Humanities Homework November 30, 2015
PARENT INFORMATION:
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Name: ___________________
#10
The Nature’s Classroom and Alternative Energy Projects are very impressive!
Students will read The Outsiders next session. We have limited copies of the book, so please let us know if your
family owns a copy that your student can use. We will be borrowing books from the library again this year, and
students MUST return these books in good condition, as we will be charged for any book that has been lost or
damaged. Thanks for helping with this!
Reminder: Please send in your payments for Nature’s Classroom. There are still quite a few students who
have not sent in any payments.
Thank you for the supplies that have been coming in. Wipes and tissues are especially helpful as cold season begins!
The Nature’s Classroom at Ocean Park DVD is available for $10.00 from Ms. Brown.
Hat Day is every Friday this session!
Parent/guardian signature: ______________________________ #54
MONDAY:
_____ Read 30 minutes. Record the title of your book, and two Summarizing, Observing and Questioning entries (SOQ)
in your DJ by Friday. Remember to DATE your entries and include PAGE #s. Use your SOQ reference sheet to score
your work. Update your reading log as you complete a book. #55
_____ Read Maya Angelou’s I Know Why a Caged Bird Sings and annotate for imagery/ figurative language. Be ready to
talk about thematic ideas and author’s purpose. Remember – poems often talk about more than one idea using metaphor,
simile, personification, and other literary devices! #56
_____ First draft of your essay How Civilization Began is due Monday, 12/7. You will begin your essay in class using
notes and summaries, but will complete the essay writing assignment portion for homework. #57
_____ Complete map for Southwest/east Asia by Friday. #58
_____ Practice/review Background Essay Vocabulary for Wowzerball on Friday #59
_____ Math _________________________________
_____ Science _______________________________ Tech ____________________________
TUESDAY:
_____ Read 30 minutes. Complete two SOQ entries in your DJ by Friday. See Monday for details. #55
_____ Re-read Maya Angelou’s I Know Why a Caged Bird Sings. Complete the Poem Question Sheet (due Thurs). #60
_____ First draft of your essay How Civilization Began is due Monday, 12/7. You will begin your essay in class using
notes and summaries, but will complete the essay writing assignment portion for homework. #57
_____ Complete map for Southwest/east Asia by Friday. #58
_____ Practice/review Background Essay Vocabulary for Wowzerball on Friday #59
_____ Math _________________________________
_____ Science _______________________________ Tech ____________________________
WEDNESDAY:
_____ Read 30 minutes. Complete two SOQ entries in your DJ by Friday. See Monday for details. #55
_____ Re-read Maya Angelou’s I Know Why a Caged Bird Sings and complete Poem Question Sheet (due Thurs.) #60
_____ First draft of your essay How Civilization Began is due Monday, 12/7. You will begin your essay in class using
notes and summaries, but will complete the essay writing assignment portion for homework. #57
_____ Complete map for Southwest/east Asia by Friday. #58
_____ Practice/review Background Essay Vocabulary for Wowzerball on Friday #59
_____ Math _________________________________
_____ Science _______________________________ Tech ____________________________
THURSDAY:
_____ Read 30 minutes. Complete two SOQ entries in your DJ by Friday. See Monday for details. #55
_____ First draft of your essay How Civilization Began is due Monday, 12/7. You will begin your essay in class using
notes and summaries, but will complete the essay writing assignment portion for homework. #57
_____ Complete map for Southwest/east Asia by Friday. #58
_____ Practice/review Background Essay Vocabulary for Wowzerball on Friday #59
_____ Math _________________________________
_____ Science _______________________________ Tech ____________________________
WEEKEND:
_____ Read 90 minutes.
_____ First draft of your essay How Civilization Began is due Monday, 12/7. #57
_____ Math _________________________________ Science_____________________ Tech__________________
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
BY Maya Angelou
A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
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 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.
The free bird thinks of another breeze
and 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.
Dr. Maya Angelou was born as Marguerite Johnson on April 4th, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri and raised in St. Louis and Stamps, Arkansas. Maya
Angelou became one of the most renowned and influential voices of our time. She had more than 50 honorary doctorate degrees, and was a celebrated
poet, memoirist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian, and filmmaker. She was a civil rights activist and organizer in the 50s and 60s, and
was a passionate voice for the rights of black Americans. She also lobbied for women’s rights, equal rights and marriage equity throughout her life.
Maya Angelou, “Caged Bird” from Shaker, Why Don't You Sing? Copyright © 1983 by Maya Angelou. Used by permission
of Random House.
Poem Worksheet: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
I.
Name: ______________________
Levels of reading:
Quote (verbatim):
Level 1 (on the lines):
Meaning
I understand this to mean:
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Level 2 (between the lines):
I infer that:
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Level 3 (beyond the lines):
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The big picture/thematic/’so what’ I
get from this is:
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Picture/image
II. Symbolism:
What might the ‘caged bird’ of the title symbolize in this poem?
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What might the following images in the poem symbolize?
a. The narrow cage ________________________________________________________________________
b. Clipped wings and tied feet ________________________________________________________________
c. The distant hill __________________________________________________________________________
d. The grave of dreams _____________________________________________________________________
e. Trade winds ____________________________________________________________________________
III. Compare and Contrast: How is the "caged bird" different from the "free bird"? Use the chart below to list
and compare the literal actions of the birds in the poem to the figurative actions and feelings of the birds,
example: metaphor, personification, etc. How does the figurative language change the way we think about
these birds and what they represent?
Literal
Example: “the caged bird sings”
Figurative
Example: “he names the sky his own” (personification)
List five descriptive words from the poem about the free bird and five about the caged bird.
Free bird:
Caged bird:
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1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
IV. What is the ‘so what?’ or theme of the poem?_________________________________________________
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V. Listen to Alicia Keys sing ‘Caged Bird’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5-xi1D2ESc&index=1&list=RDb5-xi1D2ESc