Angelou uses many poetic techniques and different kinds of figurative language such as repetition, alliteration, rhyming, and similes. For this activity, students will identify and illustrate examples of figurative language in "Still I Rise". Teachers may want to review types of figurative language with students prior to reading the poem, and allow students to choose which ones they want to illustrate.
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Due Date:
Objective: Identify, describe, and illustrate 3 literary elements in “Still I Rise”.
Student Instructions:
Prepare students by teaching or reviewing types of figurative language like similes, metaphors, and alliteration. Brief, focused mini-lessons give students the background knowledge needed to recognize these devices in "Still I Rise." This builds confidence and engagement during the poem activity.
Demonstrate how to spot figurative language by reading a few lines aloud and explaining your thought process. Point out clues such as unusual comparisons or repeated sounds. This helps students learn how to analyze text on their own.
Organize students into pairs or small groups to share their findings. Encourage respectful discussion about why each example fits a certain figurative language type. This builds critical thinking and helps students learn from each other.
Prompt students to illustrate each figurative language example with drawings or digital images. Suggest they use colors, characters, and scenes that capture the meaning or feeling of the language. Visualizing helps cement understanding of abstract concepts.
Ask students to discuss or write about how figurative language affects the poem’s tone and message. Prompt them to connect the examples to the poem’s themes of resilience and hope. This fosters deeper appreciation for both the poem and literary devices.
"Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou uses similes, repetition, alliteration, and rhyme to convey powerful messages. Examples include similes like "But still, like dust, I'll rise," and repeated phrases such as "I rise."
Begin by reviewing types of figurative language (simile, metaphor, alliteration, etc.) with your students. Read the poem together, then have students identify and illustrate examples from the text using scenes or drawings. Encourage discussion about how each element enhances the poem’s meaning.
Assign students to find three examples of literary elements in the poem, such as similes or repetition. Ask them to illustrate each one and provide a brief description. This helps reinforce understanding and makes learning interactive.
Figurative language in "Still I Rise" adds emotional depth and helps communicate resilience and hope. Devices like repetition and similes make the poem more memorable and impactful for readers of all ages.
Students can use drawings, digital art, or simple scenes to visually represent figurative language. For example, they might draw rising dust for a simile or repeat words in a creative way to show repetition. This makes abstract concepts more concrete.