Book-It Repertory Theatre’s Arts and Education Program closely aligns its performances and learning materials with research-based reading instruction. The purpose of this study guide is to engage students in literacy objectives and hands-on activities that support the comprehension of Pink and Say.
First: Read the book! As part of Book-It’s touring package, your school has received a copy of the story that serves as a permanent resource for your library.
second: Select one or all of the activities and adjust them to fit your students and classroom needs. Some activities are designed for teachers to lead students through an interactive process; directions and support materials are included for successful facilitation. Others are handouts for independent student work or to be used for whole-class instruction; these pages do not have directions for the teacher.
Third: Extend the joy of reading with the “Book-It Book List”—stories with similar themes for readers grades K-6.
Standards for the Study Guide and Performance: Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: R.CCR.2, R.CCR.3, R.CCR.6, RI.CCR.1, RI.CCR.5, RI.CCR.7, L.CCR.4 Washington EARLs in Theatre: 1.1, 1.4, 3.1, 4.3
Literacy ObjectivesActivating Prior Knowledge
Making ConnectionsComparing & Contrasting
Oral StorytellingBuilding Background Knowledge
Reflecting & Evaluating
themes and conceptsCivil WarCourage
Family HistoryFriendship
Slavery
Patricia Polacco is an American author, illustrator, and storyteller. Her mixed heritage, Irish and Russian, is reflected in her books which celebrate life in many lands. As a child, she had difficulty with reading and writing due to dyslexia. As a result, Polacco became an artist which led to her eventual career as an illustrator and writer. Polacco holds a Master’s degree in Fine Arts and a Ph.D. in Art History. She is the mother of two grown children and has recently moved back to her grandparent’s farm in Union City, Michigan, which was built during Lincoln’s time. In fact, Lincoln once walked the halls of the farmhouse that is now known as “Meteor Ridge Farm.” Polacco has written over 50 children’s books and has won many literary awards, including the Author’s Hall of Fame, the Golden Kite, and Parent’s Choice Honors.Source: www.patriciapolacco.com page 2
Book-It’s Arts and Education Program is dedicated to inspiring people of all ages to read. We tour a diverse range of stories to schools, libraries, and community venues throughout Washington state, conduct long-term residencies in schools, offer teacher professional development for school staff, and present low-cost student matinées of our mainstage shows. What you will see and hear at a Book-It performance is literature spoken by the characters as if it were dialogue in a play—actors speak both the narration and the dialogue. Book-It takes the written word back to its roots—storytelling!
introduction to book-it Repertory Theatre’s Arts & Education Program
This true Civil War story begins when Pink, an African American slave-turned-Union soldier, finds Say, a White Ohio farm boy, also a Union soldier wounded in battle. Say is carried to the safety of Pink’s mother’s home. There, the 15-year-old boys find a pocket of peace and friendship amid the violence that rages around them. They share stories of their lives and their accomplishments, including Say’s brief encounter with President Abraham Lincoln and stories of Pink’s life as a slave. The increasing stakes and hardships from the war bring the boys together and their shared loss becomes the glue for their friendship. This story has been passed down from Patricia Polacco’s great-great-grandfather. Set during war, Pink and Say is a story of courage, friendship, and fighting for what’s right.
Table of ContentsInformation on Book-It, the Story, and the Author Page 2Words of Courage Activating Prior Knowledge Activity Page 3Friendship Making Self-to-Text Connections Worksheet Page 4 Shaking the Hand of Freedom Making Connections Worksheet Page 5Generation to Generation Oral Storytelling Worksheet Page 6Look Closely Compare & Contrast Worksheet Page 7Share It! Know It! Vocabulary Development Activity Page 8-9Life During the Civil War Building Background Knowledge Instructions Page 10 Nonfiction texts Page 11-15The Play & You Reflecting & Evaluating Worksheet Page 16Book-It Book List & Mainstage Show Discounts Last Pages
the story: Pink and Say
the author: patricia polacco
To provide an interactive relationship between youth and literature through diverse theatrical productions and educational programs that promote the joy of reading, enhance student and teacher learning, and inspire the imagination.
our mission
Time: 5-8 minutes
Purpose: Words of Courage is a word association activity designed to activate prior knowledge for the theme of “courage.” Other relevant themes include: friendship, bravery, empathy, and war.
Preparation: Read through the directions and dialogue before leading the activity. Feel free to adjust the theme for the level, age, and background of students.
Directions: Students stand or sit in a circle, or sit at their desks. Tell students they will activate prior knowledge around a theme in the story they will see performed. Give examples of the theme and have a general discussion before beginning the activity. Explain how the activity is played. Feel free to play another round with a different theme. After the activity, reflect and make connections to the performance they will see.
Dialogue: Just like good readers think about what they already know before reading, we’re going to think about our own experiences before seeing Pink and Say in an activity called Words of Courage.
In the story we’re about to see, two 15-year-old boys, Pink and Say, make a courageous decision to go to war. Take a moment to think of a time you or someone you know showed courage or bravery. This could be overcoming a fear, trying something new, or telling the truth about something. Take a moment to think of this thing.
In Words of Courage,
- We go around the circle and each person says one word that relates to the theme we’re thinking about. For example I might say, “scared,” “swimming,” or “friends.” - Only the person sharing their word speaks—everyone else listens without commenting. - What you say only needs to make sense to you. - You can repeat what other people say. - If you can’t think of anything or don’t feel like sharing, you can say, “Courage.”
Let’s begin. I’ll start...
page 3
Words of courage
Activating Prior Knowledgepre-show
What does it mean to have courage?
“Mother, this war has to be won or this sickness that has taken this land will never stop…We have to go.” —Pink
Friendship
making self-to-text connections“ ‘I surely do wish I could read,’ I announced to them without thinkin’.
When Pink saw I was ashamed, he took my hand.” —Say
people you like and trust...
pre-show
page 4
In the story, two boys from very different worlds, become friends. They share stories about their lives, they listen to each other, and they help each through a hard time. Think about someone you care about, trust, and respect. This could be a friend, parent, relative, or someone in your class. Draw a picture of you and this person doing something you like together.
draw a picture of you and this person doing something you like together.
Shaking the hand of freedom
making connections“Let me touch the hand that touched
Mr. Lincoln, just one last time.” —Pink
pre/postshow
fighting for what’s right!In the story, Abraham Lincoln is important to Pink and Say because he is a symbol of hope. As the President of the United States, he was one of the first white men in a position of power to fight for the freedom of slaves. Lincoln knew that slavery was wrong and faced many challenges in trying to end it. Say shook Lincoln’s hand right before the Battle of Bull Run.
Imagine that you are a soldier, about to fight in that same battle. You see Lincoln coming over to you to shake your hand. He seems worried, and you wonder if he is questioning his decision to enter this battle. What would you say to him? Why should you fight in this war?
page 5
write your thoughts to lincoln:
oral storytellingpre-show
page 6
Generation to Generation“He then told me, his daughter, Patricia.” —Patricia Polacco
Keeping memories alive...The story of Pink and Say has been passed down in Patricia Polacco’s family for four generations. Stories like these are part of the oral tradition. They are passed from generation to generation, from person to person, and are told again and again.
Think about your family. What is a story you’ve been told or a story you will tell?
write or draw your story
who will you pass this story on to?
Look Closely...
Compare & Contrast“I had never seen a man like him so close before. His skin was the color of polished mahogany.
He was flyin’ Union colors like me. My age, maybe. His voice was soothin’ and his help was good. —Say
pre/postshow
What’s unique? What’s the same?Think about the characters Pink and Say. How are they the same? How are they different? Show details of how the characters are different in the outer circles and how they are the same where the circles overlap.
write or draw your ideas.
page 7
S a y
p i nk
say & pink
page 8
vocabulary developmentpre-show
Time: 15 minutes
Purpose: This activity builds understanding for words, phrases, and concepts related to Pink and Say and the Civil War. During the exercise, students share information about their words, phrases, or concepts and listen to the information of others.
Preparation: Use the vocabulary slips on the next page. Cut the words and definitions into slips. Feel free to develop new and/or different slips that support the story and the level, age, and background of students. Model the activity before students engage independently.
Directions: Pass out the vocabulary slips—one slip per student. It’s okay if multiple students have the same slip.
Tell students to read the slip silently, think about the information, ask clarifying questions, and fold it so that no one can see what it says inside.
Tell students to move around the room and find a partner. Each time they meet another person, they verbally exchange the information on their slip of paper and then trade slips without looking at them. Feel free to give a countdown for students to find new partners and support students as they share information in their own words. The process might sound something like…
Teacher: Find a partner in 5-4-3-2-1. Share the information on your slip using your own words. Listen carefully to your partner. Then trade slips. You have about 2 minutes.
Student A: Hi, my word is “marauder.” Marauders are people who travel around, rob people’s homes and damage them.
Student B: Hi, I have something about “going green.” This means someone might get gangrene, which is dead and rotting flesh that is caused by an untreated infection.
Continue the exercise until students have exchanged slips 3-5 times. The student’s objective is to pass each slip without peeking at what it actually says. This means students must listen and remember what they have just been told.
At the end of the game, ask students to sit in a circle, or at their desks. One at a time, each student shares the information on their slip, then opens it up to see if the information matches. Highlight that this activity relies on the whole group listening and sharing information—working together to build understanding.Sources: www.kansasmemory.org/item/208418www.commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kiang_West_young_mahogany.jpgwww.dmna.ny.gov/historic/reghist/civil/infantry/103rdInf/103rdInfPersonGroup1.htmwww.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rifled_musketwww.dpeal.wikispaces.com/Slavery+and+the+slave+tradewww.hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/41041www.mardeanandpeter.blogspot.com/2013/05/may-10-2013-andersonville-georgia.htmlwww.images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/civil-war-deserter-1861-granger.jpgwww.civilwar.org/education/pdfs/civil-was-curriculum-medicine.pdfwww.pinterest.com/vinyl86/svg-fileswww.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14993517www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musketwww.civilwarbattlefields.uswww.civilwar.org/education/history/warfare-and-logistics/warfare/who-fought.htmlwww.civilwarsidesf1011.pbworks.com/w/page/31643071/Company%20Xylophone
share it! Know it!Key Words of the civil War
“Crossed his back with knotted hemp.”
dysenteryAn infection that causes bloody diarrhea and, if untreated, can lead to death. It was the number one cause of death in the Civil War.
“The Sickness”Some people called slavery “The Sickness” because they thought being enslaved was like an incurable illness.
deserterSomeone who leaves a war without permission and doesn’t plan to return.
ransackTo search throughout a space without caring if anything breaks.
outfitAn organized group of soldiers.
lead ballA round bullet made of lead .
“His skin was the color of polished mahogany.”Mahogany is a tropical tree with wood that is a reddish-brown. The wood is often used to make furniture.
maraudersPeople who travel in search of farms and homes to rob and damage.
“go green”To get gangrene. Gangrene is dead and rotting flesh caused by untreated infection.
Whipped him with a rough rope that had knots tied in it.
stockadeA strong fence made of tall posts, used to keep people in or out of a space. A prison for military personnel.
musketAn old type of gun with a long smooth barrel.
vittlesFood and drink.
unionThe Northern states that stayed a part of the United States during the Civil War.
confederacyThe 11 Southern states that separated from the United States during the Civil War.
Union Soldier Confederate Soldier
life during the civil warBuilding Background Knowledgepre-show
This page has recommendations on how to use the nonfiction texts on the next pages, which are designed to build background knowledge for the performance of Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco.
Topics in the Nonfiction Texts:Civil War Timeline What Led up to the Civil War?In Their Own Words
Life for Soldiers…Life for Boys…Life for the United States Colored Troops…
Nonfiction Text Features:Feel free to do a mini-lesson on nonfiction text features. Each topic includes some of the following features: heading, sub-heading, quotes, photo with a caption.
Options to facilitate reading:Some of the vocabulary and content may be challenging for students depending on their grade and reading level.
Students can:• Read independently• Follow along while the text is read aloud• Read the text in pairs to support developing readers• Jigsaw the texts so each group reads and discusses a topic and shares with the rest of the class
Options to facilitate discussion:Each topic has information relevant to the story. They are springboards for deeper discussions about what started the war, Union and Confederate sides, slavery, and the life of soldiers.
Students can:• Pair-share or talk with their table groups• Engage in a whole class discussion• Jigsaw the texts so each group reads and discusses a topic and shares with the rest of the class
page 10
page 11
NOveMBer 6
1860
Civil War Timeline
DeCeMBer 20
1860
FeBruArY 9
1861
MArCH 4
1861
APrIL 12
1861
1861-1862
jANuArY 1
1863
juLY 1
1863
NOveMBer 19
1863
APrIL 4
1865
APrIL 14
1865
DeCeMBer 6
1865
Abraham Lincoln is elected President Abraham Lincoln disagrees with the extension of slavery into the new territories of the United States. Southern states think this is a violation of States’ rights.
South Carolina secedes South Carolina is the first state to secede, or leave, the United States. Within a few months several other states including Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana also leave the Union.
The Confederation is formed The Southern states form their own country called the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis is their president.
Abraham Lincoln takes office Now that President Lincoln is in office, he wants to bring all the states back into the same country.
The Civil War Begins The South attacks Fort Sumter, a Union fort in South Carolina, and starts the war.
emancipation Proclamation President Lincoln issues an executive order to free the slaves. This frees some, but not all— approximately 50,000 of 4 million slaves are set free.
The Battle of Gettysburg A major battle where the North not only wins the battle, but starts to win the Civil War.
Gettysburg AddressDedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery at Gettysburg. President Abraham Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address.
General robert e. Lee surrenders General Lee, the leader of the Confederate Army, surrenders to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.
President Lincoln is assassinated While attending a play at Ford’s Theatre, President Lincoln is shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth, a supporter of the South.
The 13th Amendment is added to the Constitution This amendment abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime.
Many Battles of 1861 and 1862 Throughout 1861 and 1862, many battles are fought where soldiers from both sides are wounded and killed. Major battles include the First and Second Battles of Bull Run, The Battle of Shiloh, The Battle of Antietam, and the Battle of Fredericksburg.
Think About...The Civil War and the 13th Amendment paved the way for equal rights for all Americans. Think about today…
Are all people in America treated equally? Where do you see examples? Use evidence from the text and the world to support your thinking.
rising
Tensions
page 12
What led up to the C
ivil War?
One N
ation—Tw
o Sides emerge
resources
In the South most of the w
ealth cam
e from farm
ing crops such as cotton and tobacco, w
hich w
ere grown and harvested by
free labor, or slaves. The South
had 84% of the country’s large
farms. In the N
orth, wealth
came from
factories where
people were paid to w
ork. The
North produced 92%
of the country’s iron and steel.
PoliticsTh
e North believed the country
should stay united and that the federal governm
ent should oversee of all the states. Th
e South believed that each state should be able to m
ake their ow
n rules (States’ rights) and w
orried that their way of life
would be controlled by the
federal government.
SlaveryW
hile not everyone in the South ow
ned slaves, the Southern states supported slavery. O
wning
slaves was a sign of pow
er and w
ealth—it w
as a way to
increase income through free
labor. For example, the average
slave holder’s farm w
as worth
$1,720 and a non-slaveholder’s farm
was w
orth about $500. In general, the N
orthern states did not support slavery. It w
asn’t a prim
ary factor in how people
made a living.
Culture
In the North, attitudes changed
as people of different cultures and classes w
orked together in factories. Th
e South was based
on a plantation system, w
hich led to continued beliefs in an old social order that relied on slave labor.
Sources: w
ww.civilw
ar.org/education/history/civil-war-overview
/triggerevents.html
ww
w.civilwar.org/education/history/civil-w
ar-overview/northandsouth.htm
lw
ww.civilw
ar.org/curriculumM
cLaurin, M. (1991). C
elia, a slave: A true story. New
York: Avon Books.
When the war started, regular citizens turned into soldiers overnight. There wasn’t much time to train or prepare. About one of every four soldiers died. More died from illness than actual fighting. They didn’t have proper toilets or sanitation so illness spread quickly. When they weren’t fighting each other on the battlefield, they were fighting boredom in their camps. Living in canvas tents in the summer and wooden shacks in the winter, they wrote letters home, played cards, and drank. Their food was often spoiled or mealy, meaning it had worms living in it. Some soldiers resorted to stealing animals or food from houses and farms.
Union soldiers ate mainly hardtack (a hard cracker), salted pork, flour, and cornmeal. Sometimes they had coffee, molasses and desiccated vegetables which were dried vegetables shredded up and pressed into blocks. Hardtack was so hard that some men broke their teeth trying to eat it.
Confederate soldiers ate mainly cornmeal, salted beef and dried peas. They didn’t have real coffee because the Union blocked their supply. They made a similar drink out of chicory (a root vegetable), peanuts, or wheat.
”“I have been in one battle and that satisfied me with war. I would beg to be excused next time.
—Private Haban R. Foster, 34th Virginia Infantry
Life for Soldiers
Soldiers in the trenches before battle in Petersburg, virginiaSource: www.archives.gov/research/military/civil-war
page 13
Life on the Battlefield: In Their Own Words
Both Confederate and Union boys enlisted (signed up to fight) because they were proud of their country. Some wanted to escape their farm lives and others ran away from bad homes. Twenty percent of soldiers who fought in the Civil War were under the age of 18. The Confederate Army had no age requirement. It was the same for the Union Army, until the law changed requiring soldiers to be at least 18 years old. Despite this change, many boys under 18 and as young as 10, found ways to enlist, sometimes by lying.
Boys were assigned to be drummers who helped send messages to soldiers during battle, flag bearers who carried their country’s flag, or nurse’s assistants. As assistants, they would carry bodies of wounded soldiers on stretchers, help with amputations, and bury the bodies of dead soldiers.
Boy soldiers were shot at, wounded, and killed just like adult soldiers. Even though boys were in dangerous situations, they were not given guns. Some took guns from dead soldiers to protect themselves in battle. Some were treated as soldiers, given guns, and expected to fight like men.
”“I was certainly scared. One shell had exploded near enough so that I could realize its effects, and the one thing I wanted was to get where no more
shells could burst around me.—John A. Cockerill, 16, Union regimental musician at Pittsburg
Landing, Mississippi, April 1862
Life for Boys
Marbury, Gilbert A., drummer, Company H, 22nd New York Infantry; posing with drum. Source: www.archives.gov/research/military/civil-war
page 14
Life on the Battlefield: In Their Own Words
By early 1863, fewer people were joining the Union Army. In response the federal government decided to allow Black men to enlist in the war. They became members of the United States Colored Troops. Prior to this, the army enlisted only White soldiers. The U.S. Colored Troops were commanded by White officers and made up of former slaves from both Confederate and Union states, as well free Black men from the North. The Confederate Army never allowed Black soldiers to enlist during the war.
There were many differences between the Colored Troops and White soldiers. The guns, food, and medical supplies were worse than White troops. Black soldiers were paid $10.00 a week and had to give some of their pay back as a fee for uniforms. While White soldiers were paid $13.00 a week and were given an allowance for uniforms. Black soldiers lobbied for equal pay and, by the end of the war, were awarded this request. If captured by the Confederate soldiers, Black soldiers would be sold back into slavery or killed—the Confederate states viewed them as property, not people. Because of this, the Union army tried to keep the Colored Troops off the front lines.
By the end of the war, 178,975 Black men had enlisted in the United States Colored Troops. They joined the fight for several reasons. First, they fought to end slavery; they wanted freedom for themselves and their families. Second, they could gain valuable skills while training for the war, and get paid. Third, they were given a new purpose in life and a new identity—Soldier of the United States Army.
”“...great is the outpouring of the colered peopl that is now rallying with the hearts of lions against that very curse that has seperated you an me…i
am a soldier now and i shall use my utmost endeavor to strike at the rebellion and the heart
of this system that so long has kept us in chains...—Samuel Cabble, 21, Private in the Fifty-fifth
Massachusetts Colored Infantry—a slave before he joined the army, in a letter to his wife.
Life for the u.S. Colored Troops
Men of Company e, 4th u.S. Colored Infantry, at Fort Lincoln, District of Columbia, 1865Source: www.hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu
u.s. colored troops
Free Black Northerners
Former union State Slaves
Former Confederate State Slaves
page 15
Life on the Battlefield: In Their Own Words
The Play & You
Reflecting & Evaluating
Pair-share...1. Pair-share your favorite part of the play.2. Pair-share something you wish could be different about this story.3. Pair-share something you learned about the Civil War.4. Pair-share something you didn’t understand or have a question about.
My thoughts...In the circles below, write what you remember most about the play. This could be something you talked about with your partner, an event in the story, how the play was acted, or the question and answer session. Write or draw your answers.
“To be born a slave is a heap o’ trouble, Say. But after Aylee taught me to read,even though he owned my person, I knew that nobody, ever, could really own me” —Pink
postshow
I learned...I Liked...
some
thing
i w
ish cou
ld be different...
page 16
book-it book listpink and say
If you liked Pink and Say, you might also like…
KindergartenCassie’s Sweet Berry Pie by Karen B. Winnick
Li’l Dan the Drummer Boy by Romare Bearden
1st GradeHold the Flag High by Catherine Clinton
Hope’s Gift by Kelly Starling Lyons
2nd GradeAlec’s Primer by Mildred Pitts Walter
The Blue and the Gray by Eve Bunting
3rd GradeFreedom Ship by Doreen Rappaport
Mary Walker Wears the Pants: the True Story of the Doctor,Reformer, and Civil War Hero by Cheryl Harness
4th GradeStonewall Hinkleman and the Battle of Bull Run by Michael Hemphill
The Storm Before Atlanta by Karen Schwabach
5th GradeFreedom Stone by Jeffrey Kluger
Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds,a Civil War Hero by Marissa Moss
6th GradeHear the Wind Blow by Mary Downing Hahn
Lunch-Box Dream by Tony Abbott
Book list prepared by Sara Lachman, Timberland Regional Library System
Just for adults!In addition to Book-It’s children’s touring stories, we offer a mainstage season of literature. Come see a show performed just for you!
Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheusby Mary Wollstonecraft ShelleyFebruary 12 – March 9, 2014
Truth Like the Sunby Jim LynchApril 23 – May 18, 2014
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clayby Michael ChabonJune 7 – July 13, 2014
for the whole family!Family Fun DaysBring the whole family to enjoy a live theatre performance of a great children’s book, book-themed crafts, and an imaginative workshop where you jump into the world of the story.
• Crafts at 10:30 a.m.• Performance at 11:00 a.m• Workshop at 12:00 noon
Pink and Sayby Patricia PolaccoMarch 8, 2014
The Phantom Tollboothby Norton JusterMay 3, 2014
Get 50% off! d i s c o u n t C o d e :
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to buy your tiCkets…Contact Book-It’s box office: 206.216.0833 or visit our website: www.book-it.org. Use the special discount code when you make your purchase and get 50% off! All shows are at the Center Theatre at the Seattle Center Armory. See website for specific information regarding dates and times of shows.
