"Hitler's First Photograph"

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5

Lesson objectives

We will investigate the purpose of a poem 

We will compare two text types and consider key concepts 

You will look closely at the text at stanza level 

You will investigate in groups the language choices made and the tone of the text 

Seating plan DP1 Lang & Lit  HL

board

Window

Door

Oya - Sofia

Dasha - Mijntje

Constance - Symon 

Ayla - Sonny 

Mila https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48799/photograph-from-september-11- Cia 

Mert - Alessandro 

Nishtha - Marlene

Liv - Keesje

Bade - Ilia 

Janna - Lisa

See

Think 

Wonder

What do you see? What do you think and wonder?

What do you see? What do you think and wonder?

Has the new information given you any answers? 

What do you see? What do you think and wonder? 

Has the new information given you any answers? 

What do you see? What do you think and wonder?

Has the new information given you any answers? 

What do you see? What do you think and wonder?

Has the new information given you any answers? 

In another context. Consider the same questions. What might be happening? 

Now from the front. Consider the same questions. 

Now from the front. Consider the same questions. 

Discuss with the person beside you what you see in this image, what it makes you think and wonder.  

Seeing the whole artwork in a different context what is your impression now?

What do you think the author’s purpose might be?

Lesson objectives

You will look closely at the text at stanza level 

You will investigate in groups the language choices made and the tone of the text 

You will look at a guiding question and constructing a thesis statement

You will construct topic sentences and plan an essay structure 

You will construct a single body paragraph 

Read the poem, “Hitler’s First Photograph”. Write your answers in your exercise book 

1. Think about your initial reaction to this poem 
(this can be in terms of positive, negative or neutral)? 
2. What caused this reaction?
3. What could be the purpose of this poem?

"Hitler's First Photograph" 

What is your initial reaction to the poem?

Negative

Slightly negative

Neutral

Slightly positive

Positive

What could be the
purpose of this poem?

1. What purpose do these two texts 
(statue & poem) share?
2.How do these very different text 

types achieve a similar purpose?

3. What “Key Concepts” are apparent 
in these texts?

- culture, communication, creativity, 

Identity, perspective, representation, 

transformation

Comparing the two "texts" 

Upcoming summatives Literature 

1. Monday 2nd October unseen poetry guided analysis essay

2. 18th and 19th October groups of 2 presentation of a Szymborska poem. 

3. 22nd November A Doll's House guided extract analysis essay. 

Sentence, phrase, word 

Write your answers around the stanza agree on the answers as a group: 

1. Write a sentence that captures the core idea of your stanza. 

2. Why did you choose this sentence?

3. Write a phrase from the poem that moved, engaged or provoked you. 

4. Why did you choose this phrase?

5. Write a word that grabbed your attention or was powerful. 

6. Why did you choose that word? 

Upcoming summatives Language and literature 

1. Monday 9th October unseen advertising guided analysis essay

2. 18th & 19th  groups of 2 presentation of a Szymborska poem. 

3.  20th -24th November Oral pair presentation of a global issue through a non-literary and literary extract addressed in class. 

5 minutes: Questions

In groups of two, look at the stanza you have been given.

Write a minimum of four questions, around the stanza, with a focus on the writer’s methods, the text type, and the impact on the reader.

Afterwards, another group will try to answer your questions.

Possible example question stems 

What are the effects of the [language device] in line ..?

What are the connotations of the word “______”? Why does Szymborska use this word?

Analyse the writer’s use of…?

What might the ________ symbolise?

How does ________impact the reader’s understanding of _____?

How does ________ link to the ideas expressed in stanza__?

Why does Szymborska…?

1. Once your answers are on the A3 

paper, give it back to the original group. 

2. Using the answers given, write in the 

left hand margin in black

key words/ insightful ideas/topics.

3. Underline in blue key textual 

references. 

4. On the right identify in red all 

authorial choices and stylistic techniques. 

5. Stick your group's work up around the room. 

Return your text to the original group 

You have 10 minutes

1. Tour the room investigating the 

remaining three stanzas. 

2. Take all relevant notes and add them 

to your copy of the poem.

3. Return to your seat once completed 

Collecting information 

Lesson objectives

We will investigate the purpose of a poem 

You will explore the construction of thesis statements from guiding questions

You will construct topic sentences for this thesis statement 

You will structure your ideas and write a body paragraph 

We will explore a new poem 

Guiding question: 

How does the poet use dramatic irony to 

highlight the theme of the poem? 

1. Highlight the key words that must be 

implemented in the thesis statement. 

Constructing a thesis statement 

Guiding question: 

How does the poet use dramatic irony to 

highlight the theme of the poem? 

2. Consider your insightful ideas, which are the 

annotations to the left of the stanzas. Circle the insightful ideas and topics that you feel are linked to these highlighted key words.  

Constructing a thesis statement 

For example: 

Through the powerful use of dramatic irony, 

Szymborska communicates  the message 

that none of us are born wicked, a 

mother's love and hopes for a child are 

universal and that the future is unforeseen. 

Constructing a thesis statement 

For example: 

Each insightful area of focus is focused on in the body paragraphs and contains a number of techniques that help to support this claim. 

Constructing topic sentences 

Through the powerful use of dramatic irony, Szymborska communicates the message that none of us are born wicked, a 

mother's love and hopes for a child are 

universal and that the future is unforeseen. 

MPO Constructing topic sentences 

Your focus is not on one technique per paragraph, but it is on insightful ideas that feed into your thesis statement. In your body paragraph you are exploring the reader author relationship to deliver the author's message through (stylistic) techniques. 

MPO Constructing topic sentences 

Try to fill in the information that needs to be completed in your MPO. Do not complete the introduction or conclusion. 

Your thesis statement has been given. 

Through the powerful use of dramatic irony, Szymborska communicates the message that none of us are born wicked, a 

mother's love and hopes for a child are 

universal and that the future is unforeseen. 

Body paragraph

Choose one of the three body paragraphs to complete. 

Write a single body paragraph that contains at least three pieces of evidence. 

Each piece of evidence supports a different aspect of your topic sentence.

At the end of your paragraph link back to your thesis statement.

Lesson objectives

We will consider how a body paragraph can be constructed

We will explore a new poem

We will consider Szymborska's 'signature moves'  

In the poem "Hitler's First Photograph," Szymborska uses dramatic irony to convey the idea that a mother's love is universal. The poem portrays the infant Adolf Hitler as any other newborn, highlighting his innocence with adjectival, descriptive phrases such as  “little fists” and “big head.” The mother’s love is evident in the tender way the poem describes the joy and hope she feels for her baby’s future, imagining him growing up to be a "doctor, a lawyer, a merchant, a priest." Enumeration emphasises the multitude of choices available to the child in his bright, imagined future. Furthermore, the use of visual and olfactory imagery in "spring sun, geraniums in windows" allows the reader to experience the positive mood connected with the birth of this baby. This depiction of a mother’s dreams and aspirations for her child is one that transcends time and place, revealing how all mothers, regardless of who their child may become, share similar feelings of affection and hope for their children's happiness and success. Szymborska’s choice to focus on this universal aspect of motherhood creates a striking contrast with the reader’s knowledge of the child’s future as Adolf Hitler thus underlining the irony that is seen throughout the poem. 

In the poem "Hitler's First Photograph," Szymborska uses dramatic irony to convey the idea that a mother's love is universal. The poem portrays the infant Adolf Hitler as any other newborn, highlighting his innocence with adjectival, descriptive phrases such as  “little fists” and “big head.” The mother’s love is evident in the tender way the poem describes the joy and hope she feels for her baby’s future, imagining him growing up to be a "doctor, a lawyer, a merchant, a priest." Enumeration emphasises the multitude of choices available to the child in his bright, imagined future. Furthermore, the use of visual and olfactory imagery in "spring sun, geraniums in windows" allows the reader to experience the positive mood connected with the birth of this baby. This depiction of a mother’s dreams and aspirations for her child is one that transcends time and place, revealing how all mothers, regardless of who their child may become, share similar feelings of affection and hope for their children's happiness and success. Szymborska’s choice to focus on this universal aspect of motherhood creates a striking contrast with the reader’s knowledge of the child’s future as Adolf Hitler thus underlining the irony that is seen throughout the poem. 

Builds on our discussion and findings : 

1. What message beyond the obvious 

is conveyed about the values and 

beliefs of a group when we look at 

these texts?

For oral exam  and implications in texts 

we will develop “Global Issues”.

A, possible, Global Issue in the Field of Inquiry Culture, Identity and Community, could be: 

“The power of an icon or an allusion is in the power that we give it”. Find another Global Issue you would connect to these two texts. 

Fields of inquiry for Global issues 

Culture, identity & community 

Beliefs. values & education 

Politics, power & justice

Art, creativity & the imagination 

Science, technology & the environment 

Another possible Global Issue, from the Field of Inquiry: 

Art, Creativity, and the Imagination , 

“how art can help us heal”.

Global Issues 

Take some time right now and think about a text you might connect with “Hitler’s First Photograph” by Szymborska. 

 On your table, brainstorm some ideas and do some online research. 

Remember the link doesn’t have to be explicit (ie. WWII or Hitler) the link can be to a Global Issue and the Key Concepts.

Your turn ...

What 'text' would
you link to this poem

What 'text' would
you link to this poem

Wednesday, both periods

I will give you one of the Szymborska poems we have considered in class.

You will annotate it and write a commentary in response to a question.

The commentary will discuss about how the author has used literary aspects and structure in order to achieve her purpose.

I will have a reminder of the structure for your writing on the board.

Guided textual analysis 

How does Syzmborska use aspects such as imagery, diction and syntax in the poem, “Some Like Poetry” in order to convey the idea that poetry is both personal and personally challenging for those who ”like” it?

Annotate the poem with this question in mind

1. What things would you discuss as helping us understand that poetry is personal to someone? (Body Paragraph 1)

2. What things would you discuss as helping us understand that poetry is still challenging for people who enjoy poetry? (Body Paragraph 2)

3. Why might Szymborska think this was an important message to convey to ‘the world’? (Implication in the Conclusion)

Guided textual analysis 

Guided textual analysis