Lesson plan

Poem: Still, I Rise by Maya Angelou

Level: Upper intermediate
Age: 17
Objectives: To raise students' interest in the poem.
To help students understand the historical background.
To help students with new vocabulary.
To help students understand the metaphorical/symbolic meaning behind the
lines in the poem.
To involve students personally in the poem.
To develop students speaking skills.
Pre-reading stage
1. Predict the theme of the poem from its title.
2. Discussion of pictures/ photos.
3. Listening section or reading text on the historical background (African-
American people/ black feminism).
While-reading stage
4. Students have to reconstruct a jumbled version of the poem.
5. Multiple choice to choose the best definitions for words.
6. In pairs or groups, students discuss what they think is meant by specific
lines in the poem:
-The huts of history’s shame
-A past that’s rooted in pain
Post-reading stage
7. Students are given a series of statements about the possible underlying meanings of the poem and they decide
which one is true (explain their choice).
8. Discussion on the main theme which is black empowerment /discrimination.
9. Students share their personal interpretation of the poem with the whole class.
Homework
10. Writing task. Describe a moment in your life or when somebody that you know has been going through
obstacles like bullying or disrespect. How did or would you feel?
11. Poster presentation on human rights.