Bloom’s Taxonomy Questions and Activities
I. Knowledge
1. Write a physical description of the new teacher,
Miss Saunders.
A. Miss Saunders is very tall and obese. She has very small feet. She is African American. Miss Saunders has a huge white stain across her face, resembling an acid spill. Maleeka refers to her as an “Amazon woman-teacher” who wears designer suits and gold jewelry.
2. Why does Maleeka’s mother sew clothes for Maleeka to wear?
A. She sews Maleeka’s clothes so they can save money, to relieve stress and to cope with Maleeka’s father’s death.
A. Miss Saunders is very tall and obese. She has very small feet. She is African American. Miss Saunders has a huge white stain across her face, resembling an acid spill. Maleeka refers to her as an “Amazon woman-teacher” who wears designer suits and gold jewelry.
2. Why does Maleeka’s mother sew clothes for Maleeka to wear?
A. She sews Maleeka’s clothes so they can save money, to relieve stress and to cope with Maleeka’s father’s death.
II. Comprehension
1. Compare
and contrast Maleeka to her best friend Sweets.
A. Maleeka and Sweets are both smart, African American middle school students. Both like to talk on the phone. They are interested in boys. Both scored high on the admittance test to Central Middle School. They have been best friends since kindergarten.
Maleeka attends McClenton Middle School, which is located in the inner city. She has a poor self-image and low self-esteem. Maleeka has very dark skin. She feels that she doesn’t fit in anywhere.
Sweets attends Central Middle School across town, (the school for smart girls.) She has a healthy self-image and good self-esteem. Her complexion is light tan. She feels that she has the same right to attend Central as any of the other girls who are students at the school.
2. In the story, Caleb told Maleeka, “You have to take a stand.” Explain what this phrase means to you. Provide one example from the book when Caleb “takes a stand,” and one example when Caleb fails to “take a stand.”
A. Taking a stand means standing up for what you believe in. Caleb feeds the homeless, volunteers at the senior citizen’s home, institutes a clean-up day in the neighborhood, and voluntarily cleans the boy’s restroom at the school. Caleb failed to take a stand the previous year during the school trip to Washington DC. Everyone on the bus was teasing Maleeka and calling her names. He moved to another area on the bus, by the boys who were taunting Maleeka.
A. Maleeka and Sweets are both smart, African American middle school students. Both like to talk on the phone. They are interested in boys. Both scored high on the admittance test to Central Middle School. They have been best friends since kindergarten.
Maleeka attends McClenton Middle School, which is located in the inner city. She has a poor self-image and low self-esteem. Maleeka has very dark skin. She feels that she doesn’t fit in anywhere.
Sweets attends Central Middle School across town, (the school for smart girls.) She has a healthy self-image and good self-esteem. Her complexion is light tan. She feels that she has the same right to attend Central as any of the other girls who are students at the school.
2. In the story, Caleb told Maleeka, “You have to take a stand.” Explain what this phrase means to you. Provide one example from the book when Caleb “takes a stand,” and one example when Caleb fails to “take a stand.”
A. Taking a stand means standing up for what you believe in. Caleb feeds the homeless, volunteers at the senior citizen’s home, institutes a clean-up day in the neighborhood, and voluntarily cleans the boy’s restroom at the school. Caleb failed to take a stand the previous year during the school trip to Washington DC. Everyone on the bus was teasing Maleeka and calling her names. He moved to another area on the bus, by the boys who were taunting Maleeka.
III. Application
1. Miss
Saunders posed the question to her students, “What does your face say to the
world?” Think about what your
face says to the world. Create a collage
on poster board that you feel represents what your face says to other people.
A. Students use pictures from magazines and newspapers to make their collage. They may include appropriate drawings and quotes. Students will present posters to the class.
2. Maleeka was constantly subjected to taunting, teasing, and bullying from her fellow classmates. Did you or a friend ever experience a similar situation? Write a 1-2 page journal entry that expresses your feelings on these topics. (This is a private entry, and will not be shared with others.)
A. This exercise offers students an opportunity to express their experiences and feelings about bullying. It is a private entry, so students feel safe to answer truthfully.
A. Students use pictures from magazines and newspapers to make their collage. They may include appropriate drawings and quotes. Students will present posters to the class.
2. Maleeka was constantly subjected to taunting, teasing, and bullying from her fellow classmates. Did you or a friend ever experience a similar situation? Write a 1-2 page journal entry that expresses your feelings on these topics. (This is a private entry, and will not be shared with others.)
A. This exercise offers students an opportunity to express their experiences and feelings about bullying. It is a private entry, so students feel safe to answer truthfully.
IV. Analysis
1. You are a
fictional character living in the 1700’s or 1800’s. During the next 3 weeks write 6 diary entries
to experience “walking in someone else’s shoes.” Choose a theme and invent characters for your
entries. The plot must relate to the
time of the Slave Trade.
A. This exercise allows students to take part in an assignment similar to Maleeka’s writings about the slave girl, Akeelma. It offers students the opportunity to invent a story and characters and analyze events and emotions during that era.
2. Analyze the relationship between Maleeka and Miss Saunders in the beginning of the book and the end of the story. Does it change? List examples from the story to support your viewpoints.
A. Miss Saunders has compassion for all of the students. She wants her students to think critically. Maleeka didn’t like the attention that Miss Saunders gave to her. Maleeka wanted to hide in the crowd and blend in. She disliked Miss Saunders, and wanted Miss Saunders to “Go away.” As the story unfolds, Maleeka gains new respect for herself and Miss Saunders. She finds a friend in Miss Saunders and feels safe in her presence.
A. This exercise allows students to take part in an assignment similar to Maleeka’s writings about the slave girl, Akeelma. It offers students the opportunity to invent a story and characters and analyze events and emotions during that era.
2. Analyze the relationship between Maleeka and Miss Saunders in the beginning of the book and the end of the story. Does it change? List examples from the story to support your viewpoints.
A. Miss Saunders has compassion for all of the students. She wants her students to think critically. Maleeka didn’t like the attention that Miss Saunders gave to her. Maleeka wanted to hide in the crowd and blend in. She disliked Miss Saunders, and wanted Miss Saunders to “Go away.” As the story unfolds, Maleeka gains new respect for herself and Miss Saunders. She finds a friend in Miss Saunders and feels safe in her presence.
V. Synthesis
1. Maleeka’s
father wrote a poem to her when she was young.
Maleeka uses the poem as an “anchor,” a way to remain grounded when
subjected to adversity. Write 2
paragraphs about the “anchor” you could use to stay focused and positive when
you are confronted with unpleasant situations.
A. Students can write about a tangible object such as a photo, a quote, saying, or poem, a meaningful song, an important person in their life, or a special place they like to visit.
2. You are participating in an anti-bullying campaign. Work in groups of 3 students to create a song, poem, skit, commercial, or poster to present a specific idea about teasing and bullying. Groups will present their work to the class.
A. This activity gives students the opportunity to work with fellow classmates, discuss bullying, and propose possible solutions to a problem that is prevalent in all middle schools.
A. Students can write about a tangible object such as a photo, a quote, saying, or poem, a meaningful song, an important person in their life, or a special place they like to visit.
2. You are participating in an anti-bullying campaign. Work in groups of 3 students to create a song, poem, skit, commercial, or poster to present a specific idea about teasing and bullying. Groups will present their work to the class.
A. This activity gives students the opportunity to work with fellow classmates, discuss bullying, and propose possible solutions to a problem that is prevalent in all middle schools.
VI. Evaluation
1. You will
participate in an activity to examine Maleeka’s motives and actions pertaining
to the vandalism she is involved in.
Students will work in groups assigned by the teacher. During this exercise, pretend Maleeka is on
trial for her actions and participation in the vandalism that occurs in Miss
Saunders classroom. Two groups will work for the defense. Prepare a plan of
action and appropriate questions to ask your witnesses, in an effort to defend
Maleeka’s actions, and minimize her punishment.
The other two groups will work for the prosecution. Prepare a plan of action your team can use in
court to prove Maleeka’s guilt and design an appropriate sentence.
A. This activity gives students an opportunity to examine and evaluate motives.
Defense: Maleeka went along with Char and the twins, although she knew it was wrong. She thought that if she did not participate in the vandalism “Char would mess her up good.” She was afraid and felt she did not have any other alternative than to go along with Char.
Prosecution: Maleeka participated in acts of vandalism at the school. She willingly chose to be involved in the destruction of property in Miss Saunders’ classroom.
2. If you were faced with a similar situation, what would you choose to do? Discuss your ideas in small groups.
A. Students can discuss bullying and devise a positive plan of action to combat the effects of teasing and bullying.
A. This activity gives students an opportunity to examine and evaluate motives.
Defense: Maleeka went along with Char and the twins, although she knew it was wrong. She thought that if she did not participate in the vandalism “Char would mess her up good.” She was afraid and felt she did not have any other alternative than to go along with Char.
Prosecution: Maleeka participated in acts of vandalism at the school. She willingly chose to be involved in the destruction of property in Miss Saunders’ classroom.
2. If you were faced with a similar situation, what would you choose to do? Discuss your ideas in small groups.
A. Students can discuss bullying and devise a positive plan of action to combat the effects of teasing and bullying.
