Analytical paragraphs: Maya Angelou’s poetic voice | English

Starter quiz

Which poem did Maya Angelou write and perform for President Clinton’s inauguration? (‘Single poet study: Maya Angelou’)
- 'Life Doesn’t Frighten Me'
- 'Equality'
- 'Phenomenal Woman'
- 'On the Pulse of the Morning' ✓
- 'Still I Rise'
Maya Angelou is best known as a poet and a ______? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- American rights activist
- women's rights activist
- citizen's rights activist
- civil rights activist ✓
What were the Jim Crow laws? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- laws which separated people based on their profession
- laws which separated people based on their nationality
- laws which separated people based on their class
- laws which separated people based on the colour of their skin ✓
- laws which separated people based on their age
Match each method to its definition ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- commands
  
  ⇔
  
  orders ✓
- refrain
  
  ⇔
  
  repeated line or group of lines in a poem ✓
- tone
  
  ⇔
  
  the attitude of emotion of your voice - written or verbal ✓
- figurative language
  
  ⇔
  
  non-literal words or phrases to express complex ideas ✓
- extended metaphor
  
  ⇔
  
  a comparison which is developed over a number of lines ✓
Match each word to its definition. ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- defiant
  
  ⇔
  
  boldly disobedient ✓
- sincere
  
  ⇔
  
  honest, truthful, genuine ✓
- forthright
  
  ⇔
  
  direct, frank, clear ✓
- authoritative
  
  ⇔
  
  commanding, self-assured ✓
Match each of these Maya Angelou poems to their main focus. ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou').
- 'Woman Work'
  
  ⇔
  
  a Black female speaker describes her chores and emotions ✓
- 'Equality'
  
  ⇔
  
  a defiant speaker demands equal rights ✓
- 'Phenomenal Woman'
  
  ⇔
  
  an assertive speaker explains why she is extraordinary ✓
- 'Caged Bird'
  
  ⇔
  
  an extended metaphor explores effects of the Jim Crow laws ✓
- 'Life Doesn’t Frighten Me'
  
  ⇔
  
  a speaker lists scary things but says she’s not frightened ✓
- 'Still I Rise'
  
  ⇔
  
  forthright speaker explains why she will overcome any adversity ✓

Exit quiz

One way to plan what you will write about in a paragraph is to use a ______ paragraph outline. ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou').
- 'single' ✓
When planning a paragraph using a single paragraph outline, which aspect of the paragraph should be written in note form?
- topic sentence
- supporting detail ✓
- concluding sentence
Match each of these terms to their definitions ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou').
- topic sentence
  
  ⇔
  
  first sentence of a paragraph stating its main focus ✓
- supporting detail
  
  ⇔
  
  ideas which prove your topic sentence ✓
- concluding sentence
  
  ⇔
  
  sums up main ideas in your paragraph ✓
- analysis
  
  ⇔
  
  comments on why a writer has written something in a certain way ✓
- context
  
  ⇔
  
  information about how, why and when the text was written ✓
What advice could you give a pupil who was trying to write a topic sentence to an analytical paragraph? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- include a quotation
- write down everything you will focus on in your essay
- have one clear focus ✓
- analyse a quotation
- explore a method
What advice could you give a pupil who was trying to write a concluding sentence to an analytical paragraph? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- include a quotation
- say whether you like the text or not
- analyse a quotation
- explore a method
- link to your topic sentence ✓
Which uses the word 'sincere' (or its forms) accurately? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- I'm sincerely sad that I can't go to maths – it's my favourite subject. ✓
- I told her I was sorry, but I didn't mean it. I was being insincere. ✓
- I sincere when I asked if she wanted to come to the party.
- It was a sincereless apology – he didn't mean it.

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

We can make comments about Angelou's poetic voice by considering a number of her poems at the same time.
When considering Angelou's poetic voice in an analytical paragraph, you should include (and explore) quotations.
When considering Angelou's poetic voice in an analytical paragraph, you could include context to develop your ideas.
A single paragraph outline is a way of planning a paragraph.
First and final sentences of a single paragraph outline are written in full; supporting detail is written in note form.

Common misconception

Single paragraph outlines take too long to plan. You should just start writing.

Single paragraph outlines give you time to think and prepare. Spending time on these means that you will be able to write your paragraph efficiently knowing that it has a clear focus with well-selected supporting detail.

Keywords

Extended metaphor - a detailed comparison which develops one idea over a number of lines, paragraphs or stanzas
Jim crow laws - laws enforced by American states which separated people based on the colour of their skin (late 19th century to 1965)
Civil rights activist - a person who advocates for social and political equality for those who have been denied equal treatment
Context - in English, historical, social, literary or biographical information which helps us understand a text more fully
Poetic voice - elements in a poem or poems that make it clear it is by a particular person or speaker