A 20-30 minute poetry lesson exploring boredom and disconnection.
Designed to settle your class quickly and get students thinking.
Students explore an original poem, In Plain Sight, where attention is presented as a servant responding to the demands of the thinking mind. Through this extended metaphor, students begin to see how attention is not passive — it is active, but often directed by thought.
In the classroom, this reflects a common experience: students can appear present, but their attention is already occupied by internal thoughts. This makes it difficult for them to fully engage with the task in front of them.
At its core, the lesson asks:
What is your attention currently serving…and are you aware of it?
Best for: Grades 7–8
What’s included:
• Short original poem (clear, accessible, high engagement)
• Multiple choice comprehension quiz
• Metaphor and inference focus
• Quick write activity
• Ready-to-use, print-and-teach format
Use this as a bell ringer, starter, or low-prep poetry activity — or as an entry point into a wider unit on attention, thought, and behaviour.
