The National Curriculum for English for KS2 contains several statutory objectives related to poetry. The documentation states that pupils should be taught to develop positive attitudes to reading, and an understanding of what they read by:

• listening to and discussing a wide range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or textbooks
• recognising some different forms of poetry [for example, free verse, narrative poetry]
• learning a wider range of poetry by heart
• preparing poems and plays to read aloud and to perform, showing understanding through intonation, tone and volume so that the meaning is clear to an audience

Within the range of poetry that is taught at KS2, classic poetry is likely to be included.  There is no doubt that teaching pupils in this age group to understand classic poems can be challenging, but they can also find learning about classic poems rewarding, interesting, fun and enjoyable. Success depends on the approach that teachers take.

Choosing Classic Poems

When choosing classic poems, educators are able to select from a vast library. Many poems considered to be classic are over 100 years old which means they are out of copyright. This means they can be often found on the internet by simply doing an internet search and used with few restrictions. Various websites provide collections of classic poems which are suitable for children such as the classic section of Kenn Nesbitt's Poetry4kids.com or the PookPress list of 10 classic poems for children.

If the choice of classic poems leaves you feeling bewildered and you are looking for suggestions, here are five poems I have found that KS2 pupils have really enjoyed exploring in depth:

1. 'Jabberwocky' by Lewis Carroll is a well-known nonsense poem. Despite being nonsensical and including made-up words, it also portrays an exciting narrative adventure. Deciphering what these made-up words might mean provides an oppportunity for pupils to consider word classes and explore how to elicit the meanings of words in context. 'Jabberwocky' is also a wonderful poem for performance.
2. 'Overheard on a Salt Marsh' by Harold Munroe portrays a strange but fascinating conversation between a nymph and a goblin which takes place on a salt marsh. Pupils enjoy discussing what the lively, amusing, mysterious exchange of dialogue means and it is a great poem for performance.
3. 'The Eagle' by Alfred Lord Tennyson is a short but powerful poem which conveys the majestic power of an eagle ready to hunt its prey. The poem contains wonderful examples of figurative language for pupils to discuss and its short length means it is perfect for memorization and performance.
4. 'From a Railway Carriage' by Robert Louis Stevenson describes what someone sees when looking out of the window during a fast-moving train journey. The use of rhyme and repetition in the poem creates a rhythm which replicates the speed of the journey making it an enjoyable read. The poem contains short, sharp bursts of imagery, the rhythm makes it great for performance and it is fairly straightforward and easy to understand.
5. 'The Tyger' by William Blake is the most anthologised poem in the English language and has been included in numerous poetry collections. It describes a tiger comparing it to a lamb and asks the reader to consider deep existential questions.  There is no doubt that 'The Tyger' is a challenging poem for KS2 pupils and teachers need to be prepared offer lots of supprt and explanation when using it. Despite the complexity of 'The Tyger', I have found pupils have risen to the challenge of exploring  it. Tigers are fascinating powerful creatures and pupils enjoy discussing their nature and the questions the poem raises such as - should tigers exist?

Helping Pupils to Understand Classic Poems

Exploring various interpretations and analyses of classic poems will help teachers to confidently present and explain them.  For well-known classic poems, typing in the name of the poem plus 'analysis'  is likely to bring up a wide range of websites which provide a breakdown of the language, structure and ideas within the given poem. An example of a useful website which provides poetry analysis is https://poemanalysis.com 

It's important to stress to pupils, that they may not completely understand a poem straightaway. A first reading of a complex poem often just creates an impression - there may be many lines which need to be reread, discussed and explored in order to be understood fully. In fact,  pupils may not totally understand a poem after several readings, but this does not prevent them enjoying it or being able to talk about it. Let pupils know that classic poetry often contains language and themes  which are discussed and debated -  there are often lines which only the poet knows the true meaning of. Ensure that pupils are aware that sometimes there is no right or wrong answer regarding what a phrase or line might mean.

Providing visual imagery alongside the written text can help pupils engage with poems and improve their understanding. Teachers could use an image search to create a visual glossary of unknown words. They could also try exploring YouTube to see if there are any well-presented videos which illustrate the poem they are using. Such videos can bring poems to life for pupils and lead to jumps in their undersatnding.

Discussing Classic Poetry

Discussion is key to developing pupil understanding and allows all pupils to contribute including those who may struggle with providing written responses. These free resources created by Primary Texts contain generic banks of questions which can be used to discuss any poem, are curriculum aligned and available for instant download:

Making Classic Poetry Accessible to All Pupils

There is no reason why classic poetry should not be explored as a whole class. Pupils of all abilities should be allowed to respond to classic poetry - and this includes some of the more difficult texts. If pupils discuss their ideas in mixed ability pairs, this allows higher ability pupils to elaborate on and extend their thinking and allows lower ablility pupils to gain support. There are of course many pupils who struggle with writing, but have high intelligence and lots to say. Discussion will provide them with a chance to shine.

Poetry can often be understood at different levels. Consider providing tasks which allow pupils to respond to poems in different ways. After a poem is shared whole class and discussed, many lower attainers will be able to write a summary of it or respond to straightforward literal questions about it. Providing an opinion of a poem after listening to and discussing it is something that all students should be encouraged to do. Pupils could also demonstrate their understanding by illustrating a verse or their favourite part of the poem. It is worth noting that responding to poetry through producing artwork is not just an activity for lower attainers - it is a high-value task that many pupils will enjoy. Being able to visualise what has been read is vital to understanding and this can be shown through artistic response.

Planning Poetry Lessons

I have found that lessons involving classic poems work well using the following format:

1. Provide pupils with a brief explanation of what a classic poem is clarifying that is a poem which is written a long time ago. If the set poem is particularly challenging, make it clear that pupils might not understand the poem on its first reading though they may begin to develop an ideas about the subject and images might form in their mind.
2. Read the poem to the pupils - an initial modelled read by the teacher enables the set poem to be heard by pupils in its entirity -  without the distraction caused by struggles over unknown words or misunderstanding punctuation cues. After this first reading, teachers can gather initial impressions by asking general questions regarding the subject of the poem such as: 'What do you think this poem is about? What did you see in your mind as the poem was being read?'.
3. Read the poem again. Following this second reading, begin to discuss aspects of the poem such as its language, structure and themes. Teachers may find the free analysing poetry questions referred to in the 'Discussing Classic Poetry' section above useful for this.
4. Give pupils an opportunity to respond to the poem independently in order to show their understanding. Possible responses include artwork, a summary of the poem or writing the answers to comprehension questions. The free analysing poetry questions referenced in the 'Discussing Classic Poetry' section above provide a useful starting point for creating comprehension questions which are related to curriculum expectations.
5. Following independent work, a plenary discussing the pupils' responses will help to further enhance understanding and clarify any remaining misconceptions.

I have also found that providing pupils with a brief background history of the poem and the poet can helps to  further develop pupil's knowledge and appreciation. If you are looking for pre-planned lessons which are good-to-go,  you may be interested in the resources available on our Primary Texts KS2 Poetry Resources page which includes our great-value  Classic Poetry for KS2 Pick and Mix Bundle.

Using Classic Poetry as a Stimulus for Writing

Classic poetry can provide a wonderful stimulus for writing. After reading and engaging with a classic poem, pupils may well feel enthused by the prospect of writing some poetry of their own. It is worth noting however, that using the structure of a classic poem as a model for pupils to create their own poetry may not work well. Using limericks and other nonsense poems as models can be successful, but the structure of many classic poems is likely to be too complex for pupils to replicate due to strict patterns regarding rhyme, repetition, punctuation and verse and line length. It is particulary hard for pupils to create rhymes which work well and maintain the tone of a more serious poem.

To help pupils with writing poetry, teachers could model how to create a poem based on a set topic or theme using a simple structure such as three verses of four lines composed of descriptive phrases with no rhyming requirement.  Alternatively, once pupils have studied poems of varying structures, they could be given free reign to structure their poems in their own way.  In KS2,  pupils are expected to read, discuss, learn and perform poetry but there is no specified objective or assessment criteria linked to the writing of it. Providing pupils with the opportunity to write poetry could just be about allowing them the freedom to play with language and form without the pressure or expectation of there being a perfect outcome. That said, you might find that some of your pupils produce wonderful poems when writing without confinement.

Classic poems can provide a stimulus for other types of writing besides poetry.  I once attended a course focused on how to improve writing in KS2  which stressed the importance of exploring the language used in poetry so pupils could later apply their knowledge when writing in different forms. A classic poem could provide the stimulus for descriptive writing, persuasive writing or even an information text. Narrative poems such as 'The Jabberwocky' could be fleshed out and successfully changed into an exciting adventure story with pupils adding in their own details.

Linking to other Subjects

Classic poems make us think of times long ago, but these poems are not just historical - they can provide suprising links to other subjects. For example, William Blake's 'The Tyger' could link to a topic about predators as could Alfred Lord Tennyson's 'The Eagle'. The classic poem 'From a Railway Carriage' by Robert Louis Stevenson could link to a topic about trains. 'Daffodils'  by William  Wordsworth could link to a topic on Spring. The possibilities are endless!

All of the poetry lessons provided on Primary Texts contain ideas for follow-up activites enabling lessons to be extended into short units of work. Explore our KS2 Poetry Resources range to find out more.