Suggested Pacing: ~ 12 minutes

Directions:

 Divide the class into pairs using an established classroom routine.

 Tell students, “Working with your partner, complete the TP-CASTT for "Mother
to Son," by Langston Hughes.”
 Have students work in partners to fill out the TP-CASTTs.

Guiding Questions and Prompts:

 Use this time to work individually with students or pull together small groups of
students to conduct a writing or grammar mini-lesson. This can also be done
as a whole class if additional writing support is needed for all students.
Choose an approach that matches the level of support your students need.
Possible approaches for mini-lessons:
o Engage in shared writing
o Model using student examplesor mentor texts
o Revise a portion of writing together focused on a specific skill
o Consult the ELA Guidebook Grammar Guide and
theWriteAlong lessons to target a skill or concept

Student Look-Fors:

 Access a completed TP-CASTT for "Mother to Son," by Langston Hughes

under the Additional Materials tab.

Suggested Pacing: ~ 5 minutes

Directions:

 Lead students through a class discussion to help them understand the first
sentence of the poem.

Guiding Questions and Prompts:

 Who is the poet speaking to?

 Who is the speaker?

 What does the poet mean by, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair”?
 What does the poet mean by, “It’s had tacks in it”?
 What is the poet describing when he says, “Bare.”?
 What is the poet describing in this sentence?
 As needed during the discussion, model how to use the stems:
o “What evidence do have to support your ideas?”
o “Who agrees/disagrees with what X said? Why?”
o “Y, please rephrase what X said.”
o “Who can add to what X said?”
 Reference the Accountable Talk Handout and/or 6-8 Conversation Stems
Student Look-Fors:

 Students should understand that the narrator of this poem is a mother and
she is speaking to her son. She compares his life to climbing a staircase and
uses figurative language to describe the struggles she has endured on her
“climb.” An example of struggles can be seen with her use of the
word/description “it’s had tacks in it.” This sentence is describing the difficult
climb the mother has endured throughout her life and some of the challenges
she has stepped over along the way.
 Students should understand that the poet is using figurative language to
describe the challenges and difficulties she has had in her life.
 Students should be using accountable talk during the whole class discussion.

Suggested Pacing: ~ 5 minutes

Directions:

 Lead students through a class discussion to help them understand the second
sentence of the poem.

Guiding Questions and Prompts:

 What was “I’se” mean?

 What does the poet mean by, “”I’se been a-climbin on”?
 What is the symbolism in, “And reachin’ landin’s and turnin’ corners”?
 The narrator speaks of dark times. What is meant by “dark times”?
 What is the poet describing in this sentence?
 When life is challenging, does the narrator give up? How do you
know? What words tell you that answer?
 As needed during the discussion, model how to use the stems:
o “What evidence do have to support your ideas?”
o “Who agrees/disagrees with what X said? Why?”
o “Y, please rephrase what X said.”
o “Who can add to what X said?”
 Reference the Accountable Talk Handout and/or 6-8 Conversation Stems

Student Look-Fors:

 Students should understand that “I’se” means “I have been” in vernacular

English, which might imply that the narrator is not well educated. The narrator
also uses symbolism in “And reachin’ landin’s and turnin’ corners,” to describe
the times she has reached different points in her life where she wasn’t
struggling as much, or where she thought she had “made it,” yet the stairs
were still there for her to climb - she hadn’t yet reached the top. The narrator
does not give up on her climb no matter the challenges she endures. She
describes more of these challenges as “goin’ in the dark.”
 Students should understand that the poet is using figurative language to
describe the times she has triumphed in her life, even though it wasn’t ever
easy.
 Students should be using accountable talk during the whole class discussion.
 uggested Pacing: ~ 5 minutes

Directions:

 Lead students through a class discussion to help them

understand the final sentence of the poem.

Guiding Questions and Prompts:

 What advice is the narrator offering? What words in this

stanza of the poem provide you the answer?
 What does the narrator intend to do? How do you know?
 Why does the poet repeat, “And life for me ain’t been no
crystal stair.”? What is the significance of this metaphor?
 As needed during the discussion, model how to use the
stems:
o “What evidence do have to support your ideas?”
o “Who agrees/disagrees with what X said? Why?”
o “Y, please rephrase what X said.”
o “Who can add to what X said?”
 Reference the Accountable Talk Handout and/or 6-8
Conversation Stems

Student Look-Fors:

 Students should understand that the poet is using figurative

language to encourage her son not to give up and to keep
reaching for success, even when it isn’t easy. She says things
like, “don’t you turn back,” and “don’t you set down on the
steps.” Also, “don’t you fall now-” to describe the way she
encourages her son. Not only is the narrator encouraging her
son to not give up, she intends to keep climbing herself too,
even though her life has not been easy.
 Students should be using accountable talk during the whole
class discussion.
 Students should understand that.


Teaching notes

Suggested Pacing: ~ 5 minutes

Directions:

 Tell students, “You have just completed a close reading of the

poem "Mother to Son", by Langston Hughes. In your Reading
Log: Choose another line from the poem and explain how it
contributes to theme of the poem.”
 If time allows, have students share their responses in
partners, groups, or as a whole class.
 Student can finish for homework if they do not have enough
time to complete task.

Guiding Questions and Prompts:

 Use this time to work individually with students or pull together

small groups of students to conduct a writing or grammar mini-
lesson. This can also be done as a whole class if additional
writing support is needed for all students. Choose an
approach that matches the level of support your students
need. Possible approaches for mini-lessons:
o Engage in shared writing
o Model using student examplesor mentor texts
o Revise a portion of writing together focused on a specific
skill
o Consult the ELA Guidebook Grammar Guide and
theWriteAlong lessons to target a skill or concept

Student Look-Fors:

 Sample student response:

The narrator is encouraging her son to keep “climbing”
through life until he reaches the top and success. She says,
“Don’t you fall now-” which means she wants him to keep his
focus and keep doing what he is doing to reach his success.
She says, “I’se still goin’, honey, I’se still climbin’,” which
means that she is “still going,” and he should be able to keep
 up too. The poem ends with, “And life for me ain’t been no
crystal stair.” This line is repeated at the end of the poem to
emphasize the imagery of the challenging “climb” that her life
has been. She intends to keep climbing as her journey is not
yet complete even though it is still a struggle.


Student Look-Fors:

 Sample student response:

The narrator is encouraging her son to keep “climbing” through life until he
reaches the top and success. She says, “Don’t you fall now-” which means
she wants him to keep his focus and keep doing what he is doing to reach his
success. She says, “I’se still goin’, honey, I’se still climbin’,” which means that
she is “still going,” and he should be able to keep up too. The poem ends with,
“And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” This line is repeated at the end of
the poem to emphasize the imagery of the challenging “climb” that her life has
been. She intends to keep climbing as her journey is not yet complete even
though it is still a struggle.

 Next