Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Signature Colors”

In this activity, students will write about a person’s symbolic color as Claudia does throughout the novel.

Vibrant color is important to Claudia. She paints nails beautifully, colors for therapy, and discusses shades of colors exactly. Claudia describes people according to colors that represent them: viewing Monday in reds, Michael in browns, and Ma in pinks. Using this technique, let’s reflect on people in our own lives.

• Choose someone important to you to describe.
• Freewrite or list what comes to your mind when you think of this person: major characteristics, feelings, attitudes.
• What color seems to best fit these ideas? Get as specific as possible. What shades of that color fit best?
• Write 2 or more paragraphs for your explanation.

Share your writing with your small group and display it on the class collage.

Discuss with the class what using symbolism and color can express. Perhaps refer to the novel or your own writing in this activity.

Teaching Suggestion: Discussing as a class at the beginning of this activity could help students plan and push their creative writing further.