Class: Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1, JSS 1)
Term: 1st Term
Week: 8
Age: 12 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Literature In English
Curriculum Theme: Literature
Previous Lesson: Features, Types and Elements of Poetry
Topic: Poetic Devices In Literature
Subject Matter: Poetic Devices

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain:
(a) Identify major poetic devices used in poems.
(b) State examples of poetic devices from simple poems.
Affective Domain:
(a) Appreciate the beauty and creativity that poetic devices bring to poetry.
Psychomotor Domain:
(a) Practice reading aloud short poems with the correct use of rhythm and emphasis.
Social Domain:
(a) Work in groups to share and discuss examples of poetic devices in given poems.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
Lagos State Unified Scheme of work for Junior Secondary Schools
Literary Devices – “List of Literary Devices and Definitions” (https://literarydevices.net/literary-devices)
Relevant Textbooks

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

A chart showing common poetic devices with their definitions
Copies of short poems containing poetic devices
Flash cards with examples of metaphors, similes, and personification
A projector or board to highlight poetic lines
Audio recordings of poems being read aloud

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps students recognize and understand poetic devices, thereby improving their ability to read, analyze, and appreciate poetry.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have been introduced to the concept of poetry and can recall basic forms of poems, rhymes, and rhythm from previous lessons.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Poetic Devices In Literature

Poetic devices are special techniques used by poets to give beauty, meaning, and power to their poems. They make poems enjoyable and help to express emotions more clearly.

Sound Devices

Sound devices are techniques that deal with how words sound in a poem. They give rhythm and musical quality to poetry.

The following are examples of sound devices:

Alliteration – repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of words. Example: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
Rhyme – repetition of similar sounds at the end of lines. Example: “The cat sat on the mat.”
Assonance – repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words. Example: “The light of the fire is a sight.”
Onomatopoeia – words that imitate sounds. Example: buzz, hiss, bang.

Figurative Devices

Figurative devices create pictures in the mind by comparing or describing things in special ways.

The following are examples of figurative devices:

Simile – comparison of two things using “like” or “as.” Example: “She is as bright as the sun.”
Metaphor – direct comparison of two things without using “like” or “as.” Example: “Time is a thief.”
Personification – giving human qualities to non-human things. Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.”
Hyperbole – deliberate exaggeration for emphasis. Example: “I have told you a thousand times.”

Structural Devices

Structural devices help to organize and give form to a poem.

These include:

Repetition – repeating words or phrases for emphasis.
Refrain – a line or group of lines repeated at intervals in a poem.
Stanza – a group of lines in a poem, like a paragraph in prose.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques:

Lecture, Explanation, Discussion, Group Work, Reading Aloud, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

To deliver this lesson, the teacher will adopt the following steps:

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: Teacher reads aloud a short poem and asks pupils to listen carefully to repeated sounds or expressions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and respond to teacher’s questions about what they noticed.
Learning Point: Pupils are introduced to the idea of poetic devices.

Step 2: Sound Devices

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: Teacher explains sound devices such as alliteration, rhyme, and onomatopoeia with examples.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify and read examples aloud.
Learning Point: Pupils understand sound devices in poetry.

Step 3: Figurative Devices

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: Teacher explains simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole using short poem extracts.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils provide their own examples of figurative devices.
Learning Point: Pupils recognize figurative devices in poetry.

Step 4: Structural Devices

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: Teacher introduces repetition, refrain, and stanza with illustrations from poems.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify structural devices in given poems.
Learning Point: Pupils understand how poems are organized through structural devices.

Step 5: Note-Taking

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: Teacher dictates or writes the board summary for pupils to copy.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils write notes in their exercise books.
Learning Point: Pupils have a written record of the lesson.

Step 6: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

Mention two sound devices with examples.
Give one example each of simile and metaphor.
State the meaning of a stanza in a poem.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer the questions orally.
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of poetic devices.

Step 7: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Reinforcement
Teacher’s Activity: Teacher summarizes the key points and emphasizes the importance of poetic devices in making poems interesting.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and ask questions where necessary.
Learning Point: Pupils appreciate the use of poetic devices in literature.

Home Task: Give three correct examples of Poetic Devices In Literature and explain what each example shows.

Lesson Keywords

Alliteration – repetition of initial consonant sounds in words.
Metaphor – direct comparison of two different things.
Simile – comparison using “like” or “as.”
Personification – giving human qualities to non-human things.
Stanza – a group of lines forming a section of a poem.

Differentiation

Provide simpler examples for struggling learners while advanced learners are encouraged to create original sentences or short poems using poetic devices.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Use engaging examples from songs or local poems to capture pupils’ interest. Encourage active participation through group work and oral practice.