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

ACTIVITY: “Thanks Again”

At the end of the story, Roger wants to tell Mrs. Jones “something else other than ‘Thank you, m’am’” but doesn’t have the chance (Paragraph 46). Consider what Roger might have wanted to say and what exactly he was thanking her for—the money? Dinner? Not calling the police? Once you feel you understand Roger’s thoughts and feelings, write a letter from his perspective to Mrs. Jones, saying everything he would have liked to tell her in person.

Teaching Suggestion: “Thank You, M’am” relies heavily on suggestion to convey character and theme: Hughes does not directly state what Roger would like to say to Mrs. Jones, leaving readers to deduce his final state of mind from his behavior throughout the story. Use this activity to engage students in this kind of inferential reading, prompting them to consider questions like how aware Roger is of the change he has undergone and why exactly the shoes mean so much to him.