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

• Engels
• Voortgezet speciaal onderwijs
• Leerroute 4

Welcome to Mrs Everstijn's (online) classroom

Necessities:

• Laptop / mobile phone
• Student's handout
  
• pen
  
• divide the class in 2
  

Learning objectives:

• Students can follow a text being recited.
• Students can identify the main idea, a speaker's attitude or opinion. 
  
• Students can use literary terms relating to poetry.
  
• Students can link background information to literary texts.
• Students can work in groups.
• Students can use groupwork strategies to divide tasks and use time management.
  

LITERATURE - POETRY:

Read along with the video (next slide) and underline words/phrases that stand out to you.

If something was unclear to the students have them guess the (implied) meaning.

LITERATURE - POETRY:

What have you underlined and why?

Who:  

What: 

How:  

Help:  

Time: 

Result:

Done:  

individual

linguistic meaning

vocabulary - p10  (next slide)

dictionary.cambridge.org

5 minutes

literary analysis

help group members

Literature:

LITERATURE - POETRY:

Vocabulary:
 trod (Line 3)
beset (Line 6)
gloom (Line 6)

oil wells (Line 7)

springing (Line 11)

 
soulful (Line 16)
huts (Line 29)
rooted (Line 31)
welling (Line 34)
bear (Line 34)

LITERATURE - POETRY:

Any of the words/phrases that puzzled you are more clear now that you have gained some background knowledge of Maya Angelou?

Showing the importance of background knowledge + multiple interpretations/perspectives.

Who:  

What: 

How:  

Help:  

Time: 

Result:

Done:  

Groups (appr 4)

extending background knowledge

research topics online (topics next slide)

each other / teacher

10 minutes

Class discussion (appr 5 min)

discuss found info with your group

Literature:

TOPICS:

1. Frederick Douglass & The Slave Narrative
2. African American oral traditions
3. Harlem Renaissance
4. Harlem Writers Guild
5. Slam poetry
6. American Civil Rights movement
   

There are 6 topics and only 10 minutes. Divide the topics among the group members and keep track of time.

Who:  

What: 

How:  

Help:  

Time: 

Result:

Done:  

individual

background knowledge

Add information to student's handout - context (p10)

each other / teacher

3 minutes

literary analysis

help group members

Literature:

LITERATURE - POETRY:

2nd reading (by students)

• Anything that stands out to you?
• Anything that needs clarifying?
  

Students read poem outloud = practise speaking & pronunciation.

LITERATURE - POETRY:

Reading comprehension (p10):

• Who is this poem about?
• How do you know?
• Which lines show this?
  

Students read poem outloud = practise speaking & pronunciation.

LITERATURE - POETRY:

Resiliencies:

Insight; asking questions of yourself even when the questions are difficult. If you answer honestly, you can learn and move forward.
Independence; keeping a healthy distance between yourself and other people so you can think things through and do what is best for you.
Relationships; finding connections with people that are healthy for both of you and keeping those relationships growing.
Initiative; taking control of the problem and working to solve it.

Creativity; you use your imagination or resourcefulness to express your feelings, thoughts and plans in some unique way.
Humour; the ability to find something funny (especially yourself) in a situation, even when things seem really bad.
Morality; knowing the difference between right and wrong and being willing to choose and stand up for what is right.

Insight; asking questions of yourself even when the questions are difficult. If you answer honestly, you can learn and move forward.
Independence; keeping a healthy distance between yourself and other people so you can think things through and do what is best for you.
Relationships; finding connections with people that are healthy for both of you and keeping those relationships growing.
Initiative; taking control of the problem and working to solve it. Asking questions of yourself and answering them as honestly as you can, so you can move past a sticky situation.
Creativity; you use your imagination or resourcefulness to express your feelings, thoughts and plans in some unique way.
Humour; the ability to find something funny (especially yourself) in a situation, even when things seem really bad.
Morality; knowing the difference between right and wrong and being willing to choose and stand up for what is right.

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.

Who:  

What: 

How:  

Help:  

Time: 

Result:

Done:  

individual

themes & interpreting text

Add information to student's handout - resiliencies (p10)

none

3 minutes

literary analysis

help group members

Literature:

Who:  

What: 

How:  

Help:  

Time: 

Result:

Done:  

individual

literary analysis

Add information to student's handout (p11 - 13)

group members

remaining time

in-depth analysis of Still I Rise

help group members

read novel

work on other literary analysis

Literature:

LITERATURE - POETRY:

Any questions?

Students read poem outloud = practise speaking & pronunciation.

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/)