An effective way to engage your students is through the creation of storyboards that examine Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme. This activity is referred to with the acronym “TWIST”. In a TWIST, students focus on a particular paragraph or a few pages, to look deeper at the author’s meaning. For this activity, students will create a 5 cell storyboard, illustrating each letter of TWIST for Maya Angelou's poem “Still I Rise”.
| T | TONE |
The tone of this poem is confident and strong. Each stanza has the same format, stating ways that the oppressor tries to bring her down, but each time she rises above. |
|---|---|---|
| W | WORD CHOICE |
Angelou uses a great deal of figurative language in the poem, especially similes to show comparison. One example of this is, “‘Cause I laugh like I got gold mines, diggin’ in my backyard.” |
| I | IMAGERY |
The use of similes helps the reader visualize what the poet is trying to get across. One example of this is, “You may trod me in the very dirt, but still, like dust, I rise.” |
| S | STYLE |
This is a 9 stanza poem. The lines are uneven, and the rhyme changes throughout the poem. Each stanza rhymes in some way. |
| T | THEME |
The theme of this poem is self confidence and self-respect. There are examples of this throughout the whole poem as she constantly repeats that she will rise above. |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a TWIST analysis of "Still I Rise".
Student instructions:
Encourage students to share their TWIST interpretations by creating a safe, respectful environment where everyone is invited to speak. Emphasize that there are multiple valid perspectives, and use open-ended questions to spark thoughtful conversation.
Establish expectations for respectful listening and turn-taking at the start. This helps students feel comfortable expressing their ideas without interruption or judgment.
Prompt students with targeted questions about Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme. For example, ask, “Which words made you feel the strongest emotion?” or “How does the imagery support the poem's message?”
Invite students to display and explain their storyboard cells. This adds a creative, visual layer to the analysis and helps peers see new interpretations.
Conclude the discussion by collaboratively listing the main takeaways about Maya Angelou's message and literary techniques. This reinforces learning and builds student confidence.
A TWIST analysis is a strategy for closely studying a poem's Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme to help students understand the author's message and techniques.
To analyze "Still I Rise" using TWIST, students examine the poem's tone (confident, strong), word choice (figurative language and similes), imagery (visual comparisons), style (stanza structure and rhyme), and theme (self-confidence and resilience).
Examples of imagery in "Still I Rise" include lines like, “You may trod me in the very dirt, but still, like dust, I rise,” which help readers picture perseverance and hope.
TWIST analysis breaks down complex poems into manageable elements, making it easier for middle school students to understand literary devices and the poem's deeper meaning.
Teachers can assign students to create a 5-cell storyboard where each cell represents one TWIST element, using scenes and characters from the poem to visually and textually explain each part.