ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
MEDIUM TERM PLAN
YEAR 8
Ballads
Aims:
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This scheme of work aims to develop students' knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of
poetry and to meet National Curriculum and Key Stage 3 Framework requirements.
It is designed to make students enthusiastic about reading pre-1914, post-1914 and contemporary
poems, to analyse them, and then recreate the effects in their own writing.
The scheme not only requires students to write their own poetry, but also aims to build the skills
required for analytical writing about poems required at GCSE and beyond.
The medium term planning format allows teachers the freedom to choose resources and plan
individual lessons, including starter activities. However, in order to ensure equality of provision
and progression for all pupils, teachers will adhere to the stated objectives and outcomes for
each week.
Duration: 6 weeks
Resources:
The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes
The Lady of Shalott by Tennyson
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge
The Ballad of Charlotte Dymond by Charles Causley
Frankie and Johnny by Anonymous
The Sad Story of Lefty and Ned by Richard Alan Crust
The Sad Story of left and Ned (cut up and complete version)
Ballad Recipe
Timeline
Storyboard template
Images from The Lady of Shalott
The Lady of Shalott card sort
Tension Chart
Gustav Dore’s illustrations
The Language of Ballads
Newspaper headlines
Quotation Quest
The Ballad of Charlotte Dymond: Reactions?
Newspaper articles
Powerpoint presentation
‘Bodmin’s Greatest Victorian Murder.’
Court Procedures OHT
Police Report template
Most students will: read poems both as shared text and within groups. They will write poetry showing
understanding of both the poetic techniques used by the poets studied, and the themes within their work.
They will produce pieces of analytical writing and also engage in speaking and listening activities.
Some student will not have progressed so far and will: read the poems and enjoy and engage with most
of the material and related activities. They will write about, and in response to, the poems and will write
their own poems. These pupils may need a variety of scaffolds to support reading and writing.
Some students will have progressed further and will: respond to the poems as pieces of well crafted
writing and then attempt to replicate these devices in their own work. They will read and discuss poems
independently. Analytical writing will show control of language and some evidence of independent study.
KEY TEACHING AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Pupils should be taught to:
WORD LEVEL
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Understand and use key terms that help to describe and analyse language (Wd8)
Appreciate the impact of figurative language in texts (Wd11)
SENTENCE LEVEL
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Explore and use different degrees of formality in written and oral texts, e.g. formal speeches,
informal journals (S12)
Recognise some of the differences in sentence structure, vocabulary and tone between a modern
English text and a text from another historical period (S13)
TEXT LEVEL – READING
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Analyse the overall structure of a text to identify how key ideas are developed, e.g. through the
organisation of the content and the patterns of language used (R10)
Recognise the conventions of some literary forms e.g. sonnet, and genres, e.g. Gothic horror, and
explore how a particular text adheres to or deviates from established conventions (R14)
Recognise how texts refer to and reflect the culture in which they were produced, e.g. in their
evocation of place and values (R16)
TEXT LEVEL – WRITING
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Experiment with different approaches to planning, drafting, proof-reading and presenting writing,
taking account of the time available (Wr1)
Experiment with figurative language, in conveying a sense of character and setting (Wr6)
Develop an imaginative or unusual treatment of familiar material or established conventions, e.g.
updating traditional tales (Wr8)
Experiment with presenting similar material in different forms and styles of poetry (Wr9)
TEXT LEVEL – SPEAKING AND LISTENING
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Tell a story, recount an experience or develop an idea, choosing and changing the mood, tone and pace
of delivery for particular effect (S/L 2)
Provide an explanation or commentary which links words with actions or images, e.g. a sports
commentary or talking to a sequence of images (S/L 4)
Explore and develop ideas, issues and relationships through work in role (S/L 15)
POSSIBLE TEACHING SEQUENCE
Week 1: The Highwayman
OBJECTIVES:
 Understand and use key terms that help to describe and analyse language (Wd8)
 Appreciate the impact of figurative language in texts (Wd11)
 Analyse the overall structure of a text to identify how key ideas are developed, e.g. through the
organisation of the content and the patterns of language used (R10)
 Recognise the conventions of some literary forms e.g. sonnet, and genres, e.g. Gothic horror, and
explore how a particular text adheres to or deviates from established conventions (R14)
 Explore and develop ideas, issues and relationships through work in role (S/L 15)
RESOURCES:
The Sad Story of left and Ned (cut up and complete version)
Ballad Recipe
The Highwayman
The Highwayman – Poetic Effects Worksheet
Timeline
Storyboard template
IDEAS FOR TEACHING:
Lesson 1:
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Starter: Students write down a nursery rhyme they remember. Share some. Why do they
remember them? Introduce idea of oral tradition and ballads (without giving away the exact
‘ingredients’ needed for a ballad).
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Development: Give pairs a copy of The Sad Story of Lefty and Ned which has been cut up.
Students sequence it into an order that makes sense to them. One pair then joins with another to
compare their re-arranged versions. Ask for some pairs to read aloud their ballad. Hand out the
complete version of the ballad and compare.
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Plenary: What are the ‘ingredients’ for a ballad? Students try to work them out based on the
example they have looked at. Share the correct ‘ingredients’ with them.
Lesson 2:
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Starter: Revise poetic terminology – through wordsearch or other starter activity and recap the
features of a ballad.
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Introduction: Brainstorm – what do we know about highwaymen?
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Development: Share first stanza or a selection of lines to predict what may happen. Read poem
as shared text – teacher to read to reinforce sound effects. Pairs/groups pick out examples of
language features using sheet to help them. N.B. Students could annotate techniques on an
extract.
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Plenary: List on flip chart/wall/ICT for later reference.
Lesson 3:
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Starter: Complete flowchart of events or timeline to prepare for storyboard.
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Development: Students produce a storyboard. The storyboard should focus on capturing the
atmosphere of tension, passion and mystery at different stages in the poem. How does the poet
achieve this? Give list of quotations to be used as captions for storyboard for lower ability. Or
groups/pairs could find their own. Complete for homework.
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Plenary: Swap with a partner. Any suggestions for changes/improvements?
Week 1: The Highwayman (Continued)
IDEAS FOR TEACHING:
Lesson 4:
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Starter: Introduce pupils to idea of Jerry Springer/chatshow format.
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Development: Each student assumes the role of a character in the ballad and is interviewed by
the host, giving his/her version of events, interacting with and questioned by the other
characters e.g. the highwayman, Bess, the inn-keeper, Tim the Ostler.
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Plenary: Class vote – who do feel sympathy for in this ballad? Why? Must be prepared to
justify/explain their answer.
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Extension/Homework: More able write a stanza using the same rhythm and techniques from the
point of view of Tim/Bess/a soldier/etc.
OUTCOMES:
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Storyboard of key moments with quotations as captions.
Role-play activity
NOTES:
Week 2: The Lady of Shalott
OBJECTIVES:
 Appreciate the impact of figurative language in texts (Wd11)
 Recognise the conventions of some literary forms e.g. sonnet, and genres, e.g. Gothic horror, and
explore how a particular text adheres to or deviates from established conventions (R14)
 Experiment with different approaches to planning, drafting, proof-reading and presenting
writing, taking account of the time available (Wr1)
RESOURCES:
Images from The Lady of Shalott
The Lady of Shalott
Questions on Parts I-IV
The Lady of Shalott card sort
Lady of Shalott key quotations
Tension Chart
IDEAS FOR TEACHING:
Lesson 1:
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Starter: Prediction exercise based on visual images of poem or selection of key lines from poem.
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Development: Teacher reads aloud Part I of the poem. Listening/drawing task – pupils listen to
reading of first part of poem and draw images/symbols of what they see/hear.
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Students answer questions on Part I. This may be completed either orally or in writing.
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Plenary: Key words/phrases/images from the poem so far.
Lesson 2:
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Starter: Cloze exercise on one stanza – pupils replace rhyme words.
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Development: Read Part II – IV, one at a time. Answer questions on each section to check
understanding. (Use a mixture of responses i.e. oral, written.)
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Plenary: The poem is very visual. Choose one section of the poem and illustrate it.
Lesson 3:
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Starter: Lady of Shalott card sort – place events in correct order.
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Development: Students complete a tension graph of events in poem labelled with quotations. To
prepare them, students find a quotation to match each main event using sheet. They may add any
others they want to. Extension: students explain/justify their graph.
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Plenary: Ask for some volunteers to share the event they feel is most ‘tense’ and justify it.
Lesson 4:
 Starter: Quick-fire oral quiz to review/revisit learning
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Development: Choral speaking: pupils to work in small groups. Each group is allocated a section of
the poem to perform aloud. Pupils practice and then perform it in sequence.
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Plenary: Fist of five – pupils assess effectiveness of reading by holding up the appropriate
number of fingers
OUTCOMES:
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Tension Chart
Choral reading
NOTES:
Week 3: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
OBJECTIVES:
 Understand and use key terms that help to describe and analyse language (Wd8)
 Analyse the overall structure of a text to identify how key ideas are developed, e.g. through the
organisation of the content and the patterns of language used (R10)
 Recognise the conventions of some literary forms e.g. sonnet, and genres, e.g. Gothic horror, and
explore how a particular text adheres to or deviates from established conventions (R14)
 Provide an explanation or commentary which links words with actions or images, e.g. a sports
commentary or talking to a sequence of images (S/L 4)
RESOURCES:
Gustav Dore’s illustrations
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Parts I-II)
Dictionaries
IDEAS FOR TEACHING:
Lesson 1:
Starter: Hand out Gustave Dore’s illustrations . In groups, pupils should attempt to put them in a logical
order – bearing in mind the importance of the story line. Discuss final order and reasons.
Development: In pairs, discuss the mood and atmosphere of the illustrations and report back. Pupils write
their own brief narrative based on the illustrations and the order they have chosen.
Plenary: Volunteers read narratives or sections of their narratives.
Lesson 2:
Starter: Symbolism – what do pupils associate with the following birds? E.g. dove, eagle, raven/crow,
vulture and phoenix.
Development: Read ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ Part I. Hand out the illustrations again. In groups,
pupils attempt to match the illustrations to the stanzas of the poem. Report back, giving reasons for their
choices. N.B. Link albatross to the starter activity.
Plenary: Show the correct order and discuss why each illustration fits each stanza.
Lesson 3:
Starter: Dictionary work – find meanings for: (a) dismal (b) wondrous (c) swound (d) helmsmen
(e) shroud (f) hail
Use an OHP to highlight these words in the poem. If they can’t find their meanings in the
dictionary can they work out what it might be from the context?
Development: Read Part I of the poem again, carefully. Gather all the evidence you can about the death of
the albatross and the Ancient Mariner.
Extension: Produce a wanted poster for the Ancient Mariner. Pupils will need to explain why he is wanted
and give lots of details about him so he is easily recognisable.
Plenary: Adjectives to describe the mariner.
Lesson 4:
Starter: Read the second part of the poem and find as many examples as possible of ‘sound’ words i.e.
alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia. What effect do they have? What mood do they create?
Development: Senses Hand – Pupils draw around their hand on a piece of paper. Each finger represenst
one of the senses. Pick out examples from Part I-II of the poem of writing that refers to/uses each of
the senses e.g. ‘Water, water everywhere, / Nor any drop to drink’ appeals to taste. Which sense
dominates? Why? Which is not/hardly used? Why?
Plenary: Prediction of how the poem will end.
OUTCOMES:
 Own narrative
 Wanted Poster (optional)
NOTES:
Week 4: Frankie and Johnny
OBJECTIVES:
 Appreciate the impact of figurative language in texts (Wd11)
 Recognise the conventions of some literary forms e.g. sonnet, and genres, e.g. Gothic horror, and
explore how a particular text adheres to or deviates from established conventions (R14)
 Recognise how texts refer to and reflect the culture in which they were produced, e.g. in their
evocation of place and values (R16)
 Explore and develop ideas, issues and relationships through work in role (S/L 15)
RESOURCES:
Frankie and Johnny
The Language of Ballads
Writing a newspaper article
Newspaper headlines
IDEAS FOR TEACHING:
Lesson 1:
 Starter: Give them the title of the poem and ask them what they think the ballad may be about,
based on their knowledge of ballads. Listen to suggestions. Read first stanza and compare to
their ideas. Predict what the rest of the ballad will be about. List on a flipchart/OHT so you can
return to it later.
 Development: Shared reading of ballad. Using the worksheet The Language of Ballads, students
analyse how far the ballad adheres to or deviates from the conventions of the genre.
 Plenary: What clues are there to the country in which the ballad is set?
Lesson 2:
 Starter: Summarise the events of the ballad in 10 bullet points. Reduce to 10 words.
 Development: Put pupils in mixed groups of 4. They will take on the parts of Frankie, Johnny,
Nelly Bly and the bartender. Using the detail and dialogue from the ballad, pupils act out the
events of the ballad. They may want to script it briefly or simply improvise. They should try to
use some of the dialogue from the ballad but not necessarily all of it. Show to the rest of the
class.
 Plenary: Write down a brief eye witness comment/statement about the murder.
Lesson 3/4:
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Starter: Come up with a headline for newspaper stories given e.g. a group of pensioners have
been banned from a local pub for drinking too slowly.
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Development: Write a newspaper report explaining what happened to Frankie and Johnny. Pupils
will need to find out as much information as they can about how Frankie killed Johnny and why.
They will also need to interview people who witnessed the shooting, etc.
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Teacher will need to ensure that pupils are aware of the conventions of the text type e.g. look at
the triangle used for planning a newspaper. Annotate/brainstorm language features and style.
Scaffold first attempts, etc.
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Pupils may use ICT if available.
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Plenary: Share examples. Peer/self-assessment.
OUTCOMES:
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Group performance of murder of Johnny
Newspaper report
NOTES:
Week 5: The Ballad of Charlotte Dymond
OBJECTIVES:
 Experiment with figurative language, in conveying a sense of character and setting (Wr6)
 Develop an imaginative or unusual treatment of familiar material or established conventions, e.g.
updating traditional tales (Wr8)
 Experiment with presenting similar material in different forms and styles of poetry (Wr9)
RESOURCES:
True or false statements
The Ballad of Charlotte Dymond
Quotation Quest
The Ballad of Charlotte Dymond: Reactions?
Newspaper articles
Powerpoint presentation
IDEAS FOR TEACHING:
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Lesson 1: Starter: Pupils recap what the conventions of a ballad are by using true and false
statements.
Development: Bring in a news article and model how you would go about turning it into a ballad.
Less able pupils could continue this, whilst others should bring in their own articles. Poems should
adhere to the conventions already covered.
You may wish to use Powerpoint slides to guide them through the writing process.
Encourage pupils to compile a list of useful rhyme words related to their topic before they begin
writing, and to plan out the content of stanzas.
Plenary: Share the moral of your ballad with a partner. Listen to a few examples.
Lesson 2/3:
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Pupils continue to write/draft their ballad. Encourage students to share their work and consider
any constructive criticism. N.B. Complete for homework(s).
Lesson 4:
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Starter: Colour symbolism – ask pupils what they associate with colours e.g. blue, gold, white, etc.
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Development: Read The Ballad of Charlotte Dymond together. Give pupils the sheet with
different reactions. Pupils complete task on their own initially. Then they share their
opinions/reactions with a partner and then in a four. Discuss their differences in opinion. They
can change their minds if they wish. Report back in groups.
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Plenary: Make a list of all the colours mentioned in the ballad. Add to the list all the other words
which strongly suggest a particular colour. What kinds of clothes are associated with Matthew
and what kinds of clothes are associated with Charlotte? Do these colours tell us anything about
the two characters?
OUTCOMES:
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Own poetry – ballad based on a current news event
NOTES:
Week 6: The Trial of Matthew Weeks
OBJECTIVES:
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Reflect on their participation in drama and identify areas for development of dramatic techniques, e.g. keep
a reflective record of their contributions to dramatic improvisation and presentation; (S/L13)
 Explore and develop ideas, issues and relationships through work in role (S/L 15)
 Collaborate in, and evaluate, the performances, scripted and unscripted, which explore character,
relationships and issues; (S/L16)
RESOURCES:
‘Bodmin’s Greatest Victorian Murder.’
The Ballad of Charlotte Dymond
Court Procedures OHT
Information for characters
Parts needed for Role play
Police Report template
IDEAS FOR TEACHING:
Lesson 1:
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Starter: Quotation Quest
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Development: Read the newspaper article ‘Bodmin’s Greatest Victorian Murder.’ What new
information do we learn about the murder?
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Plenary: Who do you think would be called to testify in a trial of Matthew Weeks?
Lesson 2:
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Starter: Reread the ballad. In groups, quick fire quiz about the events of the murder.
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Development: Explain that they will be role playing the trial of Matthew. Go through the court
procedures on an OHT. Hand out their roles to the class. Give pupils time to prepare for the trial.
N.B. The two lawyers will need a lot of support and need to be very strong members of the group
who are extremely reliable. The members of the jury should pair up with another member of the
group to help them to prepare.
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Plenary: In pairs, run through the court procedure so it is clear.
Lesson 3:
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Starter: The classroom/drama studio should be set up for the trial. Pupils enter and are seated
in the correct place. Recap the court procedure.
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Development: Role play of the trial of Matthew Weeks.
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Plenary: Class vote – was Matthew Weeks guilty of the murder of Charlotte Dymond.
N.B. For weaker classes you may choose to complete a hot seating activity of characters involved in the
case as this takes less preparation.
Lesson 4:
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Starter: Brainstorm the conventions of writing a police report i.e. the type pf language and
sentence structure that would be used, audience, purpose, etc.
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Development: Pupils write the police report including Matthew Weeks’ statement.
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Plenary: Volunteers read aloud report.
OUTCOMES:
 Re-enactment of trial of Matthew Weeks/Hot seating activity
 Police Report including Matthew Weeks’ statement
NOTES: