Exploring Seamus Heaney's 'My Personal Helicon'

Exploring Seamus Heaney's 'My Personal Helicon'
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Slide 1: Slide

This lesson contains 13 slides, with interactive quizzes and text slides.

Items in this lesson

Exploring Seamus Heaney's 'My Personal Helicon'

Slide 1 - Slide

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Learning Objective
At the end of the lesson you will be able to analyse Seamus Heaney's poem 'My Personal Helicon' by considering:
  •  its title, 
  • theme, 
  • language, 
  • sound and rhythm, 
  • structure and context. 

Slide 2 - Slide

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What do you already know about Seamus Heaney's poetry?

Slide 3 - Mind map

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Who is Seamus Heaney?
Seamus Heaney was a renowned Irish poet and playwright, known for his rich, evocative verse and deep connection to the Irish landscape and culture.

Slide 4 - Slide

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Understanding the Title
The title 'My Personal Helicon' refers to a spring in Greek mythology that was a source of poetic inspiration. It suggests a personal source of creativity and inspiration for the poet.

Slide 5 - Slide

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Exploring the Theme
The poem explores the idea of childhood memories and their influence on creativity, as well as the connection between nature and the creative process.

Slide 6 - Slide

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Analyzing Language
Heaney uses vivid imagery and sensory language to evoke the natural world, creating a nostalgic and reflective tone.

Slide 7 - Slide

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Examining Sound and Rhythm
The poem features a musical rhythm and internal rhyme, echoing the flowing and lyrical nature of the natural world.

Slide 8 - Slide

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Understanding Structure
The poem consists of three stanzas, each with a distinct focus on childhood memories and their connection to creativity.

Slide 9 - Slide

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Contextual Analysis
Consider the historical and cultural context of Heaney's upbringing in rural Ireland, which heavily influenced his poetic themes and style.

Slide 10 - Slide

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Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Slide 11 - Open question

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.
Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Slide 12 - Open question

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.
Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

Slide 13 - Open question

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.