Maya Angelou was a writer, poet, and speaker whose words inspired people around the world. She wrote about her life, her struggles, and her hope for a better future. Her voice was powerful and kind, and she worked for fairness and...

Pupil outcome: I can explore Angelou's use of figurative language in 'Phenomenal Woman' and use this exploration to write about myself using figurative language. Key learning points: - Figurative language sees writers use non-literal...

Pupil outcome: I can consider different aspects of performance and apply them to a performance of my own. Key learning points: - When performing a poem, you should make informed decisions about the pace, volume and tone of your voice. -...

Pupil outcome: I can plan a poem inspired by the ideas and methods in Angelou's poetry. Key learning points: - When writing a poem inspired by a particular writer, their ideas and / or methods might inspire you. - You could use Angelou's...

Pupil outcome: I can explore Maya Angelou's 'Phenomenal Woman', including an appreciation of its contexts. Key learning points: - 'Phenomenal Woman' was first published in 1978. - The poem sees a confident speaker tell us how and why she...

Pupil outcome: I can write a poem inspired by Maya Angelou's 'Life Doesn't Frighten Me'. Key learning points: - Maya Angelou uses stanzas and a refrain to structure her poem, 'Life Doesn't Frighten Me'. - 'Life Doesn't Frighten Me' uses...

Pupil outcome: I can explore Maya Angelou's 'Life Doesn’t Frighten Me' with a focus on the speaker's distinctive voice. Key learning points: - Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was an American poet and civil rights activist. - Angelou's poems...

Pupil outcome: I can explore Maya Angelou's 'Still I Rise'. Key learning points: - 'Still I Rise' was first published in 1978 in a collection of Angelou's poems entitled 'And Still I Rise'. - The collection 'And Still I Rise' explores...

Pupil outcome: I can perform one stanza of Maya Angelou's 'Still I Rise' with a focus on conveying the speaker's power. Key learning points: - There is a contrast between the way the speaker and those who have oppressed her are presented...

Pupil outcome: I can write a poem inspired by the ideas and methods in Angelou's poetry. Key learning points: - You can use a poet's work to inspire your own creativity. - You can plan each stanza of a poem by considering its focus,...

Pupil outcome: I can perform Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird'. Key learning points: - When performing a poem, you should make informed decisions about the pace, volume, and tone of your voice. - Your pace, volume and tone could be very...

Pupil outcome: I can explore Maya Angelou's 'On Aging', with a focus on how she creates a complex voice through her poetic structures. Key learning points: - 'On Aging' was first published in Maya Angelou's 1978 collection of poems, 'And...

Pupil outcome: I can explore Maya Angelou's 'Equality'. Key learning points: - 'Equality' sees a speaker demand equality so that she can be "free". - Arguably, the poem presents racial and gender inequality that Angelou experienced as a...

Pupil outcome: I can comment on Maya Angelou's poetic voice, referencing a number of her poems to support my ideas. Key learning points: - We can explore Angelou's poems as a collection, as well as individually. - Exploring Angelou's...

Pupil outcome: I can explore Maya Angelou’s ‘On the Pulse of the Morning’, including understanding why and how it was written. Key learning points: - In 1993, President Bill Clinton asked Angelou to write, and perform, a poem at his...

Pupil outcome: I can explore and evaluate Angelou’s use of figurative language across two poems: ‘Equality’ and ‘Phenomenal Woman’. Key learning points: - Figurative language sees writers use non-literal words and phrases to develop...

Pupil outcome: I can explore Maya Angelou's 'Caged Bird'. 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...

The final essential element of poetry is line, which structures a poem’s verses and stanzas. Maya Angelou’s Still I Rise demonstrates the power of line through rhyme schemes, rhetorical questions, and similes, all of which enhance the...

Amanda Jones love of reading began with her mother, a former kindergarten teacher who encouraged books at home, and was nurtured by supportive teachers throughout your school years. In high school, she met Dr. Shirley McDonald, the first...

Learn about the famous author and poet who helped the Civil Rights Movement and changed the world with her inspiring words and life story.

This video explores Maya Angelou’s incredible legacy, from her Emmy-nominated role in Roots to her iconic poem Still I Rise. It highlights her time as a professor, her impactful inauguration poem for President Bill Clinton, and the...

This video explores Maya Angelou’s time as a dancer, her global travels, and her decision to pursue writing. It highlights her experiences with the Harlem Writers Guild, her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, and the...

This video explores Maya Angelou's rise to fame as a writer, starting with her groundbreaking memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. It highlights her success in poetry, her Pulitzer-nominated collection Just Give Me a Cool Drink of...

This video explores the early life of Maya Angelou, from her challenging childhood in segregated Stamps, Arkansas, to becoming the first African-American cable car conductor in San Francisco. It highlights her journey of overcoming...