THE PENCIL TEST
CURRICULUM GUIDE
* LESSON PLANS
* HANDOUTS
* DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
* QUIZZES AND ANSWER KEYS
TABLE OF CONTENT
CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
i
USER’S GUIDE
ii
LESSON PLANS
* Lesson # 1
Books and Covers
1
* Lesson # 2
That’s Debatable (Chapters 1-5)
2
* Lesson # 3
Passing (Chapters 6-11)
3
* Lesson # 4
Fishbowl (Chapters 12-18)
4
* Lesson # 5
Masks (Chapters 19-22)
5
* Lesson # 5
Literally (Chapters 23-25)
6
* Lesson # 7
Write On (Writing about Literature)
7
* Lesson # 8
The Black List (Movie and Views)
8
* Lesson # 8
Epigraphs (Chapters 26-27)
9
* Lesson # 10
Allegory and Fables (Chapters 28-31)
10
* Lesson # 11
That’s Debatable (Chapters 32-37)
11
* Lesson # 12
Slam (Videos and Views)
12
* Lesson # 13
Emoticons (Chapters 38-41)
13
* Lesson # 14
Friendly Advice (Chapters 42-45)
14
* Lesson # 15
Speak Up (Chapters 46-48)
15
* Handout 1
Books and Covers
I
* Handout 2A-B
That’s Debatable
II
* Handout 3
Debate Format and Rules
IV
* Handout 4
Passing (Summary)
V
* Handout 5
Ways to Participate in Discussion
VI
* Handout 6
We Wear the Mask
VII
* Handout 7
Glossary of Terms Used to Discuss Literature
VIII
* Handout 8
Essay Rubric for Advance Writers
XII
* Handout 9
Track Changes (hosted at www.jamesguilford.com)
* Handout 10
Choose Your Words Wisely (Epigraphs)
XIII
* Handout 11
Aesop’s Fables (Allegory and Fables)
XV
* Handout 12A-B
That’s Debatable II
XVII
* Quick Quizzes
Quizzes and Answer Key
XIX
APPENDIX
Pencil Curriculum i
CURRICULUM
OVERVIEW
The New York Department of Education Learning Standards and Wiggins and McTighe’s Understanding
by Design have shaped the curriculum for The Pencil Test. To make connection of activities to standards
explicit, the “Goals” section of the lesson plans borrows language directly from The State Department’s
Learning Standards for English Language Arts. Though the Goals are stated in terms of NY State
Standards, the activities and outcomes are applicable to classrooms nationwide. This curriculum is by no
means exhaustive or restrictive. Feel free to incorporate your own ideas, questions, and goals.
Goals for Learners
The Pencil Test’s curriculum focuses on reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. By the end of
this curriculum, middle and high school learners will be able to read, write, listen, and speak for the
following elements:

Information and Understanding

Literary Response and Expression

Critical Analysis and Evaluation

Social Interaction
Goals for Curriculum
Below are the goals for The Pencil Test’s curriculum.

To extend thinking about novel’s themes

To differentiate for various learner styles

To offer chances for meaningful integration of technology

To address key English Language Arts and Reading Comprehension Standards

To provide a platform to discuss race, class, body image, integrity, peer pressure, and other issues

To offer assignments which can be tailored to a wide variety of resources and settings (e.g. time,
space, readiness, goals, etc)

To provide opportunities for integration with other units of study (e.g. public speaking, dramatic
interpretation, historical research, black history, women’s history, MLK Day, etc)
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum ii
USER’S
GUIDE
Standards:
lesson.
This section lists the New York Department of Education standards addressed by the
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
This section outlines the understandings readers
This section lists the skills readers will gain, the
will gain from completing this lesson.
work they will produce (productions), and the ways
they will be able to exhibit their knowledge upon
completion of this lesson.
Activity
 This sections outlines things readers will do to uncover understanding and hone skills. Each activity
is planned for a 50-minute session. These activities can be modified for longer or shorter sessions.
 In this section, the instructor will see the following icons:
 Display. This icon accompanies productions that can be displayed. This icon also appears near
assessment and feedback that can be displayed.
 Journal. This icon accompanies productions that can be kept in readers’ journals. This icon also
highlights feedback that can be given in readers’ journals.
 Publish. This icon accompanies productions that can be published. These activities include such
productions as poems, blogs, and videos.
Quick Quiz. This icon appears next to quiz activities. These activities are optional, simple to
administer, and simple to grade. Quick Quizzes can be used primarily to assess learner’s
comprehension of plot and ability to adhere to the reading schedule.
Handout. This icon refers to complementary materials for the lesson. These materials are found in
the Appendix and should be used in conjunction with the lesson.
Feedback and Assessment
Homework
This section suggests ways to offer feedback and This section lists homework to be completed for the
assessment to readers. Included in this section are following session.
assignments that can be graded as well as
suggestions for types of feedback on non-graded
assignments.
Notes for Instructors
Differentiating: This section offers suggestions on ways to differentiate activities. In a nutshell,
differentiation—which is sometimes called differentiated instruction—refers to a method of curriculum
planning and instruction that offers learners a wide variety of ways to acquire and display understanding.
Extending: To promote recurrence, this section offers possible extension assignments. These suggestions
will help readers track understanding over the entire unit. Additionally, these extension assignments offer
ways to differentiate and ways to cater to advanced readers.
Integrating Technology: From video recorders and LCD projectors, to audio recordings and blogs, this
section offers suggestions on ways to integrate technology into the lesson.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 1
LESSON # 1
Books and Covers
Standard 3: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 Close reading text and posing questions can
 Draw inferences from visual evidence and
deepen understanding of literature.
relate information to prior knowledge
 Text, images, and other media contain both
 Close-read text for implicit and explicit
explicit and implicit information.
information
Activity
 Divide learners into groups of 3-6 readers. Distribute one copy of The Pencil Test to each group with
cover facing up. Readers should refrain from reading description of book on the back cover or inside
flap.
 In groups, readers make a list of all the things they assume about the book from the cover . To
jumpstart thinking, distribute Handout 1, ”Books and Covers.” (15 mins)
 Readers record interpretations in reading journals and/or on chart paper. Each group can share its
interpretation. (15 mins)
 Read 1st page of text. (20)
Readers read the 1st page of The Pencil Test silently. Next, ask for a volunteer to read the first page
aloud. After reading the first page, ask readers to list as many things as possible that they have learned
thus far, in journals (2 mins).
Ask readers to list 3 questions that the 1st page of the text prompts them to ask (2 mins)
Share both responses as a large group. Make a master list of the responses.
 For the remainder of the session, have readers continue reading text.
Feedback and Assessment
Homework
 Read chapters 1-5 for homework.
 Instructor’s notes from responses 
 Look up the phenomenon “passing” as it relates
to African American history. Write a 1-3
sentence explanation of “passing.” 
Notes for Instructors
Differentiating: Appeal to visual and kinesthetic learners with a Cover Activity  : The Pencil Test is
divided into three parts. After the completion of each part of the novel, readers can produce a cover of the
book. After completing each new cover, readers can explain their reinterpretations. They should provide
text-based evidence to support their interpretation. At the novel’s completion, readers will have produced
three covers of the book. Have readers reflect on the ways her/his interpretations evolved with the
reading.
Extending: Encourage readers to keep activities and notes about The Pencil Test in a journal .
Reviewing previous notes will help readers assess the ways they relate to literature and the ways they
learn best.
Integrating Technology: If resources permit, consider having readers keep journals in the form of
blogs. Blogs can be hosted free on www.blogger.com.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 2
LESSON # 2
That’s Debatable (Chapters 1-5)
Standard 2: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Standard 4: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 Providing text-based evidence distinguishes
 Formulate persuasive arguments
opinion from analysis.
 Make perceptive and well-developed
 Providing evidence strengthens persuasive
connections to prior knowledge
writing and speaking.
 Make effective use of language in oral
 There exist different points of view. Values and
presentation
perspectives shape points of view.
 Express ideas and concerns clearly,
respectfully, and effectively
Activity
 Readers respond to questions from Quick Quiz One  (5 mins)
 Readers divide into two groups and consider the following question: Was Kendry justified in lying
about her race? Group A will take the pro side of this prompt (arguing that Kendry was justified).
Group B will take the con side of this prompt (arguing that Kendry was not justified).
 Readers will have 10-15 minutes for data collection and argument construction. Readers should draw
on specific examples from history and current events to support assertions. Use Handout 2-A and 2B with this activity. (20 mins)
 Debate (25 mins):
If time and resources permit, allow readers to engage in data collection using encyclopedias, the
Internet, and other available resources.
After time for data collection expires, seat groups so that they face each other. The speaker for the pro
side (Group A) will issue an opening statement (in debates, pro usually begins). Next, the speaker for the
con side (Group B) will issue an opening statement. After opening statements, each participant proceeds
to present her/his point. Continue down the line with each person refuting the previous opposition
argument and then presenting a new point of her/his own.
Be sure to keep time for each group. Allow 1-2 minutes for each reader to present her/his
counterpoint.
Take notes and close the debate by restating and affirming strong points made by both groups.
Feedback and Assessment
Homework
 Homework: Read summary Nella Larsen’s
 Graded Quick Quiz One 
 Instructor’s comments on bullet points
novel, Passing from Handout 4 . Find the title
of 3 other books with similar themes
 Instructors notes and grade on explanation of
 Read chapters 6-10
passing 
Notes for Instructors
Differentiating: Reader’s self-election into roles allows differentiation. Consider assigning roles based
on your assessment of the readers’ interests and readiness. Use Handout 3 “Debate Format Roles.”
Extending: For more information about formatting debates, visit The International Debate Education
Association’s website (http://www.idebate.org/index.php).
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 3
LESSON # 3
Passing (Chapters 6-11)
Standard 3: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 Literary texts have relationships to historical
 Identify the motifs common in works about
circumstances.
passing
 Multiple levels of meaning are conveyed
 Make inferences using text-evidence,
through the use of reverberating themes across
knowledge of history, and knowledge of
text.
“passing” motifs
 Take an authoritative stance on a subject and
use evidence to support this stance
Activity
 Complete Quick Quiz Two  (5 mins)
 Share titles of books about passing; one reader (or the instructor) makes a master list of titles. (10
mins)
 Read the summary of Nella Larsen’s novel Passing and two other works about passing from Handout
4. Respond to the following questions: In what historical context were these works produced? What
do they have in common? How do they reflect, challenge, or reaffirm standards of the time? (10
mins)
 Individually, readers should draft a 1-2 paragraphs inferring what will happen in Guilford’s The
Pencil Test. (10 mins)
- What do you think will happen in the novel?
- What text-evidence leads to you believe this?
- What evidence from the works from Handout 4 lead you to these conclusions?
- In what other ways is The Pencil Test informed by Larsen’s work?
- Cite 3-5 points of evidence from history and current events to support your inference.
 Volunteers can share their perspective with whole group. Whole group should pose questions to
volunteer presenters. (20 mins)
Feedback and Assessment
Homework
 Read chapters 12-18
 Graded Quick Quiz Two 
 Checked homework assignment
 Comments on summaries and responses to
questions
Notes for Instructors
Differentiating: Readers can continue the study of the phenomenon “passing” after completing The
Pencil Test. Learners can select a book from the “Books about Passing” list generated during this session,
read selected book, and create a production. This product could be one-dimensional (e.g. a book report,
an analytical essay, an oral presentation, or a book cover with an explanation of themes that inform the
cover). Conversely, the production could be comprehensive and componential, to include both written
and visual elements .
Extending: Readers can keep their 1-2 paragraph inferences, along with notes, writing assignments, and
productions from other assignments in journals . These assignments will create a portfolio on which the
reader can look back and assess the way their understanding of the novel evolved and deepened as the
reading progressed. In addition to helping readers assess their learning, this portfolio can be used to help
readers complete a culminating production  or an independent research project.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 4
LESSON # 4
Fishbowl Discussion (Chapters 12-18)
Standard 3: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Standard 4: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 Discussing literature can increase
 Listen attentively to others and build on others’
understanding by helping readers expound on
ideas in conversation
and revise ideas.
 Pose questions to deepen analysis
 Active listening is a form of participation and
 Engage in a discussion of a piece of literature
can heighten comprehension.
and use evidence from a variety of sources to
 The use of evidence (personal, historical, and
deepen discussion
text-based) increases substance of conversation  Express ideas clearly and respectively
and position.
Activity
 Readers complete Quick Quiz Three  (5 mins)
 Readers free write for five minutes on one of the following prompt: In what ways is Kendry
empowered? In what ways is she disempowered? How does the author heighten the reader’s
experience of Kendry’s situation? (5 mins)
 After free write, readers form concentric circles with one half of class sitting in the center and the
other half sitting on the outside of the circle. Those in the center will discuss the novel. (40 mins)
- (Prior to discussion, it may be helpful for readers to review Handout 5 “Ways to Participate in
Discussion”)
- Readers in the center engage in a discussion about the text, using the prompt as a launching pad.
Readers on the outside listen. They should refrain from commenting and instead take notes and
write questions in response to the center groups discussion.
- In the second half, or in a future session, reverse the order, with observers/note takers in the
center and the discussion participants on the outside.
- Facilitator should refrain from participating and, instead, write salient points on the board.
Feedback and Assessment
Homework
 Read chapters 19-22
 Graded Quick Quiz Three 
 Read Paul Lawrence Dunbar’s Poem “We
 Salient points written on board
Wear The Mask” from Handout 6
 Underline and define unknown words from
poem in margins of page
Notes for Instructors
Differentiating:
 Observers/Note takers may write questions on the board during the discussion to which the readers
inside the circle can respond.
 Observers/Note takers may participate by posing questions only. They may not make comments.
 Facilitator may interrupt the discussion at a pivotal point and direct readers to free write for 5 minutes
about points brought up in the discussion. This can be the seed for a more comprehensive writing
assignment.
 Encourage readers to make notes in the book during homework reading. Before the discussion
begins, instruct readers to review notes. This will help fuel ideas and help readers cite text evidence
during discussion. Provide sticky notes for readers who cannot or choose not to write in the text.
For fishbowl discussions, long pauses are common. Refrain from participating to allow readers
opportunity to develop ideas and discussion skills.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 5
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 6
LESSON # 5
Masks (Chapters 19-22)
Standard 3: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 Diction is an important element in poetry.
 Compare themes across genres
 Using one piece of literature to discuss another  Produce interpretations of literary works that
can deepen literary analysis.
identify different levels of meaning and
comment on their significance and effect
Activity
 Readers complete Quick Quiz Four  (5 mins)
 In small groups, read Paul Lawrence Dunbar’s poem “We Wear the Mask” from Handout 6. Next,
one reader volunteers to read poem aloud. (10 mins)
 Each group should do the following:
- Readers compare definitions of unknown words from homework. (10 mins)
- Next, readers should identify and list 5 themes from “Mask.” Then, they can highlight portions of text
(poem) that led them to identify these themes.
- Each group should choose one theme from “Mask” that best captures the essence of The Pencil Test.
Groups should write bullet points supporting this choice on chart paper . Groups should use evidence
from both texts to support their choice.
- Each group should elect a representative to report their choice of themes and the reasons for the choice.
Representative should give a minimum of three examples from the text to support choice.
Feedback and Assessment
Homework
 Read Chapters 23-25 (End of Part I)
 Graded Quick Quiz Four 
 Checked marginalized definitions on poem
from Lesson #4’s homework
 A 1-paragraph response to each groups support
of themes 
Notes for Instructors
Integrating Technology:
 If resources permit, play audio of poem being read by Herbert Martin from the Dunbar site
http://www.dunbarsite.org/gallery/WeWearTheMask.asp
 If readers have Internet access, teach mini-lesson about using online dictionary references. Readers
can use www.dictionary.com. On this site, dictionary and thesaurus tabs can be used in tandem to
gain fuller understanding of words.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 7
LESSON # 6
Literally (Chapters 23-25—End of Part I)
Standard 2: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Standard 3: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 A specific set of terms is used to discuss
 Identify examples of literary elements in a
literature. Using these terms allow for a more
work of fiction
exact conversation about works of literature.
 Explain the significance of literary elements
 Literary elements are employed in fiction to
and use those elements to interpret literature
heighten meaning and highlight specific
 Evaluate literary merit based on a
themes.
understanding of genre and literary elements
Activity
 Complete Quick Quiz Five (5 mins)
 Read Handout 7 “Glossary of Literary Elements.” (10 mins)
 In small groups, readers are to do the following: (25 mins)
- Choose 3 literary elements that are consistently employed in Guilford’s The Pencil Test
- List three examples where each of these elements are employed; including page numbers and
excerpts (this can also be done in the margins of the text)
- Explain what the overall effect of the elements. How does each element impact the
understanding of the characters, themes, plot, and central conflict?
- Choose one element and use it to defend the following statement: “__________ literary element
is the most important in Guilford’s The Pencil Test because…”
 Elect a representative to report your choice of literary device and the reasons for your choice. (5
mins)
Feedback and Assessment
Homework
 Graded Quick Quiz Five 
Write a 1-2-paragraph or 1-2-page reflection  on
the following topic: What overall message do you
 Instructor’s comments on presentations
 Instructor’s comments and grade on reflection think the author is trying to communicate about
 from tonight’s homework (returning this to identity and our choices about our identity? Do
readers before or sometime during Lesson #7 you agree or disagree with this message? Use a
will allow them to use comments to improve combination of text based evidence and personal
experience to defend your position.
writing)
Notes for Instructors
Differentiating and Extending:
 As a breakout unit, readers can select elements from Handout 7 “Glossary of Literary Elements” and
use these elements to write a creative piece . Consider giving all readers the same topic (perhaps
one of the themes from “Mask” or Pencil) but different elements. In a timed challenge, have readers
produce a creative piece about the topic using their assigned device. Compare the products and
discuss the challenges and benefits of using certain elements.
 As a poetry unit or a unit for Black History Month, have learners research the biography and works of
African American poets. Begin with the list published on AfroPoets (http://afropoets.net/). Have
readers survey list, select a poet, and complete a research project.
 Compose a mini-lesson on Paul Lawrence Dunbar. As a quick research assignment, ask readers to
find 5 facts about Dunbar. Share these facts, create a master list, and then direct readers to the Paul
Lawrence Dunbar website (www.dunbarsite.org). From this site, readers choose a poem to analyze.
They can use this poem as a lens through which to interpret The Pencil Test. Readers can discuss the
significance of the name of the school in Pencil as it relates to Dunbar’s life, work, and historical
context.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 8
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 9
LESSON # 7
Write On
Standard 2: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Standard 3: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 Providing text-based evidence distinguishes
 Present written responses and interpretations of
opinion from analysis.
literature that identify the different levels of
meaning
 Various elements are used in works of
literature to convey multiple levels of meaning.  Support interpretations, opinions, and analysis
with explicit statements, evidence, and
 The use of specific elements is a choice made
appropriate arguments
by the author to enhance the narrative.
Activity
Students should write an essay on one of the following prompts.
1. Examine one of the main characters. Can it be said that this character has morals? How are her or his
morals shown? What are the character’s strengths? What are the character’s weaknesses? How do
you think these attributes will affect her or him in the remainder of the novel?
2. What is the relationship between the title of the book, the opening epigraph, and the themes in the
book? In what ways does the title highlight themes in the novel? Your response may benefit from
brief research about concepts such as apartheid and post-traumatic slave syndrome (also referred to as
post-traumatic slavery syndrome and post traumatic slavery disorder).
3. How do elements of The Pencil Test play on assumption? For this question, consider literary elements
such as plot twists and character development as well as structural elements such as the titles,
openings, and ending, innuendo, and enigma. What is the purpose of this play on assumptions? How
does this play on assumptions relate to themes in The Pencil Test?
4. Who are the main characters of the novel? Who are the protagonist and antagonist? How does the
novel complicate our ideas of positive and negative characters? Why does the author choose to
complicate the ideas of good and bad, right and wrong?
5. Throughout the novel, the author relies heavily on the following literary elements: anaphora, imagery,
metaphor, parenthesis, and simile (for definitions of these elements, see Handout 7). Chose one or
more of these elements and discuss the ways these elements enhance the novel’s themes, motifs, and
plot?
6. Problematizing is a process used in critical dialogue (e.g. in pedagogy) in which assumed knowledge
or assumed truths are interrogated. This is usually done by restating that truth as a question or by
framing narratives in ways that uncover the assumptions “hiding” beneath this “truth.” What
assumed truths does Guilford attempt to problematize? In what ways does the narrative interrogate
these truths? Is the narrative successful? Why are why not?
Homework
Feedback and Assessment 
 Instructor’s comments and grade on reflection  Complete draft of essay. Bring in a copy of the
draft to be used for conferencing.
assignment from Lesson 6’s homework
 Instructor and peer comments on drafts  Essay rubric appropriate for older learners
and advance readers and writers.
(optional)
 Grades and comments on essay rubric from
Handout 8or other assessment tool
Notes for Instructors
Differentiating: Prompts are listed in increasing complexity. Allow readers choice. Instructors can also
direct readers to prompts and tailor questions to meet reader’s level of readiness.
Integrating Technology: Consider using the “Track Changes” function in MS Word. Using this
function will allow you and the reader to keep an electronic portfolio of essay comments and edits. See
examples from Handout 9 hosted at www.JamesGuilford.com.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 10
LESSON # 8
The Black List
Standard 3: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 Ideas, opinions, and points of view from non Interpret information from media presentation
academic sources contain valuable and relevant
and compare themes across genres
information.
 Recognize and respond to historical and
 Viewing media and other non-academic
contemporary social, political, and cultural
sources can help to evaluate text from several
conditions in media presentation and literary
critical perspectives, including cultural,
text
psychological, historical, and social.
 Comprehend, interpret, respond to, and create
media production, with a focus on major
themes and cross-genre connections
Activity
 Instructor should download summary of documentary or director readers to summary and trailer at
http://www.hbo.com/docs/docuseries/theblacklist/. (5 minutes)
 Learners can read summary and then briefly discuss the following: What is the media concerning?
How do you think it relates to The Pencil Test. (5 minutes)
 Next, readers will view select clips from The Black List (25 minutes)
A limited number of clips can be found on youtube at
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hbo+the+black+list&search_type=&aq=f
Outtakes of certain clips can be found at http://www.hbo.com/docs/docuseries/theblacklist/video/
Videos from “Who’s on Your Black List” contest can be found at
http://www.whosonyourblacklist.com/
Full video can be purchased on line (or exclusively at Target) at http://www.amazon.com/Black-ListDVD-Only-Target/dp/B001P4QPKO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=miscellaneous&qid=1254148415&sr=8-1
 As readers view clips, instruct them to write down major themes, interesting points, and connections
they see between The Pencil Test and The Black List.
 Readers can share their thoughts about video, making connections between the themes in The Black
List and The Pencil Test.
Feedback and Assessment
Homework
 Comments on documentary
 Read chapters 26-27
 Instructor’s comment’s on video project,
 Define and explain “epigraph”
including 1-paragraph response and grade on
 Bring in 2 novels you think contain epigraphs,
reader-produced clips (optional—see
based on your understanding of the definition
“Extending”)
Notes for Instructors
Extending: As a culminating project, the group could produce a series of Black-List-style videos based
on characters from The Pencil Test. Readers can take on the following roles:
- Actor: plays a character in the video
- Writer: composes monologue for the actors
- Illustrator: creates the cover design for the video
- Director: decides on the overall staging and style of the video
Integrating Technology: If resources permit, consider breaking learners into pairs and directing pairs to
specific clips. After viewing clips, pairs can report back their thoughts.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 11
LESSON # 9
Epigraphs (Chapters 26-27)
Standard 2: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Standard 4: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 Epigraphs are used to provide another lens
 Work inductively to communicate the themes
through which to interpret literature.
of a novel from its epigraph
 Epigraphs highlights specific aspects of a work  Recognize different levels of meaning in the
of literature.
text
 Produce interpretations of literary works that
identify different levels of meaning and
comment on their significance and
effectiveness
Activity
 Readers complete Quick Quiz Six  (5 mins)
 Readers share definitions of the “epigraph” from homework. As a group, readers can decide on a
working definition (5 mins)
 In small groups, readers look through the novels brought for homework. Choose a novel that contains
an epigraph and do the following: (15 mins)
- Discuss the meaning of the epigraph in relationship to the novel
- Discuss what the epigraphs communicates about elements of the novel
 Look at the 5 excerpts from Handout 10 “Choose Your Words Wisely.” (25 mins)
- Choose a quote from one of the excerpts that could be used as an epigraph for chapters 26-27 of
The Pencil Test.
- Write down the themes or ideas that the choice of epigraphs highlights chapters 26-27.
- Locate 5-10 places in the reading that relate to the chosen epigraph and write down these places
in the text relate
- Create a mind map on chart paper that communicates group’s thoughts about the epigraph and its
relationship to the text. (Display)
Feedback and Assessment
Homework

Read
chapters
28-31
 Graded Quick Quiz Six 
 Checked homework—explanation of epigraph
 Define the word “allegory”
from Lesson 8’s homework
 A 1-paragraph response to each groups mind
map 
Notes for Instructors
For more information on mind mapping, including free downloads, visit the following website:
http://www.edtechteacher.org/chapter7.html
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 12
LESSON # 10
Allegory (Chapters 28-31)
Standard 1: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Standard 4: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 There exist distinguishing feature in major
 Develop an interpretative project with
genres (in this case, fiction and fables) and
appropriate supporting materials
these features can be “translated” to aid in
 Read, interpret, and translate conventions
interpretation and discussion of literature.
across genres and use these conventions to aid
 There exist different points of view and values
in literary analysis
and perspectives shape points of view.
 Write creatively to communicate main idea
Activity
 Readers complete Quick Quiz Seven  (5 mins)
 Readers share definitions of “allegory.” Whole group brainstorms a working definition to be used for
lesson.
 In small groups, do the following: (10 mins)
- Read the summaries of three of Aesop’s fables (“The Hare and the Tortoise,” “The Ant and the
Grasshopper,” and “The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing”) from Handout 11.
- Respond to the following: In what ways are these fables allegorical? What elements are common
to them?
- Write an alternative moral for each of these fables.
 Independently, each reader should begin draft of a 1-3-paragraph fable for The Pencil Test . To do
this, readers will do the following: (30 mins)
- Consider what they have read, suppose the remainder of the plot from clues in the text, and
compose a fable and its moral.
- Give this fable a title.
- Produce an illustration to accompany fable.
- Share fables and compare alternate endings and morals.
Feedback and Assessment
Homework
 Complete fable (consider extending this project
 Graded Quick Quiz Seven 
across several units)
 Peer comments on fable
 Read chapters 32-27
 Instructor’s comments and grade on fable
Notes for Instructors
Differentiating:
 Readers can draw a comic strip that communicates fables . Use the comic strip template at the
following web address:
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~umrahber/summercomic/Pages/comictemplate.html
 Consider grouping readers in pairs. One can play the role of illustrator, the other of writer.
Integrating Technology:
 Readers can post fables online .
 As a group, listen to the following fables via Internet audio:
- The Hare and the Tortoise
http://aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?2&TheHareandtheTortoise2&&haretort2.ram
- The Ant and the Grasshopper
http://aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?1&TheAntandtheGrasshopper&&antgrass2.ram
Consider extending assignment over two sessions. In one session, readers can write and revise fables. In
a second session, readers can create an illustration for fables.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 13
LESSON # 11
That’s Debatable (Chapters 32-37—End of Part II)
Standard 2: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Standard 4: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 Providing text-based evidence distinguishes
 Express ideas and concerns clearly,
opinion from literary analysis.
respectfully, and effectively
 Providing evidence strengthens persuasive
 Monitor and revise ideas and oral presentation
writing and speaking.
of ideas based on the generation of new
thoughts from peers
 There exist different points of view depending
 Make effective use of details, evidence,
on the interests, values, context, and
circumstances of individuals and groups.
arguments, and of presentational strategies to
influence audience to adopt position
Activity
 Readers complete Quick Quiz Eight  (5 mins)
 Readers divide into two groups and consider the following question: Was Kendry justified using the
word “Nigga”? Group A will take the pro side of this prompt (arguing that Kendry was justified).
Group B will take the con side of this prompt (arguing that Kendry was not justified).
 Readers will have 15 minutes for data collection and argument construction. Readers should draw on
specific examples from history and current events to support assertions. Use Handout 12-A and 12Bwith this activity. If time and resources permit, allow readers to engage in data collection using
encyclopedias, the Internet, and other available resources. (15 mins)
 After time for data collection expires, seat groups so that they face each other. The speaker for the pro
side (Group A) will issue an opening statement (in debates, pro usually begins). Next, the speaker for
the con side (Group B) will issue an opening statement. After opening statements, each participant
proceeds to present her/his point. Continue down the line with each person refuting the previous
opposition argument and then presenting a new point of her/his own.
 Be sure to keep time for each group. Allow 1-2 minutes for each reader to present her/his
counterpoint. (25 mins)
 Take notes and close the debate by restating and affirming strong points made by both groups. (5
mins)
Feedback and Assessment
Homework
Research “Slam Poetry.” Find 5 facts about slam
 Quick Quiz Eight 
poetry, including origins, history, and relevance of
 Instructor’s notes and comments on debate
art form.
Notes for Instructors
Differentiating: Consider assigning to readers to roles from Handout 3. You may choose to either
assign readers to roles that will play off the strengths of their learner profiles, or you may assign readers
to roles that will take them out of their comfort zones and help them develop new skills.
Extending: For more information about formatting debates, visit The International Debate Education
Association’s website (http://www.idebate.org/index.php).
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 14
LESSON # 12
Slam
Video clips contain mature themes and language. Instructor, please view clips and determine appropriateness.
Standard 3:
Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 Ideas, opinions, and points of view from non Interpret information from media presentation
academic sources contain valuable and relevant
and compare themes across genres
information.
 Recognize and respond to historical and
 Viewing media and other non-academic
contemporary social, political, and cultural
sources can help t evaluate text from several
conditions in media presentation and literary
critical perspectives, including cultural,
text
psychological, historical, and social.
 Comprehend, interpret, respond to, and create
media production, with a focus on major
themes and cross-genre connections
Activity
 Reader’s share facts about slam poetry found in homework (5 mins).
 Reader view clips of slam poems (25 mins).
Mush’s “Next Wednesday” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZNcLi8Z_Lk
Sonja Sohn’s “Run Free” from the movie Slam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5J1q6FIlQ8
Mayda del Valle’s "I'm Going Back" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAwh5ZAgVY&feature=related
Jason Carney’s "Southern Heritage"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRB9fXonu8c&feature=related
Beau Sia’s "Give Me A Chance" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmiTaofCwr0&feature=related
Bassey Ikpi’s “Sometimes Silence is the Loudest Kind of Noise”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-Thafip52M&feature=related
 As readers view clips, instruct them to write down major themes, interesting points, and connections
they see between The Pencil Test and the slam poems.
 Readers can share their thoughts about video, making connections between the themes in the poems
and The Pencil Test
Feedback and Assessment
Homework
Read chapters 34-38
 Checked homework, 5 facts about Slam, from
Lesson # 11
 Comments on clips
 Instructor’s comment’s on video project,
including 1-paragraph response to each clip
and a grade (optional—see “Extending” section
in “Notes for Instructors”)
Notes for Instructors
Integrating Technology: If resources permit, consider breaking readers into pairs and direct pairs to
specific clips. After viewing clips, pairs can report back their thoughts.
Extending: One culminating project could be producing and performing a slam poem related to one or a
number of themes in The Pencil Test.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 15
LESSON # 13
Emoticons (Chapters 38-41)
Standard 1: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Standard 2: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Standard 3: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Standard 4: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 Symbols and marginal notes (marginalia) aid in  Use symbols to communicate personal
the interpretation of literature.
understanding of text
 There exist different points of view. Values
 Close-read text for implicit and explicit
and perspectives shape points of view.
information
 The values and experiences of the reader
 Develop information with appropriate
influence interpretation and experience of the
supporting materials such as facts, illustrations,
text.
and evidence from text
Activity
 Complete Quick Quiz Nine  (5 mins)
 In various parts of the room, post one of four emoticons (emotional icons can be downloaded from
websites listed in the “Integrating Technology” section of this lesson). Readers should sit near the
emoticon that best describes their feelings about chapters 38-41.
 In these groups, learners should do the following (20 mins):
- Discuss the following topic : How did you feel about the occurrences in last night’s reading?
What parts of the reading made you feel this way? Why?
- Discuss chapters 38-41. What is the most important plot point. Why?
- Identify a passage in the text that elicited the emoticon. Discuss the relationship between the
passage and the emoticon.
- As a group, create an emoticon that captures the novel thus far. Locate passages that might elicit
this emoticon and elect a representative to explain the group’s choice.
 Groups come together and discuss their choices of emoticons. Readers should relate their feelings to
the text by identifying and explaining passages.
 For the remainder of meeting time, readers can read silently and draw emoticons in margins of
passage to chart their emotional response to the literature.
 To create a real-time gallery, readers can draw emoticons on the board and excerpts of passages that
elicit this emotional response.
Feedback and Assessment
Homework
 Read chapters 42-45
 Graded Quick Quiz Nine 
 Use emoticons or other symbols to track
emotional response to reading
Notes for Instructors
Integrating Technology: If the room is equipped with an LCD projector, consider projecting emoticons
from one of the following websites:
 http://messenger.msn.com/Resource/Emoticons.aspx
 http://messenger.yahoo.com/features/emoticons
 http://www.aim.com/emoticons.adp?aolp=
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 16
LESSON # 14
Friendly Advice (Chapters 42-45)
Standard 2: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Standard 4: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 Changing tone in writing allows for the
 Adjust language and style, using appropriate
communication of different types of ideas.
tone in writing for situation
 The purpose of writing can often dictate the
 Read and discuss social communications of
form the writing takes.
other writers and use some of the techniques of
those authors in their own writing
Activity
 Readers complete Quick Quiz Ten  (5 mins)
 Readers should list 5 pivotal points in the novel. These should be points at which characters made
decisions that altered the course of the novel.
 Encourage readers to be creative. Pivotal points can come from the plot or can come from events
inferred by the plot. For example, a pivotal point might be Doris’s initial decision to use drugs,
Tandy’s decision to transfer to PLD, or Zing’s decision to become a painter.
 Next, readers should write a letter to Dear Abby . For examples of Dear Abby columns visit the
following website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/linkset/2005/03/25/LI2005032502583.html To write this letter, readers should assume
the perspective of one of the characters.
 In the Dear Abby letter, readers should do the following:
- Take the perspective of the character for which they have plotted a pivotal point.
- Describe the character’s situation. Be as specific as possible. Use information from the plot to
make inferences. For example, a readers taking on the perspective of Principal Bellews, might
talk about his nostalgia for his black radical days. Readers can extend the plot to say Bellews
lived in LA as a youth and that he was involved with the Black Panther Party.
- Describe the internal conflict, crisis, or decision that the character faces.
- Ask for specific advice.
- Be sure to incorporate the elements from advice columns, including proper address and clever
handle at the end of column (e.g. a handle for Bellews could be “Principal Panther”)
 A few participants can volunteer to reader letters aloud.
 As a group, readers can brainstorm responses by Abby—the best advice to be given to the character.
Feedback and Assessment
Homework
 Read chapters 46-48 (End of novel)
Graded Quick Quiz Ten 
Peer comments on letters (optional—see
“Extending”)
 Instructor’s comments and grade on letters
Notes for Instructors
Extending:
 Readers can exchange letters and write responses from Abby—the advice to be given to the
characters .
 After completing The Pencil Test, consider creating a school newspaper for Paul Lawrence Dunbar
High School . What would be the name of the paper? The layout? What topics would be
covered? What would be the headlines? Encourage readers to look to symbols and motifs in the
reading to infuse the paper with relevance.


Note: Visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/03/25/LI2005032502583.html
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 17
for examples of columns. Instructor should survey columns for appropriateness.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum 18
LESSON # 15
Speak Up
(Chapters 46-48—End of Part III and End of Novel)
Standard 1: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Standard 2: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Standard 3: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Standard 4: Learners will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Goals for this Lesson
Learners will understand…
Learners will be able to…
 Providing evidence makes interpretation,
 Evaluate the literary merit and effectiveness of
analysis, and opinions more persuasive and
a text based on the genre and understanding of
effective.
literary elements
 Various elements are used in works of literary
 Identify elements of fiction and use them to aid
to convey multiple levels of meaning.
in interpretation of text
 The purpose of writing can often dictate the
 Speak and read aloud to convey conviction of
form the writing takes.
stance or mode of text
 Support interpretations, opinions, and analysis
of text using text-based evidence and
information from a variety of sources
Activity
 Readers complete Quick Quiz Eleven  (5 mins)
 Readers should review journal notes and the discuss the following with a partner: (10 mins)
- What where your initial impressions of the novel? How did your impressions change over time?
- What part of the novel was most effective? Least? Why?
- What literary elements most affected your impressions at the start of the novel? Throughout the
novel? At the end?
- Overall, how have your impressions of the novel changed. It may help to look at your marginal
notes in addition to the notes in your journal.
 Readers report back responses to the whole group. (10 mins)
 Ask readers to consider and make notes on the following question: (10 mins)
- Was Kendry justified in lying?
- What damage has she done? How can this damage be rectified?
- What are some possible things she can say in her speech?
 In an impromptu debate cold call readers (elect them instead of asking for volunteers) to stand and
issue their opinion in 45 seconds or less. Then, cold call another reader to expound upon a previous
reader’s stance. (20 mins)
 Readers can use ideas generated in this exercise as a launching point for the culminating project:
writing Kendry’s Festivale speech .
Feedback and Assessment
Homework
Write a draft of Kendry’s Festivale speech. The
 Graded Quick Quiz Eleven 
 Peer comments on draft of speech in upcoming speech should be 500-words maximum. The
speech should have a clear purpose and a clear
homework assignment
relevance to Pencil’s plot and themes.
 Instructor’s comments and grade on speech
Notes for Instructors
Differentiating: Consider dividing the readers into campaign teams with the following roles: 1) orator, 2)
speech writer, and 3) image strategist .
Integrating Technology: Readers may record speeches and upload them on youtube or blogs 
(This would be a great culminating project for readers that have kept reading journals via blog posts).
Learners can share post with others and have web-based conversations about The Pencil Test.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum I
HANDOUT 1
Books and Covers
Part One: Study the cover of The Pencil Test. Do not read the summary of the book on the
back. Respond to the following questions.
1. What do you think The Pencil Test is about? What elements of the cover lead you the
think this?
2. Compare the cover of this book to the cover of others you have read? How it is similar?
How is it different?
3. What is your opinion of the book’s title? What do you think it means? Why?
Part Two: Read the first page of text. Do not read beyond the first page of text.
1.
List things you have learned from the first page. There is an example to help you get
started.
There are two characters: Kendry and Doris
2. List two questions that the first page of text prompts you to ask.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum II
HANDOUT 2-A
That’s Debatable
Was Kendry justified in lying about her race?
As Group A, you will take the pro side of this argument. This means you are to defend the
following statement: Kendry Clare was justified in lying about her race. To mount a persuasive
case, you should do the following:
1. Elect a speaker for your group. This person will present a 2-3 minute opening statement
outlining the group’s main points.
2. Make a list of points that support your argument. Draw on text-based evidence from
Chapters 1-5 (or the 12-page excerpt) of The Pencil Test, as well as examples for history
and current events.
3. Make a list of arguments that the opposing group may present; next, develop
counterpoints to these arguments.
4. During the debate, note points made by the opposing group. These will help you to
develop impromptu counter argument.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum III
HANDOUT 2-B
That’s Debatable
Was Kendry justified in lying about her race?
As Group B, you will take the con side of this argument. This means you are to defend the
following statement: Kendry Clare was not justified in lying about her race. To mount a
persuasive case, you should do the following:
1. Elect a speaker for your group. This person will present a 2-3 minute opening statement
outlining the group’s main points.
2. Make a list of points that support your argument. Draw on text-based evidence from
Chapters 1-5 (or the 12-page excerpt) of The Pencil Test, as well as examples for history
and current events.
3. Make a list of arguments that the opposing group may present; next, develop
counterpoints to these arguments.
4. During the debate, note points made by the opposing group. These will help you to
develop your impromptu counter argument.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum IV
HANDOUT 3
Debate Format and Roles
DEBATE FORMAT (modified):

Opening statement by Group A (2-3 minutes)

Opening statement by Group B (2-3 minutes)

Rebuttal by Group A (1-2 minutes)

Rebuttal by Group B (1-2 minutes)

Persuasive point by each group member (1-minute)

Closing statement by each group (2-3 minutes)
DEBATE ROLES
Opening Statement Presenter:
The opening statement should communicate the main arguments posed by the group. This statement does
not give specific information. Instead, it says, "This is true because of A and B and C." The presenter of
this statement should begin by stating the group’s position.
Rebuttal Presenter:
The rebuttal answers the arguments of the other group. The presenter of the rebuttal must take notes as
the opposing group issues an opening statement and then respond to the arguments using specific
information to disprove their opening statement.
Individual Point Presenter:
The points presented by individual members of the group should give a detailed reason why your position
is correct. The presenter should use examples from the text and other sources to validate her or his point.
Closing Statement Presenter:
The closing statement sums up the groups end argument. The presenter of the closing argument should
repeat the main ideas and then end by stating the group’s position.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum V
HANDOUT 4
Summary of Passing by Nella Larsen
Clare and Irene were two childhood friends. They lost touch when Clare's father died and she
moved in with two white aunts. By hiding that Clare was part-black, they allowed her to 'pass' as
a white woman and marry a white racist. Irene lives in Harlem, commits herself to racial uplift,
and marries a black doctor. The novel centers on the meeting of the two childhood friends later
in life, and the unfolding of events as each woman is fascinated and seduced by the other's daring
lifestyle. The novel traces a tragic path as Irene becomes paranoid that her husband is having an
affair with Clare (the reader is never told whether her fears are justified or not, and numerous
cues point in both directions). Clare's race is revealed to her husband John Bellew. The novel
ends with Clare's sudden death by "falling" out of a window.
The end of the novel is famous for its ambiguity, which leaves open the possibility that Irene has
pushed Clare out the window, or the possibility that Clare has killed herself.
Many see this novel as an example of the plot of the tragic mulatto, a common figure in early
African-American literature. Others suggest that the novel complicates that plot by introducing
the dual figures of Irene and Clare, who in many ways mirror and complicate each other. The
novel also suggests erotic undertones in the two women's relationship. Some read the novel as
one of repression, while others argue that through its attention to the way passing unhinges ideas
of race, class, and gender, the novel opens spaces for the creation of new, self-generated
identities.
Recently, Passing has received renewed attention because of its close examination of racial and
sexual ambiguities and liminal spaces. It has achieved canonical status in many American
universities.
Downloaded on September 22, 2009 from website
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nella_Larsen#Passing
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Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum VI
HANDOUT 5
Ways to Participate in Discussion
Why should you participate in discussion? If you have your own ideas about a book, concept, or
skill, then what is the use of discussing it with others? This is a valid question. Participating in
discussions allows you to practice articulating your ideas—translating what’s in your head to
spoken words. Moreover, participating in discussions allows your peers to benefit from your
great ideas. Your ideas may enhance their understanding. Lastly, participating in discussions
allows you to benefit from revision of your ideas by peers. Below are six tried and true ways to
participate in discussions.
Respond to the prompt:
One easy way to participate in discussion is to respond to the prompt that begins the discussion.
If you do not have ideas, listen to the response of other participants, jot down your ideas, and
then jump right in.
Ask questions
Posing questions are effective for a variety of reasons. First, questions give you, the interrogator,
information. Secondly, questions help to deepen the understanding of others who are listening.
Finally, if the question is posed against a statement made by another person, the question may
help the person think more deeply about her/his position.
Piggyback
If someone says something amazing and profound, or if someone say something with which you
agree, then add on to what that person has said. Adding on to someone else’s statement—
piggybacking—with your on perspective will provide a different lens through which to view the
topic.
Bring in other points
Perhaps you saw a movie related to the topic; perhaps you have read a book with a similar
theme; perhaps this very topic was the center of debate on a news program, in magazine article,
or in an interview. Incorporate your knowledge from other sources into the discussion. This will
frame the topic’s relevance and it will point others to resources of which they may not be aware.
Refer to the text
If a book is the center of your discussion, expound on your point—or the point of others—by
referring to the book (the text). Point out and read a passage that illustrates your position. Point
out a series of reoccurring ideas and images in the text. Show the ways that the text supports the
things you are saying.
Refer to notes
Remember all of that scribbling you did in the margins of the text, on your discussion questions,
or in your journal. Well, now is the time to use those notes. Refer to the questions you had, the
ideas the text prompted, or to the places in the text where you disagreed. Make notes while you
read and then use those notes to take the discussion in a new direction.
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Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum VII
HANDOUT 6
Masks
We Wear the Mask
By Paul Lawrence Dunbar
We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,-This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
Why should the world be overwise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us while
We wear the mask.
We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!
From http://www.dunbarsite.org/gallery/WeWearTheMask.asp
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum VIII
HANDOUT 7
Glossary of Literary Elements
Adapted from McGraw Hill’s “Glossary of Fiction Terms.” Retrieved on January 15, 2009 from website
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072405228/student_view0/fiction_glossary.html#conflict.
Allegory A symbolic narrative in which the surface details imply a secondary meaning. Allegory
often takes the form of a story in which the characters represent moral qualities.
Anaphora A rhetorical device that consists of repeating a sequence of words at the beginnings
of sentence or of neighboring clauses. An exemplar use of anaphora can be seen in this excerpt
from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I have A Dream”: I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply
rooted in the American dream… have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their
character. I have a dream today.
Antagonist A character or force against which another character struggles. Creon is Antigone's
antagonist in Sophocles' play Antigone; Teiresias is the antagonist of Oedipus in Sophocles'
Oedipus the King.
Character An imaginary person that inhabits a literary work. Literary characters may be major
or minor, static (unchanging) or dynamic (capable of change).
Characterization The means by which writers present and reveal character. Although
techniques of characterization are complex, writers typically reveal characters through their
speech, dress, manner, diction, and actions.
Climax The turning point of the action in the plot of a play or story. The climax represents the
point of greatest tension in the work. A work may contain several points of climax. One
example of such work is Richard Wright’s Native Son, which contains several heightened
moments of tension in Book One and Book Two.
Complication An intensification of the conflict in a story or play. Complication builds up,
accumulates, and develops the primary or central conflict in a literary work.
Conflict A struggle between opposing forces in a story or play, usually resolved by the end of
the work. The conflict may occur within a character as well as between characters.
Connotation The associations called up by a word that goes beyond its dictionary meaning.
Poets, especially, tend to use words rich in connotation. Dylan Thomas's "Do Not Go Gentle into
That Good Night" includes intensely connotative language, as in these lines: "Good men, the last
wave by, crying how bright / Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, / Rage, rage
against the dying of the light."
Convention A customary feature of a literary work, such as the use of a chorus in Greek tragedy,
the inclusion of an explicit moral in a fable, or the use of a particular rhyme scheme in a
villanelle. Literary conventions are defining features of particular literary genres, such as novel,
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Pencil Curriculum IX
short story, ballad, sonnet, and play.
Denotation The dictionary meaning of a word. Writers typically play off a word's denotative
meaning against its connotations, or suggested and implied associational implications.
Denouement The resolution of the plot of a literary work. The denouement of Hamlet takes
place after the catastrophe, with the stage littered with corpses. During the denouement
Fortinbras makes an entrance and a speech, and Horatio speaks his sweet lines in praise of
Hamlet.
Dialogue The conversation of characters in a literary work. In fiction, dialogue is typically
enclosed within quotation marks. In plays, characters' speech is preceded by their names.
Diction The selection of words in a literary work. A work's diction forms one of its centrally
important literary elements, as writers use words to convey action, reveal character, imply
attitudes, identify themes, and suggest values. We can speak of the diction particular to a
character.
Exposition Point in a narrative in which necessary background information is provided.
Fiction An imagined story, whether in prose, poetry, or drama. Ibsen's Nora is fictional, a
"make-believe" character in a play, as are Hamlet and Othello. Characters like Robert
Browning's Duke and Duchess from his poem "My Last Duchess" are fictional as well, though
they may be based on actual historical individuals. And, of course, characters in stories and
novels are fictional, though they, too, may be based, in some way, on real people. The important
thing to remember is that writers embellish and embroider and alter actual life when they use real
life as the basis for their work. They fictionalize facts, and deviate from real-life situations as
they "make things up."
Figurative language A form of language use in which writers and speakers convey something
other than the literal meaning of their words. Examples include hyperbole or exaggeration, litotes
or understatement, simile and metaphor, which employ comparison, and synecdoche and
metonymy, in which a part of a thing stands for the whole.
Flashback An interruption of a work's chronology to describe or present an incident that
occurred prior to the main time frame of a work's action. Writers use flashbacks to complicate
the sense of chronology in the plot of their works and to convey the richness of the experience of
human time.
Foil A character who contrasts and parallels the main character in a play or story. Laertes, in
Hamlet, is a foil for the main character; in Othello, Emilia and Bianca are foils for Desdemona.
Foreshadowing Hints of what is to come in the action of a play or a story.
Hyperbole A figure of speech involving exaggeration.
Image Imagery refers to the pattern of related details in a work. In some works, one image
predominates either by recurring throughout the work or by appearing at a critical point in the
plot. Often writers use multiple images throughout a work to suggest states of feeling and to
convey implications of thought and action.
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Pencil Curriculum X
Imagery The pattern of related aspects of language, particularly of images, in a literary work.
Imagery of light and darkness pervade James Joyce's stories "Araby" and "The Dead."
Irony A contrast or discrepancy between what is said and what is meant or between what
happens and what is expected to happen in life and in literature. In verbal irony, characters say
the opposite of what they mean. In irony of circumstance or situation, the opposite of what is
expected occurs. In dramatic irony, a character speaks in ignorance of a situation or event known
to the audience or to the other characters.
Literal language A form of language in which writers and speakers mean exactly what their
words denote.
Metaphor A comparison between essentially unlike things without an explicitly comparative
word such as like or as. An example is Burns's "My love is a red, red rose,"
Motif: a recurring object, concept, or structure in a work of literature. A motif may also be two
contrasting elements in a work, such as good and evil. In the Book of Genesis, we see the motif
of separation again and again throughout the story. In the very first chapter, God separates the
light from the darkness. Abraham and his descendants are separated from the rest of the nation as
God's chosen people. Joseph is separated from his brothers in order that life might be preserved.
Another motif is water, seen in Genesis as a means of destroying the wicked and in Matthew as a
means of remitting sins by the employment of baptism. A motif is important because it allows
one to see main points and themes that the author is trying to express, in order that one might be
able to interpret the work more accurately
Narrator The voice and implied speaker of a fictional work, to be distinguished from the actual
living author.
Parable A brief story that teaches a lesson often ethical or spiritual. Examples include "The
Prodigal Son," from the New Testament, and the Zen parable, "Learning to Be Silent."
Parenthesis: Insertion of a clause or sentence in a place where it interrupts the natural flow of
the sentence or where it adds or alters the meaning of a sentence.
Parody A humorous, mocking imitation of a literary work, sometimes sarcastic, but often
playful and even respectful in its playful imitation.
Personification The endowment of inanimate objects or abstract concepts with animate or living
qualities.
Plot The unified structure of incidents in a literary work.
Point of view Then angle of vision from which a story is narrated. A work's point of view can
be: first person, in which the narrator is a character or an observer, respectively; objective, in
which the narrator knows or appears to know no more than the reader; omniscient, in which the
narrator knows everything about the characters; and limited omniscient, which allows the
narrator to know some things about the characters but not everything.
Protagonist The main character of a literary work--Hamlet and Othello in the plays named after
them, Gregor Samsa in Kafka's Metamorphosis, Paul in Lawrence's "Rocking-Horse Winner."
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Pencil Curriculum XI
Recognition The point at which a character understands his or her situation as it really is.
Sophocles' Oedipus comes to this point near the end of Oedipus the King.
Resolution The sorting out or unraveling of a plot at the end of a play, novel, or story. See Plot.
Setting The time and place of a literary work that establish its context. The stories of Sandra
Cisneros are set in the American southwest in the mid to late 20th century, those of James Joyce
in Dublin, Ireland in the early 20th century.
Simile A figure of speech involving a comparison between unlike things using like, as, or as
though. An example: "My love is like a red, red rose."
Style The way an author chooses words, arranges them in sentences or in lines of dialogue or
verse, and develops ideas and actions with description, imagery, and other literary techniques.
Symbol An object or action in a literary work that means more than itself, that stands for
something beyond itself.
Syntax The grammatical order, or organization, of words and phrases and clauses in sentences.
In the following example, normal syntax (subject, verb, object order) is inverted:
"Whose woods these are I think I know."
Theme The idea of a literary work abstracted from its details of language, character, and action,
and cast in the form of a generalization. See discussion of Dickinson's "Crumbling is not an
instant's Act."
Tone The implied attitude of a writer toward the subject and characters of a work, as, for
example, Flannery O'Connor's ironic tone in her "Good Country People."
Understatement A figure of speech in which a writer or speaker says less than what he or she
means; the opposite of exaggeration. The last line of Frost's "Birches" illustrates this literary
device: "One could do worse than be a swinger of birches."
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Pencil Curriculum XII
HANDOUT 8
Essay Rubric
CRITERIA
Unity





Mechanics



Evidence



Organization


Diction -Syntax -Register --
Thesis expresses a definitive point of

Thesis expresses a point of view

The main idea is clearly stated.
view about topic.
about the topic.

Body paragraphs contain subtopics
Body paragraphs support and
 Thesis acts as a main idea that
that relate to main idea.
reinforces thesis.
paragraphs work to support.

The introduction presents the topic of
Essay responds to prompt
 Body paragraphs contain topic
the paper.
sentences that state the main point of
Introduction and conclusion are

The conclusion brings the paper to a
the paragraph.
original, thoughtful, and integral to
logical end.

The introduction establishes the
thesis.
writer’s purpose.
Introduction goes beyond providing
expository to contain a “hook” that

The conclusion brings to concert the
reflects the writer’s consideration of
main ideas of the body paragraphs.
audience.
Diction and syntax are varied,

Diction and syntax are varied and

Diction and syntax are correct.
correct, and precise.
correct.

Grammar and punctuation errors are
Diction and punctuation are correct

Punctuation is correct.
minimal.
and effective – they work to enhance 
Register is appropriate for topic.

Register is adequate for assignment.
other elements of the essay.
Register provides another layer of
meaning for topic.
Body paragraphs subtopics are

Each body paragraph provides

Body paragraphs provide evidence
supported by a variety of relevant
specific evidence, examples, facts,
for the thesis.
facts, examples, well-reasoned
and arguments to support its topic

Evidence from text is given.
arguments and observations.
sentence and the thesis.
Evidence is specific, text-based, and

All support is developed and
fully explained.
explained.
Connection of evidence to thesis is
clear.
Ideas are clear and organized. The

The information in each paragraph

Most sentences in the body paragraph
connection of ideas to one another
addresses the topic sentence and
relate to thesis and are logically
and to the thesis, and essay as a
thesis, and is organized accordingly.
organized.
whole is explicit.

Transitions are provided between

Some transitions are provided.
Transitions are smooth, appropriate,
paragraphs and sentences.
and relevant to thesis, evidence, and
ideas.
word choice.
sentence formation; sentence structure and word order.
type and tone of language used to for a specific type of communicative setting (in this case, the register literary discourse).












Central statement is made about
topic.
Body paragraphs contain statements
that are relevant to topic.
The introduction and conclusion
relate to the topic.
The last paragraph closes the essay.
Diction and syntax are adequate with
minimal interruptions of
understanding.
Grammar and punctuation are
adequate with minimal errors.
Register is appropriate for
assignment.
Body paragraphs relate to thesis.
Text is referenced throughout essay.
The body paragraphs relate to thesis.
Ideas in body paragraphs are
coherent.
Ideas relate to one another.
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resources.
Pencil Curriculum XIII
HANDOUT 10
Choose Your Words Wisely
in life
one is always
balancing
like we juggle our mothers
against our fathers
or one teacher
against another
(only to balance our grade average)
3 grains of salt
to one ounce truth
- Nikki Giovanni (from “Balancing”)
I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,-When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer
that he sends from his heart's deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings-I know why the caged bird sings!
- Paul Lawrence Dunbar (from “Sympathy”)
I would liken you
To a night without stars
Were it not for your eyes.
I would liken you
To a sleep without dreams
Were it not for your songs.
- Langston Hughes, “Quiet Girl”
I am nothing but the empty net which has gone on ahead
of human eyes, dead in those darknesses,
of fingers accustomed to the triangle, longitudes
on the timid globe of an orange.
- Paublo Neruda (from “Enigmas”)
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Pencil Curriculum XIV
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
- Mary Oliver (from “Wild Geese”)
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
- Walt Whitman (from “Song of Myself”)
And now, each night I count the stars.
And each night I get the same number.
And when they will not come to be counted,
I count the holes they leave.
Nobody sings anymore.
- Amiri Baraka (from “Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note”)
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Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XV
HANDOUT 11
Aesop’s Fables
The Hare and the Tortoise
Hare continuously ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of Tortoise. One day, Tortoise replied,
laughing: "Though you be swift as the wind, I will beat you in a race." Hare, believing Tortoise’s
words to be impossible, agreed to a race. Both Hare and Tortoise agreed that Fox should choose
the course and the finish line.
On the day appointed for the race, Hare and Tortoise started together. Hare dashed out in front of
Tortoise. After gaining a substantial lead, Hare lay out under a tree. She was comfortable with
the distances she had put between herself and her opponent. Tortoise never for a moment
stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. Hare, lying
down on the sideline, fell asleep. Later, Hare woke and remembered the race. Moving as fast as
she could, she dashed past trees and leaped over streams. As she approached the designated end
point, she saw the Tortoise had already crossed the finish line.
Moral: Slow but steady wins the race.
(Adapted from http://aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?2&TheHareandtheTortoise)
The Ant and the Grasshopper
During warm summer days, Grasshopper sat in the shade singing ballads and chewing straw.
Ant spent her summer collecting and storing food for the upcoming winter months. When winter
came, Ant dried grain and ate from her store of food. Grasshopper’s stomach rumbled as he
shivered in the cold. Perishing with famine, Grasshopper visited Ant and begged Ant for food.
Ant said to Grasshopper, "You had ample time during the days of sun. Why did you not store up
food during the summer?'
Grasshopper replied, "I preferred leisure over work. I passed the days singing and entertaining
friends."
Ant turned up her pincers: "If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance
without supper in the winter."
Moral: It is best to prepare for tomorrow today.
(Adapted from http://aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?1&TheAntsandtheGrasshopper)
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Pencil Curriculum XVI
The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Wolf was hungry. Unfortunately, because the sheepherder and his dogs were vigilant, Wolf
found great difficulty in getting at the sheep. With a watering mouth, growling stomach, and
cunning mind, Wolf plotted. One day, Wolf found the skin of a sheep that had been thrown
aside. He put on the skin, pulling it over his own pelt, and then strolled down among the sheep.
One of the lamb, whose parent’s skin Wolf was wearing, began to follow the wolf in the sheep's
clothing. Wolf led the lamb a little apart and made a meal of her.
Moral: Appearances are deceptive.
(Adapted from http://aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?4&TheWolfinSheepsClothing2)
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Pencil Curriculum XVII
HANDOUT 12-A
That’s Debatable II
Was Kendry justified in using the word “Nigga”?
As Group A, you will take the pro side of this argument. This means you are to defend the
following statement: Kendry Clare was justified in using the word “Nigga.” To mount a
persuasive case, you should do the following:
1. Elect a speaker for your group. This person will present a 2-3 minute opening statement
outlining the group’s main points.
2. Make a list of points that support your argument. Draw on text-based evidence from
Chapters 1-5 of The Pencil Test, as well as examples for history and current events.
3. Make a list of arguments that the opposing group may present; next, develop
counterpoints to these arguments.
4. During the debate, note points made by the opposing group. These will help you to
develop impromptu counter argument.
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Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XVIII
HANDOUT 12-B
That’s Debatable II
Was Kendry justified in using the word “Nigga”?
As Group B, you will take the con side of this argument. This means you are to defend the
following statement: Kendry Clare was not justified in using the word “Nigga.” To mount a
persuasive case, you should do the following:
1. Elect a speaker for your group. This person will present a 2-3 minute opening statement
outlining the group’s main points.
2. Make a list of points that support your argument. Draw on text-based evidence from
Chapters 1-5 of The Pencil Test, as well as examples for history and current events.
3. Make a list of arguments that the opposing group may present; next, develop
counterpoints to these arguments.
4. During the debate, note points made by the opposing group. These will help you to
develop your impromptu counter argument.
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Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XIX
QUICK QUIZ ONE 
Chapters 1-5
1. The following was hung over the mantel piece:
a. A calendar with the caption, “You’re a Winner!”
b. A picture of Kendry’s father
c. A picture of Doris and Dr. Higgman
d. A placard from Doris’s former job
2. Kendry told Dr. Higgman which of the following things:
a. That her mother was addicted to drugs
b. That she loved all of her friends at Crestman
c. That she planned to run away from home
d. None of this above
3. Which of the following people were not on the train:
a. The black girls
b. A woman with a flaring hat
c. A teacher from Kendry’s former school
d. A group of business people
4. Doris told Kendry the following:
a. That she has managed to sell five houses
b. That Kendry’s father will be returning
c. That there is no Santa Clause
d. None of the above
5. True or False: The house in which Kendry and Doris moved was tiny.
6. True or False: Kendry was least nervous about what she would wear to school
7. What did Kendry notice about PLD?
a. That the school had more resources than Crestman Prep School
b. That the school had less resources than Crestman Prep School
c. That the cars in the parking lot were covered with pollen
d. That the teachers never spoke above a whisper
8. What happened after Tandy told Kendry that Kendry was in her seat?
a. Kendry said, “Too bad,” and rolled her eyes
b. Kendry got up and toppled her pencil case in the process
c. Tandy forcibly removed Kendry from the seat
d. Tandy called Principal Bellews to settle the dispute
9. Tandy thought that Kendry’s father was which of the following:
a. A lawyer
b. A black man
c. A teacher at PLD
d. Insensitive to poor people
10. What lie does Kendry tell Tandy?
a. That she never attended Crestman Prep School
b. That her father is black
c. That her mother is black
d. That she has lived in East Atlanta for her entire life
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Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XX
QUICK QUIZ TWO 
Chapters 6-11
1. True or False? Kendry corrected Tandy’s misunderstanding about her race at
the end of the school day?
2. Who shows up at Kendry’s house?
a. Maurice Maitland
b. Madison
c. Tandy
d. Mrs. Larsen
3. Where does Kendry find Doris when she returns from school?
a. Gone without any explanation
b. Watching television in her bedroom
c. In her car crying
d. None of the above
4. Kendry remembers when Doris did which of the following:
a. Rode through neighborhoods and speculated for houses
b. Bought a new car
c. Ran away with Madison for six months
d. None of the above
5. Which of the following best describes Madison’s hair
a. Green
b. Spiky
c. Blonde and luscious
d. In long and knotted dreadlocks
6. True or False: Madison had no idea Kendry called the police.
7. True or False: Kendry slapped Madison?
8. Tandy lives in which of the following:
a. Housing projects
b. A loft in Buckhead similar to Kendry’s former house
c. A store front in a strip mall
d. A large house, a mansion, with columns and intricate carvings
9. True or False: Tandy makes Kendry promise to keep her good grades a
secret.
10. True or False: Tandy has two sisters whose names are Mandy and Randy.
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Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XXI
QUICK QUIZ THREE 
Chapters 12-18
1. Kendry takes which of the following to use against Madison:
a. A Ginsu knife
b. A razor blade
c. A video, taken with her cell phone, of him unloading drugs
d. Doris’s journal that chronicles Madison’s drug use
2. True or False: Kendry thinks that Madison will use here instead of killing
her.
3. During a study session with Tandy, Kendry decides to do which of the
following:
a. Run away from home
b. Ask Tandy if she can move in
c. Go on a diet
d. Sneak out and find Kush
4. In the chapter “The Whole Truth,” which of the following happens:
a. Kendry tells Kush that she is white
b. Kendry tells Tandy that she is white
c. Tandy tells Kendry about her arrangement with Principal Bellews
d. Kendry tells Kush that she loves him
5. In the chapter titled “Red Handed,” what does Kendry learn?
a. That Tandy is biracial
b. That Kush and Zing are a member of a group called The Black Rebels
c. That no one really believes that she is biracial
d. None of the above
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Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XXII
QUICK QUIZ FOUR 
Chapters 19-22
1. For what do Tandy and Kendry prepare?
a. A fashion show
b. A trip to Six Flags
c. A rap performance
d. A Black Rebels rally
2. Who shows up at the school?
a. The police
b. Barack Obama
c. Newscasters
d. Students from Crestman Prep School
3. True or False: Kush’s speech is successful, resulting in a mass conversion of
students to the Black Rebels.
4. Kendry tells Kush which of the following:
a. That his speech was ineffective and ridiculous
b. That his speech was amazing
c. That she is not biracial
d. That it is her father, not her mother, who is black
5. After his conversation with Kendry, Kush does the following:
a. Yell at her
b. Kiss her
c. Ask her for help with his next speech
d. Reveals that he is also biracial
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Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XXIII
QUICK QUIZ FIVE 
Chapters 23-25
End of Part I
1. Write down five plot events from the reading.
2. Write down 2 questions you have about the reading.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XXIV
QUICK QUIZ SIX 
Chapters 26-27
1. Who is Umoja?
a. Kush’s old girlfriend
b. Kendry’s stepsister
c. Tandy’s stepsister
d. Kendry, with a new name given by Zing
2. Kendry has decided to do the following:
a. Become a rapper
b. Learn to speak Swahili
c. Dreadlock her hair
d. Run away from home
3. True or False: The Black Rebels have changed their name to The Panthers of
Purple Love?
4. Who shows up at Kendry’s house?
a. Madison
b. Sami Klieg
c. Kendry’s grandmother
d. Tandy’s ex-boyfriend
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Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XXV
QUICK QUIZ SEVEN 
Chapters 28-31
1. True or false: Umoja and Sami resolve the conflict they had at Crestman and
pledge to become life-long friends.
2. Which of the following is not a part of the NARC’s/Black Rebel’s uniform:
a. A set of carved beads
b. Red gloves
c. A head wrap
d. A scarf
3. True or False: Umoja does not make her speech at the gathering.
4. Which character earns the nickname “Soul Sista”?
a. Celesta
b. Umoja
c. Tandy
d. Meeka
5. Which of the following did not happen in the cafeteria:
a. Umoja formed her own table
b. Maurice approached Tandy’s table
c. Maurice offended Umoja
d. Umoja slapped Maurice
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Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XXVI
QUICK QUIZ EIGHT 
Chapters 32-37
End of Part II
1. Write down five plot events from the reading.
2. Write down 2 questions you have about the reading.
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XXVII
QUICK QUIZ NINE 
Chapters 38-41
1. True or False: Umoja attends a concert with Tandy and Celesta
2. True or False: The artist becomes angry and flustered when Umoja ruins one
of her paintings.
3. How does Umoja plan to get the money to pay for the ruined painting?
a. She will ask Madison
b. She will steal it from Sami Klieg
c. She will persuade Law to give it to her
d. She will not pay for the painting
4. Who helps Umoja clean up the mess?
a. Law
b. Madison
c. Tandy and Meeka
d. Keeshawn
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Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XXVIII
QUICK QUIZ TEN 
Chapters 42-45
1. True or False: Umoja has a nightmare that Law arrests her.
2. In the hallway, before classes begin, Umoja does which of the following:
a. Laugh at her entire life
b. Cry in Mrs. Larsen’s arms
c. Burn the money she has stolen
d. Book a flight to Brazil
3. True or False: Mrs. Larsen allows Umoja to stay home from school for the
remainder of the week.
4. True or False: Umoja writes a goodbye note to Tandy.
5. To her group of “friends,” Umoja explains the following:
a. That her brother, Law, committed suicide
b. That she lied about her race in order to fit in
c. That her parents are both dead—she was adopted and, thus, does not
know here true race
d. That she will be leaving for Brazil in a week
6. Kush suggests which of the following:
a. That he leave for Brazil with Umoja
b. That Umoja stay and face her circumstances
c. That the group help Umoja pack for Brazil
d. That they arrange a “Second Funeral” for Law
7. True or False: Umoja and Kush shop during the day.
8. At the gathering, Umoja plans to do which of the following:
a. Leave while everyone is celebrating
b. Tell the truth about her race
c. Ask Kush to marry her
d. Announce her pregnancy
9. True or False: Maurice Maitland walks out on Umoja’s speech.
10. True or False: Zing and Kush are overjoyed by Umoja’s news.
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Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XXIX
QUICK QUIZ ELEVEN 
Chapters 46-48
End of Part III and End of Novel
1. Write a 1-paragraph plot summary of reading.
2. Write 1-paragragh discussing Kendry’s final speech. What do you think she
will say? What would you say if you were Kendry?
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Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XXX
QUICK QUIZ 
Answer Key
Quick Quiz One
Quick Quiz Six
1. A
6. FALSE
1. D
2. D
7. B
2. C
3. C
8. B
3. FALSE
4. D
9. B
4. B
5. FALSE
10. C
Quick Quiz Seven
Quick Quiz Two
1. FALSE
1. FALSE
6. FALSE
2. A
2. B
7. FALSE
3. FALSE
3. D
8. D
4. B
4. A
9. TRUE
5. A
5. B
10. FALSE
Quick Quiz Eight
Quick Quiz Three
ANSWERS WILL VARY
1. A
2. TRUE
Quick Quiz Nine
3. D
1. FALSE
4. C
2. FALSE
5. B
3. C
4. B
Quick Quiz Four
1. D
Quick Quiz Ten
2. A
1. TRUE
6. D
3. FALSE
2. B
7. TRUE
4. A
3. FALSE
8. D
5. B
4. FALSE
9. FALSE
5. A
10. FALSE
Quick Quiz Five
ANSWERS WILL VARY
Quick Quiz Eleven
ANSWERS WILL VARY
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.
Pencil Curriculum XXXI
Courtesy of James Guilford. Visit www.jamesguilford.com for other resources, including Guilford’s Diversity in
Action Workshops, virtual book chats, and other resources.