1. Read the question for your team.
Objective: Determine how Hurston’s word choices impact meaning and tone in How It Feels to be Colored Me.
Let’s review.
Read the question for your team.
Be prepared to share out verbally using an academic starter. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
What is figurative language?
What does the adage, “The world is my oyster” mean?
What is the “English class” definition of the word tone?
How were African-Americans treated by Caucasian people during the 1930s?
How much do young children usually know about racial discrimination?
How do you know if something is being described positively or negatively?
How do young children usually react to strangers?
What did the term, “colored person” mean in the early 20th century?
__ is __.
The adage, “__” means __.
In __ class, the word __ means __.
During __, African-Americans were __ by __.
Young __ usually know __ about __.
I know that something is __ or __ by __.
Young children usually __ by __.
In the early __, the term “__” meant __.

2. 1. Get a copy of How It Feels to be Colored Me.
Objective: Determine how Hurston’s word choices impact meaning and tone in How It Feels to be Colored Me.
Directions:
1. Get a copy of How It Feels to be Colored Me.
2. Write this vocab in the margins of your paper near each word:
extenuating – softening or reducing
timid – mildly fearful or nervous
Proscenium box – special part of a theatre near the stage
negotiation – discussion aimed at reaching an agreement
deplored – strong disapproval
oleander – type of flower
pigmentation – a coloring of the skin
When I lived during the 1930s, America treated black people very unfairly.
Today, you’ll read part of an essay I wrote called, How It Feels to be Colored Me.
When you’re an 11th grader, you’ll read my story, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and maybe you’ll see the movie Oprah made based on my novel.
I was a famous writer, anthropologist who is most well-known for my stories about growing up during the 1930s in Eatonville, FL.
I’m Zora Neale Hurston.
Let’s read How It Feels to be Colored Me to get an understanding of what it’s about.

3. 1. Discuss the boxed-in question that matches your team’s number.
Objective: Determine how Hurston’s word choices impact meaning and tone in How It Feels to be Colored Me.
Directions:
1. Discuss the boxed-in question that matches your team’s number.
2. Agree upon an answer with your team.
3. LARGELY write it on the chart paper with your team’s number at the top.
Now let’s figure out word choice and tone.
Word choice is when: ___________________________________________________________.
Tone is: ____________________________.
Let’s see the impact of word choice.
4. As we watch the video, think about how the word
choice impacts the outcome. Be prepared to share out.
* The word choice impacted the outcome by __.
an author chooses specific words and phrases to get their message across
the author’s opinion about a topic

4. 1. Let’s practice how word choice impacts tone: “You are so scrawny!”
Objective: Determine how Hurston’s word choices impact meaning and tone in How It Feels to be Colored Me.
Directions:
1. Let’s practice how word choice impacts tone:
“You are so scrawny!”
“You are so lean!”
2. Get 2 different colored highlighters/light-colored markers.
3. Make a key at the top of your paper:
4. Using your “positive” highlighter, highlight positive word choices that show Hurston’s tone toward How [She] Feels to be Colored.
5. Using your “negative” highlighter, highlight negative word choices that show Hurston’s tone toward How [She] Feels to be Colored.
EXIT TICKET:
On your own, answer the questions on the back of your sheet.
Turn it in when finished.
Which sentence has a positive tone?
Which sentence has a negative tone?
What is the word choice that impacts the tone?
Here’s a hint:
You should see more of one color than another.
positive
negative