1. AQA ‘POWER AND CONFLICT’ POETRY
@SPryke2
‘CHECKING OUT ME HISTORY’ BY JOHN AGARD

2. Today’s key questions:
YOUR STARTER
Toussaint
L’Ouverture
Mary
Seacole
Nanny de
Maroon
In your books, write down who these people are and everything you know about them. If you are struggling to identify and write about them, explain why.
Today’s key questions:
Can I read, understand and respond to the text?
Can I analyse language and structure, explaining WHY the writer has used a particular technique and its effect?
Can I discuss the social and historical context of the poem?

3. Today’s key questions:
YOUR TASK: SUMMARISE INTO FOUR BULLET POINTS
John Agard was born in British Guiana (now called Guyana) in the Caribbean, in He moved to the UK in the late 1970s and is well known for powerful and fun performances of his work.
He uses non-standard phonetic spelling (written as a word sounds) to represent his own accent, and writes about what it is like being black to challenge racist attitudes, especially those which are unthinking.
As serious as Agard's themes often are – ethnicity, mythology, academia, morality and technological advancement – his poetry is always playful and entertaining.
Today’s key questions:
Can I read, understand and respond to the text?
Can I analyse language and structure, explaining WHY the writer has used a particular technique and its effect?
Can I discuss the social and historical context of the poem?

4. Today’s key questions:
YOUR TASK
a a a a all among and and and and and and and and and and Arawaks away back balloon Bandage battalion beacon Black Blind born bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout brave British But but but but but But camp Caribs carving cat checking Cole Columbus cow Crimean dat dat de de de de de de de de de de de de de de de Dem dem dem dem dem dem Dem Dem Dem Dem Dem Dem Dem dem Dem Dem Dem dem Dick discover dish dream dying even eye far fire-woman first Florence freedom French From go great Haitian happen he healing history history Hood hopeful how I I identity identity Jamaica jump King lamp lick Lord L’Ouverture man maroon Mary me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me merry moon mountain Nanny Nanny Napoleon Nelson never never never never Nightingale no no now of of ole ole out out over own own own ran Republic Revolution river Robin Russian said Seacole see-far Shaka she she she she slave snow soul spoon star still stream struggle sunrise tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell the the the the thorn to to to to to to to to to to too Toussaint Toussaint Toussaint Toussaint travel up used vision volunteer want want War was Waterloo Wha wha what when Whittington who who with with with woman wounded yellow Zulu
Using the words from the poem, make inferences on your sheet as to what themes and ideas you think the poet explores. Aim for FIVE to SIX annotations and be prepared to share your ideas.
Today’s key questions:
Can I read, understand and respond to the text?
Can I analyse language and structure, explaining WHY the writer has used a particular technique and its effect?
Can I discuss the social and historical context of the poem?

5. YOUR TASK
We are now going to look at this poem in THREE different ways.
The first time, we will listen to John Agard reading the poem. Follow along in your anthology as we listen.
The second time, you will read the poem in silence and try and work out what the poem is actually about.
After we have discussed the poem’s meaning, we will listen to Agard reading it again. This time, I want you to focus on HOW he reads it and why he reads it in this way.
Today’s key questions:
Can I read, understand and respond to the text?
Can I analyse language and structure, explaining WHY the writer has used a particular technique and its effect?
Can I discuss the social and historical context of the poem?

6. YOUR TASK: RESEARCH
Using your iPads, research these famous historical figures:
Touissant L’Ouverture
Nanny de Maroon
Shaka (Zulu warrior)
Arawaks and Caribs
Mary Seacole
Aim to find at least FIVE facts for each historical figure.
When did these people live?
Why are they famous?
Do these figures have anything in common?
Based on information you have found, why do you think Agard includes them in his poem?
Today’s key questions:
Can I read, understand and respond to the text?
Can I analyse language and structure, explaining WHY the writer has used a particular technique and its effect?
Can I discuss the social and historical context of the poem?

7. Today’s key questions:
CLASS DISCUSSION
Toussaint
L’Ouverture
Mary
Seacole
Nanny de
Maroon
What did we find out about these historical figures? Why do you think Agard includes them in his poem? Do they have anything in common?
Today’s key questions:
Can I read, understand and respond to the text?
Can I analyse language and structure, explaining WHY the writer has used a particular technique and its effect?
Can I discuss the social and historical context of the poem?

8. Line 5 – Highlight the metaphor in this line and explain its effect.
YOUR TASK: FIND IT – HIGHLIGHT IT – ANNOTATE IT
Line 1 – Highlight this line. How does the speaker create a sense of separation here? Why create this sense of isolation?
Lines 2-3 – Why repeat ‘Dem tell me’? What does it suggest about the speaker’s attitude to whoever ‘they’ are? How does the third line link to the theme of identity?
Line 4 – Highlight the verb in this sentence. What is this verb usually associated with? What are its connotations? Why has Agard used it here?
Line 5 – Highlight the metaphor in this line and explain its effect.
Line 6 – Highlight ‘1066’. What happened in 1066 and why is it an important period of British history?
6. Line 6 – Highlight ‘all dat’. What does this phrase suggest about the speaker’s attitude to British history?
7. Line 7 – Why does the speaker mention ‘Dick Whittington’, a British pantomime? What does it do to the tone of the poem?
8. Line 8 – Highlight the word ‘but’. What does this word do to the poem?
9. Lines – Highlight what the speaker says about Touissant L’Ouverture. Why does Agard structure his poem in this way? Why dedicate so much space to this stanza?
10. Line 12 and 10 – How do the words ‘beacon’ and ‘vision’ juxtapose the idea of the ‘bandage’ mentioned earlier on?

9. YOUR TASK: FIND IT – HIGHLIGHT IT – ANNOTATE IT
11. Lines – Circle the repetition in this stanza and explain why Agard uses it in his poem.
12. Line 15 – Circle ‘battalion’. Identify its word class and explain what it suggests. Where is the conflict in this poem?
13. Line 23 – Highlight this line. Why does Agard mention a nursery rhyme? What does it do to the tone of the poem?
14. Lines This stanza, along with the others referencing what the speaker is told, rhymes. However, the stanzas dedicated to famous, black historical figures do not. Why do you think this is?
15. Line 25. Why do you think Agard feels a sense of injustice?
16. Line 27 – Highlight this line. What do you think the speaker means when he says ‘see-far woman.’
17. Lines 28, 31 and 32 – Highlight these lines. Why do you think Nanny de Maroon is associated with nature?
18. Line 29 – What are the connotations of fire?
19. Lines – How does Agard show that there is more than one version to history here? How does he show us that history can be manipulated and changed to suit the present?
20. Line 36 – How does the speaker make Florence Nightingale sound basic? Why does he do this?

10. YOUR TASK: FIND IT – HIGHLIGHT IT – ANNOTATE IT
16. Line 42. Highlight this line. Why is it important that the speaker mentions Seacole helped out in the Crimean War?
17. Line 44. Highlight this line. What does it tell us about Mary Seacole? What do you think the speaker feels at this point?
18. Line 46 and 48. Highlight these lines. Which language device has been used? What do the images suggest?
Lines Why does John Agard repeat these lines from the beginning of the poem? What tone does it create?
Lines What is the speaker going to do now? Why end the poem in this way?
21. Line 53. Circle the verb in this sentence and discuss its connotations.

11. Consider the themes and answer the questions. Today’s key questions:
TO FINISH: THE THEMES OF ‘CHECKING OUT ME HISTORY’
Consider the themes and answer the questions.
Find quotations that link to each theme. Aim for three quotations per theme.
2. Which of the three themes do you think is the most significant and why?
3. Which poem in the anthology do you think is most closely linked with ‘Checking Out Me History’? Explain why.
Celebration
Power
Identity
Today’s key questions:
Can I read, understand and respond to the text?
Can I analyse language and structure, explaining WHY the writer has used a particular technique and its effect?
Can I discuss the social and historical context of the poem?

13. RESOURCES

14. a a a a all among and and and and and and and and and and Arawaks away back balloon Bandage battalion beacon Black Blind born bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout brave British But but but but but But camp Caribs carving cat checking Cole Columbus cow Crimean dat dat de de de de de de de de de de de de de de de Dem dem dem dem dem dem Dem Dem Dem Dem Dem Dem Dem dem Dem Dem Dem dem Dick discover dish dream dying even eye far fire-woman first Florence freedom French From go great Haitian happen he healing history history Hood hopeful how I I identity identity Jamaica jump King lamp lick Lord L’Ouverture man maroon Mary me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me merry moon mountain Nanny Nanny Napoleon Nelson never never never never Nightingale no no now of of ole ole out out over own own own ran Republic Revolution river Robin Russian said Seacole see-far Shaka she she she she slave snow soul spoon star still stream struggle sunrise tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell the the the the thorn to to to to to to to to to to too Toussaint Toussaint Toussaint Toussaint travel up used vision volunteer want want War was Waterloo Wha wha what when Whittington who who with with with woman wounded yellow Zulu
a a a a all among and and and and and and and and and and Arawaks away back balloon Bandage battalion beacon Black Blind born bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout bout brave British But but but but but But camp Caribs carving cat checking Cole Columbus cow Crimean dat dat de de de de de de de de de de de de de de de Dem dem dem dem dem dem Dem Dem Dem Dem Dem Dem Dem dem Dem Dem Dem dem Dick discover dish dream dying even eye far fire-woman first Florence freedom French From go great Haitian happen he healing history history Hood hopeful how I I identity identity Jamaica jump King lamp lick Lord L’Ouverture man maroon Mary me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me merry moon mountain Nanny Nanny Napoleon Nelson never never never never Nightingale no no now of of ole ole out out over own own own ran Republic Revolution river Robin Russian said Seacole see-far Shaka she she she she slave snow soul spoon star still stream struggle sunrise tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell tell the the the the thorn to to to to to to to to to to too Toussaint Toussaint Toussaint Toussaint travel up used vision volunteer want want War was Waterloo Wha wha what when Whittington who who with with with woman wounded yellow Zulu

15. THE HISTORICAL FIGURES
Queen Nanny or Nanny, Jamaican National Hero, was a well-known, 18th-century leader of the Jamaican Maroons. Much of what is known about her comes from oral history, as little textual evidence exists.
Toussaint L’Ouverture was a black ruler who led the slaves to victory in the Haitian revolution.
Mary Jane Seacole OM was a Jamaican woman who set up the British Hotel behind the lines during the Crimean War to help British soldiers.
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful campaigns during the Revolutionary Wars.

16. Line 5 – Highlight the metaphor in this line and explain its effect.
YOUR TASK: FIND IT – HIGHLIGHT IT – ANNOTATE IT
Line 1 – Highlight this line. How does the speaker create a sense of separation here? Why create this sense of isolation?
Lines 2-3 – Why repeat ‘Dem tell me’? What does it suggest about the speaker’s attitude to whoever ‘they’ are? How does the third line link to the theme of identity?
Line 4 – Highlight the verb in this sentence. What is this verb usually associated with? What are its connotations? Why has Agard used it here?
Line 5 – Highlight the metaphor in this line and explain its effect.
Line 6 – Highlight ‘1066’. What happened in 1066 and why is it an important period of British history?
6. Line 6 – Highlight ‘all dat’. What does this phrase suggest about the speaker’s attitude to British history?
7. Line 7 – Why does the speaker mention ‘Dick Whittington’, a British pantomime? What does it do to the tone of the poem?
8. Line 8 – Highlight the word ‘but’. What does this word do to the poem?
9. Lines – Highlight what the speaker says about Touissant L’Ouverture. Why does Agard structure his poem in this way? Why dedicate so much space to this stanza?
10. Line 12 and 10 – How do the words ‘beacon’ and ‘vision’ juxtapose the idea of the ‘bandage’ mentioned earlier on?

17. YOUR TASK: FIND IT – HIGHLIGHT IT – ANNOTATE IT
11. Lines – Circle the repetition in this stanza and explain why Agard uses it in his poem.
12. Line 15 – Circle ‘battalion’. Identify its word class and explain what it suggests. Where is the conflict in this poem?
13. Line 23 – Highlight this line. Why does Agard mention a nursery rhyme? What does it do to the tone of the poem?
14. Lines This stanza, along with the others referencing what the speaker is told, rhymes. However, the stanzas dedicated to famous, black historical figures do not. Why do you think this is?
15. Line 25. Why do you think Agard feels a sense of injustice?
16. Line 27 – Highlight this line. What do you think the speaker means when he says ‘see-far woman.’
17. Lines 28, 31 and 32 – Highlight these lines. Why do you think Nanny de Maroon is associated with nature?
18. Line 29 – What are the connotations of fire?
19. Lines – How does Agard show that there is more than one version to history here? How does he show us that history can be manipulated and changed to suit the present?
20. Line 36 – How does the speaker make Florence Nightingale sound basic? Why does he do this?

18. YOUR TASK: FIND IT – HIGHLIGHT IT – ANNOTATE IT
16. Line 42. Highlight this line. Why is it important that the speaker mentions Seacole helped out in the Crimean War?
17. Line 44. Highlight this line. What does it tell us about Mary Seacole? What do you think the speaker feels at this point?
18. Line 46 and 48. Highlight these lines. Which language device has been used? What do the images suggest?
Lines Why does John Agard repeat these lines from the beginning of the poem? What tone does it create?
Lines What is the speaker going to do now? Why end the poem in this way?
21. Line 53. Circle the verb in this sentence and discuss its connotations.