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Year 8 - English

An introduction to Maya Angelou's distinctive voice: 'Life Doesn't Frighten Me'

Single poet study: Maya Angelou

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils read and discover the work of Maya Angelou. They explore some of Angelou's most famous poems, such as 'Caged Bird' and 'Still I Rise', and practise writing and performing poems inspired by her work. As the unit develops, pupils find their own distinctive poetic voice.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explore Maya Angelou's 'Life Doesn't Frighten you' with a focus on the speaker's distinctive voice.

Key Notes

  • Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was an American poet and civil rights activist.
  • Angelou's poems have a distinctive voice.
  • Figurative language, repetition and an assertive tone are three ways Angelou creates a distinctive voice in her work.
  • Arguably, the speaker in 'Life Doesn't Frighten Me' is presented as assertive.
  • You could argue that the speaker in 'Life Doesn't Frighten Me' is only pretending to be assertive.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • civil rights activist: a person who advocates for social and political equality for those who have been denied equal treatment
  • figurative language: non-literal phrases or words which develop a writer's meaning
  • methods: the tools a writer uses to create their work; repetition and figurative language are just two examples
  • distinctive: something that is appealing and interesting because of its recognisable or special qualities
  • assertive: confident, self-assured

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • 'Life Doesn't Frighten Me' is saying that life isn't scary.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was an American poet and civil rights activist. Angelou's poems have a distinctive voice.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'civil rights activist'

a person who advocates for social and political equality for those who have been denied equal treatment.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: 'Life Doesn't Frighten Me' is saying that life isn't scary. Correction: The poem lists many scary and frightening things. It presents some of the world's dangers. The speaker, however, is not frightened of life despite these dangers.

More Lessons In This Unit

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