Teaching Resources for Words From War - A collection of poetry about conflict

These resources have been designed to support the teaching of Words from War, an anthology that brings together powerful poetry and non-fiction writing inspired by conflict across history. From Ancient Greece to modern day Ukraine, find out more about the most pivotal conflicts in our history through this moving poetry collection. Featuring timeless poems from Joseph Coelho, Michael Rosen, Alfred Lord Tennyson and more. 

Aimed at Key Stage 2, these teaching resources offer teachers a flexible toolkit to spark curiosity, encourage debate, and deepen pupils’ understanding of war and its human impact.

Through discussion cards, language activities, poet profiles, and creative comparison tasks, pupils are invited to explore both the historical contexts and the literary techniques that give these works their enduring resonance. A timeline activity also helps to situate poems within key moments of world history, building connections between literature and events.

By engaging with these materials, pupils will develop critical reading skills, expand their vocabulary, and reflect on themes such as courage, loss, resilience, and peace. Most importantly, the resources encourage empathy and thoughtful discussion, helping young learners to see the power of words in shaping how we remember and respond to conflict.