Salwa Sadiq

Lesson Title Cultural Connotation & Human Insight

Course English II Honors: American Literature
Grade 10 - Sophomore Duration 64 Minutes

Lesson Rationale
Learning Goals and Focus:
This lesson focuses on making sure students can notice and explain the function of connotation
in poetry. Students will look again at Pat Mora’s “Sonrisas,” a poem they have previously
analyzed, to notice how connotation helped them understand the meaning of the poem.
We will take this lesson to review figurative language terms (with a focus on allusion) and see
how they tap into the readers’ emotions and reference cultural topics. We will then apply this
to Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb” in small groups.

Lesson Objectives:
SWBAT explain the emotional and cultural connotations of Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We
Climb” by annotating the poem’s figurative language in small groups.

Learning Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative
and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a
formal or informal tone).

Essential Questions:
How does emotional and cultural connotation enhance the meaning of a poem?

Connection to cultural, personal, and/or academic background:

This lesson contains the poem, “Sonrisas,” a poem which many students relate to culturally
and linguistically. Students will also look at “The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman, whose
recitation became a key, current, and cultural moment.

Formative Assessment Strategies: Defining, Oral Questioning, Noticing

Time Learning Activities Assessing & Advancing

(min) Questions
10 Song & Spotlight Question
20 (5min) Review: Terms Assessing
- FL What are the FL in first
Alliteration, assonance, consonance, stanza?
metaphor, simile, personification, tone, What are the FL in the
Salwa Sadiq

allusion second stanza?

- Connotation: Emotional & Cultural
[We do] Review: Connotation in “Sonrisas”
- FL: alliteration, consonance, assonance
How does it develop the tone?
Stanza one: positive or negative
connotations?
Stanza two: positive or negative
connotations?
How does the speaker feel about each
room?
- Cultural meaning
What cultural/societal issue is brought up?
What is a theme? (immigration, cultural
assimilation)
Assessing
The poem is titled
“Sonrisas.” Is there
happiness in this poem?
How are the connotations
different in both stanzas?
- Connotation. Hidden,
underlying emotions.
Who looked up Pat Mora?

Transition
The poem on the test is going to be similar in
that you have to dig deep to find:
1) true emotions (not just the ones on top)
2) cultural significance/societal issue.

20-30 [You do] “The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Advancing

Gorman
1. Whole class: Listen to poem
2. Small Group Activity
- Each group annotates one stanza
3. Debrief: Spokesperson summarize/Talk
through your findings
Where do you see
alliteration, consonance, or
assonance?
What is the effect of those
sounds? / what does it reveal
about the speaker’s attitude
toward the subject?

Advancing
Which allusions appear in
the poem?

What societal issues are

coming up?