Greetings from Maya Angelou

The emotional and spiritual oppression of slavery in the African-American experience is the focus of this activity. Middle schoolers analyze various texts by Frederick Douglass and Maya Angelou related to freedom and oppression. They use...

Examine poetic structure and literary devices in this poetry activity, which uses "Woman Work." The first two pages provide the full text of the poem, which middle schoolers can annotate and highlight. They go on to complete a graphic...

Students read autobiographical works and complete various activities. In this Maya Angelou lesson, students read "Still I Rise" to create an impression of the poet. Students read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and extend vocabulary,...

Prepare class members for formative assessments of student thinking in reading (FAST-R) with a resource that compares Paul Laurence Dunbar's "Sympathy" and Maya Angelou's "Caged Bird." Readers respond to 10 multiple choice questions and...

Readers of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings are asked to craft an essay in which they compare how Maya Angelou uses figurative language to depict herself and Mrs. Flowers. 

Practice poetic devices and annotation with this worksheet, which includes Maya Angelou's "Four Foot Feat" on the left side. The right column is for comments or questions that your students might have. The activity is open for you to...

Meant for use with Maya Angelou's first autobiographical volume I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the materials here are designed for a homeschool setting, but they'd suit any classroom or text. Graphic organizers, chapter summary guides,...

Looking for resources to support a reading of Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings? Check out this packet of materials that may be adapted to any central essential question for focus.

Whether focusing on African American poets, Black History Month, or the poetic experience, an amazing toolkit that encourages learners to develop unique poetic voices deserves a place in your curriculum. 

It's true: women are phenomenal. Use current works from Maya Angelou and Des'ree to spend some time celebrating women. This would be a great resource to use while studying the evolution of women's rights. As an extension activity,...