1. Welcome Back to English 9 Ms. Edwards
Third and Fourth
Nine Weeks

2. Review Rules and Procedures
What are the rules and expectations of this classroom?
What is the restroom policy?
Why are reflection logs so important to complete?
(Remember if you do not help your group with Reflection Logs you will receive a zero. You MUST sign. We will begin Reflection Logs on Monday—Must be on time for class to receive participation points)
New learning groups and textbooks will be assigned Friday.

3. What to expect this semester
AR 360 Online Independent monthly nonfiction reading
Informative Writing project
Poetry
Dialectical Journaling
Nonfiction literature of the Civil Rights movement
Novel Study: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
by Maya Angelou
Advanced Novel Study: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

4. Essential Question of the Unit
How can words inspire change?
How did words inspire change in Maya Angelou’s life? Click the link below to view her mini bio:

5. Caged Bird by Maya Angelou
A free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wing in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky. But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing. The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom. The free bird thinks of another breeze and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn and he names the sky his own But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream his wings are clipped and his feet are tied

6. Caged Bird poetry assignment
After reading the poem and watching the movie, create a 15 line poem (3 stanzas) that answers the following questions:
What does it mean to be a caged bird?
Why would a caged bird sing while not free?
How can the caged bird be freed?

7. Example of Caged Bird Poem