Reading Activities (compiled by Ofa Fotu) |During Reading|After Reading| Before Reading Connections Black Panthers . Dir. Agnes Varda. 1968. Videocassette. This is a movie about the Black Panthers. It is thirty minutes long. It looks specifically at the Black Panther's rally to free their leader, Huey P. Newton. It includes history overview of the events in the later sixties and has a number of first account interviews with party members and one interview with Newton in jail. There are also interviews of white policemen and shooters at a shooting range. There is also some documentary and further overview of black civil rights leaders of the late sixties. This movie would set the stage for the many sentiments and themes that happen in the book. It is good also to give viewers a relation to what the setting is near the beginning of the book.   “From Swastika to Jim Crow: Black-Jewish Relations.” Public Broadcasting Station. 27 Jan. 2008 < http://www.pbs.org/itvs/fromswastikatojimcrow/relations.html > This is a webpage by PBS discussing the relationship between Jews and Blacks. It shows how they had a common sympathy for the other's plight even if it was indirectly. They shared the same minority status. The Presbyterian White majority hated them both and they were socially and sometimes economically isolated. This is a direct concept addressed in the book and knowing this relationship would explain more fully the social tensions between the different nationalities in the novel.   Fotu, Ofa. “Minority Activity.” Provo, UT. 27 Jan. 2008. This activity is that on the designated day of class when kids are coming in and sitting down, the teacher picks a student to wear a hat. None of the other kids should be wearing a hat. The hat that the chosen student wears should be very noticeable. Throughout the day the student will wear this hat without mention of why. The teacher may mention the hat now and again when referring to the student. Halfway through the day, of what would otherwise be a normal day, teacher ties in the hat to the feelings of being and interacting with a minority. Students may not realize how they act towards a type of minority in their midst and this activity should be an example of different reactions from both the other students without the hat and from the student with the hat. This ties into the feelings that Ruth feels in every community she enters as a child.   Fotu, Ofa. “Unrelating Role Model Essay.” Provo, UT. 27 Jan. 2008. This essay assigns different types of people all around the world to different students. The students will write in the voice of their assignment about the way they (the students) feel about death (or some big life issue). The voice should be in their assigned world person view, but the principles and basic beliefs should still be the students. The point of this activity is to make the students try to reconcile their own beliefs in a character with which they are unable to relate. It should be hard and it should be a stretch for most students to complete. The tie-in is that it shows how so many cultures can exist in one country and yet so often the general idea is that everybody has the same beliefs when really, different people relate differently to many major issues. James and siblings notice this in how they are treated by white people, how the media represents America, and by their Christian faith. They don't relate to white sentiments and white gods and some struggle with that distance from a relatable roll model.   Glaeser, Ed. “Ghettos: The Consequences of Ethnic Isolation.” Regional Review. Spring 1997. 27 Jan. 2008. < http://www.bos.frb.org/economic/nerr/rr1997/spring/glsr97_2.htm > This Article expounds on how and why different ghettos often have usually one very dominant race. It specifies on the African-American example in the eastern United States. It provides statistics of ethnicities and poverty correlations in major cities in the east. This kind of segregation (connecting poverty to ethnicity and then to geography) is also compared across the charts with other ethnicities. The site provides some history on American ghettos throughout American History. This would be great for better understanding the physical setting of the novel.   Healey, Joseph F. and Eileen O'Brien. Race, Ethnicity, and Gender: Selected Readings . Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press, August 2007. This book talks about the identity of the mixed races. It has some great insights in one specific passage about “mulattos” about the progression of how the nation views the mixed races. Written by a man of mixed race, the passage also expresses feelings of a mixed person in a society that only provides five-box bubble sheet to explain ethnicity. “Mulatto” is the middle ground that James and his siblings are identified with to other characters in some instances of the book. This passage better describes that feeling of being in between two definites and dealing with that identity.   HDHU Collection – Anti-Semitism. Suffolk Center of the Holocaust, Diversity & Human Understanding. 27 Jan. 2008 < http://depthome.sunysuffolk.edu/Library/HDHU/collection.asp >This webpage is about Anti-Semitism in Europe and the United states during the early twentieth century. Specific visuals such as cartoons from both hemispheres further display the sentiments against the Jewish community. The cartoons and sentiments are from the early twentieth century and show how people would be disrespectful of other people based on a nationality or a religious belief. Ruth had to deal with these ideas against her and then later, how the cartoons disrespected all of her loved ones.   The History of Jim Crow. New York Life. 27 Jan. 2008. < http://www.jimcrowhistory.org/ > This is a website devoted to teaching about the history of the Jim Crow laws. It is based on American history from 1870 through the 1950's. It has television resources that lead to information on a PBS series “The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow”. This site has a geographic section that emphasizes on where the Crow laws were enforced and where major events against human rights as pertaining to the Crow laws took place. There is an American Literature section that sites further reading into the subject such as Alice Walker's The Color Purple . The Historic section of this website provides an overview of the events leading up to and taking place because of the Jim Crow laws. This is another setting link to better understand what America Ruth was growing up in. These laws explain why she and her husband had to be so careful near the beginning of their relationship.   Jim Crow: Museum of Racist Memorabilia. Ferris State University. 27 Jan. 2008 < http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/cartoons/homepage.htm > This is an online museum of examples of racist cartoons from twentieth century United States. There are videos as well. All this material displays what was once common and acceptable to portray: a race in a debasing manner. This page and area of the museum is specific to black racism. More setting links to understand what Ruth had to deal with on top of anti-Semitism. It also shows out of which time was Ruth raising her babies.   Walker, Alice. “Everyday Use.” 27 Jan. 2008 < http://www.bownet.org/jmcdermott/everyday_use__by_alice_walker.htm > This site is the short story “Everyday use”. It is a story that explores heritage and identity of African Americans and more specifically the identity of descendents of Black slaves. Two twin sisters take the different approaches. While the one quiet and more obedient sister understands her heritage on a more personal level, her twin only adopts a stereotypical heritage based on a popular political cause. The second twin only experiences her heritage through the civil rights movement and through understanding heirlooms as art. The shy sister recognizes the individuals that made or used the heirlooms as she identifies with them as a descendent of specifically them and not an all-encompassing “black heritage”. This is a poem with an emphasis on heritage. James's book is entirely on discovering that heritage. He has very different heritage's to choose from and he believes both to be important. Also, throughout the 1960's there was a great amount of value based on heritage because of the human rights movements. McBride's whole family had to decide on what aspect of their heritage they were going to emphasize.   During Reading Connections   Agard, John. “Half Caste.” Intermix. 4 Feb. 2008 < http://www.intermix.org.uk/poetry/poetry_01_agard.asp > This poem expresses the ideas of being a hybrid of different, perhaps conflicting cultures. The speaker rejects any other persons definition on his identity and shows how he actively seeks and defines him self to an extent. This poem reiterates in another medium how James feels in the novel. The students will read this poem and draw similar themes of disconnection and frustration that are apparent in the same themes of hybridism as both authors straddle the identities of very different cultures.   “College Costs.” College Zone. 4 Feb. 2008. < http://www.collegezone.com/parentzone/615_4387.htm > This page provides the costs for many colleges in Eastern United States. These colleges are what James McBride's family may have attended. Students can better understand the success level that the McBride family reached and then they can note the success of Ruth as a mother that could raise children to achieve the listed colleges with out any of the tuition to back them up.   Fish, Stanley. “Reverse Racism: Or How the Pot Got to Call the Kettle Black.” Atlantic Monthly . November 1993. 4 Feb. 2008 < http://aad.english.ucsb.edu/docs/fish.discrim.rever.html > This article presents the racism from whites to blacks and from blacks to whites. It shows how the reverse racism ideas started being voiced more audibly in a public sense. It also draws many connections from the past to a more contemporary date. Students would read this article to understand dynamics and attitudes presented in the novel.   Fotu, Ofa. “Working Mom Activity.” Provo, UT. 4 Feb. 2008. This is an activity centered on Ruth's responsibilities as a mother and caregiver of twelve other people. The activity is that several characters will be assigned to several students and students are given a budget and a list of necessities. Students have to figure out what the characters could or couldn't afford. It could be a more relaxing day that is spent as playing characters and making rounds around the class room “buying and selling” products. The products could be candy but could represent something like a college education.   Fotu, Ofa. “Dots: The Lost Identity.” Provo, UT. 4 Feb. 2008. For this activity the teacher would pass out blue and red stickers. To a minority of the students (pun completely intended) give various colors of purple stickers. Then ask the class to divide into blue and red stickers to do different activities that are planned in another regular lesson. The red and blue stickers should experience very different tasks. The interesting part of this lesson is to which color the purple sticker students will be drawn. The point of this activity is for the students with the purple stickers to be obviously unsure of what they were suppose to do or which group to be apart of. This activity is very connected to the Part II of this “Dot” series.   Fotu, Ofa. “Dots: Privileged.” Provo, UT. 4 Feb. 2008. With the students continuing to have their blue, red, or purple stickers, hold a Jeopardy game show where answers are specific to the activities that either blue or red participated in. During one section of activities have the purple students gather as a group and participate in both red's and blue's activities. Afterwards hold Jeopardy game asking specifically about the different activities with blue, red and purple as separate teams. Purple should do either the best or the worst. This could tie in to how because of their hybrid nature, the purple students were either apart of either activities or neither activities. Whatever the activities are, they should be centered on the themes of the middle ground of the racially hybrid individual. Discuss the entire situation with class.   Israel, Steve. “Death and Mourning: Death and Life Questions.” Jewish Zionist Education. 4 Feb. 2008 < http://www.jafi.org.il/education/lifecycle/jewishlc/07-8.html > This page explains more about Jewish traditions concerning Kaddish. This insight will help explain the severity that her family disowned Ruth. To better understand the decisions her family made earlier in her life, students will need some basic understandings of Jewish Tradition. This page provides the basic understanding and allows students to draw conclusions of characters' relationships to each other by what rituals they performed for each other.   “ Race of Wife by Race of Husband: 1960, 1970, 1980, 1991, and 1992.” U.S. Bureau of the Census. 10 June 1998. 4 Feb. 2008. < http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/race/interractab1.txt > These are the statistics and full numbers of the interracial marriages. This page provides the statistic differences between the same-race-marriages and interracial marriages and of what races. This page is a great during connection for the kids to understand how out of the ordinary Ruth was being when she married Dennis. The kids can draw different conclusions by the suggested information on this page. Many of those conclusions should be connections to the novel.   Thompson, Alexx. “I Am.” Intermix. 4 Feb. 2008 < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zztSzaQNjY > This is a recording of a reading of the poem by Thompson. It is about being racially mixed in heritage. It furthers the ideas that James McBride states through his characters in his novel. Students would listen to the reading and point out the similar themes. They may analyze the defiant attitude and the comfortable feeling of uncertainty that both authors settle into in the ending tone of both their work.   Wise, Tim. “Honky Wanna Cracker? A Look at the Myth of Reverse Racism.” ZNET Daily Commentaries . 24 June 2002. 4 Feb. 2008 < http://www.zmag.org/Sustainers/content/2002-06/24wise.cfm > This is a written speech or performance about reverse racism. The article does not merit the existence of reverse racism. It instead compares the severity of the racial slurs between the black racial slurs and those of white reference. It presents many interesting ideas of how the two races interact, but the main purpose of the speech is for its ability to excite conversation and discussion. It presents many seemingly logical ideas and the students would have to weed through this work to decide what they will and won't believe. Racism from both sides of the black and white relationship are major themes in the novel and students can draw the connections and feelings from this speech into the same ideas the author presents in the form of characters or situations in his novel.   After Reading Connections   Fotu, Ofa. “Don't Live Up to Profiling Activity.” Provo, UT. 11 Feb. 2008. At the beginning of class split the kids arbitrarily. Maybe take all the kids wearing blue that day and allow them the rights to get a drink when they need to. Announce to the rest of the class that their rights to go to the bathroom, get a drink, sharpen pencils, participate in class discussions has been revoked. See how long this lasts. Someone should speak out, if not, up the intensity. As soon as someone speaks out, have a discussion on how you as a teacher profiled a certain group and privileged them (this game could also be played in the reverse – the chosen kids get their rights revoked). Point out how someone spoke out; show how they stood up against the profiling. Make parallels between the classroom example and real life profiling. Draw from the book.   Fotu, Ofa. “Journal Entry.” Provo, UT. 11 Feb. 2008. Students will keep a journal throughout their reading of this novel and will chose ten entries to revise and expound on to put into an autobiographical story of their own.   Fotu, Ofa. “Parents.” Provo, UT. 11 Feb. 2008. Students will write a journal entry based on a parent's experience. This should be an essay that parallels one of their own journal entry experiences on the same topic. This furthers the idea of parents as a source of identity.   Fotu, Ofa. “Put Your Foot Down Activity.” Provo, UT. 11 Feb. 2008. When the class comes in start giving them standards against their right to communicate. Tell them first that they cannot talk to each other. The policy is no acceptations. Tell them they may not look around the room. They may not raise their hands. At some point a student should speak out against what your rules are. When they do, have a discussion on the moral border or when something is too much. The lesson is for students to find a set of morals that they are consistent with. When to say no. Tie this into how huge powers like the Nazis came into power. Tie it in to Ruth changing religions to a situation or moral border that coincided with hers.   Fotu, Ofa. “Roots.” Provo, UT. 11 Feb. 2008. Students interview parents and grandparents to find their cultural originations. They should trace their cultural identities back to American immigration on one side of the family.   Grant, Neva. “Helping Dropouts Break the Cycle of Poverty”. March 27, 2006. Feb. 25, 2008. < http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5300726 > This is an NPR article on how education is the key factor in breaking the cycle of poverty. Students will read this article and compare how the author also displayed these sentiments within his novel. Take special note on the miniature autobiographies of his siblings in the final chapter.   Jang, Margaret. “Finding Your Identity.” Feb. 25, 2008. < http://stason.org/articles/wellbeing/spiritual-poetry/Finding-Your-Identity.html > - This poem on identity exemplifies the struggle many people have when coming to terms with their upbringing and their culture and their personality. The poem shows many of the same themes as seen in the novel.   King, Martin Jr. “I Have a Dream.” Feb. 25, 2008. < http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm > Take main points from this speech on the goals of Martin Luther King Jr.'s campaign without revealing who wrote it. Ask the students to make a list and to write down how far culturally we have come as an American people to fulfilling those goals. Read the speech as a whole.   Niemoller, Martin. “First They Came for the Jews.” <http://www.telisphere.com/~cearley/sean/camps/first.html> - This poem best displays how everybody in one way or another is a minority and how exclusion or isolation is not an option in how we treat each other. This poem shows that these attitudes only break down the society as a whole and it emphasizes the golden rule to students. Students will read this poem and draw the similar conclusion between major themes in this poem and in “The Color of Water”.   Poetri. “I'm Dating Myself.” Feb. 25, 2008. < http://youtube.com/watch?v=UFhFaRKVpTY > This is a video on the hip-hop poet, Poetri, reciting a poem he wrote about identity and self worth. Students would watch and listen to this and compare the similar attitudes Poetri has with how the author found his identity and came to terms with his mixed emotions on self worth. This poem reinforces the themes from “The Color of Water” about finding identity and a contentment in self.