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Year 8

Exploring Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird'

I can explore Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird'.

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New
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Year 8

Exploring Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird'

I can explore Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird'.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. An extended metaphor is a detailed comparison which develops one idea over a number of lines, paragraphs or stanzas.
  2. In 'Caged Bird', the idea of a bird in a cage is an extended metaphor for the unjust experiences of the Black community.
  3. In 'Caged Bird', Angelou is perhaps referencing the racial segregation enforced by the 19th-20th century Jim Crow laws.
  4. When comparing two poems, it can be useful to first think about what connects them.
  5. After finding a point of connection between poems, you could consider the differences within this point of connection.

Keywords

  • Extended metaphor - a detailed comparison which develops one idea over a number of lines, paragraphs or stanzas

  • Legacy - long lasting impact of a certain event

  • Resilient - being able to cope, withstand and recover from difficult physical or mental challenge

  • Persevere - to keep doing something even if it is difficult

  • Oppress - to treat someone, or a group of people, unfairly

Common misconception

The caged bird is presented as completely powerless.

Although the bird in the cage is confined, he still has power, through his song which speaks to his unbroken spirit. We are meant to draw a parallel to the strength of the Black community.

Consider how you wish to read 'Caged Bird' with your pupils in Learning Cycle 1. Who will read, when and why? What further questions do you wish to ask? Are there any words you want to define further? Could watching Angelou perform this poem aid enjoyment and understanding?
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need access to a copy of 'Still I Rise' by Maya Angelou published by Penguin Random House in 1978 and 'Caged Bird' by Maya Angelou published by Penguin Random House in 1983.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Poems are usually divided into …? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
refrains
paragraphs
Correct answer: stanzas
chapters
methods
Q2.
Match each of these poems, all written by Maya Angelou, to their overall focus. ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
Correct Answer:'Phenomenal Woman' ,a 1st person speaker explains why they are confident and amazing

a 1st person speaker explains why they are confident and amazing

Correct Answer:'Still I Rise',a 1st person speaker tells us how she overcomes oppression

a 1st person speaker tells us how she overcomes oppression

Correct Answer:'Life Doesn't Frighten Me' ,a 1st person speaker lists what they don’t find scary and why

a 1st person speaker lists what they don’t find scary and why

Q3.
Match these words to their definitions ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou').
Correct Answer:persevere,to keep doing something even if it is difficult

to keep doing something even if it is difficult

Correct Answer:resilient,being able to cope, withstand and recover from hardship

being able to cope, withstand and recover from hardship

Correct Answer:legacy,long lasting impact of a certain event

long lasting impact of a certain event

Correct Answer:oppress,to treat someone, or a group of people, unfairly

to treat someone, or a group of people, unfairly

Q4.
A is a method of comparison where a writer uses a non-literal word or phrase to describe something. For example, 'My sister has a heart of gold.' ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
Correct Answer: metaphor
Q5.
Which of these is a metaphor? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
My power is like the ocean's: vast, constant, soothing yet scary.
Correct answer: I ran out of the school gates, a bird flying to freedom.
His singing was beautiful, the high notes sounded like a nightingale.
The concert was chaotic.
Q6.
To persevere means to keep doing something even if it is difficult. Which of these sentences uses the word persevere correctly? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
Correct answer: I wanted to persevere in the race, but I was too tired so I gave up.
She is really persevere. It's impressive!
Correct answer: To get better at any skill, you must persevere through the endless practice.
Correct answer: I don't mind if I don’t get it right first time – I just persevere until I do!

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Maya Angelou wrote a poem called ' Bird'. ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
Correct Answer: Caged
Q2.
Which of these verbs describe the bird that is free in Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird'? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
Correct answer: "leaps"
Correct answer: "floats"
"clipped"
"sings"
"tied"
Q3.
Which of these verbs describe the bird that is in the cage in Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird'? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
"dips"
"dares"
Correct answer: "stalks"
Correct answer: "sings"
Correct answer: "shouts"
Q4.
Starting with the first that was published, put these Maya Angelou poems in the order they were published ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou').
1 - 'Phenomenal Woman' and 'Still I Rise'
2 - 'Caged Bird'
3 - 'Life Doesn't Frighten Me'
Q5.
An metaphor is a detailed comparison which develops one idea over a number of lines, paragraphs or stanzas. ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
Correct Answer: extended
Q6.
The final word in Maya Angelou's poem 'Caged Bird' is " " ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou').
Correct Answer: freedom