'For Colored Girls'

Writing Workshop

Workshop Title: Handled Warmly

Step 1

Have your students watch the clip from the show Lovecraft Country. In the scene they will be looking at today, Ruby, Leticia’s sister, has taken a magical serum that temporarily transforms her – a black woman – into a white woman. Ruby takes advantage of her newfound “freedom” as a white woman to walk around town and go gallivanting, a freedom that wasn’t as easily afforded to her in her original form.

Step 2

When your students are done with the clip, have them read the poem that was being recited in the background, an excerpt from “For Colored Girls who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf” by Ntozake Shange. Then have them talk about the link between the message of the poem and the message of the clip. They should arrive at the conclusion that black women are not treated well in society and deserve to be “handled warmly.”

Step 3

Have your students brainstorm and come up with a list of people who aren’t “handled warmly” in society. Then have them discuss.

Step 4

Tell your students to choose one group of people that they discussed, a group that deserves better treatment than what they currently receive.

Step 5

Have your students write a poem similar to “Shange’s” in which they convey their feelings toward a group that deserves to be “handled warmly.”

Step 6

When the students are done, have them share their responses with one another.

The full presentation may be found HERE.

Analytical Lesson

Area of Focus: Various

Step 1

This lesson allows students to analyze various concepts and skills, so it is recommended that you have covered several of the “standalone” lessons before assigning this one. The prominent literary devices & techniques that this particular poem includes are: diction, figurative language, imagery, selection of detail, tone, and structure (syntax).

Step 2

Watch the following video to familiarize your students with the show they are about to analyze, Lovecraft Country.

Step 3

When you’re done with the overview, have them watch the following clip from Lovecraft Country. In the scene they will be looking at today, Ruby, Leticia’s sister, has taken a magical serum that temporarily transforms her – a black woman – into a white woman. Ruby takes advantage of her newfound “freedom” as a white woman to walk around town and go gallivanting, a freedom that wasn’t as easily afforded to her in her original form. Instead of traditional, ambient, instrument music playing in the background of the scene, however, the clip is set to an excerpt of the spoken word chereopoem “For Colored Girls who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf” by Ntozake Shange. Have your students pay attention to the scene, the social commentary the directors are attempting to express, and background audio that reinforces their message.

Step 4

Have your students open the following document. In this assignment, your students will discuss how the content of the clip and the background recording work in tandem with one another to create meaning.

Step 5

When your students are done, have them share their responses with one another. Or you may share the following student sample.