Class: Senior Secondary School 1 (SS1, SS 1, SSS1, SSS 1)
Term: 3rd Term
Week: 3
Age: 15 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Literature-in-English
Curriculum Theme: Literature-in-English
Previous Lesson: Theme.
Topic: “Vanity” by Birago Diop
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 of the poet and the poem in simple terms.
summarize the subject matter of “Vanity”.
identify poetic devices and techniques used in the poem.
identify imagery and symbols in the poem and explain their meanings.

Affective Domain:

show respect for cultural beliefs and messages presented in the poem.
appreciate the use of poetry to teach moral lessons.

Psychomotor Domain:

read selected lines of the poem aloud with appropriate stress and pauses.
underline lines that contain devices, imagery, and symbols.

work in pairs or groups to identify devices and imagery from given stanzas.
share ideas and support answers with lines from the poem.

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 (Poetry appreciation and African poetry)
Poetry Foundation: Glossary of Poetry Terms
Britannica: Imagery
Purdue OWL: Writing About Poetry

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

printed copies of “Vanity”
imagery and symbols chart
picture printout related to remembrance/ancestors or traditional setting
board and markers
highlighters or coloured pens for marking evidence

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand the message of the poem and how poets use language to express ideas. It also improves pupils’ ability to answer exam questions on summary, poetic devices, imagery, and symbolism.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can define poetry and identify basic poetic devices such as simile and metaphor.

Lesson Content / Board Summary

“Vanity” by Birago Diop

Background and Setting of the Poet and Poem

Birago Diop (1906–1989) was a Senegalese poet and writer strongly influenced by African oral tradition, folklore, and ancestral beliefs. His poetry reflects the African worldview that the dead remain spiritually present among the living.

Background and setting of the poem include:

The poem is rooted in traditional African belief systems, especially ancestor reverence.
It reflects the idea that death does not end existence, but changes its form.
The poem addresses modern Africans who ignore ancestral wisdom.
The setting is symbolic, not tied to a single physical location, but to:
- African villages
- Natural surroundings (wind, trees, fire, water)
- The spiritual world intertwined with daily life

Subject Matter Summary of the Poem

The poem teaches that the dead are not truly gone; they continue to live in nature and guide the living. It warns against vanity, forgetfulness, and pride, especially the neglect of ancestral values and moral warnings.

Key subject matter points:

The dead continue to exist spiritually and observe the living.
Nature serves as the voice and presence of the ancestors.
The living are warned to listen to ancestral wisdom.
Ignoring the dead leads to moral emptiness and loss of direction.
The poem promotes humility, remembrance, and respect for tradition.

Poetic Devices and Techniques in the Poem

Birago Diop uses simple but powerful devices to convey deep meaning.

Major poetic devices include:

Personification
- The dead are given voices, awareness, and actions.
- They “listen,” “warn,” and “speak” through nature.
Repetition
- Repeated lines such as “The dead are not dead” emphasize the central idea.
Apostrophe
- The poet directly addresses the living as a warning and reminder.
Imagery
- Strong sensory images drawn from nature.
Symbolism
- Natural elements represent spiritual forces and ancestral presence.
Tone
- Serious, reflective, and cautionary.
Free Verse
- The poem has no strict rhyme scheme, reflecting oral tradition.

Imagery and Symbolism in the Poem

Imagery creates mental pictures, while symbolism gives deeper meaning to those images.

Key Images and Their Meanings

Wind – the unseen presence of the dead
Fire – spiritual energy and warning
Water – continuity of life
Trees and forests – ancestral dwelling places
Whispers and voices – conscience and ancestral guidance

Symbols and Their Meanings

The Dead – ancestors who guide the living
Nature – medium through which the dead communicate
Silence – neglect and forgetfulness
Night – fear, ignorance, and spiritual blindness
Vanity – pride and disregard for moral and cultural values

Central Message of the Poem

Life and death are interconnected.
Forgetting ancestral wisdom leads to moral decay.
True wisdom comes from humility and respect for tradition.
The living must listen to the past to live rightly in the present.

Board Summary (Exam-Ready Version)

Background:
Birago Diop, Senegalese poet; African oral tradition and ancestor belief.

Subject Matter:
The dead live on spiritually and warn the living against pride and forgetfulness.

Devices:
Personification, repetition, apostrophe, imagery, symbolism, free verse.

Imagery & Symbols:
Nature = ancestors; wind/fire/water = spiritual presence.

Theme:
Remembrance, humility, tradition, continuity of life.

Important Exam Note for Teachers

In WAEC/NECO, Vanity is not only about pride, but about forgetting ancestral wisdom and spiritual responsibility.
Answers that connect the poem to African worldview and tradition score higher marks.

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 printout and asks pupils to mention ways communities remember people who have died, linking responses to the poem’s title.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils mention ways of remembrance and share brief ideas on what “vanity” could mean.
Learning Point: Poetry can teach lessons about life, pride, and remembrance.

Step 2: Reading and Quick Understanding of the Poem

Time: 6 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guided Reading
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reads selected lines aloud and guides pupils to read a stanza each, correcting pronunciation and pauses where needed.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils read the poem aloud and follow with their copies.
Learning Point: Clear reading supports correct understanding of meaning and message.

Step 3: Background and Setting

Time: 6 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Questioning
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the poet’s background and the cultural setting of the poem and writes key points on the board.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy key points and ask questions for clarity.
Learning Point: Background and setting help pupils understand the poem’s message.

Step 4: Subject Matter Summary

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Discussion/Board Work
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to state the poem’s main message and organizes responses into a clear summary on the board.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils give summary points and write the final class summary.
Learning Point: Subject matter is the main idea and message of the poem.

Step 5: Poetic Devices and Techniques

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher lists common poetic devices and guides pupils to locate examples from the poem, using the board and pupils’ responses.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils underline examples and state the device used with supporting lines.
Learning Point: Poetic devices help to build meaning and emphasis in a poem.

Step 6: Imagery and Symbolism

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Analysis/Illustration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains imagery and symbolism and guides pupils to interpret symbols in the poem using an imagery-symbol chart.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify images and symbols and explain what each one represents in simple terms.
Learning Point: Imagery and symbolism deepen the meaning of a poem.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

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

State the subject matter of “Vanity” by Birago Diop.
List four poetic devices or techniques used in the poem.
Define imagery and symbolism.
Explain one symbol in the poem and what it represents.

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 background, subject matter, devices, imagery, and symbolism, and gives an assignment: write a short appreciation stating the subject matter, two devices with examples, and two symbols with meanings.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the summary and assignment and submit questions where necessary.
Learning Point: Poetry appreciation requires clear points supported with lines from the poem.

Lesson Keywords

Vanity – excessive pride or empty show.
Subject Matter – the main idea and message of a poem.
Poetic Device – a technique a poet uses to create meaning and effect.
Imagery – word pictures that appeal to the senses.
Symbolism – using an object or image to represent deeper meaning.
Tone – the poet’s or speaker’s attitude in the poem.

Differentiation

Provide a guided worksheet with sentence starters for pupils who need support, while advanced pupils explain the effects of devices and symbols in fuller sentences. Use mixed-ability grouping so pupils can share roles such as reader, evidence finder, and presenter.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Keep responses exam-focused by insisting on short points and evidence from the poem. When pupils interpret symbols, accept reasonable explanations that match the poem’s context and can be supported with lines.