American Poetry (2020)

Lesson 11
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ELA

Unit 11

7th Grade

Lesson 11 of 18

Objective


Explain the purpose of a staggered line structure in “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.” 

Readings and Materials


  • Poem: “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” by Langston Hughes 

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Target Task


Multiple Choice

In “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” what is most likely suggested by the staggered line structure?

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Sample Response

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Which words from the poem support the answer in Part A? 

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Sample Response

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Writing Prompt

How does the staggered line structure contribute to the overall meaning of the poem? Explain your answer using details from the text. 

Key Questions


  • Who is “I” in the poem? If students are stuck, ask students to think about their knowledge of Ancient cultures. Is it possible for one person to have been at the Euphrates, built huts by the Congo, looked at the pyramids, and heard the singing of the Mississippi? Ask what group of people “I” represents? Explain how you know. (“I” represents a collective voice of African American people. In telling the story of this community from the dawn of civilization until the end of slavery in America, the speaker discusses the history for his community.)
  • Why does the author write in a zig zag structure?
  • What are rivers a metaphor for?

Common Core Standards


  • RL.7.5 — Analyze how a drama's or poem's form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning.

Next

Identify and analyze how the historical context influences the speaker’s point of view in “Ego-Tripping.”

Explain what the lack of grammatical rules reveals about the speaker’s perspective.

Lesson 12
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Lesson Map

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