KAFFIR BOY UNIT
Φ
Over the next 5 (five, V, funf, cinco) weeks, you will be reading Kaffir Boy. At
first, you will think the book is too long, and perhaps too boring. By the end, you
will think the book is fantastic, and you will thank me for making you read it.
You may even try to give me money as a thank you gift, but I will not accept.
Coffee would be fine though.
Φ
This will be a lot of reading… it will mean reading at home, on the bus, during
exploratory, in class, and possibly in the shower (place book in plastic bag).
Reading is good for you, like broccoli, and I think broccoli is delicious.
Φ
At the beginning of this unit, you will receive a list of mini-projects. You must
complete a total of 6 projects. Three of these projects (one individual, two as a
group) are required. The rest you may complete in whatever order you want,
picking one a week. You may not do a project more than once. You will turn in
one project a week (no late work), and all 6 projects together at the end of the
Quarter in a portfolio. You may turn in one extra project for extra credit at any
point during the rest of the Quarter.
YOUR READING SCHEDULE SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS:
Week One: Chapters 1-10
(to page 74)
Week Two: Chapters 11-23 (to page 150)
Week Three: Chapters 24-34 (to page 215) Quiz on Weeks One and Two
Week Four: Chapters 35-46 (to page 292)
Week Five: Chapters 47-end (to page 350)
Week Six:
Final Portfolios Due
Final on Kaffir Boy and MAUS
Required Project List:
Specific Due Dates will be Given for EACH of the following:
1.) Vocabulary Posters (REQUIRED IN GROUP)
In your group, create a poster that gives a shortened definition of the words
assigned to you. These signs will be hung in alphabetical order, so they are easy
to find when reading in the classroom. Your poster will be graded on the quality
of information, how nice it looks, and how easy it is to read.
DUE DATE: _____________
2.)
Lead Class Discussion (REQUIRED IN GROUP)
Each group in class will be in charge of one class discussion. You will lead the
class in an approximately 20 minute discussion of the sections of the novel we
were to have read for that week. Your group will have to decide how to run this
discussion (in small groups, full class, mini-presentations, etc.) This will count as
your homework for the week, as you should work on reading this section very
closely (and early), and formulating interesting and challenging questions for the
discussion. You must also supply the class with notes on a general summary of
your section. You will be graded on how well your group is prepared, how well
the discussion goes, and the quality of questions and information you give.
Additionally, each student will be graded on their participation in these
discussions.
DUE DATE: ______________
3.)
Chapter Summary Notes (REQUIRED INDIVIDUALLY)
There are many, many chapters in Kaffir Boy, and lots of information to process.
While you read it, you will be keeping a journal that gives a small summary (at
least one full sentence, usually 2-3) of each chapter. These summaries should be
in YOUR own words, not your friend’s. It may be helpful to buy a pack of small
post it notes that you can write your summaries on to stick in the book. This will
make finding the sections easier later. You will turn in the completed summary
notes on the last week of school with your final portfolio. You will be graded on
the quality and completion of every summary.
DUE DATE: ______________
“YOUR CHOICE” ASSIGNMENTS
On every week that is NOT the week you lead discussion, or the Vocabulary Poster
week, you will pick one of the following projects to complete as homework for that week. One
project is due PER week, and will not be accepted late. You cannot do the same project twice.
For each project, you will be graded on the quality of your work, and the amount of time and
thought that went into your project. Length of written assignments should be appropriate for
one week’s homework.
4.) Character Journal
You’ve done these before. Easy, yes? Pick a character in the section of Kaffir Boy you
have just read, and write a journal entry from that character’s point of view. This could
be a major or minor character, or a combination of a few character’s journals.
5.) Research Item
Pick a specific item from the book to find out more about (Apartheid, I.D. badges, a
specific neighborhood, a kind of food, shelter, school, city, village, tribe, sport, etc.).
You could also research what South Africa is like now. Write up what you have found,
and include the sources of your information.
6.) Research Person
Pick a person from the book to research. This could be a main character, or someone
mentioned in passing. I would suggest focusing on a major political, cultural, or athletic
figure from the book.
7.) Scene Drawing
Remember the Romeo and Juliet drawing from the beginning of the year? Like that.
Pick a place that is described in detail in the book and draw your interpretation of that
place. Include the name of the place, and the description that you are drawing your
picture from (with page number) when you turn your drawing in.
8.) Important Passage Paper
Find a passage in the book that is important (either to the story or to you. Write a
reflection on why that passage is important discussing the language and images that are
used, and how Mathabane uses those things to make the passage more powerful.
9.) Imagined Interview
Write out an interview with Mark Mathabane or another character from the book. What
questions would you want to ask them? How do you think they would respond? Make
sure you can back up your portrayal of the character with evidence from the book.
10.) Article Reaction (www.mathabane.com/articles2.htm)
Find an article written by or about Mark Mathabane or Kaffir Boy, write a reaction to the
information you find in that article.