Themes and ideas - Mrsjgibbs



Exploring themes and ideas: ‘Singh Song!’

Shape poem/visual representation

For Higher Tier students, give out copies of the poem enlarged to A3.

• Ask students, in groups, to discuss and identify what they think are the key themes of the poem. You could give them a copy of the ‘Social and historical context’ resource, and encourage them to use this as a starting point. Alternatively, you could have a whole class discussion about key themes, exploring Daljit Nagra’s determination to write about working class Indians, to foreground their voices, etc.

• Ask students to select the words or lines from the poem that they think most effectively convey the key themes and ideas of the poem, and to cut these out.

• Using an A3 (or larger) sheet of paper, they should now use the selected words to create a shape poem about, or a visual representation of, the key themes and ideas of the poem.

For Foundation Tier students, give out copies of the poem enlarged to A3.

• Ask them to work in groups, and to select and cut out the words they think most effectively convey the identity, character and status of the shopkeeper.

• Using an A3 (or larger) sheet of paper, they should now use the selected words to create a shape poem about, or a visual representation of, the shopkeeper. You might want to encourage them to think in symbolic terms, considering symbols of his status (a window sign, a till, a loaf of bread, etc) or symbols that they think best sum up his character (a bed, the moon, etc).

Theme cards

Ask students to work in groups and give each member of the group a theme card (see below – enlarged and printed on card ideally). Within a limited time frame, they should write down any quotations they feel are relevant to this theme on their card, and share their ideas in their group.

Each group then feeds back to the rest of the class about one theme, choosing one quotation that they feel is most relevant to that theme.

Theme cards (Higher Tier)

|Racism |

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|Sexual desire, passion and love |

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|Cultural and generational tensions |

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|Modern, urban Britain |

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|Assimilation |

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Theme cards (Foundation Tier)

|Love and desire |

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|Urban life |

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|Racism |

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|Outsider |

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