Medusa Lesson Plan Year 7

Technique Definition Example
Metaphor A word/words used to describe one thing as Vicky is a shining star

another
Simile A comparison between two things that
aren’t really alike. Usually uses ‘like’ or ‘as’
Alliteration The same consonant sound repeated at the

beginning of two or more words
LO: To learn about Medusa
Personification Giving something that isn’t alive human
emotions, looks or characteristics

Rhyme Repetition of identical sounds, especially at

the ends of words or lines

Onomatopoeia Words which sound like the word they are
describing

Repetition Words or lines repeated several times

POETIC TECHNIQUES – WHAT DO YOU ALREADY KNOW?
Technique Definition Example
Metaphor A word/words used to describe one thing as Vicky is a shining star

another
Simile A comparison between two things that Mr Mann is as pink as a flamingo.
aren’t really alike. Usually uses ‘like’ or ‘as’
Alliteration The same consonant sound repeated at the Jackson jumped with joy when he saw the
beginning of two or more words jaguar.

Personification Giving something that isn’t alive human The flowers danced in the bright sunlight.
emotions, looks or characteristics

Rhyme Repetition of identical sounds, especially at Never did Mrs Smith want to see,
the ends of words or lines Another yellow buzzing bee,

Onomatopoeia Words which sound like the word they are Bang! Whizz! Splash. Zoom.
describing

Repetition Words or lines repeated several times Mr Brown loves his cat.
His cat goes every where with him.
When he goes on holiday, he takes his beloved cat with him.

Heroes and Villains!
Historical villains:
Kray twins
Literature’s heroes/villains:
Sherlock Holmes, Frankenstein
Mythical heroes/villains:
Duffy’s Medusa
WHAT MAKES A VILLAIN?
Today we are going to look at the Medusa

myth and it is in the form of a poem.
On large paper, write down what IDEAS come to
mind with your table…
trust
Suspicion Bride Greek God
impression
belief
Challenge yourself:
Turn one of your Shield for a heart Dragon
ideas into a
paragraph.
E.G The noun
“bride” implies love
and commitment…
Medusa - reading comprehension
1. Who was Medusa?

2. What did she look like?
3. What do you think a Gorgon is?
4. Why was it hard to find her?
5. How do we know she has been changed over time?
6. What colour do we associate with her? Why do you think
it's this colour?
Extra: Hero or Villain? Write your answer and why!
Challenge Task:
Write a story about a monster with snakes
for hair
Struggle Task One:

Write an acrostic poem called Medusa.
Many years ago, in a country called

Greece…
E
D
U
S
A
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER - HOW DOES CAROL ANN DUFFY PRESENT THE
CHARACTER OF MEDUSA IN HER POEM? AO2
Integrated quote
• The character in the poem does not appear to trust anyone because in the
opening line she tells us “a suspicion, a doubt, a jealousy grew in my
mind.” This implies that Medusa is incredibly insecure. The deliberate use
of the three nouns presented as a list “suspicion”, “doubt”,” jealousy”
highlights how much the character worries that her husband is cheating on
her as all three nouns are very negative. As readers, we instantly feel
sympathetic towards the character as she thinks her husband is seeing other
women behind her back. However, we could also believe she is extremely
paranoid and suspicious as the three nouns highlight her insecurity.
AO2 – The
reader
Technical language. If you are unsure of
the technique write ‘the key word /
AO1 phrase’. Even if you are unsure of the
language technique, you should still
zoom in.
VISITING A POEM
• In your GCSEs you have to analyse an unseen poem. This means
you have to write about a poem you have never seen before.
• To help understand a poem you have never seen before, we VISIT it.
• V = Vocabulary. Pick out words and phrases that stand out to you
• I = Imagery. Can you find any similes or metaphors?
• S = Structure. Look at the lay out of the poem
• I = Intention. Why did the poet write the poem?
• T= Tone. Mood and tone. If this poem was a party, what would the
mood be like?
• Today we are just going to look at vocabulary
LO: To (continue) learning about Medusa
Starter: Complete worksheet
Trick: there are

(many) extra words
you don´t need!
MEDUSA I glanced at a buzzing bee,
a dull grey pebble fell
A suspicion, a doubt, a jealousy to the ground.
grew in my mind, I glanced at a singing bird,
which turned the hairs on my head to filthy snakes a handful of dusty gravel
as though my thoughts spattered down.
hissed and spat on my scalp.
I stared in the mirror.
My bride’s breath soured, stank Love gone bad
in the grey bags of my lungs. showed me a Gorgon.
I’m foul mouthed now, foul tongued, I stared at a dragon.
yellow fanged. Fire spewed
There are bullet tears in my eyes. from the mouth of a mountain.
Are you terrified?
And here you come
Be terrified. with a shield for a heart
It’s you I love, and a sword for a tongue
perfect man, Greek God, my own; and your girls, your girls.
but I know you’ll go, betray me, stray Wasn’t I beautiful
from home. Wasn’t I fragrant and young?
So better by for me if you were stone.
Look at me now.
WITH A PARTNER, READ THROUGH THE
POEM AGAIN
• Vocabulary - Underline three words or phrases that

you think are interesting/important.
• Be ready to explain why you have picked these
words.
YOUR TASK in pairs!
• You must turn the Medusa myth into a newspaper article. You will report on the story as
if it were factual.
• In your article you must include:
• A headline
• WHAT – What happened that is noteworthy?
• WHERE - Where did this happen?
• WHEN - When did these events occur? (This is usually written as Yesterday or Last night
or something similar.)
• WHO – Who are the important people in the story?
• WHY – Why did the events happen?
• Eye witness reports / interviews – direct speech “ “
• Short paragraphs to keep your audience engaged
• A range of punctuation and a range of sentence types must be used
MEDUSSSSSSA!
Yesterday evening, in Greece’s biggest temple, a 18 year old girl named Sophia
allegedly turned one of her friends into a hissing, hideous, green monster. It has
been reported that there was screaming heard from the temple at around 6pm on
Wednesday as everyone ran screaming for their lives from the temple as Medusa
transformed into a snake.
Arriving at the scene shortly after the first screams were heard, our reporters
spoke to the servants who witnessed the shocking event.
“Medusa’s hair fell out,” Sarah, 25, from Rome, said. “Suddenly, all we could
hear was terrible hissing sounds and when we looked at Medusa again, she had
hundreds of snakes hissing around on her head…”
Facts Eye witness report Adjectives

Imagine you are the news reporter.
Homework:
Film your news story for 2 weeks
time! Email me the video.
Due 24th May
1. Draw a picture of Medusa.
In each snake write a word that you
think of related to her / the poem
2. Write an acrostic poem called

Medusa.
e.g.
Many years ago, in a country called
Greece…
E
D
U
S
A
BUT, WHAT IF THIS WAS ALL TRUE?
• In your GCSEs you have to create a piece of nonfiction writing
• What is non-fiction writing? Can you give me examples?
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
Catching headline
(perhaps alliteration)
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
Catching headline
(perhaps alliteration)
Reports facts
PEER ASSESS
• Have they used?
• A headline
• WHAT – What happened that is note worthy?
• WHERE - Where did this happen?
• WHEN - When did these events occur? (This is usually written as
Yesterday or Last night or something similar.)
• WHO – Who are the important people in the story?
• WHY – Why did the event/s happen?
• Eye witness reports / interviews – direct speech “ “
• Short paragraphs to keep their audience engaged
• A range of punctuation and a range of sentence types must be used
Write the opening to a story in first
person where you venture into the
forest and meet the character
opposite. Describe the character
using adjectives.

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Technique Definition Example

Metaphor A word/words used to describe one thing as Vicky is a shining star

Alliteration The same consonant sound repeated at the

Rhyme Repetition of identical sounds, especially at

Metaphor A word/words used to describe one thing as Vicky is a shining star

Today we are going to look at the Medusa

1. Who was Medusa?

Struggle Task One:

Many years ago, in a country called

Trick: there are

• Vocabulary - Underline three words or phrases that

Facts Eye witness report Adjectives

2. Write an acrostic poem called

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