Literature: Types of Poetry for JSS 3

Class: JSS 3
Term: First Term
Week: 10
Age: 13-14 years
Duration: 60 minutes
Subject: English Language Studies
Curriculum Theme: Literature
Previous Lesson: Grammar/Structure: Identifying Active and Passive Verbs in Passages
Topic: Literature
Subject Matter: Poetry Poetry types e.g. (a) dirge, epic, lyric, dramatic etc

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• State and explain types of poetry.
• Describe relevant poetic features, theme, structure, and language in the selected poem.
• Describe relevant drama features, characters, events, setting, and plot from the prescribed text.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2014 Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable English Language textbook for JSS 3
• FCT ERC/NAPPS Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Selected poems (e.g., a dirge, an epic excerpt, a lyric poem, a dramatic monologue)
• Excerpts from a prescribed drama text
• Whiteboard/Blackboard and markers/chalk
• Charts displaying literary terms

Rationale for the Lesson

Understanding different types of poetry and their features helps students appreciate literary works more deeply. This knowledge enhances their analytical skills, enabling them to interpret texts effectively and express themselves more creatively. It also prepares them for further literary studies in senior secondary school.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have a basic understanding of what literature is and some common literary terms like poem, story, and play.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Literature

Types of Poetry

Poetry is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, prosaic ostensible meaning. There are several types of poetry, each with distinct characteristics:

1. Dirge: A dirge is a short, mournful song or poem, often sung or recited at a funeral or in commemoration of the dead. It expresses grief, lamentation, and sorrow.
2. Epic: An epic is a long narrative poem, typically derived from ancient oral tradition, telling of heroic deeds and adventures of legendary figures or national history. Epics often feature a hero of great stature, a vast setting, and supernatural forces.
3. Lyric: A lyric poem is a short poem that expresses personal emotions, feelings, or thoughts of a single speaker. It often has a musical quality and is not intended to tell a story but to convey a moment of intense feeling.
4. Dramatic: Dramatic poetry is a form of poetry that uses the elements of drama, such as dialogue, monologue, or soliloquy, to tell a story or portray a character. It is often meant to be performed.

Relevant Poetic Features

When analysing a poem, certain features help in understanding its meaning and impact:

1. Theme: The central idea, message, or underlying meaning of a poem. It is the main subject or topic that the poet explores.
2. Structure: Refers to the way a poem is organised. This includes:
   1. Stanza: A group of lines forming the basic recurring metrical unit in a poem; a verse.
   2. Line: A single row of words in a poem.
   3. Rhyme Scheme: The pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem or song.
   4. Meter: The rhythmic pattern of a poem, determined by the number and type of stresses in each line.
3. Language: The specific words and literary devices used by the poet to create meaning and evoke emotions. This includes:
   1. Imagery: The use of vivid descriptive language to create mental pictures or sensory experiences for the reader (e.g., simile, metaphor, personification).
   2. Symbolism: The use of objects or ideas to represent something else.
   3. Diction: The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.
   4. Tone: The general character or attitude of a place, piece of writing, situation, etc.

Relevant Drama Features

Drama is a literary genre designed for performance by actors on a stage. Key features include:

1. Characters: The individuals who perform the actions and speak the dialogue in a play.
   1. Protagonist: The main character, often the hero.
   2. Antagonist: The character who opposes the protagonist.
   3. Minor Characters: Characters who play a supporting role.
2. Events: The sequence of actions and occurrences that make up the story of the play. These contribute to the plot’s development.
3. Setting: The time and place in which the action of the play occurs. It provides context for the characters and events.
4. Plot: The sequence of events in a play, typically structured with a beginning, middle, and end.
   1. Exposition: Introduces the characters, setting, and basic situation.
   2. Conflict: The central struggle between two opposing forces.
   3. Rising Action: The series of events that build tension towards the climax.
   4. Climax: The turning point of the play, where the conflict reaches its peak.
   5. Falling Action: The events that occur after the climax, leading to the resolution.
   6. Resolution (Denouement): The conclusion where the main conflict is resolved.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Reading, Question and Answer, Group Work, Guided Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating prior knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them what they understand by “literature” and if they can name any literary works they have read or heard of.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond by sharing their understanding and naming literary works.

Learning Point: Introduction to literature

Step 2: Introduction to Types of Poetry

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Categorisation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the concept of different types of poetry, explaining that poems can be classified based on their form, content, and purpose. The teacher then lists the types to be discussed: dirge, epic, lyric, and dramatic poetry.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and note down the types of poetry.

Learning Point: Classification of poetry

Step 3: Discussing Dirge and Epic Poetry

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Illustration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what a dirge is, its characteristics, and provides a short example or refers to a known one. The teacher then does the same for epic poetry, explaining its features and giving an example excerpt from a well-known epic poem.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, ask questions for clarification, and identify characteristics in the examples.

Learning Point: Dirge and epic poetry

Step 4: Discussing Lyric and Dramatic Poetry

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Illustration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what lyric poetry is, its characteristics, and provides a short example. The teacher then explains dramatic poetry, its features (dialogue, monologue, soliloquy), and gives an example from a dramatic poem or play excerpt.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, engage with the examples, and differentiate between the types.

Learning Point: Lyric and dramatic poetry

Step 5: Exploring Poetic Features

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Analysis/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides students to identify and discuss relevant poetic features such as theme, structure (stanza, line, rhyme scheme), and language (imagery, symbolism, diction, tone) in the selected poems. The teacher uses questions to prompt student analysis.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify features in the poems, explain their observations, and discuss their significance.

Learning Point: Poetic elements identification

Step 6: Introducing Drama Features

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Contextualisation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the features of drama, explaining characters (protagonist, antagonist), events, setting, and plot (exposition, conflict, climax, resolution). The teacher refers to a prescribed drama text or a familiar play to make the concepts concrete.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and relate the features to plays they know or have studied.

Learning Point: Drama features overview

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

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

1. Name two types of poetry and briefly explain each.
2. What is the theme of the lyric poem we discussed?
3. Mention two important features of a dramatic text.
4. How is an epic poem different from a lyric poem?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Poetry and drama understanding

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on types of poetry and literary features into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson content

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the main points of the lesson, reiterating the importance of understanding different literary forms and their features for better appreciation of literature. The teacher encourages students to read more poems and plays.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and ask any final questions.

Learning Point: Lesson summary and reinforcement

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Read the provided excerpt from a poem and a short drama text. Then, answer the questions below in your notebook.

1. Identify the type of poetry represented by the excerpt. Give two reasons for your answer.
2. State one theme present in the poem.
3. List two poetic devices used in the poem and provide examples from the text.
4. Identify the protagonist and antagonist in the drama text.
5. Describe the setting of the drama text.

Lesson Keywords

• Poetry – A literary art form that uses language for its aesthetic and evocative qualities.
• Dirge – A mournful song or poem, especially for the dead.
• Epic – A long narrative poem telling of heroic deeds.
• Lyric – A short poem expressing personal emotions.
• Dramatic Poetry – Poetry that tells a story through dialogue or monologue, often for performance.
• Theme – The central idea or message of a literary work.
• Structure – The organisation of a poem, including stanzas and lines.
• Imagery – Language that appeals to the senses.
• Plot – The sequence of events in a story or play.
• Character – An individual in a story or play.

Differentiation

For students who grasp concepts quickly, encourage them to find and analyse additional examples of each poetry type from their textbooks or other sources. Provide extra support for struggling learners by offering simplified definitions and guiding them through identifying features in shorter, simpler texts before moving to more complex examples.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding of poetry types and literary features, search on YouTube for: types of poetry for jss3 nigeria or literary devices in poetry jss3