A.
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Maya Angelou, author of the best-sellers
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
and
Gather Together In My Name
, and an original poetry collection
Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘fore I Diiie
, has studied dance in San Francisco and has toured Europe and Africa for the State Department in
Porgy and Bess
. She taught dance in Rome and Tel Aviv. In collaboration with Godfrey Cambridge, she produced, directed, and starred in
Cabaret for Freedom
. She also starred in Genet’s
The Blacks
at the St. Mark’s Playhouse. At the request of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Miss Angelou became the northern coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. From this she went to Africa, where she wrote for newspapers in Cairo and taught at the University of Ghana. She has written and produced a ten-part TV series on African tradition in American life and she wrote the musical score and original screenplay for the film
Georgia
,
Geog
ia. At this writing, Miss Angelou is working on another sequel to her autobiography.
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(
Random House
1974)
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B.
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What makes Miss Angelou different from the other writers in this unit?
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At what time was Maya Angelou involved in civil rights?
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C.
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Present a slide show to the class depicting scenes from the rural South that are comparable to the atmosphere of Stamps, Arkansas.
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D.
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Reading Assignment: Read aloud pp. 3-8 of
Gather Together in My Name
to the class. Have them read silently. Have class continue to read chps. 1Ð6 at this sitting.
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Discuss Rita and the Baby through chapter 10. Discuss the hardship of being a single parent from Rita’s standpoint.
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Assign chapters 11Ð14 for silent reading during another class sessions.
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Answer questions that students may have. Discuss character development. Read chapters 15Ð16 orally with class. Review chapters 1-16 to make sure students are following the plot successfully.
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The remaining half of the book should be assigned now. Only one day a week should be given to silent reading; the bulk of the remaining reading should be done outside of the classroom. At this time, divide class into five or six groups. Assign each group several chapters to report on orally. The group reporting for that day should sit before the class as a panel of experts. The group should take turns giving the plot development of the assigned chapters and should be able to respond to any questions that might arise.
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Tie everything together. Review character and plot development. Try to localize the changing settings. Discuss “hero” and “heroine” of book. Get students to discuss why the author wrote the book and the social significance of the book.
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E.
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How did Rita feel about people saying her baby could pass for white?
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Describe Rita’s relationship with Curly.
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Why didn’t Rita join the army?
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Where did Rita work as a nightclub dancer?
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Why did Rita return to Stamps, Arkansas?
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What happens to Rita’s baby?
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How did Bailey help Rita? Why was Rita worried about him?
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What did you think about Troub?
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After leaving Guy with her mother, where did Rita go at the end of the book?
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