Blackberry Picking - teaching resource

Blackberry Picking – Eduqas GCSE English Literature Poetry Anthology Resource 

This teaching resource for Seamus Heaney’s poem Blackberry Picking is designed for the Eduqas GCSE English Literature Poetry Anthology. It includes a 40-slide PowerPoint and 3 worksheets, providing a complete two-lesson unit to help students prepare for the GCSE exam.

The unit explores the poem in detail through:

• Context and the Poet – introduction to Seamus Heaney and the background to Blackberry Picking.

• Language and Imagery – close analysis of key quotations, devices and techniques.

• Structure and Form – rhyme, rhythm and how Heaney’s choices shape meaning.

• Themes and Ideas – including childhood innocence, nature, decay, and loss.

• Exam Support – model answers and detailed analysis to develop exam skills.

• Activities and Worksheets – structured tasks for analysis, theme tracking and essay practice.

This GCSE poetry teaching resource is fully editable, making it ideal for classroom lessons, homework tasks, or revision.

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