African Folktale. Here is a list of activities you will work on as you learn more about African Folktale:

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1 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ African Folktale Story telling is an important part of many countries around the world. You have probably read a lot of stories. Some stories are true and others are fiction. What kind of stories do you like to read? In this section, you are going to learn a lot about African folktale which is a very important part of storytelling. Many writers have written books with stories that were passed down from generation to generation. Get ready to read, learn and do some fun activities! Here is a list of activities you will work on as you learn more about African Folktale: KWL Chart Reading Activity Listening Activity Writing Activity In your community 1

2 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ Look at the KWL Chart below. Think about what you already know about African Folktale. Write it down in the K column. What do you want to know about African Folktale? Write it down in the W column. KWL CHART What I know about African folktale K W L What I want to know about African folktale What I learned about African folktale 2

3 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ READING ACTIVITY Have you heard about Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, the Princess and the Frog? You have probably read the stories or watched the movies! How about Anansi the spider? Kalulu the hare? Gudo the baboon? If not, then you are in for a great adventure. Welcome to the world of African folktales! For centuries, Africans and their descendants have been telling stories about faraway lands and places. The stories always have animals that can talk. What is fascinating about these stories is that they have travelled from Africa to many parts of the world where Africans and descendants of Africans now live. The stories may have changed slightly but the characters and the messages and the way the stories are told is still the same. People whose ancestors came from Africa now live in countries such as Canada, the United States, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil, England, Portugal and many more. What is special about these folktales? 1. the stories are told orally and the people listening have to sing songs 2. the stories always include animals and nature 3. the stories teach a lesson about life 4. the stories do not always have a happily ever after ending Have you ever participated in such story telling? You are now going to read about a famous character in African Folktale: Anansi, the spider! Anansi is a spider that talks, walks, eats and behaves just like people do! 3

4 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ Anansi the Spider Who is Anansi? Anansi is a character who often takes the shape of a spider and is considered to be the spirit of all knowledge of stories. Even though he is a spider, he often acts and appears as a man in the stories. He is also one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean Folklore. The Anansi tales started in present-day Ghana and were first told by the Ashanti people. The word Ananse means "spider" in the Akan language. The stories later spread to other groups of the Akan and then to the West Indies, Suriname, and the Netherlands Antilles. Below are other names for Anansi in different countries around the world: Bru Nansi (Virgin Islands) Annancy or Anancy (Jamaica, Grenada, Costa Rica, Colombia, Nicaragua) Anansi (Trinidad and Tobago) Anansi Drew (The Bahamas) Aunt Nancy (South Carolina) Cha Nanzi (Aruba) Kompa Nanzi (Curaçao, Bonaire) Kwaku Anansi (Akanland) Ba Anansi (Suriname) His wife is known as Shi Maria Activity: We already know that Anansi the Spider is originally from West Africa but he is also found in folktales in the USA and the Caribbean. Below is a map of the world. Can you find, label and color West Africa, North America, and the Caribbean, the three regions where people tell the story of Anansi? 4

5 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ What does Anansi look like? Anansi is shown in many different ways. Sometimes he looks like an ordinary spider, sometimes he is a spider wearing clothes or with a human face and sometimes he looks much more like a human with spider elements, such as eight legs. Activity: Here are some images of Anansi the Spider. What are some of the differences and what things are the same in all three pictures? Write them down. 5

6 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ Watch an Anansi short animation! Do you know about the National Film Board of Canada? They make a lot of really cool short films and documentaries about things that matter to different Canadians and the different cultures they all come from. They even made a short film about Anansi as part of its Talespinners Collection. This is a collection of folktales from all over the world. Go online and copy this link to watch The Magic of Anansi: What do you think about Anansi? Can you write a short summary of what you watched? Use the space below to write your summary. 6

7 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ Read about Anansi Here are some stories about Anansi the spider that can be found at the Edmonton Public Library. Borrow one book and read it for yourself! 1. Anansi Goes Fishing 2. Anansi and the Talking Melon 3. Anansi s Party Time 4. Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock WRITING ACTIVITY: LET S PLAY A GAME! By now you will have read a story about Anansi the Spider. Here is a word puzzle from a story you can find online at the Edmonton Public Library called Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock. See if you can find all the words at the bottom! 7

8 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ 8

9 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ Other Animal Characters Here is a story about Black Snake from Liberia. You can click this link or you can read the story below: by Phillip Martin 1990 "My eggs!" cried Chicken. "One of my eggs is missing! Yesterday I had twelve eggs and today there are only eleven." As Chicken fled her nest to find Rooster, she had no idea that she was about to lose more eggs. Just out of view of the nest, the thief patiently waited for Chicken to leave her eggs again. Black Snake crept slowly and quietly up to the nest. He eyed the eggs and quickly swallowed one. Black Snake smiled to himself. His plan had been so simple and had worked so well. He swallowed another egg. It slid far down his long throat before his muscles crushed the fragile shell. "I'll be back later for another delicious egg, Chicken," hissed Black Snake as he slithered away. "Thank you for another fine meal." Meanwhile, the frantic chicken lead Rooster back to her nest. "Why would someone take one of my eggs?" she clucked. "Are you sure you counted correctly? Maybe you just thought you saw eleven eggs?" suggested Rooster. From the expression on Chicken's face, Rooster knew he shouldn't have asked that question. She glared at him and said, "You know I can count. See for yourself. How many eggs are in my nest?" 9

10 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ "One, two, three," began Rooster. He frowned and stopped counting out loud. "What's the matter now?" questioned Chicken. "Are you afraid to admit you're wrong?" "No, it's nothing like that at all," responded Rooster. "Something is very wrong here. There are only nine eggs." "What? Nine Eggs!" cried Chicken. "What is happening? Who would do this to me?" The next few days were just terrible for Chicken. She worried constantly about her remaining eggs. She tried to stay with her eggs at all times but it wasn't possible to always be with them. Sometimes she had to leave to get food or take care of her other chicks. No matter why she left, the same thing always happened. One or two eggs disappeared each time. "Someone is watching me very closely," cried the chicken. "He knows exactly where I am at each moment of the day. I only have three remaining eggs." "Although I cannot prove anything," comforted Rooster, "I think it must be Black Snake who is stealing your eggs. He's patient enough to watch you a long time, and we all know how he loves to eat eggs." Just the thought of Black Snake eating her eggs made Chicken shudder. She had heard stories of how he swallowed eggs and then crushed them further down his long slender neck. She knew Rooster was probably correct. "I must hurry back to my nest," declared Chicken, realizing how long she had talked to Rooster. She rushed to her eggs, but it was too late. Two more eggs had vanished. "Rooster!" she cried. "Come help me. I only have one egg left." Rooster came quickly. "You know, it is very likely that Black Snake will steal your last egg tomorrow," he warned. "Unless we are able to trap him, this will only continue every time you have eggs." "Yes, it's true," cried Chicken, "but what can we do? How can we possibly stop Black Snake?" "I have a plan," whispered Rooster. "I think we will not be bothered by him much longer." The next morning, Chicken continued guarding her last egg as if everything were normal. From a distance, Black Snake didn't realize that a deadly trap had been set for him. Chicken left her nest for only the shortest moment when Black Snake slithered out of hiding. In no time at all, he swallowed the final egg. It slid down his throat easily. But, 10

11 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ when his muscles squeezed the egg, it did not break. It only became firmly lodged in his throat cutting off his air supply. Black Snake twisted and turned trying to crush the egg or loosen it so he could breathe. By the time Chicken returned with Rooster, the struggle was over. Black Snake would steal no more eggs. He was dead. "I'm sure he died never knowing why that egg didn't crush," crowed Rooster. "How could he have known," clucked Chicken, "that the egg was hard boiled?" What is the moral of the story about Black Snake? What does it teach us? LISTENING ACTIVITY Listen to an elder tell a story. (Get a story teller to tell a story that includes animals, songs, and audience participation) Here is an example of a Zimbabwean folktale that you can watch on Youtube. -Who are the main characters in the story? -What do you think is the moral of this story? -What did you like about the way the story was told? 11

12 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ IN THE COMMUNITY Complete the table below by finding out information from the library, from your parents or elders in the community. Some book suggestions are given at the end of the table *suggestion is to provide actual titles and fill in some of the squares*. You can also google. The first one has been done for you as an example. Animal Story title Characteristics of the animal Baboon Baboon wants a Not very clever wife Spider Hare Lion Elephant Tortoise Crocodile Lesson I learned from this story Complete the L portion of the KWL chart. What did you learn about African folktale? Summary: Folktales are one of the ways that history is passed down the generations in African, Caribbean, African American and African Canadian communities. In fact, thanks to folktale characters like Anansi the Spider, we can see that the cultures in these parts of the world we have studied in this chapter are all closely related. Folktales are a fun way for us to learn lessons or morals that can help us every day. Lastly, folktales are great for bringing together all kinds of people in our community, young and old. Thinking Question - why is it important to write down African folktales in books? 12

13 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ REFERENCES 13

14 Afro- Quiz Study Materials (10-12)!"#$ The Underground Railroad Have you heard or read about the Underground Railway? Do you know what a railroad looks like right? If you don t, here is a picture. You might know this as a train track. The LRT here in Edmonton moves on a train track or a railroad. Today the train tracks on the Edmonton LRT lead to Clairview and to Century Park. There are many stops along the track and people get off at different stops. In this module you are going to learn about the Underground Railroad. It played a very important part in the history of the United States and Canada. Canada was the destination that many people hoped to get to. Many books have been written about the Underground Railroad and the people who worked on the Underground Railroad. Here is a list of activities you will work on as you learn about The Underground Railroad: KWL Chart Reading activity Listening activity In the community Writing activity Map Activity 1

15 Afro- Quiz Study Materials (10-12)!"#$ KWL CHART Let s start by completing the KWL chart below. Think about what you know about the Underground Railroad or what you think you know. It s ok if you have never heard of it and you do not know anything. Then think about what you want to know about the Underground Railroad. What I know about the Underground Railroad What I want to know about the Underground Railroad What I learned about the Underground Railroad 2

16 Afro- Quiz Study Materials (10-12)!"#$ READING ACTIVITY Many people have written stories about the Underground Railroad. It was not really a rail road with train tracks going underground. It was a series of places and people who helped slaves escape from slavery in the United States in the early 1800s. The term Underground Railroad started being used in 1830s, at the same time as railroad technology commenced. The Underground Railroad was a group of people who worked together to help slaves run away from slave states to free states and to Canada. People like Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Levi Coffin played a very important role in helping slaves escape from slavery in the Southern United States to come to the Northern States where they could be free. The slaves who were running away from slavery had to make long and dangerous journeys to get to freedom. They had to be careful not to get caught trying to escape. They had to rely on help from other people along the way especially in places they did not know. The Underground Railroad did not stop in the Northern states of the USA. It went even further north to Canada. The code of the Railroad Escaped slaves were referred to as: Passengers, Cargo, Package; and Freight The safe houses where the escaped slaves were delivered to along their journey (they were identified by lit candles in the windows or lanterns that were placed strategically in the front yard): Stations Depots The cities and towns where the stations were located: Terminals The people who helped slaves escape to freedom using the Underground Railway used their own special words to help. For example, people who guided the runaway slaves from one place to the next were called conductors. The places where runaway slaves could find food or could sleep during the night were called stations or safe houses. The people who hid slaves in their homes, in churches, or in their barns were called station masters. Many slaves running away wanted to get to Canada. There were other destinations that slaves running away went to. Some of them ended up in Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, South America, and cities in the North United States. 3

17 Afro- Quiz Study Materials (10-12)!"#$ Who were the key people involved in the Underground Railroad? Many stories have been written about the people who were involved in the Underground Railroad. The tables below contain some information on some of these famous people. Table 1- Harriet Tubman She was born in 1820 in Dorchester County, Maryland. Harriet Tubman was a slave who escaped in Known as Moses, she was a conductor. She was also known as Minty. She is one of the most important figures involved in the Underground Railroad. She made 19 trips to the Southern plantations of the United States. These 19 trips resulted in her leading around 300 slave to freedom. To the right and below are some titles of books written about Harriet Tubman and her story. 4

18 Afro- Quiz Study Materials (10-12)!"#$ Table 2- Levi Coffin and John Fairfield Levi Coffin He was born in 1798 in New Lawn, North Carolina. He is sometimes called the President of the Underground Railroad. His home was a station or safe house. It was known as Grand Central Station. The station helped almost 3000 slaves on their journey to freedom. Coffin later became a business man and sold only goods made with free labour. John Fairfield John was born in 1797 in Saco, York County, Maine. Even though he was raised in a family that had slaves, Fairfield became a conductor in the Underground Railroad. He would pretend to be a slave holder or a slave trader in order to help runaway slaves escape to freedom. 5

19 Afro- Quiz Study Materials (10-12)!"#$ Table 3- Frederick Douglass Mr. Frederick Douglass was born in Tuckahoe, Maryland in He is an ex-slave who escaped to the Northern United States as a young man. He became an activist and leader of the Underground Railroad in New York. Douglass wrote autobiographies (stories about himself) of his time as a slave and as a free man. He set a great example and gave hope to many. Frederick fought for civil rights and equality of all humans. To the right and below are some titles of books written about Frederick Douglass. 6

20 Afro- Quiz Study Materials (10-12)!"#$ And in Canada Reverend Josiah Henson played a very important role in the Underground Railroad in Canada. Josiah Henson was born in the United States and he worked there as a slave for 41 years. He managed to escape to Canada in 1830 using the Underground Railroad. When he got to Canada he built a settlement and a school for other slaves who had run away and come to Canada. Reverend Josiah Henson wrote an autobiography, a book about his life, in Another famous book that uses some information about his life called Uncle Tom s Cabin, was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Today you can visit Uncle Tom s Cabin Historic Site in Dresden, Ontario. Here are some book cover images of Uncle Tom s Cabin. See if you can find these in your local library

21 Afro- Quiz Study Materials (10-12)!"#$ LISTENING ACTIVITY Watch a video about the Underground Railway. The video is of Henry Cole reading his picture book called Unspoken: A story from the Underground Railroad. On the internet you can search for Henry Cole and Unspoken to find the video. Or you can follow this link Question: What happened in this story? IN THE COMMUNITY Go to your local library and look up a book on the Underground Railway. Ask the librarian to help you find one. Find out information that can help you answer the following question: 1. Why is the Underground Railway famous? WRITING ACTIVITY Below is an old map showing the Underground Railroad. Look carefully at the arrows that show where the slaves ran away from. The arrows also show where they went for safety. Answer these questions using the map. If you need help, ask your family members or even your tutor. 1. How many states were slave states? 2. How many states were free states? 8

22 Afro- Quiz Study Materials (10-12)!"#$ 3. Some slaves used the Underground Railroad to get to Canada. Look at the arrows on the map. Write down the names of three states that slaves who came to Canada escaped from. What have you learned about the Underground Railroad? Complete the last column of the KWL chart on page 2. 9

23 Afro- Quiz Study Materials (10-12)!"#$ REFERENCES

24 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ Featured Author: Nikki Grimes There are many good writers and storytellers in the world. In this section you will learn about one special writer called Nikki Grimes. You may have already heard of her. Don t worry if you haven t you will learn a lot about her in this module. Get ready to read, learn and do some fun activities! Here is a list of activities you will work on as you learn more about Ms. Grimes: KWL Chart Reading Activity Matching Activity Listening and Watching 1

25 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ Look at the KWL Chart below. What do you already know about Nikki Grimes? Write what you know in the column K. What do you want to know about her? Write down what you want to know about Nikki Grimes in the W column. KWL CHART What I know about Nikki Grimes K W L What I want to know about Nikki Grimes What I learned about Nikki Grimes 2

26 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ READING ACTIVITY Nikki Grimes was born on October 20, 1950 in Harlem, New York. She is a famous American author of children s books as well as books written for young adults. Nikki Grimes is also a poet and a journalist. Do you know what a journalist does? Use a dictionary such as to look up the word journalist. On the next page is a list of some of the books that Nikki Grimes has written. Look at the list and see if you have read any of these before. Put a check mark ü next to the title of a book you have read. If you haven t read any of her work, take a moment to think and guess what each book could be about. Borrow these from your local library and read them. After reading the books you can put a ü to show you have read work by Nikki Grimes. Write down what each book is about. Nikki Grimes Awards THE HORACE MANN UPSTANDERS AWARD IN 2011 FOR HER BOOK ALMOST ZERO: A DYAMONDE DANIEL BOOK NCTE AWARD IN 2006 FOR EXCELLENCE IN POETRY FOR CHILDREN THE CORETTA SCOTT KING AUTHOR AWARD IN 2003 IN 1993 SHE WAS THE NAACP IMAGE AWARD FINALIST FOR MALCOLM X: A FORCE FOR CHANGE. 3

27 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ Title Cover I have read it ü Meet Danitra Brown This book is about Rich: A Dyamonde Daniel Book Welcome Precious Oh, Brother 4

28 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ MATCHING ACTIVITY Here are some short summaries of some books written by Nikki Grimes. Can you guess which summary belongs to which book? Read each summary and then draw a line from that summary to the book you think the summary belongs to. The first one has been done for you as an example. Tisa hates Mondays because that's when she gets her long, thick, wild hair combed and braided, so she hides. But once Tisa's hair is done, she loves it so much that her mother can hardly tear her away from the mirror! Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman was always being told what she could and couldn't do. In an era when Jim Crow laws and segregation were a way of life, it was not easy to survive. Bessie didn't let that stop her. It's summer vacation, but Zuri Jackson isn't happy. What will she do all summer long in the city when her best friend, Danitra. Brown, the most splendiferous girl in town, is off to visit her family in the country? "When Daddy prays my fear of darkness disappears and angels tiptoe down the hall. In this collection of new poems by Nikki Grimes, a child learns about prayer from his father, whose prayers carry the family through each day -- no matter what the circumstances Jerilyn and Jesse have lost their beloved older brother. But each of them deals with Jaron's death differently. Jerilyn tries to keep it in and hold it together; Jesse acts out A humorous and wonderfully poetic story about Cecilia and her pet cat, Gorilla! "When Gorilla goes walking, the neighbors laugh and stare at her tailless rump and her very proud air. Gorilla is an affectionate, jealous, lovable cat who constantly wants to play with Cecilia. 5

29 Afro- Quiz Study Material (10-12)!"#$ LISTEN AND WATCH Watch a short video about what one girl thinks about the book Wild Wild Hair. Click on this link: Question what lesson did the girl narrating the video learn? Complete the L portion of the KWL chart. What did you learn about Nikki Grimes? 6

30 POETS AND POETRY Have you ever recited a poem or listened to someone read a poem? Poems are a form of art that poets use to communicate their thoughts and ideas. In this module you will get a chance to read some poems and learn about some famous North American poets. Here is a list of activities you will work on: KWL Chart Reading Activity Listening Activity In your community

31 KWL CHART Look at the KWL Chart below. What do you already know about Poets or Poetry? Write what you know in the column K. What do you want to know about it? Write down what you want to know about poetry in the W column. What I know about poetry written by African American poets. What I want to know about poetry written by African American poets. What I learned about poetry written by African American poets.

32 READING ACTIVITY Poems Food plays a very important part in cultures of African heritage. A lot of African foods and recipes came to America, Europe, and the Caribbean with the African slaves. Some examples of these foods are okra, sorghum, lima beans, and yam. These foods were incorporated into European and American cooking. The slaves used food and cooking as a way to express themselves creatively. It was also a way for them to re-build (or build) their cultural identity in this foreign land. Since food itself was used as a form of expression, it is no wonder that poets today who are of African descent write poems with a food theme. Here is a poem by Maya Angelou. I Love the Look of Words Popcorn leaps, popping from the floor of a hot black skillet and into my mouth. Black words leap, snapping from the white page. Rushing into my eyes. Sliding into my brain which gobbles them the way my tongue and teeth chomp the buttered popcorn. When I have stopped reading, ideas from the words stay stuck in my mind, like the sweet smell of butter perfuming my fingers long after the popcorn is finished. I love the book and the look of words the weight of ideas that popped into my mind I love the tracks of new thinking in my mind. 9/public/images/biographies/mangelou.jpg?itok=i7zceaO s Ms. Angelou was born name Marguerite Annie Johnson. She was born in April 1928 in Missouri and died in May She was an American poet, singer, author, dancer, and actress. In 1993, Angelou recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" (1993) at President Bill Clinton's inauguration, making her the first poet to make an

33 From Soul Looks Back in Wonder. Ed. Tom Feelings. Puffin, New York. Copyright 1993 by Maya Angelou inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at President John F. Kennedy's inauguration in Food for thought 1. Maya Angelou describes how popcorn is like reading and writing. She uses specific words that remind us of popcorn. She uses words such as leap and snap. Can you write down some words in the poem that are used to compare to popcorn? 2. What sounds does popcorn make? Think of the sounds that are made when you are making popcorn in stove. What about the eating popcorn? Read the words such as pop that are sound of popcorn popping. that make us think of the the microwave or on the sounds made when you are poem again. There are some used that remind us of the What other words are used sounds of popcorn? _ 3. Can you think of a reason why this poem is compared to popcorn?

34 Here is another food poem called Chocolate by Rita Dove. Chocolate Velvet fruit, exquisite square I hold up to sniff between finger and thumb how you numb me With your rich attentions! If I don t eat you quickly, you ll melt in my palm. Pleasure seeker, if I let you you d liquefy everywhere. Knotted smoke, dark punch of earth and night and leaf, for a taste of you any woman would gladly crumble to ruin. Enough chatter: I am ready to fall in love! From American Smooth. ry.pdf Rita Dove was born in 1952 in Akron, Ohio in the United States of America. As a child she loved to read. She has won many awards for her poetry such as: the Folger Shakespeare Library's Renaissance Forum Award and the General Electric Foundation award. Rita Dove's first work, The Yellow House on the Corner was published in She has published 16 poems in total. Food for thought 1. The poet likes chocolate. What words are used in the poem that show us how much the poet loves chocolate?

35 2. What kinds of food do you love? 3. This poem is like a love poem. Write a short love letter to your favorite food. Music and dance also play an important role in cultures of African heritage in the world today. Like food, many poems have been written about music and dance. Here is a poem by a famous poet called Langston Hughes The Blues When the shoe strings break On both your shoes And you re in a hurry That s the blues. When you go to buy a candy bar And you ve lost the dime you had Slipped through a hole in your pocket somewhere That s the blues, too, and bad! From Collected Poems. entary.pdf James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1902 May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri.

36 He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form called jazz poetry. He travelled to many countries in Africa and Europe where he met many other poets and writers. Hughes loved listening to blues, jazz, and writing poetry. Background information The musical style known as the blues developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the American South and was passed through generations as a musical description of daily life. As the 20th century progressed, the style migrated North; changing and growing as the experiences of its performers and audiences changed. One of the earliest forms of the blues was called the field holler, used between slaves to communicate with one another across the fields. This was very different from the blues we can hear at concerts today. These oral compositions were picked up by musicians such as W.C. Handy, Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Leadbelly, and Blind Lemon Jefferson. They recorded the music and helped spread the news about the blues. There are many types of the blues, including folk blues, country blues, Memphis blues and electric blues with differing meters and patterns, and today you still hear echoes of the form in rock, R&B and hip-hop. African-American poets have taken both thematic and style elements of the blues and fashioned them into blues poetry. Questions Did the speaker in the poem have a good day or a bad day? What happened to make it a bad day? Do you think the speaker was happy or sad after his bad day?

37 Have you ever heard someone say, I m blue or I have the blues? What does it mean to have the blues or to be blue? LISTENING ACTIVITY Listen to the recitals of other poems written by Langston Hughes at Write the titles of 5 of the poems you listened to here: IN THE COMMUNITY Go to your local library and look up poetry collections by Maya Angelou, Rita Dove, and Langston Hughes. Read them out loud. Complete the L portion of the KWL chart. What have you learned about poetry written by African American poets?

38 REFERENCES