Exploring Pink and Say

By: Patricia Polacco

Web Lesson  Designed By: Barbara Dawes
Intended for 3rd or 4th grade readers

About the Author :

     Patricia, born at Lansing, Michigan in 1944, did not begin to write until she was 41.  She went undiagnosed until she was fourteen with dyslexia.

     As a child of divorced parents, she lived with her mother and grandparents on a farm during the winters and spent summers with her father.

     With the Ukraine, Russia, and Ireland as the lands of her forefathers, Patricia was destined to become the story teller she is today.

     Read more about Patricia

Project Introduction and book background:

     Patricia Polacco's book  Pink and Say  provides a look at the United States Civil War through the eyes of two  young participants.  Fifteen year old Sheldon was a injured union solider who was found in a blood-soaked  pasture in Georgia by union garbed Pinkus Aylee.  One white and one black, both boys struggle to survive this war   with the help of Moe Moe Bay, mother to Pinkus.  Sheldon, who once shook Abraham Lincoln's hand, becomes  close friends with Pinkus.

     You will need to do all of the following activities as you read  Pink and Say.  Be sure and save all the paperwork  for each activity.  They will be turned into the teacher as you complete each step.  Once you are ready to begin the  sixth activity your papers will be returned to you.

Materials Needed

• Copy of Patricia Polacco's Pink and Say
• Pencil
• Paper
• Crayons
• Several different patterned wrapping papers
• Two 18 x 12 pieces of white construction paper
• Computer with Internet access
• Printer
• Ruler
• Glue
• Tape

Pre-Reading Activities

Activity 1 -

Click on the following link and print off the blank map.  Once you have your blank map use this link and color the Union States blue and the Confederate gray.  Please use the abbreviations for the state to label it.  Indiana is an example.  It would be labeled with IN.   Label only the states that were involved in the war. 

Activity 2 -

Explore the  American Civil War  website.  Take a look at this informative web site.  As you explore, fill out the Internet Imagery form  paying attention to the specific areas that you are asked to look at.  Once you have completed the form, turn it in to the teacher.

During Reading Activities

Activity 3 - 

Watch the United Streaming Video film entitled, "Civil War" (see your teacher for a copy).  This video is 15 minutes long.  After you watch this video, fill out the  Film Imagery form.  Once you have completed the form, turn it in to the teacher.

Activity 4 -

Complete the Venn Diagram as you read  Pink and Say.   

 Once you have completed the diagram,

 please hand it to the teacher.

After Reading Activities

Activity 5 -

Choose one book from either the Sharp Creek Library or the Wabash Carnegie Public Library.  Preapprove your choice of book with the teacher before you start your book.   Print the Book Imagery form  twice using one for the book you have chosen from the two lists.  Read the book and fill the form out  completely.  Please take the second form and use  Pink and Say  to fill it out.  Turn both forms into the teacher and receive permission to continue.

Activity 6 -

This project helps students identify and understand symbolism.  A symbol is an object that represents something important.  It symbolizes something else that is more meaningful than the object itself.  Using the four Imagery forms we are going to create a paper quilt that depicts the images that we have found.

Please follow each of the steps to make our quilt in the order they are given!

Step one:

• You will need two 12 x 18 sheets of white construction paper.
• Fold both papers in half lengthwise.  Both sheets are now 6 inches in height and 9 inches long.
• Fold the paper every 6 inches lengthwise (twice more)
• Unfold the papers.  Each sheet should have 6 squares that are 6 by 6 inches. We will need one full sheet and you can cut the second sheet in half making 3 squares of 6 by 6.
• Tape those squares to the full sheet.  Now you have one large square of 18 by 18 (9 squares of 6 by 6 to work with).

Step Two:

• Number each square in pencil.  The top row is 1,2, and 3.  The middle row is 4,5, and 6.  The last row is 7,8, and 9.  Put nothing in squares 2, 4, 6, and 8.  Those will remain blank for now.  In squares 1, 3, 7, and 9 we will use our imagery forms and create a picture in each square that represents what you filled in on each of the forms.  Select one image from each of the four forms.  Decide which of the squares , (#1,3,7,and9) , that you want each picture to go.   Draw  your picture in pencil first, in each square, before coloring it with crayons.

Step Three:

• In square 5 we will place a title for our quilt.  You may choose what you want to call this.  Remember the title should have something to do with the Civil War.  Write it in pencil first then you may color it with crayons.

Step Four:

• The squares 2, 4, 6, and 8 will look like a quilt.  Using the sheets of patterned wrapping paper make a checkerboard pattern by attaching solid or patterned paper squares in between each of the imagery squares.

Conclusion:

• Put your name in pencil on the back of your quilt.  Turn it in to the teacher.  We will exhibit these in the hallway!

Evaluate Your Work

Print out this rubric (the guideline for how you will be graded on each aspect of this project).  Attach it to the front of all of your work.  Make sure your name is on all of your work and the printed rubric sheet.  Your knowledge of  Pink and Say  will be orally evaluated.  The evaluation will follow the rubric.  You may be asked to read  a passage from the book also!