems about a change they have experienced.

Through our participation in the Live Lesson and our work afterwards, we demonstrated our school values of Achievement and Confidence. We talked about Resilience in times of change.

Change is...
A Collaborative Poem by S3

Change is understandable, but can be worrying.

Change is difficult and makes me angry.

Change is easy and happy.

Change is terrible and good.

Change is exciting and bizarre.

Change is dark and delirious.

Change is different, but natural.

Change is going to happen.

Change is life.