Analyzing Maya Angelou's 'Still I Rise'

SAMANTHA·

Poetry

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Grade Level11th Grade

SubjectPoetry

Original Prompt

Create a packet to go along with a lesson on Maya Angelou's poem "Still I Rise." It begins with a free write: What does it mean to rise above something? When have you had to do that?” Then goes into students annotating the poem for writing strategies. After that we will practice analysis of quote's using Kelly Gallagher's Say, Mean. So there will be a quote from the poem (say) and then we will interpret it (mean). I will model this for them (I do) and then I will send them off to do it individua...

This resource provides an in-depth analysis of Maya Angelou's renowned poem 'Still I Rise,' published in 1978. It emphasizes themes of resilience, dignity, and triumph over oppression that resonate throughout Angelou's work and the experiences of Black Americans. The lesson is designed using the Gradual Release of Responsibility model, promoting skills in literary analysis through a collaborative and independent approach. Students will engage with the text by annotating literary devices such as metaphors, similes, and rhetorical questions, alongside employing the 'Say, Mean' strategy to explore deeper meanings. The resource encourages reflection on personal connections to the themes of the poem, culminating in self-assessment of their analytical skills.