Categor
y
Poetry
Title
Author/Year
1. Death
Be not
Proud
John Donne
(1992)
2. Still I
Rise
Maya Angelou
Description
Summary: The Narrator questions death
and its power, considering the many forms
in which death doesnt just appear, but is
manipulated to take ones own or
anothers life. The author takes into
account his belief in an afterlife,
suggesting that after death, death itself
dies because man cannot die again in the
afterlife.
Connection: The poem draws into question
the power of the supernatural and
abstract.
Potential R/W: Students can analyze the
wording of the poem and language in
Donnes questioning of Death. They could
write their own poetry about abstract or
supernatural things.
Instruction: Students will discuss and
analyze the power of the abstract and
supernatural over mankind, debating
where power is stronger or weaker. Can
man control the abstract or is such power
an allusion? Students will write a poem or
essay describing the power (or lack
thereof) about an abstract noun of their
choosing.
Summary: The poem describes the pride of
an African American woman in the face of
prejudice and ridicule.
Connection: The poem discusses the use
of language to assert or fight the assertion
of power over an individual. The poem also
touches on bullying and standing up for
oneself in the face of abuse.
Potential R/W: Students can analyze
3. O Me! O
Life!
Walt Whitman
(1892)
4.
Redemptio
n
George
Herbert
5. First
Day at
School
Roger
McGough
Novel
3. The
Mongoose
The Brothers
Grimm (2010)
1. Queen of
the Toilet
Bowl
Frieda
Wishinsky
(2005)
Drama
2. The
Pearl
John
Steinbeck
(1992)
3.
Shizukos
Daughter
Kyoko Mori
(1994)
1.Escape to
Freedom
Ossie Davis
(1990)
right.
Summary: A man and woman trapped in
poverty suddenly discover a large pearl
that attracts the interest, attention, and
hostility of everyone around them.
Connection: The struggle of gaining and
maintaining power amidst other powers.
Potential R/W: Steinbeck reveals in his
short little novel the power of language to
reveal torment and heartbreaking
situations in life (especially regarding
poverty) through diction and story.
Instruction: Students will discuss the
influence power of wealth has on a person,
and whether some powers actually are
powers, or are simply allusions of power.
Summary: Yukis mother commits suicide
due to an unhappy marriage and no more
than a year later her father remarries his
secret mistress of eight years. Yuki and her
new stepmother struggle to have power
over one another using Yukis mother as
the chess piece, the stepmother
attempting to subdue and erase the
mother, Yuki attempting to revive and
amplify her absence.
Connection: The power struggle between
family that does not quite agree and
childrens attempts to hold on to memories
and traditions of missing loved ones. This
story emphasizes power dynamics in
culture and family.
Potential R/W: Students will read the novel
analyzing the authors use of language to
reveal power dynamics between
stepmother and daughter. Students will
write a short piece discussing a situation
of power they experienced in their own
homes.
Summary: A play about the life of Frederick
Douglass growing up as a slave and
striving to gain his freedom by becoming
educated.
Connection: The play discusses the power
of education on an individually, making
2. The
Complete
Works of
William
Shakespear
e
(abridged)
[revised]
Adam Long,
Daniel Singer,
Jess Winfield
(2001)
3. Tragedy
of Macbeth
[abridged]
William
Shakespeare
& Nashwan
Alhemyari
1.
Wangaris
Trees of
Peace
Jeanette
Winter (2008)
2. Horton
Hears a
Who
Dr. Seuss
(1982)
3. Yertle
the Turtle
Dr. Seuss
(2004)
Non
Fiction
1. Eats,
Shoots &
Leaves
Lynne Truss
(2006)
2. The
Diary of a
Young Girl
Anne Frank
(1993)
Art
3. Power
Quotes
BrainyQuote.c
om
1. I Judge
you When
You Use
Poor
Grammar
Sharon Eliza
Nichols (2009)
2.
Freedom
Leads the
People
Eugene
Delacroix
(1813)
3. The
Francisco
Media/
CE
1. How to
Understand
Power
Weird Al
Yankovic (July
15, 2014)
alyankovicVEV
O [YouTube]
3. Our
Husa Bat
Words Have
a Big
Impact
4. Power
of Social
Media
InfoCare SMM
(June 30,
2011)
[YouTube]
5. Dead
Poets
Society
Godfried
IJsseling
(December
16, 2012)
[Youtube]