Exploring Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird' | English | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

Poems are usually divided into …? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- refrains
- paragraphs
- stanzas ✓
- chapters
- methods
Match each of these poems, all written by Maya Angelou, to their overall focus. ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- 'Phenomenal Woman'
  
  ⇔
  
  a 1st person speaker explains why they are confident and amazing ✓
- 'Still I Rise'
  
  ⇔
  
  a 1st person speaker tells us how she overcomes oppression ✓
- 'Life Doesn't Frighten Me'
  
  ⇔
  
  a 1st person speaker lists what they don’t find scary and why ✓
Match these words to their definitions ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou').
- persevere
  
  ⇔
  
  to keep doing something even if it is difficult ✓
- resilient
  
  ⇔
  
  being able to cope, withstand and recover from hardship ✓
- legacy
  
  ⇔
  
  long lasting impact of a certain event ✓
- oppress
  
  ⇔
  
  to treat someone, or a group of people, unfairly ✓
A ______ is a method of comparison where a writer uses a non-literal word or phrase to describe something. For example, 'My sister has a heart of gold.' ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- 'metaphor' ✓
Which of these is a metaphor? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- My power is like the ocean's: vast, constant, soothing yet scary.
- I ran out of the school gates, a bird flying to freedom. ✓
- His singing was beautiful, the high notes sounded like a nightingale.
- The concert was chaotic.
To persevere means to keep doing something even if it is difficult. Which of these sentences uses the word persevere correctly? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- I wanted to persevere in the race, but I was too tired so I gave up. ✓
- She is really persevere. It's impressive!
- To get better at any skill, you must persevere through the endless practice. ✓
- I don't mind if I don’t get it right first time – I just persevere until I do! ✓

Exit quiz

Maya Angelou wrote a poem called '______ Bird'. ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- 'Caged' ✓
Which of these verbs describe the bird that is free in Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird'? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- "leaps" ✓
- "floats" ✓
- "clipped"
- "sings"
- "tied"
Which of these verbs describe the bird that is in the cage in Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird'? ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- "dips"
- "dares"
- "stalks" ✓
- "sings" ✓
- "shouts" ✓
Starting with the first that was published, put these Maya Angelou poems in the order they were published ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou').
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  'Phenomenal Woman' and 'Still I Rise'
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  'Caged Bird'
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  'Life Doesn't Frighten Me'
An ______ metaphor is a detailed comparison which develops one idea over a number of lines, paragraphs or stanzas. ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou')
- 'extended' ✓
The final word in Maya Angelou's poem 'Caged Bird' is "______" ('Single poet study: Maya Angelou').
- 'freedom' ✓

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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.

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.

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