The Color of Water, by writer/musician James McBride, is an excellent autobiographical account of the author’s struggle to define himself. The book is subtitled “A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother,” and that places it in context pretty well.
Every other chapter is from his mother’s point of view; she was raised an Orthodox Jew in Suffolk, Virginia (not too far from my neck of the woods!), and ended up marrying a black man and moving to New York City. Her Jewish family basically declares her dead to them, and she and her husband start a Christian church. If you haven’t read it, you should. It’s entrancing. Even some students who hate reading can’t put this one down!
I have reading quizzes for the novel; each consists of 20 questions. The first, numbered quizzes are the most current; the final three are what I’ve retained from previous years. Some of the questions are different, although the chapters overlap.
Available Teaching Materials
- Anticipation Guide – Word File
- Quiz #1 – chapters 1-6 – Word File (not available for download)
- Quiz #2 – chapters 7-11 – Word File (not available for download)
- Quiz #3 – chapters 12-17 – Word File (not available for download)
- Quiz #4 – chapters 18-22 – Word File (not available for download)
- Quiz #5 – chapters 23-Epilogue – Word File (not available for download)
- Quiz – chapters 5-8 – Word File (not available for download)
- Quiz – chapters 9-12 – Word File (not available for download)
- Quiz – chapters 13-17 – Word File (not available for download)
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Most of my teaching resources are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License. If you’re not sure, don’t hesitate to ask me. :-)
Send me a message if you are a teacher who would like copies of my quizzes or tests. Please include the name of your school and/or district, your school e-mail address, and the title you are interested in. All secure materials are shared with the expectation that they will be kept secure and not redistributed or otherwise shared.
I’d appreciate if you sent your quizzes for “The Color of Water”
Thanks..
Chuck,
Thanks for your message! I’ll e-mail you the quizzes this afternoon.
Thanks for sharing your terrific resources! I really appreciate it.
Jen Cordes
Edina High School
Edina, MN
You’re welcome, Jen!
And thank you for sending me tons of your own great materials!! I haven’t had time yet to go through all of them yet–or to make them available to others–but I will once summer gets here (only two more weeks to go).
I always find myself looking to summer as a catch-up time, and then I fill it so full of *stuff* that I’m working the whole time. :P
Jo
I teach tenth grade English at Varina High School in Henrico County Virginia. I would appreciate it if you were to send me the quizzes from your site. Thanks
B.K. Page
English Department
Varina High School
Please send quizzes for ” The Color of Water”
Hi Mrs. Hawke,
I would love to use your quizzes for chapters 7-17, if you would send me a copy of them please. My 2 Senior English classes are reading The Color of Water and this is the 2nd semester I have taught it. I designed my own quiz, as a Popcorn Review, for chapters 1-5 and my kids loved the competitive action involved with it. I’m always looking for another perspective in teaching and quizzing, as well as helpful advice and fresh insight for new classroom ideas.
I teach grades 10, 11, 12 and a Regents Prep program at the Young Adult Evening High School, with the Rochester City School District, in Rochester, New York. Thank you for your help.
Sincerely,
Ericka House
Hi,
Your website is great. I teach at South San Francisco High School and would love any multiple choice Color of Water quizzes you have.
Thanks,
Anni Lindenberg
Could I receive copies of your quizzes for The Color of Water? I’m teaching it for the first time and saw that you had some wonderful materials and were willing to share them.
Any quizzes/teaching ideas and/or materials for THE COLOR OF WATER would be greatly appreciated! Emailed your gmail address as well. Thank you in advance for generously considering my request!
Best,
Margaret Woolf, Teacher of English
I’d love copies of your materials (particularly for the advanced class) as I’m teaching it for the first time next year. Thanks very much!
I too would love a copy of your quizzes. I have never taught this book before. Many thanks for your willingness to share.
Vicky