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Year 8 - English

Exploring Maya Angelou's 'Equality'

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 'Equality'.

Key Notes

  • 'Equality' sees a speaker demand equality so that she can be "free".
  • Arguably, the poem presents racial and gender inequality that Angelou experienced as a Black American woman.
  • 'Equality' starts with the word "you" and we could argue that the speaker has an accusatory tone at points in the poem.
  • Arguably, the speaker's response to the inequality she sees makes it a poem about resilience in the face of inequality.
  • Linking quotations together when you explore a poem can make your idea more powerful.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • civil rights activist: a person who advocates for social and political equality for those who have been denied equal treatment
  • accusatory: suggesting someone has done something wrong
  • assertive: confident, self-assured
  • oppress: to treat someone, or a group of people, unfairly

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Personal opinions in English don't matter. Only analysis is valid.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

'Equality' sees a speaker demand equality so that she can be "free". Arguably, the poem presents racial and gender inequality that Angelou experienced as a Black American woman.

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: Personal opinions in English don't matter. Only analysis is valid. Correction: Being a student of English can often feel like this. But expressing your opinions about your feelings towards a text - those you read in and outside the classroom - is very important and just as much a part of the subject of English as analysis.

More Lessons In This Unit

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