Home          About Lit in Colour          Read the report          Teachers          Students          Parents and supporters

The Hill We Climb

by Amanda Gorman

On 20 January 2021, Amanda Gorman spoke a message of truth and hope to millions.

Aged twenty-two, she delivered a poetry reading at the inauguration of US President Joe Biden. Her poem, 'The Hill We Climb', addressed the country and reached across the world: a call for a brave future.

This special edition, which includes an enduring foreword by Oprah Winfrey, marks that poem and offers us courage, consolation and the inspiration to make change.

'I was thrilled'

Hillary Clinton

'She spoke truth to power and embodied clear-eyed hope to a weary nation. She revealed us to ourselves'

Lin-Manuel Miranda, TIME

'I was profoundly moved... The power of your words blew me away'

Michelle Obama, TIME

Resources

• Age: Key Stage 3
• Subject: English Language
  
• Poetry: The Hill We Climb
  
• Author: Amanda Gorman

This resource activity pack gives KS3 students opportunities to engage with poetry, explore ideas around audience and performance, and build their communication skills. There are activities for reading, speaking and comprehension.

The activities in the resource pack are designed to be used alongside the video of  Amanda Gorman reading the poem at the inaugural ceremony and the PDF text version of the poem.

What's included in the resource pack?

• Amanda Gorman extract reading (YouTube video see below)
• Activities PowerPoint  (aimed towards KS3 students)
• The Hill We Climb Text PDF
• Workbook
• Resource Overview

How to use the pack

• Get your students to watch the inauguration video, before completing the corresponding powerpoint activities   
• Go through the activities in the workbook using the video and the PDF of the poem 
• Refer to the resource overview for more information