Exploring Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird'
I can explore Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird'.
Exploring Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird'
I can explore Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird'.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- An extended metaphor is a detailed comparison which develops one idea over a number of lines, paragraphs or stanzas.
- In 'Caged Bird', the idea of a bird in a cage is an extended metaphor for the unjust experiences of the Black community.
- In 'Caged Bird', Angelou is perhaps referencing the racial segregation enforced by the 19th-20th century Jim Crow laws.
- When comparing two poems, it can be useful to first think about what connects them.
- 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.
To help you plan your year 8 english lesson on: Exploring Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 english lesson on: Exploring Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird', 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.
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
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
a 1st person speaker explains why they are confident and amazing
a 1st person speaker tells us how she overcomes oppression
a 1st person speaker lists what they don’t find scary and why
to keep doing something even if it is difficult
being able to cope, withstand and recover from hardship
long lasting impact of a certain event
to treat someone, or a group of people, unfairly