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English lesson plan · 12th grade (Year 13 in England) · 30 minutes

Metre: iambs, trochees, anapests, dactyls and pentameter

Reading Comprehension

CCSS RL.11-12.5CCSS RL.11-12.4England: A-level English Literature (poetry)England: AP LiteratureEngland: GCSE English Literature (poetry)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Metre: iambs, trochees, anapests, dactyls and pentameter.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Poetic structure: enjambment, caesura, volta, refrain…; Working out a rhyme scheme (ABAB, AABB, ABCB…)

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: A short text or extract (one copy each), Highlighters, Question cards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Poetic structure: enjambment, caesura, volta, refrain…; Working out a rhyme scheme (ABAB, AABB, ABCB…)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which poetic term matches this description? A turn in thought or feeling, often at line 9 or the final couplet of a sonnet. (volta / enjambment / refrain / end-stopped line) → voltaPrompt: Think about where the pause or change happens: across lines, mid-line, at line ends, at a turning point, or repeated.
  2. What is the rhyme scheme of this stanza? The city wakes at nine With traffic in a line The pigeons claim the square And sunlight warms the air (ABBA / ABAC / AABB / ABAB) → AABBPrompt: Label the first line's end sound A. Give a new letter to each new end sound.
  3. Which poetic technique is shown? (/ marks a line break) Each of the poem's five stanzas ends with the same line: 'And still the tide comes in.' (refrain / enjambment / caesura / stanza) → refrainPrompt: Look at the punctuation and the / marks. Does the sentence run over the line break, or stop?

Hook · 3 min

  • Read the first lines of a short text aloud and ask what students predict will happen and why.
  • Share the objective: Metre: iambs, trochees, anapests, dactyls and pentameter. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which metrical term matches this description? A foot with one stressed then two unstressed syllables: DUM-da-da.
  • Step 1: Metre is the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables; a foot is one unit of that pattern.
  • Step 2: dactyl: A foot with one stressed then two unstressed syllables: DUM-da-da.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: dactyl
  • Answer: dactyl
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Which metrical term matches this description? A foot with two unstressed syllables then one stressed: da-da-DUM. (iambic pentameter / trochee / anapest / dactyl) → anapestPrompt: Say 'da' for unstressed and 'DUM' for stressed syllables.
  2. Which metrical term matches this stress pattern? (Capitals show stressed syllables.) DEAD-END, DOWN-TOWN (spondee / dactyl / trochee / iamb) → spondeePrompt: Clap each word: which syllables are louder?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Which metrical term matches this stress pattern? (Capitals show stressed syllables.) con-tra-DICT, re-com-MEND, in-com-PLETE (dactyl / anapest / iambic pentameter / iamb) → anapestPrompt: Clap each word: which syllables are louder?
  2. Type the metrical term (in English) that matches this description. A foot with one stressed then one unstressed syllable: DUM-da. → trocheePrompt: Say 'da' for unstressed and 'DUM' for stressed syllables.

Watch out for

  • Answering from memory or opinion instead of evidence in the text.
  • Copying a long quote without explaining what it shows.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Poetic structure: enjambment, caesura, volta, refrain….
  • Use concrete materials: a short text or extract (one copy each).
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-12.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Metre: iambs, trochees, anapests, dactyls and pentameter

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Which metrical term matches this description? A line of five iambs: ten syllables, da-DUM × 5 (e.g. 'the WIND was COLD a-CROSS the EMP-ty BAY').

    • A. iambic pentameter
    • B. dactyl
    • C. iamb
    • D. spondee

  2. Question 2

    Type the metrical term (in English) that matches this description. A foot with one stressed then two unstressed syllables: DUM-da-da.

    Answer

  3. Question 3

    Which metrical term matches this stress pattern? (Capitals show stressed syllables.) GAR-den, TI-ger, HAP-py

    • A. spondee
    • B. dactyl
    • C. trochee
    • D. anapest

  4. Question 4

    Which metrical term matches this description? A foot with two stressed syllables: DUM-DUM.

    • A. iambic pentameter
    • B. trochee
    • C. spondee
    • D. dactyl

  5. Question 5

    Type the metrical term (in English) that matches this description. A foot with one unstressed then one stressed syllable: da-DUM.

    Answer

  6. Question 6

    Which metrical term matches this stress pattern? (Capitals show stressed syllables.) HEART-BREAK, BLACK-BIRD (when both are stressed)

    • A. spondee
    • B. anapest
    • C. trochee
    • D. dactyl

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Answer key: Metre: iambs, trochees, anapests, dactyls and pentameter

  1. 1. A. iambic pentameter

  2. 2. dactyl

  3. 3. C. trochee

  4. 4. C. spondee

  5. 5. iamb

  6. 6. A. spondee