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This fully-resourced and engaging lesson on War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy is designed for the Edexcel IGCSE English Literature (4ET1) Poetry Anthology. Students are guided through close reading, form and structure analysis, and thematic discussion with a strong focus on empathy, detachment, and the emotional cost of witnessing war. Includes contextual material, annotation carousel, analytical tasks, and a thoughtful reflective activity. Ideal for first teaching or revision — no prep required.

Lesson Features and Content:

• Thought-Provoking Starter: Students engage with an emotionally impactful photograph, sparking debate about the ethics of war photography and setting the tone for the poem.
• Contextual Slide on Carol Ann Duffy: A clear, accessible overview of Duffy’s poetic style and the key themes of War Photographer, including the contrast between conflict zones and Western detachment.
• Guided First Reading: Students choose emotionally striking lines and explore their effects - encouraging personal engagement and analytical discussion.
• Stanza-by-Stanza Annotation Carousel: In groups, students rotate through stanzas with guided questions to support close reading and analysis of techniques such as metaphor, sibilance, parataxis, enjambment, and volta.
• Exploration of Form and Structure: The lesson breaks down the poem’s use of sestets, rhyme scheme, and tonal shifts, encouraging students to consider how structure reflects theme and control.
• Final Reflective Writing Task: Students write a short paragraph in response to a big question: Is the war photographer helping the world – or exploiting suffering? This encourages moral reflection and synthesis of the lesson’s learning.