I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Introduction-Chapter 3

Reading Check

1. What kind of business did Momma run before she opened the Store?

2. Where does Uncle Willie hide?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Briefly describe the anecdote Angelou relays in the Introduction. Why does she begin the book with this scene?

2. What is the nature of Uncle Willie’s disability, and how did he acquire it?

Paired Resource

“Maya Angelou’s Childhood Places in Stamps, Arkansas”

• In this 3-minute video, Rebecca Beech explores Maya Angelou’s childhood town of Stamps, Arkansas. Escorted by the city’s mayor, Rebecca visits Angelou’s church and the home where Angelou grew up, among other sites.
• Stamps, Arkansas, was essential in creating Angelou’s Identity and a Sense (or lack thereof) of Belonging. For better or for worse, Stamps shaped the woman she eventually grew up to be.
• What strikes you about the sites Rebecca tours in this video? Does the church look as you expected?

Chapters 4-6

Reading Check

1. What does Angelou notice about Mr. McElroy that is unusual compared to other Black people in Stamps?

2.