American Poetry: Still I Rise by Maya Angelou (1978)

• Engels
• Voortgezet speciaal onderwijs
• Leerroute 4

Welcome to Contemporary poetry

Learning objectives:

• Students can predict a poem's theme by reading its title. 
  
• Students can learn the settings of this poem by visualizing images.
  
• Students can compare and contrast textual details and cite them to support their own inference.

Exam objectives:

* determine theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text.

* cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

* determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text.

Today

- The life of Maya Angelou

- Understanding the time period: Civil Rights and Postmodernism

- Analyzing 'Still I Rise'

1. To whom is Maya Angelou writing this poem?

2. What does the poem’s speaker mean by the phrase “I’ll rise”?

3. What effect does Angelou create by repeating the phrase “I’ll rise”?

4. Why does the poem’s speaker ask questions throughout the poem? (What is the effect of this form?)

5. In terms of how to approach life, what does Angelou’s poem suggest or recommend?

6. What does this poem suggest about Maya Angelou’s own life?

Who:  

What: 

How:  

Help:  

Time: 

Result:

Done:  

Groups (appr 4)

How does this poem illustrate resiliencies? (p10)

divide resiliencies & scan poem (p9)

each other

5 minutes

Class discussion (appr 5 min)

discuss found info with your group

Literature:

This learning activity is related to exam objectives with reference to themes & interpreting text & finding detailed information.

Name another example in
literature, movies or historical event
in which resilience is shown.

When were you resilient?

What have you learned today?

Extra assignment:

Watch a video of a famous singer/band/spoken word performer who was inspired by the poem Still I Rise. Comment on the performance, include arguments.

More resources:

• "Still I Rise" and Today's America— Read about the relevance and meaning of "Still I Rise" to America today. (https://www.mic.com/articles/90129/maya-angelou-s-still-i-rise-holds-a-powerful-lesson-for-today-s-america)
• The Political Power of "Still I Rise"— Learn how the poem has remained relevant for contemporary political figures and celebrities. (https://qz.com/1668570/history-ofmaya-angelous-still-i-rise/)
• "Still I Rise" Art Exhibit— Learn how other artists have been inspired by and responded to Angelou's poem. (https://massmoca.org/event/still-i-rise/)