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The Color of Water:

A Unit Plan

Based on the book by: James McBride

Written by: Tricia Brownstein

Table of Contents

Color of Water Questions Chapter 1 “Dead”

1. Why does Ruth say she’s dead? 1
2. Why did Rachel Shilsky have to die? 2
3. Why doesn’t Ruth like the Jewish religion? 2
4. What was Ruth’s father like? 3
5. What was her mother like? 3

Chapter 2 “Bicycle”

1. What two hobbies did Ruth take-up when James was fourteen? 5
2. What was James’ stepfather like? 6
3. How did James react to and deal with his stepfather’s death?
4. How did Ruth deal with her husband’s death? 7
5. How does James describe his mother’s physical appearance? 7
6. Why does James say whites and blacks hate his mother? 8
7. Why doesn’t James want his mother to ride the bike?
8. What does James begin to notice about his mother? 12

Chapter 3 “Kosher”

1. Why does Ruth say her father married her mother? 15
2. What would Ruth’s father threaten her with? 16
3. How did the Russians treat the Jews? 16
4. What activities were not allowed on the Sabbath? 17
5. Why was Ruth so confused about death? 18
6. What does Ruth fear about death? 19 Chapter 4 “Black Power”
7. How does James learn about his mother? 21-
8. How did James and his siblings deal with the “realities we had no control over”?
9. Why may Ruth have gotten upset when the teachers would ask her if her children were adopted?

4. Why may James’ teachers have asked Ruth if James was adopted?
5. Why do you think Ruth avoids talking about her past with her children? 24-
6. Why did James fear for his mother’s safety? 25
7. How did the media effect James’ perception of the Black Panthers? 27
8. Why do you think Ruth was so adamant about her children staying at home and keeping their business private? 27
9. According to James, what is the immigrant mentality? 29
10. What did James’ parents believe was the way out of poverty? 29
11. Do you agree with the above? Explain.
12. Why is it contradicting that his mother sends him to white schools?
13. Where does James’ mother like to hang out?
14. How was Ruth treated by white people?
15. How was Ruth treated by black people?
16. Why is James so afraid of the Black Panthers? 36
17. Why did James sock the boy? 36
18. Who is more violent, James or the Black Panther? Explain your answer.

Chapter 5, 1. What did Ruth’s father do for a living? 37 “The Old Testament”

2. Why did Ruth’s family move so much? 37
3. Why does Ruth say people noticed her? 38
4. Why didn’t Ruth’s mom want to move Suffolk? 39
5. Why did the Jews get mad at Ruth’s father? 40
6. How did Tateh treat his wife? 41
7. What did Ruth’s father do to her? 42-

Chapter 6 “The New Testament”

1. What does James compare his mother’s singing to? 45

24. What is fair of mom to lay the responsibility of making Helen stay on the kids?
25. Why do you think Helen ran away and refused to come home?

Chapter 9 “Shul”

26. How was Ruth/Rachel treated by the other kids in Suffolk? 80
27. Why didn’t Ruth/Rachel have any Jewish friends in Suffolk? 81
28. How did Frances and her family treat Rachel? 81
29. How does mom say being poor was different back then as compared to nowadays? 82
30. What were some of the things people ate back then? 83
31. In what way was Ruth starving when she was a child? 83 Chapter 10 “School”
32. What do we find out about their education? 87
33. How does James react to the racism towards him? 90
34. What does James use to escape? 90
35. How is the boy in the mirror different from James? 91
36. What is mom’s bean story about? 93
37. What does Mom do to keep the kids busy?
38. Why do you think his mom ignored the outside world when they would go out?
39. Why doesn’t James want to go places with his mother anymore?
40. How does the store owner react to James’ mother?
41. How does James’ interest in independence backfire?
42. Do you think Ruth over reacted?
43. How has growing up in a dual-race household affected James as an adult?
44. What does the statement “I belong to the world of one God, one people” tell you about James’ views on race and identity now? Chapter 11 “Boys”
45. Why did Ruth fall in love with a black man?

11. Why do you think mom wants her to go to New York?

Chapter 17 “Lost in Harlem”

9. How does he feel about this?
10. Why do you think she pushes her children away?
11. Why do you think mom hides her emotions from her kids?

6. Why did the parents get a divorce?
7. What is the promise and what do we find out about it? Chapter 20 “Old Man Shilsky”
8. Why did he quit his job and the Boston Globe?
9. What other reasons did he feel he had to leave Boston? (not related to work)
10. Why do you think his mother refuses to talk about her past?
11. Why do you think the old man is laughing so hard at James?
12. How does Eddie describe Shilsky?
13. How does Eddie describe Rachel?

Chapter 21 “A Bird Who Flies”

1. How do Mameh’s sisters tell her Bubeh had died?
2. What is your reaction to the way they broke the news?
3. Why do you think Ruth hears her mom’s crying in her head?
4. Why can’t Ruth stay in Suffolk?
5. What do you think Ruth should do?
6. Do you think Ruth should feel guilty about leaving her mom? Y/N why?
7. How do you think her life would have been different if she would have stayed?
8. Who is the “Bird Who Flies” Chapter 22 “A Jew Discovered”
9. Why doesn’t James track Dee Dee down?
10. How was James treated the first time he asked to see the synagogue?
11. How did the Jewish people in Suffolk treat James?
12. Why do you think it was for the best that he wasn’t raised Jewish?
13. Why didn’t James play Aubrey’s greeting to his mother?
14. Do you agree with James’ statement near the end of the chapter about life? Chapter 23 “Dennis”
15. What were some of the hardships Ruth and Dennis faced being a couple?

• Chapter Questions………………………………….
• Vocabulary…………………………………………..
• Dialectical Journals………………………………….
• Research project…………………………………….
• Final Exam…………………………………………..
• Essay Prompts……………………………………….
• reading?
• 3. What two similes do the author use while explaining the Reverend’s sermons?
• 4. What doesn’t mom like to hear about in a sermon?
• 5. Why do you think James’ mother only cries in church?
• 6. Why does James think his mother cries?
• 7. Why does mom say God is the color of water?
• 8. Why do you think Richie gets so mad at the white picture of Jesus?
• 9. How does Mameh react to the sailors? Chapter 7 “Sam”
• 10. Why do you think she reacts this way?
• 11. Why was Ruth’s family uneasy in Suffolk?
• 12. What is ironic about Tateh’s worries that he will be robbed by his black customers?
• 13. Why is Ruth afraid of guns?
• 14. What were living conditions like back then according to Ruth?
• 15. What phrase does she use to describe black people’s lives in the south?
• 16. According to Ruth, what made the black folks happy where she lived?
• 17. Why do you think her dad hated black people so much?
• 18. What was the only ting that made Sam smile?
• 19. What happened to Sam?
• 20. What was her aunt’s response when she asked for help?
• 21. What did the kids eat for dinner? Chapter 8 “Brothers and Sisters”
• 22. What is mom’s top priority?
• 23. Why did Helen quit school?
• 2. What would they do to interracial couples back then according to Ruth?
• 3. Why do you think Tateh spent his family time slaughtering chickens?
• 4. Why won’t Tateh buy his children new clothes?
• 5. What does Ruth say she loves about “black folks”?
• 6. How did Peter win Ruth over?
• 7. What did Peter risk in dating Ruth?
• 8. What does Ruth say about the South?
• 9. Why won’t Ruth eat crab?
• 10. Who knows Ruth is pregnant?
• 1. What does Hunter do for a living? Chapter 12 “Daddy”
• 2. Who does James know as his father?
• 3. What is the irony of Hunter spending his life savings on the house?
• 4. Why didn’t Hunter live at the St. Alban’s house?
• 5. How do the stepfather and mom’s priorities match?
• 6. What happened with the brownstone?
• 7. Why do you think James avoided visiting him?
• 8. How does “Daddy” mention race?
• 9. Why doesn’t James tell his stepfather how he felt about him?
• 1. How does her extended family treat Ruth? Chapter 13 “New York”
• 2. What does Ruth say she loves about NY?
• 3. How does Aunt Mary treat her?
• 4. What did she do about the pregnancy?
• 5. What was most important to Mameh’s sisters?
• 1. Why was Ruth afraid of Uncle Isaac?
• 2. What was Aunt Mary up to?
• 3. How does she describe Andrew McBride?
• 4. Why won’t they give her a job in Harlem?
• 5. Why does Ruth say she went out with Rocky?
• 6. What are Rocky’s plans for Ruth?
• 7. Who steered Ruth away from Rocky?
• 1. Why does mom want to move? Chapter 18 “Lost in Delaware”
• 2. Why does James think it’s best he move?
• 3. Why don’t his younger siblings want to move?
• 4. Why do the older brothers say they should move?
• 5. Why are they lost in Delaware?
• 6. Why does mom hate Delaware?
• 7. What does mom feel guilty about?
• 8. Why has James become a butler?
• 1. Why didn’t Ruth want James to be a musician? Chapter 19 “The Promise”
• 2. How do people react to seeing Dennis and Ruth together?
• 3. Why doesn’t Dennis marry Ruth?
• 4. Why did Ruth go back home?
• 5. What’s her dad up to?
• 3. How are the women in the McBride-Jordan Clan described?
• 4. What is your interpretation of the ending?

Vocabulary

Part II. Matching 1.2. infallible____nonchalance____

3. subsided____
4. intently____
5. motley____ 6.7. unkempt____dowry____
6. claustrophobic____

A B a mixture of different parts, colors, or peopleacting disinterested or having a casual lack of concern C having one’s attention focused or fixed on something D money or goods a wife brings to a marriage E someone who does not make errors F G someone who feels uncomfortable in tight spacesto become less quiet, less active, or less violent H uncared for or neglected

Part III. Fill-in

1. Janice prefers to take the stairs because she feels ______________ in elevators.
2. The boy needs to brush his hair and wash his clothes because he looks ____________. 3.The police officer was watching the man ___________ because he looked like he was about to commit a crime.
3. If it were not for kryptonite, Superman would be _____________.
4. At first, Ned’s ankle was killing him when he sprained it, but the pain eventually __________.
5. We were not sure if he had won the contest because he acted with ______________.
6. Although a ____________ is unusual these days, there are still some men out there who marry a woman for her money.8. There is a ______________ of shoes at Payless; you never know what you are going to find.

Part IV. Your own Sentence

1. infallible________________________________________________________________

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2. nonchalance______________________________________________________________

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3. subsided_________________________________________________________________

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4. intently_________________________________________________________________

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5. motley__________________________________________________________________

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6. unkempt_________________________________________________________________

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7. dowry__________________________________________________________________

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8. claustrophobic____________________________________________________________

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Name_________________Per.____

9. “Answering questions about her personal^ Color of Water^ Vocabulary Chapters 4- history did not jibe with Mommy’s view of parenting twelve curious, wild, brown-skinned children” (21). A B clashagree C stay D succeed
10. “We traded information on Mommy the way people trade baseball cards at tradeshows, offering bits and pieces fraught with gossip” (21-2). A emptied B trapped C D filledvoid
11. “That night I lay wide awake in bed waiting for Mommy to get home from work at two A.M., whereupon she laid the rusein my tattered Fruit of the Loom out as I sat in the kitchen table underwear” (23-4). A game B plan C D ideatrick
12. “She and my father brought a curious blend of Jewish-European and African- American distrust and paranoia into our house”(28). A honesty B lying C distrust D racism
13. (^) raising us other than the experience of“On her end, Mommy had no model for her own Orthodox Jewish family, which despite the seeming flaws—and unbending nature, a stridency, a focus on money, a deep distrust of all outsiders,not to mention her father’s tyranny— represented the best and worst of the immigrant mentality…” (29). A caring B C ignorancecruelty

D oblivion

14. “She couldn’t stand racists of either color and had a great distaste for bourgeois blacks who sought to emulate rich whites by putting on airs and ‘doingsilly things like covering their couches with plastic and holding teacups with their pinkies out’” (30). A middle class B C upper classlower class
15. “She couldn’t stand racists of either color and had a great distaste for bourgeois blacks who sought to emulate rich whites by putting on airs and ‘doing silly things like covering their couches with plastic and holding teacups with their pinkies out’” (30). A B imitatekill C mock D lower
16. “…while the young dudes in hooded sweatshirts stare balefullybowlegged old white lady in Nikes and at the strange, red sweats who slowly hobble up the three flights of dark, urine-smelling stairs on arthritic knees to visit her best friend…” (31). A annoyed B bored C evilly D mysteriously
17. (^) the bus and when the kid went to step on“He placed the kid’s bags in the back of the bus, instead of hugging the child, the father offered his hand, and father and son did a magnificent, convoluted black- power soul handshake called the “dap,”the kind of handshake that lasts five minutes…” (35). A straightforward B brief C D disgustingtwisted Part II. Matching
18. jibe ___
19. fraught___
20. ruse___
21. paranoia___
22. tyranny___

Color of Water Vocabulary Chapters 6-9Name__________________ Per.___ Part I. Guessing underlined word. Write your guess in the area below the sentence. Directions: Read each sentence below from the novel and guess the meaning of the

18. (^) these people with such fervor, until I became a“I never understood why God would climb into grown man myself and came to understand thenature and power of God’s many blessings, but even as a boy I knew God was all-powerfulbecause of Mommy’s utter deference to Him” (50). A dislike B C disregardappreciation D confusion
19. “’Big Kids,’ who didn’t have to go to bed early,didn’t believe in the tooth fairy, and were appointed denizensof course wielded ultimate power” (65). of power by Mommy, who A B residentsabusers C D ignorersworshippers
20. (^) squirreling away a precious grilled cheese or“We would hide food from one another, fried bologna sandwich, but the hiding placeswere know to all and foraged by all and the precious commoditydevoured before it got cold”(66). was usually discovered and A B treasuretrash C article
21. (^) return later with huge cans of peanut butter“Mommy would disappear in the morning and which some benevolentfrom some basement area in the housing agency had distributed projects” (66). A kind B C simpleevil D unfair 22. (^) trade secrets, argue, commiserate,“We snuck into each other’s rooms by night to spy, and continue chess games and monopoly games thathad begun days earlier” (68). A B sympathizeargue C D sleepfight 23. (^) absence because he came home only for“His great achievements, spoken of in his holidays, were glowingly recounted, dissected,rumored, enhanced, extolled” (70). A B condemnedmourned C D denouncedpraised 24. (^) discussions, became the epicenter, instigator,“Helen, once a peripheral figure in these and protagonist. ‘You have to fight the system!’she’d yell” (73). A B upfrontdistant C D centraldisliked 25. “This would set off a barrage of laughingcommentary from my elder siblings, gurus of life and wisdom who had seen and done it all”(73). A B masterssimpletons C D geniusesstudents 26. (^) tall glasses and send us to the candy store for“She would order us to serve her ice water in Devil Dogs and Montclair cigarettes, which wefetched with great dispatch and offered to her with proper subservience A compliance ” (74). B C irritationdisgust D disturbance

Part II. Matching Definitions 1.2. deference __denizens __ 3.4. commodity __benevolent __ 5.6. commiserate __extolled __ 7.8. peripheral __gurus __

9. subservience __

a.b. spiritual teachers; masterspraised highly c.d. inhabitants or occupantsyielding to the opinion or wishes of another person e.f. being polite or obedientkind g.h. something you can use to trade; anything that meets a needrelating to or being part of the outward bounds of something i. to feel or express sympathy Part III. Matching sentences 1. The ___________ of Karate trained the students.

2.3. I saw the car coming out of my _____________ vision and slammed on my brakes just in time.Gold is a valuable _________________.

4. The artist’s work is ________________ in many countries.
5. She felt ___________ with her sister’s pain when she was dumped by her boyfriend.
6. The servant’s ______________ was expected by her employers.
7. The ___________ grandmother donated all of her money to charity.
8. Indians were originally ______________ of California.
9. In ______________ to his wishes, she washed the dishes.

Part IV. underline or highlight the word in your sentence. Your own sentences Write your own sentence demonstrating understanding of the word;

1. deference________________________________________________________________

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2. denizens________________________________________________________________

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3. commodity______________________________________________________________

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4. benevolent_______________________________________________________________

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5. commiserate_____________________________________________________________

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6. extolled________________________________________________________________

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7. peripheral_______________________________________________________________

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8. gurus________________________________________________________________

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9. subservience_____________________________________________________________