1. Steve Jobs
This unit was created by the Louisiana Department of Education in partnership with LearnZillion. It includes approximately 36 days of instructional materials including classroom-ready materials, assessments, graphic organizers, and texts.

2. Jaguar Jumpstart
Think of some good advice that you have been given by a trusted adult.
Write about the advice using at least five complete sentences. Include this information: ..
Who gave you the advice?
What was the advice?
How was it helpful?

3. Yesterday, we… .. ….
read and analyzed a poem entitled “To Failure,” by Philip Larkin
learned several new words related to poetry

4. meaning; what it makes you think about
Review of New Vocabulary ..
Paraphrase =
Connotation =
to say it in your
own words
secondary
meaning; what it makes you think about

5. Review of New Vocabulary Tone = Shifts =..
Tone =
Shifts = …
Theme =
the attitude of the author
major changes in how
the poem makes you feel
the main social issue
being addressed

6. examine causes results
Review of New Vocabulary… ..
Analyze = _____________ carefully; identify __________, factors (related things), and ___________ .
examine
causes
results

7. Read a poem entitled “Mother to Son,” by Langston Hughes ….
Today, we will… ….
Read a poem entitled “Mother to Son,” by Langston Hughes ….
Determine the meaning of various phrases in the poem …
Analyze events and ideas in the poem .

8. A little bit about…
…the author!

9. MOTHER TO SON
Well, son, I'll tell you: Life for me ain't been no crystal stair. It's had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor— Bare. But all the time  I'se been a-climbin' on, And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners, And sometimes goin' in the dark Where there ain't been no light. So, boy, don't you turn back. Don't you set down on the steps. 'Cause you finds it's kinder hard. Don't you fall now— For I'se still goin', honey, I'se still climbin', And life for me ain't been no crystal stair. 
- By Langston Hughes

10. Now Let’s Listen…
…to another rendition!

11. understand theme teach Review of Concepts:..
The goal of reading a poem is usually to __________________ its meaning or ___________.
We ask: What is the author trying to __________ us?
understand
theme
teach

12. paraphrase Review of Concepts:..
One of the best ways to figure this out is to __________________ the poem. .
paraphrase

13. Let’s Discuss: Who is the narrator of the poem?..
Who is the narrator of the poem?
To whom is the poem written?
What is a “crystal stair”?
Has the narrator had an easy life? What evidence supports your answer?

14. Let’s Discuss: When life is challenging, does the narrator give up? ..
How do you know? What words tell you that answer?
The narrator speaks of dark times. What is meant by ‘dark times’?

15. Let’s Discuss: ..
What advice is the narrator offering?

16. Let’s Discuss: ..
This poem is written to the narrator’s son to explain that the narrator has had a difficult life, but she never gave up. The narrator is telling her son that he should always persevere through challenges and never give up. Crystal stair is a metaphor for life being easy and dark times refers to the mother’s struggles.

17. Let’s Discuss: ..

18. Let’s Discuss: ..
Some specific lines in poems are very important in showing us the theme.
What is the importance of this metaphor ‘… life for me ain’t been no crystal stair’?

19. What kind of life do you think the speaker in the poem has lived?
Let’s Discuss: ..
What kind of life do you think the speaker in the poem has lived?
What do you think “life for me ain’t been no crystal stair” means?

20. Let’s Discuss: ..
What do you think the speaker is referring to when she says she is “still climbin”? ..
Why do you think Hughes repeats this line in the beginning of the poem and as the last line?

21. Let’s Discuss: …
The narrator (mother) of the poem has had a difficult life and has struggled to succeed and “climb to the top.” She compares her life to climbing a staircase. She also describes the fact that she is “still climbin;” in other words, that her journey is not yet complete and it is still a struggle. A “crystal stair” would imply wealth and an easy “climb,” which has not been her experience. The poet repeats this line at the beginning and end of the poem to show the importance of the line and emphasize the imagery.

22. Other Notes: …
The narrator of this poem is a mother and she is speaking to her son. She compares his life to climbing a staircase and uses figurative language to describe the struggles she has endured on her “climb.”
The narrator also uses symbolism in “And reachin’ landin’s and turnin’ corners,” to describe the times she has reached different points in her life where she wasn’t struggling as much, or where she thought she had “made it,” yet the stairs were still there for her to climb - she hadn’t yet reached the top. The narrator does not give up on her climb no matter the challenges she endures. She describes more of these challenges as “goin’ in the dark.”

23. Other Notes: …
The poet is using figurative language to encourage her son not to give up and to keep reaching for success, even when it isn’t easy. She says things like, “don’t you turn back,” and “don’t you set down on the steps.”
She intends to keep climbing herself too, even though her life has not been easy.

24. Just For Fun…
…a modern-day Mother to Son!

25. Application:
Work with your partner to complete the chart.

26. Let’s Share! Application:
Work with your partner to complete the chart.
Let’s Share!

27. Let’s Close! . ..