Maya Angelou's poetic voice
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can comment on Maya Angelou's poetic voice, referencing a number of her poems to support my ideas.
Key learning points
- We can explore Angelou's poems as a collection, as well as individually.
- Exploring Angelou's poems as a collection allows us to understand her as a poet.
- We might make comments on similarities between speakers, ideas and methods across poems.
- We can use these comments to consider Angelou's poetic voice as a whole, and suggest the dominant tone across her work.
Keywords
Forthright - direct, outspoken
Lyrical - expressing emotions in an imaginative or unusual way
Methods - the tools a writer uses to create their work; refrain and use of commands are just two examples
Defiant - boldly disobedient
Tone - the attitude of emotion of your voice - written or verbal
Common misconception
You shouldn't talk about poems as a group. This will make your comments too general.
You can make clear comments about a poet's work as a whole, as long as these comments are supported by specific examples from specific poems.
Teacher tip
Consider how you will reread the poems in Learning Cycle 1. This should be enjoyable and snappy. At this point, pupils do not need to be reanalysing poems. They are just getting an overview. Learning Cycle 2 will see them look at certain poems in more depth.
Equipment
You need access to 'Phenomenal Woman', 'Woman Work', 'Still I Rise', 'On Aging', 'Caged Bird', 'Equality', 'Life Doesn't Frighten Me, and 'On the Pulse of the Morning' (Penguin Random House).
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of sexual content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match each method to its definition ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou').
orders
repeated line or group of lines in a poem
the attitude of emotion of your voice - written or verbal
Q2.Match each word to its definition ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou').
the unjust treatment of a group or individual
treating different categories of people unfairly
treating people unfairly based on their sex
the action of making someone a slave
Q3.Which of these Maya Angelou poems uses an extended metaphor to explore the idea of oppression and injustice? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
Q4.Which of these poems did Maya Angelou write and perform at President Clinton's inauguration in 1993? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
Q5.Match each Maya Angelou poem to its overall focus ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou').
a lonely Black female speaker lists the chores she must complete
an assertive speaker explains why she is so extraordinary
a defiant speaker explains why she can't be oppressed
explores the Jim Crow laws through extended metaphor
a commanding speaker demands equal treatment
Q6.Starting with the first, put these Angelou poems in the order they were first published ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou').
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What does it mean when we say Maya Angelou was a prolific poet? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
Q2.Match each word to its definition ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
expressing emotions in an imaginative or unusual way
direct, straightforward
boldly disobedient
producing in large quantities
Q3.Why might we make a comment on Maya Angelou's poems as a collection? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
Q4.What might we call a poem which expresses emotions in an imaginative or unusual way? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
Q5.Which of these sentences use the word 'uplifting' (or its forms) accurately? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
Q6.Which of these sentences use the word 'forthright' (or its forms) accurately? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
To help you plan your 8 English lesson on: Maya Angelou's poetic voice, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 English lesson on: Maya Angelou's poetic voice, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 English lessons from the Single poet study: Maya Angelou unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.