Narrative Premise
Genre of Text(s)
Connection to
Course Narrative
Coming of Age
Novel
IA 1 – Caged Bird
Unit Overview
Duration
Primary Author
3 weeks
In 9th grade Literature, scholars will continuously explore the question of why some stories transcend place and
time. While many answers address this question, at the root of many of these answers is the notion that certain
stories enable reader to share in the human experience through a set of common narrative premises.
Specifically, the texts within IA Cycle #1 all represent the lasting narrative premise of “coming of age,” in which a
young person matures, gradually and with difficulty, into adulthood. While this transformation often yields for
the protagonist an enhanced ability to successfully navigate his or her environment, it can also lead to a real or
perceived loss of innocence.
After completing The Catcher in the Rye, this unit of study culminates in the reading of selection from Maya
Angelou’s memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and engaging in comparative analysis of these coming of age
tales. This comparative analysis serves not only to engage students in Standard 9, but help them engage
critically with the question of character analysis, specifically the external and internal factors that shape both
who a person is and how they come of age.
Why Caged Bird?
Overview of Unit
The text I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was selected as the culminating text for this IA cycle for a number of
reasons:
1. Institutional memory around the text
2. Elegant pairing with Catcher in terms of the theme of coming with age, though rich for comparative
analysis due to the noticeable differences in style and character. Though Maya and Holden are very
different characters, both authors take care to reveal internal struggles as the character learns the
difficult lessons of coming of age.
3. Author and narrative add diversity to the core texts
4. Text easily excerpts to allow for more close reading rather than having to devote numerous instructional
days to reading
5. Text level allows for more independent analysis, appropriate for the end of the IA cycle
Due to limited instructional time, we will not read the text in its entirety. Excerpts were deliberately selected to
ensure that students consistently engaged with the juiciest portions of the text in terms of character
development and theme. A few chapters are included (generally as homework) to ensure cohesion of the
narrative so students can track Maya’s evolution. If your school calendar requires you to adjust the timing of the
units, we recommend that any cuts preserve student ability to fully engage with the end of unit seminar and
culminating performance task. To ensure cohesion in the narrative, you may need to fill in gaps with oral
retellings or added homework.
The chart below outlines the recommended chapters and prioritizes in terms of essential excerpts (green) and
those that may be less important (yellow):
Chapter
Prologue
Chapter 3
Chapter 5
Chapter 9
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Content
Introduces themes of
displacement, lack of identity,
abandonment, etc.
Life in Stamps, AK; how racism
leads to internalized oppression,
inferiority; connects well to
Momma Henderson scene and
that of graduation
Momma Henderson stands up
against the powhitetrash as Maya
witnesses
Maya’s Father returns
unexpectedly to Stamps, and he
takes them to St. Louis; key
insights into her relationship with
her father, other adults and
impact of abandonment
Maya moves in with Mother and
Mr. Freeman; abuse starts as
Freeman takes advantage of
Maya’s desire for a father figure;
begins to read as a form of escape
Maya is raped by Mr. Freeman
Length
3.5 pgs
5 pgs
7.5 pgs
7 pgs
7 pgs
6 pgs
Chapter 13
Chapter 15
Mr. Freeman’s trial; is found not
guilty as defense lawyer accuses
Maya of contributing to rape;
Freeman is murdered by family;
Maya silences herself for fear of
hurting someone else; ample
opportunity for non-fiction
infusion
Maya has returned to Stamps;
Mrs. Flowers takes interest in her
and teaches her to read and love
literature
Graduation scene
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 26
Chapter 34
6.5 pgs
11.5 pgs
17 pgs
(can be
abridged)
The dentist; paints a picture of the
influence of Maya’s grandmother
and her evolving awareness of the
complexity of racism
Maya and Bailey move to San
Fran; rich text on Maya’s mother
and her impact on Maya
Maya wins job as conductorette
thanks to her determination and
the support of her mother; great
ending to the chapter that closes
the book well
9 pages
9 pgs
(can be
abridged)
8.5 pgs
Unit Goals:
This unit serves as the culmination of the IA1 cycle and requires students to demonstrate relative independence
with the core skills of the unit, namely character development and analysis of theme. At this point in the year,
students should be able to independently summarize text at the chapter level; if students continue to struggle
with this during the first phase of close reading, it is recommended that you replace one of the current aims to
ensure that students are clear on the core parts of the summary and how to craft an effective summary. This
emphasis on summary is not only required but the standards but foundational in how students will demonstrate
comprehension.
Beyond summary, there are two core goals where scholars are expected to show proficiency, namely…
 Analysis of character development
 Analysis of theme (particularly where character development illuminates theme)
Because of the selection of Caged Bird, it would be a missed opportunity to read the text without noting the rich
figurative language and exploring the point of view. In literature class, our instruction must be targeted to core
unit goals without ignoring the demands of the text itself. Figurative language must be noted and unpacked and
quality responses are expected to ensure both literal and inferential comprehension. Any instruction around
Caged Bird must include an exploration of memoir, the reliability of the narrator and intersection between nonfiction and literature. Quality responses and discussions are expected, though teachers should note that RL9.4
and RL9.6 are not priority standards until IA cycles three and four, respectively.
Scholars will develop the necessary skills, thinking and reading comprehension through four key lesson types:
Close Reading
During these lessons, scholars will work through layers of meaning (literal
comprehension, analysis and inferencing, and thematic understanding) through
multiple readings, ultimately building deep and independent thinking. The aim for all
close reading lessons is the same: SWBAT closely read a text and demonstrate deep
understanding through paraphrasing (literal comprehension), responses to inferential
questions (analysis), and by analyzing theme through response or debate (theme).
While achieving this aim, scholars must always provide textual evidence for their
responses (oral and written) and during discussions. At its core, close reading requires
students to grapple, and this purpose should live in all close reading lessons in every
unit.
Reading Workout
Scholars will frequently engage in “reading workout” lessons, which serve to both
or
ensure miles-on-the-page and rich, text-based thinking around a variety textReading Phase
dependent questions. At the end of these lesson, scholars will ultimately answer one,
juicy TDQ – called a “Culminating TDQ” –about what they have just read, generally in
response to a pattern or core literary element emerging in the text . Over the
course of the lesson, scholars answer smaller, more comprehension based TDQs –
called “Scaffolding TDQs” – that (a) offer access points for scholars to deeply thinking
about, engage with, and understand the text, and (b) build the necessary thinking and
understanding to answer the Culminating TDQ. The aim varies depending on the
comprehension and inferential demands of the text, though always stays
grounded in the idea that the primary purpose is deep understanding of the
text.
ContentAcquisition /
Reading to Learn
Analysis / Skill
Practice / I-We-You
Seminar
Scholars will occasionally engage in lessons where the purpose is to build the world or
background knowledge necessary to understand the core text and build the relevant
knowledge-based schema about the core text. The selected knowledge should work to
deep scholar access and understanding of the core text. During these lessons, scholars
will read texts (frequently informational texts) that require them to acquire the
necessary information to access and understand the core text and concepts. The aim
varies from class to class, but is phrased in a way that dictates the knowledge that
scholars should be able to demonstrate by the end of class (i.e., through an exit ticket).
Scholars will occasionally engage in lessons where the purpose is to acquire and
practice a skill aligned to the common core and the demands of the text. The selected
skill should work to deepen scholar access and understanding of the core text. During
these lessons, scholars will learn and practice a skill with gradually increasing
independence. Ultimately scholars will be able to demonstrate mastery and transfer of
the skill. The aim varies from class to class, but is heavily rooted in the language of the
common core in order to (a) prevent myopic instruction, and (b) dictate the skill that
scholars should be able to demonstrate by the end of class (i.e., through an exit ticket
on a new text, new section of text, or in a new scenario).
2-3 times a unit, scholars will engage in seminar, or a whole class discussion
meant to drive at essential understandings. Students will prepare for seminar
either for homework or in class the previous day by generating evidence and an
appropriate claim to the focus question. Students will then engage in the
seminar for the entirety of the period to build collective interpretations,
challenge claims and enrich their understanding of juicy, nuanced questions
meant to drive at the unit or text’s central ideas.
Unit Assessment:
Given the complexity of assessment in ELA, there are three assessments intended to monitor student progress:
 IA1 – on-demand assessment of independent reading ability, transfer of key skills, engagement with
fresh prompts and pulse check on general performance with text based questions.
 Summative seminar – the unit culminates with a summative seminar comparing Holden and Maya’s
coming of age experience. Performance in this seminar not only show growth on oral expression of
ideas and building upon ideas, but also gauges progress toward the level of character analysis required
for the PBA.
 Performance task – as the Common Core pushes us to use rich performance tasks as a more
sophisticated instrument for assessment as well as a tool for student learning, the final day of this unit is
a performance task. Students will read the original poem I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and
complete an independent close reading analysis.
Flow of Unit:
The unit begins with students acquiring critical content from a student casebook meant to accompany I Know
Why the Caged Bird Sings. In acquiring content, students will not only engage with complex non-fiction but also
build key context necessary to independently navigate some of the challenging passages in Caged Bird. Please
note that both content acquisition days involve summarizing; the rationale is that not only is summary an
integral part of the Common Core Standards, it is also a unit goal and foundational for more complex close
reading students will do later in the unit.
Students then analyze the prologue in an traditional analysis lesson to examine character traits and internal
conflicts that plague Maya at the beginning of the book; this is critical to success in the unit as it is difficult to
analyze character development without knowing where a character began. The week concludes with a three
day reading phase that devoted to deeply comprehending life in Stamps and the assault from Mr. Freeman.
The following weeks, students return for a focused close reading on Maya’s reaction to the rape. It is important
to note that this week calls for two close readings – the rape and the graduation. Both are rich with figurative
language, appropriate text complexity and are formative to Maya’s character development. It is entirely up to
you as the classroom leader which text selection requires two full days of close reading, rather than the one. In
the focused close reading, students analyze for character development and theme to determine what Maya’s
reaction to the incident reveals about theme. As the close reading wraps up and students prepare to return to
the reading workout, one day is devoted to the state of Southern education in the Jim Crow Era. Navigating
primary and secondary sources from the casebook, students will enrich their understanding of the text by
focusing on key content knowledge through continued work in summary. The week concludes by reading the
graduation chapter and conducting another focused close reading on how character development in the
graduation scene reveals an evolving theme from the author.
In the final week, students finish the text and analyze changes in Maya’s character over the course of the text.
They then prepare for a summative seminar comparing the theme of coming of age in both Catcher in the Rye
and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
This seminar is incredibly rich, but will likely be challenging for students because of the comparative analysis. It
is important to note that standard 9 in the Common Core Anchor Standards notes that students must “analyze
how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the
approaches the authors take.” Though challenging, this comparative analysis is at the heart of the complexity
required for our scholars. The summative seminar asks students to compare the coming of age tales with an eye
for character development. Students should note though Holden Caulfield and Maya Angelou both come of age
in these seminal texts, these are markedly different stories with markedly different endings. What internal and
external factors influence to both Holden’s and Angelou’s coming of age? How do these factors contribute to
the differences between how Holden and Angelou come of age?
In the seminar, students should likely begin by noting the effect of external circumstances on the coming of age
tales, but then dig deeper to note the role of other characters and “habits of mind” that contribute to
similarities and differences in the tales.
Finally, the unit culminates in a rich performance task, meant to serve not only as a learning experience but an
opportunity to see the kind of close reading analysis and application our students can do at a level of relative
independence.
Students will be able to:
Goals to
Mastery/Quality
Goals to quality:
 Identify the purpose of a nonfiction text and explore the writer’s point of view.
 Explain, in writing, based upon discussions and teacher direct instruction, how an author’s word choice and
use of figurative language can contribute to the meaning and tone of a text.
Annotation Focus
IA Aligned
Questions
Goals to mastery:
 Explore a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text.
 Explain, in writing, based upon discussions and teacher direct instruction, how an author develops a
particular character, and how this characterization impacts the theme or other elements of the narrative.
 Provide an objective summary of fiction and nonfiction text that correctly identifies an author’s main ideas.
 Character traits
 Character development
 Unpacking figurative language
Character Development:
1. The narrator in the story could best be described as:
3. What is most significantly revealed about the narrator through these lines?
4. The books that Marilyn chooses to read suggest that she:
7. The sentence, “If he were sixteen and not my father, he wouldn’t look at me twice” (lines 25-26) reveals
that the narrator
10. What can the reader infer from the narrator’s description of her father in lines 19-24 (“My father...joy”)?
14. What can the audience infer about the speaker based on these lines?
15. Based on lines 20-25 (“A child… sharks.”), what does the speaker believe about children?
Theme:
2. Which line best represents the central conflict of the story?
6. Which lines from the story most strongly support the theme “Growing up can
often feel lonely”?
13. Based on lines 1-16, which statement below best captures the speaker’s main
message?
25. Which sentence from the passage best supports Wiesel’s central idea that the
people of the world must speak out against injustice?
29. Which idea is most developed by the information given in paragraph 9 (lines 48- 53)?
Summary:
8. Which of the following is the best summary of the text?
Core
Texts

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Essential
Questions
Prioritized
Learning
Standards
Assessment(s)
Understanding I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources and Historical
Documents
Knowledge & Text:
 What does it mean to “come of age”?
 How does “coming of age” look different depending on an individual’s culture, environment, and obstacles?
 What qualities do “coming of age” stories share?
 Though Holden Caulfield and Maya Angelou both come of age in these seminal texts, these are markedly
different stories with markedly different endings. What internal and external factors influence to both
Holden’s and Angelou’s coming of age? How do these factors contribute to the differences between how
Holden and Angelou come of age?
Transferable Skill:
 What authorial moves influence how is character developed, revealed, and perceived?
 Is there a question to be had here about memoir and non-fiction?
 RI.9-10.2. (Central Idea) Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of
the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective
summary of the text.
 RI.9-10 3. (Whole text level analysis) Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events,
including the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the
connections that are drawn between them.
 RI9.4. (Word, phrase level analysis) Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the
text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices
on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or
informal tone)
 RI.9-10.6. (POV & Rhetoric) Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an
author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.
Below are descriptions of the diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments for Unit 9. The formative
assessments may be used daily, weekly, and in combination to measure scholars’ progress toward unit goals.
The summative assessment should be delivered uniformly across the grade in order to accurately measure
scholars’ achievement.
Diagnostic:
Formative:
Summative




F&P and STAR
scores
Summative data
from Catcher in the
Rye unit
On-demand writing
prompts and EBQ
responses
Prior close reading
performance







Do Nows, as
deliberately
linked to
necessary world
knowledge
Class work
artifacts from
reading
notebooks,
annotations,
summaries, class
or small-group
discussions, etc.
Scholar-teacher
conferences
Close reading
performance
Weekly Quizzes,
either about
knowledge and
the text, skills
and the text, or
both
Homework
Exit tickets



IA1
End-of-unit
performance
task (multi-step
TDQ)
Summative IA
Cycle 1 Seminar
M
Content Acquisition
T
Analysis
Aim Sequence
W
Reading Workout
Suggested aim:
Given relevant passages,
SWBAT craft summaries
that include the main idea
and key details.
Suggested aim:
Given the prologue,
SWBAT characterize Maya
and her internal struggles
in response to her
environment and herself.
Suggested aim:
Literal: SWBAT describe
Momma Henderson and
Marguerite’s reactions to
the behavior of the
powhitetrash in the store.
Suggested text:
Prologue
Text Pattern: Given
chapter 5, SWBAT
characterize Momma
Henderson and her
influence on Marguerite.
Text Pattern: Given
characterizations of
Marguerite, SWBAT
determine why
Marguerite feels lonely for
Mr. Freeman.
Suggested text:
Chapter 5
Suggested text:
Chapter 11
Suggested exit ticket:
TDQ: On page 32, Momma
Henderson tells Maya to
wash her face, then
continues singing, “Glory,
hallelujah when I lay my
burden down.” What
does this response suggest
about the nature of her
victory against the
powhitetrash?
Suggested exit ticket:
How does Maya Angelou
use details in the text to
clarify why Maya felt
lonely for Mr. Freeman?
Suggested text:
I Know Why the Caged Bird
Sings; A Student Casebook
to Issues, Sources and
Historical Documents
Suggested exit ticket:
Hand in text annotations
and student summaries.
Suggested agenda:
-Do now: complete unit
anticipation guide
-Text hype: Caged Bird!
-Think-aloud: elements of
summary (if still necessary
given data from Catcher)
-Class reading: excerpts
from student casebook;
teacher stops to ask
relevant TDQs
-Guided Practice: students
craft summaries of first
Suggested exit ticket:
The final pages of the
prologue note, “If growing
up is painful for the
Southern Black girl, being
aware of her displacement
is the rust on the razor
that threatens the throat.”
It is an unnecessary
insult.” What is this
unnecessary insult? How
does the author use
details from the text to
illustrate how the
“unnecessary insult”
haunts Maya?
Suggested agenda:
-Do Now: short non-fiction
Suggested agenda:
Th
Reading Workout
Suggested aim:
Literal: SWBAT describe
the evolution of
Marguerite’s relationship
with Mr. Freeman.
Suggested agenda:
Culture setting: sensitive
topic in the next few
chapters, norm on
reactions and
conversation
AIR: pages 69- top of 71
F
Reading Workout
Suggested aim:
Literal and Text Pattern:
SWBAT explain the
physical and emotional
effects of Mr. Freeman’s
attack and trial through
focused annotations.
Suggested text:
Chapters 12 &13
Suggested exit ticket:
Collected annotations
Suggested agenda:
-Weekly comprehension
quiz
-CTG: 76-79
-Short model, physical and
emotional effects
-AIR: 79-82
-Pull annotation onto doc
cam for group evaluation
-Focus question: is there
evidence that Maya
blames herself for what
Mr. Freeman did?
-CTG: 82-87
article
-Doc cam review of
randomly selected
students
-Students independently
read and summarize
second particle
Author’s notes:
The re-teaching of
summary is only necessary
if data shows this is a
continual pain point for
students. The Common
Core Standards place a
premium on students
crafting an objective
summary; additionally, the
ability to paraphrase and
summarize is the bedrock
of close reading. Thus, the
aim should not change but
method might depending
on class proficiency.
The casebook companion
for Caged Bird is meant to
illuminate issues in the
book to build an
understanding of context
and content without
revealing key parts of the
story. It is important to
note that the
text to build background
(Suggestions: short text
analyzing body image
issues in young black
women OR short text from
companion describing the
central role of the church
in the Jim Crow South)
-(If necessary according to
Catcher data), short minilesson on characterization
-CTG prologue, stopping
for text dependent
questions
-Short discussion at
bottom of page four to
characterize Maya’s
internal conflict
-Re-read in small groups,
searching for evidence of
internal conflict
-Exit ticket
Suggested homework:
Chapter 3
Author’s notes:
The prologue is critical in
laying the foundation for
how Maya begins the text;
in order to effectively
trace her character
development, we must
clearly name the internal
-Do now: Short excerpt
from To Kill a Mockingbird
describing the Ewell’s with
multiple choice questions
(main idea and
characterization)
-Frame: character
development
-Reading:
CTG: p26-27
AIR: p28-29 (resume CTG
with “before the girls”
Focused annotation
question: underline two
pieces of evidence that
explains why Marguerite is
confused by reactions to
the powhitetrash.
CTG: 29-33
Short discussion:
“Something had happened
out there, which I couldn’t
completely understand,
but I could see she was
happy.” Why does this
interaction make momma
“happy” and “beautiful?”
Use details from the text
to support your answer.
Why is Marguerite unable
to understand Momma’s
happiness?
-Exit ticket
CTG: pages 71-top of 74
Embedded non-fiction:
text on abuse (from
Casebook)
AIR: remainder of chapter
Exit ticket
Author’s notes:
This chapter is very
readable independently
for the majority of 9th
grade scholars, though the
content is incredibly
delicate. The flow of class
should include a short
discussion around the
content of the chapter,
expectations for student
response and the
incredible complexity that
surrounds abuse. We
recommend using Lamov’s
technique of embedded
non-fiction midchapter,
rather than as a do-now,
as it serves to supplement
a particular portion of text
and connect to page 74.
Suggested homework:
Chapter 15
Author’s notes:
Though there is a
temptation to slow these
chapters down to two
separate days, please note
that there is a focused
closed reading next week
for the end of chapter 13;
much of the heavy analysis
can be bucketed here.
sophistication of the nonfiction writing is
challenging but also
perfectly appropriate for
9th grade.
struggles that are likely to
consume her and how we
would characterize her
from the start. The
instructional method
should depend on your
data from the Catcher unit
and how independently
they are able to
characterize. Though this
text does have some
figurative language, it is
largely easy for the
majority of scholars to
navigate.
Suggested homework:
Chapter 9
M
Close Reading:
Suggested aim:
Given Maya’s reaction to
the rape, SWBAT make
literal and inferential
meaning of complex text
by performing a close read.
T
Close Reading:
Suggested aim:
Given the Maya’s reaction
to the rape, SWBAT
analyze theme by
performing a close read.
W
Content Acquisition:
Suggested aim:
Given relevant passages,
SWBAT craft summaries
that include the main idea
and key details.
Suggested text:
Middle of page 85
(starting with “The
Given primary and
secondary sources, SWBAT
analyze how segregated
Suggested text:
Middle of page 85 (starting
Author’s notes:
For this chapter to make
sense, students must both
grasp characterization of
Momma and Marguerite
AND the context of
“powhitetrash.” Much of
this is clarified on pages
27-28, so it is important to
let students read to learn
and do the lifting to
categorize the
powhitetrash themselves.
The do-now using the
Ewell’s can build a
foundation but should not
be heavily reviewed in
whole class discussion or
teacher modeling.
Th
Reading Workout:
Suggested aim:
Using textual evidence,
SWBAT describe the insult
delivered to the
community on graduation
and how Maya is
ultimately able to find
pride and hope at the
event.
F
Close Reading:
Suggested aim:
Given the final page of
“Graduation,” SWBAT
analyze theme by performing
a close read.
Or (depending on your CR
aims approach)
Given the graduation scene,
with “The Recording
Angel…”l) to the middle of
page 86 (ending with …”I
had eaten up all the
sounds…”
Suggested exit ticket:
Literal read: collected
annotations
Inferential read:
culminating TDQ on what
Maya means when she
describes “attaching
myself leechlike to sound.”
What does this reveal
about how her character
develops after the rape?
Suggested agenda:
-Read one: teacher led,
just for sound
-Read two: student reads
to partner
-Read three: CTG style,
stopping for literal
comprehension
Group work: annotations
and literal comprehension
questions
-Read four: CTG, focusing
on inferential questions
and unpacking figurative
language
-Group work: unpacking
Recording Angel…”l) to the school evolved and served
middle of page 86 (ending as a method for social
with …”I had eaten up all
control.
the sounds…”
Suggested text:
Suggested exit ticket:
“Segregated Schools; An
On-demand writing
Institutional Method of
(minimum 2 paragraphs)
Social Control” from the
in response to thematic
Caged Bird casebook
TDQ
Suggested exit ticket:
Suggested agenda:
1. Collected
-Thematic read: students
summaries
read through to mark
2. TDQ: In the text
phrases where theme is
the author notes,
particularly explicit
“Legal mandates
-Teacher guided discussion
for separate, and
through thematic TDQs
by extension,
-On-demand responses
unequal schools
crafted to exit ticket
were another
means of
Suggested homework:
exercising control
Complete writing from exit
over the lives of
ticket and turn in response
African
of appropriate length
Americans.” How
does the author
Author’s notes:
use key details to
By the thematic read,
support this
students should need
assertion? In
minimal hand holding and
what ways did
the bulk of the class
unequal schooling
should be devoted to the
manifest itself in
on-demand writing
social control?
response.
Suggested text:
Chapter 23
Suggested exit ticket:
What does Maya mean
when she says, “The
ugliness they left was
palpable. The uninvited
guest who wouldn’t
leave.” What is the
ugliness left after the
graduation speaks leave?
Who is the uninvited
guest?
Suggested agenda:
-Hype this scene
-Reading:
AIR: 165-168; focused
annotation – two pieces of
evidence that this event is
extremely important to
the community
CTG: 168-170 with
comprehension questions
AIR: 170-174
CTG: 175-182
-Exit ticket
Suggested homework:
Chapter 24
Author’s notes:
SWBAT closely read a text
and demonstrate deep
understanding through
responses to inferential
questions (analysis), and by
analyzing theme through
response or debate (theme).
Suggested text:
Final page of “Graduation”
Suggested exit ticket:
In the final paragraph,
Maya notes “We were on
top again. As always,
again,” though in previous
paragraphs she states, “As
a species, we were an
abomination.” According
to the text, how does
Maya change over the
course of the chapter, and
what theme emerges that
accounts for this change?
Suggested agenda:
-DIRT quiz
-Read one: teacher led,
just for sound
-Read two: student reads
to partner
-Read three: CTG style,
stopping for literal
comprehension
final paragraph for
inferential meaning
-Exit ticket
Suggested homework:
Assign non-fiction article
from companion around
responses to abuse
Author’s notes:
Because of time
constraints in this unit, it is
possible to do a close
reading to the post-rape
scene AND graduation,
though it is not necessarily
possible to both. Given
your preferences, you may
wish to shorten the postrape close reading to one
day and spend two full
days on the end of the
graduation chapter. The
author of this unit plan
opted to spend two days
on the rape because it was
speed through relatively
quickly in the reading
workout phase and may
require more finesse in
terms of classroom culture
and discussion.
Suggested agenda:
-Do Now: student analyze
quality of student
submitted summary from
last week’s content
acquisition lesson. Note
areas of strength and
areas for growth
-Article 1: CTG with TDQs
to monitor for
comprehension; craft
short collective summary
-Short discussion on
separate education and
social control
-Article 2: students tackle
article independently and
craft summary
-Summary comparison
with partner
-Exit ticket
Suggested homework:
Continued reading – “The
Education of African
Americans in Arkansas”
Author’s notes:
This day is not only meant
to embed critical nonfiction helpful to
unpacking the graduation
chapter, it also serves as
an extension of the
Note that the next day is
reserved for deep analysis
during close reading; the
purpose of today’s lesson
is to complete all required
pages and ensure
comprehension.
Group work: annotations
and literal comprehension
questions
-Read four: CTG, focusing
on inferential questions
and unpacking figurative
language
-Group work: unpacking
final paragraph for
inferential meaning
-Read five: thematic
annotations
-Thematic whole class
discussion
-One paragraph thematic
response
Suggested homework:
Chapter 26
Author’s notes:
Again, there is room to do
one single day CR this
week and one two day CR
in this week. Based on the
needs of your classroom
and your interpretation
about the text, determine
if the graduation chapter
or the post-rape excerpt is
best for a multi-day close
read.
M
Reading Workout:
Suggested aim:
SWBAT describe
developments in Maya’s
character by determining
how and why she got a job
as a conductorette.
T
Analysis:
Suggested aim:
SWBAT determine major
themes in Caged Bird by
analyzing how Maya’s
character develops in
response to internal and
knowledge and skills
reviewed in the first
content acquisition lesson
of the unit. Teachers
should explicitly ask
questions that draw the
link between the race
relations overview to this
lesson. It is also important
to note that scholars that
attended an Achievement
First middle school read
Warriors Don’t Cry and
thus have some
understanding of Brown
vs. Board and the school
integration process,
though less depth about
the condition of black
schools illuminated in this
chapter. Encourage
students to recall prior
knowledge, but also push
them to the level of depth
required in this text.
W
Seminar Prep:
Suggested aim:
SWBAT interpret and
analyze key words and
phrases within two texts
(Catcher and Caged Bird)
in order to make a claim
Th
Seminar:
F
Performance Task
Suggested aim:
Given two texts, SWBAT
defend a claim to contrast
Maya and Holden’s
differences in coming of
age, including external
Performance Assessment:
Caged Bird Poem Analysis
and Textual Comparison
Part I: Read and annotate
Maya Angelou’s poem “I
external conflicts.
Suggested text:
Chapter 34
Suggested exit ticket:
Collect and grade focused
annotations that identify
and analyze key phrases
and passages for character
development
Suggested agenda:
-Do now: DIRT quiz
-Reading:
-AIR: 259-261
-CTG: 261-265
-AIR: 265-268
-CTG: final paragraphs on
268
-Exit ticket
Suggested homework:
-Read final chapter
Author’s notes: n/a
Suggested text:
Whole
Suggested exit ticket:
TDQ: As Maya Angelou
develops her own
character throughout the
memoir, what theme
emerges most clearly in
the struggles she
encounters?
about differences in the
theme of coming of age.
Suggested text:
TBD based on passages
collected during IA Cycle.
Suggested exit ticket:
Complete seminar prep
sheet, including claim and
evidence.
Suggested agenda:
-Identification of key
Suggested agenda:
passages
-Do now: DIRT quiz
-Partner share on Holden
-Think-aloud: determining and Maya’s coming of age
and analyzing theme
similarities and difference
-Small group theme
-Independent work
analysis given final chapter -Doc cam share
-Exit ticket
-Exit ticket
Author’s notes:
Again, the I-We-You may
be less necessary,
depending on student
prowess with theme
identification, particularly
at the end of a text when
multiple pieces must be
put together.
Suggested homework:
Craft first planned seminar
response
Author’s notes:
Because this seminar
requires comparative
analysis, scholars may
need help navigating key
sections of the two texts.
Small groups or targeted
conferences are
circumstances, influence
of other characters and
patterns of mind.
Suggested text:
Selections from Catcher
and Caged Bird
Suggested exit ticket:
None: seminar grade
distributed
Suggested agenda:
Seminar prompt: though
Holden Caulfield and
Maya Angelou both come
of age in these seminal
texts, these are markedly
different stories with
markedly different
endings. What internal
and external factors
influence to both Holden’s
and Angelou’s coming of
age? How do these
factors contribute to the
differences between how
Holden and Angelou come
of age?
Author’s notes:
Because this prompt
involves comparative
analysis, it is likely more
Know Why the Caged Bird
Sings.” At the bottom of
the page write a theme
statement expressing the
central idea of the poem.
Part II: In their coming of
ages tales, both Holden
and Maya can be
considered “caged birds.”
Select one character and
in a well-developed essay,
analyze the cages that
bind the character and
how he/she “sings for
freedom.”
recommended to ensure
that students are prepared
for seminar with a
cohesive comparative
analysis.
Appendix A: Accompanying Text
Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)
Sympathy
I know what the caged bird feels, alas!
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;
When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,
And the river flows like a stream of glass;
When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,
And the faint perfume from its chalice steals —
I know what the caged bird feels!
I know why the caged bird beats his wing
Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;
For he must fly back to his perch and cling
When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;
And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars
And they pulse again with a keener sting —
I know why he beats his wing!
I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—
challenging than anything
scholars have seen in the
course of the year. You
will likely need to plan
scaffolded questions that
quickly move them away
from the more superficial
differences and towards
how each character
develops as they struggle
to come of age.
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings —
I know why the caged bird sings!
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.
But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom
The free bird thinks of another breeze
an the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.
But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.