Class: Senior Secondary School 1 (SS1, SS 1, SSS1, SSS 1)
Term: 3rd Term
Week: 1
Age: 15 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Literature-in-English
Curriculum Theme: Literature-in-English
Previous Lesson: .
Topic: Introduction to “The Panic of Growing Older” by Lerrie Peters
Subject Matter: background and setting of the poet and poem, subject matter summary of the poem, poetic devices and techniques, imagery and symbolism in the poem

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain:

state the background and setting information that supports understanding of the poem.
summarize the subject matter of the poem in clear points.
identify poetic devices and techniques used in the poem.
explain imagery and symbolism in the poem with examples.

Affective Domain:

show interest and attentiveness while reading and discussing the poem.
show respect for different opinions during interpretation of meaning.

Psychomotor Domain:

read selected lines of the poem with correct pace, stress, and intonation.
underline and label poetic devices, imagery, and symbols in the printed poem.

work in pairs or groups to identify devices and images from assigned stanzas.
present group findings clearly and listen to other groups’ contributions.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
State Unified Scheme of Work
Recommended Literature-in-English textbook for SSS (Drama, Prose, and Poetry sections)
Poetry Foundation: Glossary of Poetry Terms
Britannica: Poetry
Purdue OWL: Writing About Poetry

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

printed copy of “The Panic of Growing Older”
picture showing a person growing older (youth to old age)
poetic devices chart (imagery, symbolism, metaphor, simile, personification, tone)
board and markers
highlighters or coloured pens for annotation

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand how poems communicate feelings and ideas through language and images. It also supports examination success by training pupils to summarize meaning and identify devices, imagery, and symbolism correctly.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have basic knowledge of poetry and can mention common figures of speech such as simile, metaphor, and personification.

Lesson Content / Board Summary

Introduction to “The Panic of Growing Older” by Lenrie Peters

Background and Setting of the Poet and Poem

Background of the Poet

Lenrie Peters was a Gambian poet and scholar whose works often explore human experience, time, ageing, and reflection on life’s progression.
The Panic of Growing Older is one of his best-known poems dealing with the emotional response to the passage of time and the anxiety that accompanies ageing.

Setting of the Poem

The “setting” of this poem is abstract and philosophical rather than physical. The poem moves through stages of human life – early youth, adulthood, family responsibilities, and old age – portraying a mental and psychological landscape of ageing.

Subject Matter Summary of the Poem

The poem explores the emotional and psychological experience of growing older, focusing on how:

Panic and anxiety about ageing begin to spread “from year to year” as one becomes more aware of time’s passage.
At around twenty, hope and expectation are high with plans and dreams for success.
By thirty, reality begins to set in; responsibilities (such as family and work) limit youthful freedom.
Later, life may be marked by disappointments, with “nothing to show the world” despite dreams and aspirations.
Even though science suggests people might live long (“twice three score and ten”), hope is fragile and not guaranteed.
In old age, inner satisfaction dwindles as expectations pressure the individual, leading to the sense that “the world has you” – meaning life’s demands and time have full control.

This progression reflects the universal human experience of time, expectation, responsibility, reality, and reflection.

Poetic Devices and Techniques

Poetic devices help the poet express meaning and emotion more vividly. In this poem, key devices include:

Metaphor – The entire poem is an extended metaphor for life’s stages; “panic” represents fear of ageing and unrealised dreams.
Personification – Emotions like panic and hope are given life-like qualities.
Imagery – Vivid descriptions of age, pain, hope, and disappointment create strong mental pictures of life’s phases.
Symbolism – Phrases like “copybook bisected with red ink” symbolize life’s balance of success and failure; “legs cribbed in domesticity” symbolizes constraints imposed by adult responsibilities.
Allusion – “Twice three score and ten” refers to the biblical lifespan of seventy years, implying life’s potential length.
Repetition – Repeated ideas like hope show the tension between expectation and reality.
Alliteration & diction – Simple but rhythmic language reinforces the emotional tone.

Imagery and Symbolism in the Poem

Imagery creates sensory pictures that help readers feel the poem’s message:

Time imagery – “From year to year” evokes a sense of steady passage of time.
Physical ageing imagery – “Legs cribbed in domesticity” and “inner satisfaction dwindles…” create images of physical and emotional limitation.
Symbolism:
- “Copybook bisected with red ink” symbolizes life’s record of successes and failures.
- “Hope is not a grain of sand” symbolizes the fragility and elusiveness of hope in the face of ageing.
- Blades of expectation symbolize the sharp pressures that life’s ambitions place on the individual.

How the Poem’s Structure Supports Meaning

The poem consists of eight stanzas of four lines (quatrains) that chronologically trace the stages of life, showing the movement from hope in youth to reflection or resignation in later life.
The tone shifts from optimistic and energetic in youth to anxiety and regret in later life.

Key Themes of the Poem

The Poem explores themes such as:

Fear and anxiety of ageing – the “panic” that grows as one gets older and fears unfulfilled ambitions.
Hope and disappointment – the contrast between youthful aspirations and later realities.
Time’s inevitability – time cannot be stopped and has consequences for all.
Reflection and regret – growing older invites reflection on past choices and results.

Imagery, Symbolism, and Poetic Devices Answering Tips

When discussing imagery and symbolism, pupils can:

Underline specific language (e.g., “panic spreads fluttering wings,” “copybook bisected,” “blades of expectation”).
Identify the device (metaphor, personification, symbolism).
Explain its effect on meaning (e.g., how it shows fear of ageing or loss of vitality).

Text Vocabulary for Poetry Response

Imagery – language that paints pictures in the mind.
Symbolism – using an object or idea to represent something beyond its literal meaning.
Metaphor – direct comparison without “like” or “as.”
Personification – giving human traits to non-human things.
Tone/Mood – speaker’s attitude and the feeling created.

How to Answer Literature Questions on the Poem

The following are steps for answering exam questions on the poem:

read the poem twice to understand the general message.
state the subject matter in 3–5 clear points.
identify devices by naming them and giving a brief example from a line.
explain the effect of each device on meaning or mood.
mention tone and mood using supporting words from the poem.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays a picture showing a person growing older and asks pupils to mention changes that come with age and feelings people may have about aging. The teacher links responses to the poem’s topic.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils mention changes and feelings associated with growing older.
Learning Point: Poems can express personal feelings about life experiences such as aging.

Step 2: Guided Reading of the Poem

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Reading/Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reads the poem aloud once with appropriate intonation and invites selected pupils to read short parts aloud. Difficult words are clarified briefly.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils follow with their printed copies and read selected lines aloud.
Learning Point: Clear reading helps understanding of meaning, mood, and tone.

Step 3: Background and Setting Discussion

Time: 6 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to state the likely situation and viewpoint of the speaker and lists key background/setting points on the board.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils suggest what the poem is responding to and describe the mood created.
Learning Point: Background and setting support correct interpretation of a poem.

Step 4: Subject Matter Summary

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Guided Practice
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to produce a clear subject matter summary in points and writes a class-approved summary on the board.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils contribute points and copy the final summary into their notebooks.
Learning Point: Subject matter is the central idea a poem discusses.

Step 5: Identification of Poetic Devices and Techniques

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Discovery
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses the devices chart to explain key devices and assigns groups to locate examples in the poem, underlining and labeling them.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils work in groups to identify devices and present examples found.
Learning Point: Poetic devices shape meaning and create effect in poetry.

Step 6: Imagery and Symbolism Interpretation

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Discussion/Interpretation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to explain images and possible symbols, focusing on what they represent and the mood they create. Key interpretations are written on the board.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils explain selected images and symbols and state what they may represent in the poem.
Learning Point: Imagery and symbolism communicate deeper meaning beyond literal words.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

Define subject matter in a poem.
State three points that summarize the subject matter of “The Panic of Growing Older”.
List four poetic devices or techniques that can be identified in the poem.
Explain imagery and symbolism and give one example of each from the poem.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Recapitulation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the poem’s subject matter, key devices, and the role of imagery and symbolism. The teacher gives an assignment: write a short appreciation of the poem stating subject matter, two devices with examples, and one image or symbol with meaning.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the summary points and the assignment and ask questions where necessary.
Learning Point: Poetry appreciation involves summary, devices, and interpretation of images and symbols.

Lesson Keywords

Subject matter – the main idea or issue a poem discusses.
Tone – the speaker’s attitude shown through word choice.
Mood – the feeling created in the reader by the poem.
Imagery – descriptive language that creates pictures in the mind.
Symbolism – using an object or image to represent a deeper meaning.
Personification – giving human qualities to non-human things.

Differentiation

Provide guiding questions and sentence starters for pupils who need support in summarizing and identifying devices, while advanced pupils interpret symbols and explain effects in fuller detail. Allow different roles in group work such as reader, marker, and reporter to support participation.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Keep analysis focused on examinable points: subject matter, devices, imagery, and symbolism with short supporting examples from lines. Encourage multiple interpretations but insist on evidence from the poem’s words.