Curriculum  /  ELA  /  9th Grade  /  Unit 1: Me, Myself, and I: Examining Personal Identity in Short Texts  /  Lesson 14

Me, Myself, and I: Examining Personal Identity in Short Texts

Lesson 14
icon/ela/white

ELA

Unit 1

9th Grade

Lesson 14 of 20

Objective

Analyze how the author uses diction and figurative language to show contrasting perspectives on the speaker's hair.

Readings and Materials

  • Poem: “Hair” by Elizabeth Acevedo 

  • Written Text: “Hair” by Elizabeth Acevedo 

Fishtank Plus

Unlock features to optimize your prep time, plan engaging lessons, and monitor student progress.

Target Task

Discussion & Writing Prompt

How does the speaker's diction and figurative language reveal the contrast between how the speaker views her hair versus how others view it? Provide evidence from the text and carefully explain your thinking.

Sample Response

Upgrade to Fishtank Plus to view Sample Response.

Key Questions

Close Read Questions

  • What examples of figurative language (i.e., simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole) does the poet use? How do they enhance the meaning of the poem? 

  • Look at the pronouns in the poem. Who is the "you," and "they", and what is their attitude towards the speaker's identity?

  • What is revealed about the relationship between the speaker and her mother in the poem? What would the speaker do differently with her own daughter?

Vocabulary

Text-based

reclamation

n.

the process of claiming something back or reasserting a right

Enhanced Lesson Plan

Fishtank Plus Content

Bring your most engaging lessons to life with comprehensive instructional guidance, detailed pacing, supports to meet every student's needs, and resources to strengthen your lesson planning and delivery.

Standards

  • L.9-10.5 — Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
  • RL.9-10.2 — Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
  • RL.9-10.3 — Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
  • RL.9-10.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

Supporting Standards

L.9-10.1
L.9-10.6
RL.9-10.1
RL.9-10.10
SL.9-10.1
SL.9-10.6
W.9-10.9

Next

Identify a speaker's purpose in two digital texts, analyzing the rhetorical choices the speaker makes to achieve that purpose.

Lesson 15
icon/arrow/right/large

Lesson Map

A7CB09C2-D12F-4F55-80DB-37298FF0A765

Request a Demo

See all of the features of Fishtank in action and begin the conversation about adoption.

Learn more about Fishtank Learning School Adoption.

Contact Information

School Information

What courses are you interested in?

ELA

Math

Are you interested in onboarding professional learning for your teachers and instructional leaders?

Yes

No

Any other information you would like to provide about your school?

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

We've got you covered with rigorous, relevant, and adaptable ELA lesson plans for free