by Susan Barber
Nikki Giovanni is one of my favorite poets: she has stood the test of time, speaks truth, and continues to teach at Virginia Tech today. I love the way she plays with words and images and makes the abstract and sometimes difficult topic accessible and inviting. Today’s poem, “BLK History Month”, was published in 2002 but speaks to ideas that are relevant today.
Encourage students to:
1. Take a piece of paper and fold it in half. Fold it in half again until the paper is divided into four squares.
2. Read the poem aloud. “BLK History Month”
3. Illustrate the three images Giovanni uses to draw a parallel to Black History Month and write what you consider to be the most important words associated with each image in the same square.
4. In the fourth square, respond to any of the following questions:
What acts toward social justice can you do to “carry seeds . . . dampen the ground . . . encourage the seeds to root . . . warm the earth . . . kiss the seedlings?”
Does the way we choose to live each day tell others: “You’re As Good As Anybody Else / You’ve Got A Place Here, Too?”
Further Reading:
Susan Barber is an English teacher at Grady High School in Atlanta, GA. You can find her on Twitter and IG or sharing what’s happening in her classroom on APLitHelp.com.
Encourage students to:
1. Take a piece of paper and fold it in half. Fold it in half again until the paper is divided into four squares.
2. Read the poem aloud. “BLK History Month”
3. Illustrate the three images Giovanni uses to draw a parallel to Black History Month and write what you consider to be the most important words associated with each image in the same square.
4. In the fourth square, respond to any of the following questions:
- What do you notice about the words you chose as the most important? What connections can you make between these words and Black History Month?
- How does Giovanni’s choice to use the word “not” throughout this poem strengthen the message?
- How does the work of the wind, the rain, and the sun build on each other? What is the relationship between them?
What acts toward social justice can you do to “carry seeds . . . dampen the ground . . . encourage the seeds to root . . . warm the earth . . . kiss the seedlings?”
Does the way we choose to live each day tell others: “You’re As Good As Anybody Else / You’ve Got A Place Here, Too?”
Further Reading:
Susan Barber is an English teacher at Grady High School in Atlanta, GA. You can find her on Twitter and IG or sharing what’s happening in her classroom on APLitHelp.com.
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