Medium term plan:
Poem:
Class:
KS3 National
Curriculum
Objectives
1.3 a
2.2 a and b
2.1 h
Heroes and villains poetry
The Highwayman
Y7 mixed ability (levels 3c - 5a)
gain a sense of the English literary heritage and engage with important texts in it.
extract and interpret information, events, main points and ideas from texts; infer and
deduce meanings, recognising the writers’ intentions
take different roles in organising, planning and sustaining talk in groups
Learning Objectives (pupil-friendly language):
To read and enjoy the poem, then explore the main characters and consider why they acted as they did;
can their actions be justified and do we see them as heroes or villains?
Resources and lesson preparation required:
Copies of the poem (one per pupil) printed on coloured paper to make reading easier for dyslexic pupils
Pair of coconut shells/ plastic cups per group of 5
Discussion Cards for Jigsawing activity (one set per Home group)
Homework sheets (differentiated)
Video camera
Starter: (0 – 8)
Show gothic images on the interactive whiteboard, with sound effects of a whistling wind if possible.
Q – What atmosphere is created?
Take suggestions – use a random method (e.g. select a name from a hat) to choose pupils and invite them
to offer ideas before opening to the floor.
Show the first three lines of the poem on the interactive whiteboard. Allow some thinking time while register
is taken.
Q – What atmosphere is created?
Q – Which words and ideas suggest this? (Identify gothic images – moon, wind in trees, purple moor, etc.)
Q – What do expect this poem will be about?
Q – If there are characters in the poem, what might they be like?
Record suggestions.
Introduction: (9 – 25)
Explain the lesson objectives.
Divide the class into mixed-ability groups of 5, reminding them of the ground rules if they need to move
seats to form the groups. (Groups pre-arranged. Ensure X is not sitting near Y.)
Each member of the group is allocated a part: Bess / Highwayman / Tim the ostler / soldier 1 / soldier 2
The groups then each prepare a dramatic reading of the poem. Provide each group with coconut shells or
a pair of plastic cups to help them create the horse hoof beats rhythm.
Allocate TA to group with A and B to provide support with reading. (Discussion with TA about A and B’s
needs has taken place prior to the lesson.)
This resource was downloaded from www.teachit.co.uk – The Training Ground
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When each group has read and prepared their version of the entire poem, organise a shared presentation
of the poem with each group presenting a few stanzas in sequence (Class of 30 with 6 groups of pupils, so
each group will present 3 stanzas: group 1 would present 1-3, group 2 would present 4-6, etc.).
TA to film preparations and presentation for future class use.
Development: (25 – 50)

Return to the predictions made in the Starter activity – was the poem about what you had thought?
Why / why not? Oral assessment / feedback.
Jigsawing activity
 Use the groups from the Starter activity as the Home groups and form Expert groups according to
the characters they played. i.e. everyone who played Bess forms one expert group, everyone who
played the Highwayman forms another expert group, etc.
 Provide each Expert group with a Discussion Card and ask them to discuss the points and make
notes. You may wish to use the notes on the Teacher Prompt card to encourage the discussions.
Teacher to circulate to support where necessary.
N.B. It is important for each member of the Expert groups to make notes in order to equip them for
the feedback to their Home groups.
 Expert groups break up and Home groups are reformed. Each character reports back.
 N.B Ensure grouping is appropriate - TA to support A; peer to support B
Plenary: (51 – 60)
Heroes and villains.
Discuss the moral issues the poem presents us with, e.g.
 The Highwayman was a criminal but was loyal to his lover
 Tim the ostler was an honest worker but tipped off the soldiers when he saw the girl he loved with a
highwayman
 The soldiers were doing their duty in apprehending a criminal, but acted spitefully towards Bess
 Bess committed suicide - a mortal sin - in order to save her lover
Direct higher-order questions to the more able.
Arrange a vote to identify who the class would laud as heroes or condemn as villains. Do you think the
poet wanted us to see the characters in this way? Why / why not?
Return to lesson objectives and discuss whether they have been met. (2.1h to be covered in a subsequent
lesson, using film footage of group preparations and presentation of the poem.)
Homework:
The Ghost Story. Continue the narrative in prose or as a poem, focussing on the actions of the
Highwayman and Bess. Do they try to get revenge on Tim the ostler? Do they try to get revenge on the
soldiers? And what happens to Bess’s father, the landlord?
Notes for this task are provided to pupils on handouts; handouts are varied for differentiation purposes;
some include a writing frame.
This resource was downloaded from www.teachit.co.uk – The Training Ground
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Classroom worksheet
Bess
The Highwayman
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What does she look like?
What is her job?
What good things does she do?
What bad things does she do?
Is there anything else you wish to say
about her?
 Is she a heroine or a villain? Why?
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What does he look like?
What is his job?
What good things does he do?
What bad things does he do?
Is there anything else you wish to say
about him?
Is he a hero or a villain? Why?
Tim the ostler
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Soldier 1 / 2
What does he look like?
What is his job?
What good things does he do?
What bad things does he do?
Is there anything else you wish to say
about him?
Is he a hero or a villain? Why?
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What does he look like?
What is his job?
What good things does he do?
What bad things does he do?
Is there anything else you wish to say
about him?
Is he a hero or a villain? Why?
Teacher prompt
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Bess:
Did you know your lover was a highwayman?
If you had another chance, would you have acted differently?
N.B. Her suicide may need to be handled sensitively.
Highwayman: Why did you decide to earn your living by stealing from others?
What was most important for you in the end?
Tim:
What is your role in the story?
(He notified the soldiers of what the Highwayman told Bess)
Soldiers:
Are you proud of what you did?
(They carried out their orders but in a malicious way)
This resource was downloaded from www.teachit.co.uk – The Training Ground
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