UNIT:
Lesson: 13
Text Title
“Hair” by Elizabeth Acevedo
Main Idea
In the poem “Hair,” Elizabeth Acevedo expresses her pride in her culture using hair as an extended metaphor. She uses the symbolism of hair texture to define the cultural juxtaposition of heritage and assimilation in lines like, “And by “fix,” she means straighten. She means whiten.” Throughout the poem Acevedo highlights the conflicting views of the evidence of being Afro-Latina in lines like “You call them wild curls. I call them breathing.” The poem concludes affirming her curly hair, in fact, is a “reclamation” of pride in being both Dominican and African American and it is a pride she will pass on to her lineage.
Essential Question
The unit essential questions developed in this lesson are:
- How can one’s sense of self be developed through poetry/art?
- What does it mean to be empowered by words?
Content Objective
By engaging in this lesson, students will know/understand that…
- Comparing two texts (poems) from different authors, different time periods and different cultures can result in similarities as well as differences. Students will understand cultural characteristics help to illuminate unique differences. Those differences represent diversity that adds to our communities and is to be celebrated.
Literacy Objective
By engaging in this lesson, students will strengthen their ability to…
- Compare and Contrast elements within two poems and make personal connections.
Standards Alignment
- Compare and contrast the structure of two or more related works of literature (e.g., similar topic or theme), and analyze and evaluate how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style. (8.RL.3.1)
