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There is much more to explore in our calendar. Find other important events in literary history, authors' birthdays, and a variety of holidays, each with related lessons and resources.
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Home › Classroom Resources › Calendar Activities
April 04
In 1928, Maya Angelou was born.
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| Grades | 7 – 12 |
| Calendar Activity Type | Author & Text |
Maya Angelou, born Marguerite Johnson, was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Angelou is considered one of the finest poets of her generation. In addition, she has authored several books chronicling her youth and adolescence, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
Read aloud Maya Angelou's poem On the Pulse of Morning, which she read at President Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993. Ask students what they can infer about the speaker of the poem and her feelings about America.
After the class has had a chance to brainstorm, share with students some biographical information about Angelou. Which events or aspects of her life are reflected in the poem? What pieces of information surprised them and why? Ask students to discuss how one's life and experiences can influence one's writing. Is there evidence of this in students' own writing?
- Women of the Hall: Maya Angelou
From the National Women's Hall of Fame, this site honors Maya Angelou's achievements. There is a brief biographical sketch and related bibliography.
- The Academy of American Poets: Maya Angelou
Biographical and bibliographical information can be found at this website, along with a few of Angelou's poems.
- Academy of Achievement: Maya Angelou
The Academy of Achievement offers a transcript and video clips of an extensive interview with Maya Angelou. The site also offers a biography of Angelou.
- Poet Hero: Maya Angelou
On this page from the My Hero Project, three contributors write about why Maya Angelou is important to them.
Grades 9 – 12 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Students' groans about studying poetry may disappear with this lesson in which students read poetry from various writers and use these poems to examine the sounds and sense of language.
Grades 9 – 12 | Lesson Plan | Minilesson
Students examine a letter of the alphabet from all angles, creating image pools of original metaphors that they then turn into poems.
Grades 9 – 12 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Students work together to analyze three poems about America with varying points of view.
