Two Poems About Africa

 Overview:

• The Unit of Study this lesson is a part of is Images of Africa.  The purpose of this lesson and this unit even, is for me to have a chance to pre-assess the students.  Students will begin to think critically about the ideas they have about Africa.

Students will be able to:

• Explain how culture and experiences shape positions that people take on an issue (VI.1.MS.3).

• Evaluate the responses of individuals to historic violations of human dignity involving discrimination, persecution and crimes against humanity (I.4.HS.2).

Materials:

• Bio for Phillis Wheatley and Frances Harper
• Poem: On Being Brought from Africa to America by Phillis Wheatley
• Poem: Ethiopia by Frances Harper
• Discussion Questions

Activity:

1. Discussion Questions should be written on the board before students enter the room.
2. Ask students if they write or read poetry.  Let students know that we will be looking at two poems about Africa written by famous African-American women.  We will analysis these poems to determine what their images of Africa are.  We will compare their images to those we developed yesterday.
3. Break students up into groups of four to five.
4. Pass out packet that contains bios on both authors and the two poems.
5. Ask students to read the first bio on Phillis Wheatley and her poem.
6. In groups students can begin to answer the discussion questions for the poem.
7. Ask for everyone’s attention.  Ask for a volunteer to say who Phillis Wheatley is.  The teacher should reinforce her significance.  Then ask another student to read her poem out loud.
8. As a class go over the Wheatley discussion questions.
9. Back in the groups ask student to repeat the same steps for Harper’s poem.
10. As a large group repeat step 7.
11. Ask students to make connection between the two poems.  Ask students to relate what we see in the two poems to what our images of Africa our.  Allow for class discussion

Assessment:

• The teacher should assess student learning by observing the progress of the small and large group discussion.