Cultural Criticism analyzes cultural artifacts like texts, images, or media to understand how aspects of culture like race, class, gender, or sexuality influence interpretation. This document provides guidance to students on applying Cultural Criticism to analyze a poem called "Speaking with Hands." It instructs students to read the poem, underline key ideas, and generate literal, interpretive, and universal questions about the poem in their journals. They are then asked to discuss the poem in groups through the lens of Cultural Criticism and write a response analyzing how this perspective helps interpret the work.

1. SPRINGBOARD
SENIOR ENGLISH
Activity 1.16- What is Cultural Criticism?

2. Do Now
 On page 49, read the description of Cultural
Criticism.
 Underline the sentence you think best sums
up or expresses what Cultural Criticism is.
 Write your own definition of Cultural Criticism
into your Journal
 Get into your groups:
 In your group, analyze your statement. Underline
the important words? Put the statement into your
own words- share out.

3. In your group, discuss, and then send
someone to add your ideas…
What is
CULTURE?
Definition
? Elements?
While you are waiting, copy the definitions of marginalize, dominant, and subordinate
into your Vocabulary section of your journal. Page 50

4. Learning Targets
 Analyze an image by applying the elements of
Cultural Criticism
 Explain how the assumptions of Cultural
Criticism are used to analyze a poem for
meaning
Page 50

5. What might influence someone’s perception or interpretation of this
photo?
How would someone interpret this image using Cultural Criticism?
Discuss with your group, then write your own interpretation in your
JOURNAL.
Page 50

6. Applying Cultural Criticism to a
text
 Listen while I read the poem on page 51-52
 Mark the text using metacognitive markers
 ? For confusion
 ! For connections/reactions
 * for comments
 Underline key ideas
 Read the poem silently to yourself, creating one question for
each level (page 52)- IN JOURNAL
 Literal (ex. What is the name of the neighborhood in which the
narrator’s family lives?)
 Interpretive (ex. Why did mama make her children stand around
as she argued with the store owner?)
 Universal (ex. Does speaking English marginalize people?)
 Share and discuss your questions with the group

7. Exit Slip or Homework
 Write a response to the poem “Speaking with
Hands” using the Cultural Criticism lens
 Prompt is on page 52 – “How does examining
“Speaking with Hands” through the lens or
perspective of Cultural Criticism help you interpret
the poem?”
 Include a clear topic sentence that addresses the
prompt
 Develop your ideas with examples
 Organize ideas clearly
 Provide a concluding statement
 HAND IN ONLINE (Google Classroom)