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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings ​Study Guide
Students will be able to:
Make inferences about people based on their thoughts, words or actions.
● Analyze an author’s purpose and viewpoint based on details about people.
● Make connections between a poem and an autobiographical text.
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Vocabulary:
● Express​ - to communicate one’s ideas and feelings about something
● Purpose​ - an author’s primary reason for writing a text
● Viewpoint​ - the way an author thinks or feels about a subject
● Inference​ - a conclusion made on the basis of implicit or explicit evidence
● Personality Trait​ - a quality that contributes to who a person is and makes him
or her different from other people
Lesson Question:
Autobiography
Inferring Personality Traits
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Activity #1​: Read the passage from the text, and answer the question (1 point)
Which inference about the lady can be made based on the thoughts of the narrator in
this passage?
A. The lady is busy and distracted.
B. The lady is lonely and unhappy.
C. The lady is friendly and compassionate.
Maya Angelou (1928-2014)
Stop here and read from Chapter 15 of ​I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
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Guiding Questions ​(2 points)
1. Why is Marguerite asked to change her clothes?
a. She spilled milk on her dress.
b. She is wearing something that is not appropriate for chores.
c. She is expected to look nice when she visits Mrs. Flowers.
2. What is Marguerite, the young Maya Angelou, expected to do the next time she
visits Mrs. Flowers?
a. bring her favorite book
b. recite a poem she has memorized
c. bring cookies to share
Activity #2​ - Making an Inference Based on an Action (1 point)
Read the passage from the story and answer the question:
What inference can be made about Momma based on her action in this passage?
A. She wishes Mrs. Flowers went to her church.
B. She dislikes Mrs. Flowers.
C. She believes she is equal to Mrs. Flowers.
Activity #3​ - Making Inferences about Momma (3 points)
Read the passage from the story and answer the questions:
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Momma makes Marguerite____
A. Clean a dress
B. Sew a dress
C. Take off her dress
Momma does this because she
wants to____
A. Embarrass Marguerite
B. Impress Mrs. Flowers
C. Laugh at herself
What is one personality trait that the reader can infer about Momma based on this
action?
A. Brave
B. Proud
C. Shy
Activity #4 ​- Making an Inference Based on Words (1 point)
Read the passage from the text and answer the question:
What inference can be made
about Mrs. Flowers based on
what she says to Mrs.
Henderson?
A. Mrs. Flowers is aware of
how other people feel.
B. Mrs. Flowers is interested
in learning how to sew.
C. Mrs. Flowers is jealous
when other people are proud.
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Activity #5​ - Making Inferences About Mrs. Flowers (3 points)
Read the passage and put an X in the box next to the inferences that can be made
about Mrs. Flowers’ personality:
Inference
She values speaking up for oneself.
She is concerned about others.
She is indifferent to those who have less.
She believes that animals are unimportant.
She has high expectations of others.
Author’s Purpose
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Activity#6 - ​What were some of Maya Angelou’s purposes in writing ​I Know Why the
Caged Bird Sings?
​ Put an X in the box next to any statements that apply. (3 points)
to tell about her childhood
to prompt readers to think about what growing up as an African American girl
in poverty was like
to convince readers to move to Stamps, Arkansas
to explain why it is important for people to own general stores
to honor an important woman in her life
Connecting the Author’s Purpose and Viewpoint
Activity #7​ - Identifying the Author’s Viewpoint (1 point)
Read the passage and answer the question:
What is Angelou’s viewpoint toward the time she spent with Mrs. Flowers?
A. It was a humorous time that made her laugh.
B. It was very important to her.
C. It was something she dreaded and avoided.
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Making Connections Between Two Texts
Activity #8 ​- Making Connections with “Caged Bird” (2 points)
Read the second stanza of the poem and answer the following questions:
What is the only act of freedom the
caged bird has?
A. Stalking
B. Seeing
C. singing
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In the excerpt from ​I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,​ what does Marguerite do when
she begins to feel free?
A. Eats cookies
B. Speaks
C. Goes to the store