Great Poetry Through Time: Chaucer to 21st Century Poets

Great Poetry Through Time aims to foster reading poetry for pleasure and to help students to identify what kinds of poems inspire and delight them. Students in Key Stage 3 will increase comprehension and help unlock the multiple meaning of poetry through drama and performance

Students will be encouraged to ask questions about a poem, make inferences, summarise and synthesise their points.

In addition this resource encourages an appreciation of the purpose of poetry as it develops students’ opinions on what makes a ‘great’ and ‘unforgettable poem’. Students will also get to write their own poems on themes and issues they care about. 

The unit culminates in a ‘poetry by heart’ performance where students recite their favourite sonnet in front of their class members. 

The unit was originally written as a scheme of learning by Mehwash Kauser, a teacher at Appleton Academy, Bradford, for use by the academy's English teachers. The unit has been edited and adapted for Network members by Sophie Holdforth, literacy consultant.

Using the resource

The resource has been designed as a five week unit comprising 20 lessons in total. There is a PowerPoint presentation for each week along with supporting documents including copies of the poems referenced. Be sure to download the overview document which gives guidance on the unit and is designed to be used alongside each lesson.