1. If you could be transported out of your classroom to anywhere in the world for one hour, where would you choose to be transported to and why?
2. Do you think we can learn anything from children and their attitude to life?
COMPREHENDING AND RESPONDING
1. Assess the three adjectives that the poet uses to describe this evening in line one of this poem.
2. Do you think the simile of a nun is a good one to describe this time of day? Support your answer with reference to lines 2–4.
3. Describe the scene you imagine from reading the octet of this sonnet in as much detail as you can.
4. In the octet of this poem, how does the poet reveal the presence of God? Support your answer with reference to lines 1–8.
5. The sestet is devoted to the poet’s daughter, Caroline. How do you think the poet feels about her? Support your answer with reference to the sestet.
6. ‘“It is a Beauteous Evening, Calm and Free” shows that Wordsworth saw children as being innately (naturally) spiritual.’ Discuss this statement with reference to the poem.
7. What theme or themes can you find in this poem? Refer to the poem in support of your answer.
CREATING
1. Write a script of the conversation that you think might have occurred between Wordsworth and his daughter as they walked along the beach.
2. Write a blog entry in which you consider what the word ‘family’ means nowadays, when families come in all shapes and sizes.
3. For your birthday this year, your family and friends have decided to give you the perfect day. However, they need you to send a group email describing your idea of the perfect day so that they can arrange it. Write the email that you would send, with ‘My Perfect Day’ as the heading.
