A lesson about Kamilah Aisha Moon's poem "Imagine" asks young scholars to imagine, "What would happen if...?" If Dr. Martin Luther King's dream became a reality. If Renisha McBride was a white girl and crashed her car in a black neighborhood. If their own dreams for the country would come true.

Concepts

black history month, poetry, poetry analysis, i have a dream speech, martin luther king jr., textual evidence, supporting evidence, compare and contrast

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Instructional Ideas

• Have John Lennon's song "Image" playing as pupils enter the classroom
• Ask groups to research what happened to Renisha McBride and compare that information to how the event is recounted in the poem

Classroom Considerations

• The non-academic approach to poetry used in the lesson is designed to build reader's confidence in their poetry analysis skills

Pros

• The lesson asks participants to consider the wishes they have for their country

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.4 RL.9-10.5 RL.11-12.1 RL.11-12.2 RL.11-12.4 RL.11-12.5