Inspired by: My Secret War Diary - Week 5

In the poignant context of World War II, students are invited to delve into the depths of grief and remembrance through the study of W.H. Auden's 'Funeral Blues'. The poem is a powerful elegy that resonates with the emotions of loss and longing, and serves as an excellent piece for learning poetry by heart. Students are encouraged to participate in discussions, exploring the significance of the poem's imagery and language. They contemplate the symbolic act of stopping clocks and discuss the impact of Auden's use of uppercase letters in the phrase 'He Is Dead'. The lesson also focuses on the analysis of literary devices such as personification and onomatopoeia in the word 'moaning', and the effect of the speaker's direct address within the poem. By examining the use of hyperbole and natural world references, students gain insight into the intensity of the speaker's grief and the overall impact of these poetic elements.

Complementing the exploration of 'Funeral Blues', students are tasked with a creative writing exercise inspired by a fictional character named Flossie from 'My Secret War Diary' by Marcia Williams. Flossie, grappling with the loss of her cousin Frankie and concern for her father, is moved to express her emotions in a letter. This activity allows students to perform their own compositions, focusing on intonation, volume, and movement to convey meaning. Another aspect of the learning experience is understanding the use of passive verbs. Students compare active and passive sentences, observing how the passive voice shifts the emphasis to the recipient of the action and discussing when it is appropriate to omit the doer of the action. This multifaceted lesson offers a rich blend of literary appreciation, emotional expression, and grammatical exploration.