Description
Have your students closely analyze the short story “Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes, a Harlem Renaissance legend whose writing captures themes of character, empathy, and personal growth. This lesson places a strong emphasis on methods of characterization, making it an excellent choice for teaching how authors reveal characters through actions, dialogue, and interactions.
Students explore both direct and indirect characterization, as well as the distinction between static and dynamic characters, while practicing logical inference and citing textual evidence. Through guided analysis, students examine how Hughes develops character relationships and conveys deeper meaning through point of view and theme.
The lesson begins with a before-reading anticipation activity designed to activate prior knowledge and spark curiosity. Students then work with academic vocabulary using a graphic organizer before reading the story. During reading, students complete reading comprehension questions and a three-part characterization analysis that requires them to support their interpretations with evidence from the text. After reading, students respond to questions that focus on point of view, theme, and personal reactions, encouraging reflection and discussion.
This resource includes both a PDF version of the lesson and an editable Word document, allowing teachers to customize materials as needed. Complete answer keys are provided to support instruction and assessment.
The lesson aligns with standards that emphasize close reading, textual evidence, analysis of character and point of view, and interpretation of word choice and tone. It works well for middle school or high school ELA and serves as a strong foundation for deeper discussions of character development and moral decision-making.
Note: The title may also appear as “Thank You, Ma’m,” “Thank You, Maam,” or “Thank You, Mam.”