Lesson Plan – Unit 2 Poem: The Listeners

Class: VII
Subject: English
Term: 1 Unit: 2 – Poem

Title: The Listeners

Poet: Walter de la Mare
Duration: 45–60 Minutes

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1. Learning Objectives

The teacher expects the students to:

1. Read and enjoy the poem The Listeners.

2. Understand the theme and mood of the poem.

3. Learn new vocabulary and poetic expressions.

4. Appreciate the use of imagery and mystery in poetry.

5. Develop listening, speaking, reading, and interpretative skills.

6. Understand how a poet creates suspense and imagination.

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2. Learning Outcomes

The teacher expects the students to:

1. Recite the poem with proper pronunciation and expression.

2. Explain the central idea of the poem.

3. Develop imagination and creative thinking.

4. Appreciate poetic language and literary devices.

5. Express their own feelings and interpretations of mysterious situations.

6. Apply attentive listening skills in daily life.

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3. Introduction

The teacher introduces the poem by asking:

1. Have you ever visited a lonely or deserted place?

2. How would you feel if nobody answered when you called someone?

3. Do you enjoy mystery stories or ghost stories?

4. What sounds do you hear at night when everything is quiet?

5. Have you ever imagined that someone was listening even though you could not see them?

After the discussion, the teacher introduces the poem "The Listeners."

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4. Reading and Understanding

New Words and Meanings

Word	Meaning
champed	chewed noisily
ferny	covered with ferns
turret	a small tower on a building
smote	knocked loudly
sill	horizontal piece beneath a window
perplexed	confused
thronging	crowding together
hearkening	listening carefully

Reading Activity

• Teacher recites the poem with proper rhythm and expression.

• Students listen carefully and identify the mood of the poem.

• Students read the poem aloud individually and in groups.

• Difficult words and phrases are explained.

• Students discuss the mysterious atmosphere created in the poem.

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5. Mind Map

Flow Chart of the Poem

                    THE LISTENERS

                           │
                           ▼
                  Traveller Arrives
                           │
                           ▼
                 Knocks at the Door
                           │
                           ▼
             "Is there anybody there?"
                           │
                           ▼
                 Silence Everywhere
                           │
                           ▼
            No Human Being Responds
                           │
                           ▼
             Phantom Listeners Hear
                           │
                           ▼
          Listening in the Moonlight
                           │
                           ▼
             Traveller Feels Confused
                           │
                           ▼
             Mystery Remains Unsolved

Concept Map

                  THE LISTENERS

      ┌──────────┬──────────┬──────────┬──────────┐
      │          │          │          │          │
  Traveller   Moonlight   Silence   Mystery   Listeners
      │          │          │          │          │
     Call    Lonely House  No Reply  Suspense  Ghostly Presence

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6. Consolidation and Presentation

Summary of the Poem

The poem describes a traveller who arrives at a lonely house on a moonlit night and knocks on the door, asking if anyone is there. Although no one answers him, mysterious phantom listeners inside the house silently listen to his voice. The traveller becomes confused because nobody comes to the door. The poet creates a mysterious and eerie atmosphere through silence, moonlight, and ghostly listeners. The poem leaves the reader wondering who the listeners are and why they do not respond.

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7. Reinforcement

Additional Information

1. The Listeners is one of the most famous mystery poems in English literature.

2. The poem creates suspense through silence and unanswered questions.

3. The poet uses vivid imagery to help readers imagine the setting.

4. The "phantom listeners" may symbolize spirits, memories, or unseen beings.

5. The poem encourages readers to use their imagination and think beyond what is directly stated.

6. The moonlit setting contributes to the mysterious atmosphere.

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8. Evaluation

A. Lower Order Thinking Questions (LOT)

1. Who knocked at the moonlit door?

2. What question did the traveller ask?

3. What was the horse doing while the traveller waited?

B. Middle Order Thinking Questions (MOT)

1. Why was the traveller perplexed?

2. Who were the phantom listeners?

3. How does the poet create a mysterious atmosphere in the poem?

C. Higher Order Thinking Questions (HOT)

1. Why do you think the listeners did not answer the traveller?

2. What message does the poet convey through silence and mystery?

3. If you were the traveller, what would you do after receiving no reply?

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9. Remedial Teaching

Strategies for Slow Learners

1. Read the poem line by line and explain its meaning in simple language.

2. Use pictures of a lonely house, moonlight, and a traveller.

3. Explain difficult words with examples and visuals.

4. Encourage pair reading and group recitation.

5. Use question-answer sessions after each stanza.

6. Help students identify the sequence of events in the poem.

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10. Writing

Written Activity

Write a paragraph (8–10 sentences) on any one of the following:

1. A Mysterious Night

2. The Traveller in The Listeners

3. What I Think Happened in the Lonely House

4. My Experience in a Quiet Place

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11. Follow-up

Homework / Assignment

1. Learn and recite the poem with proper expression.

2. Write the meanings of the glossary words and frame sentences using them.

3. Draw a picture showing the traveller standing before the moonlit house.

4. Write five lines describing the mood of the poem.

Classroom Activity

• Role-play the scene of the traveller knocking at the door.

• Conduct a group discussion on "Mystery Stories I Like."

• Create a poster showing the setting of the poem.

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Central Idea / Moral of the Poem

The poem highlights mystery, imagination, and the power of silence. It teaches readers to observe carefully, think creatively, and appreciate the beauty of poetic imagination.