Across the Curriculum with Detective Fiction for Young People and Adults

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 07.02.01

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Overview
  2. Rationale
  3. Objectives
  4. Strategies
  5. Classroom Activities
  6. Extension Activity
  7. Funding
  8. Explicit Material
  9. Resources for Teachers
  10. Appendix A- Local Standards
  11. Appendix B
  12. Appendix C

Using Walter Mosley Detective Novels (Devil in a Blue Dress) to Motivate Reluctant High School Readers

Jessica Colbert

Published September 2007

Tools for this Unit:

Appendix C

Student Notebook - Chapter Study Sheet

NAME:_______________________________

DATE:___________________

Devil in a Blue Dress - by Walter Mosley

Chapter 1

Title ________________________________________________

I.Vocabulary/Phrases - Use context clues, a thesaurus and/or your friends to help you write your own meaning to the word(s)

  • Brawling___________________________________________
  • Slithery_____________________________________________
  • L.A. _______________________________________________
  • Guffawed___________________________________________
  • Matte______________________________________________
  • Laid-off____________________________________________
  • Distaste____________________________________________
  • Drawl______________________________________________
  • Regiment of men_____________________________________
  • What's your pleasure? ________________________________
  • Dingy______________________________________________
  • Marshall____________________________________________
  • Mortgage___________________________________________
  • Enameled___________________________________________
  • Flourished__________________________________________

II. Dialect Interpretation - Cross out the words and write the correct spelling above.

Com'on over here, Easy, This here's somebody I want ya t'meet.

This here's a ole friend'a mines.

Mr. Albright lookin' for a man to do a lil job, Easy. I told him you otta work an'got a mortage t'pay too.

III. Character Description - Jot down or sketch any information about the characters. You could include how he/she looks, acts, dresses, where they like to hang out, friends, enemies, strengths, weaknesses, their likes, dislikes, typical sayings, attitude, opinions, occupation, hobbies, feelings/thoughts, behavior etc. Include any specific quotes you find interesting (include page numbers).

Include the chapter in which you learned the information about each character. You will add new descriptors as you continue to read the novel.

Joppy

Easy Rawlins

DeWitt Albright

Journal Prompt - Write as many complete sentences as you can.

I predict . . .

IV. Title the Chapter - Go back to the beginning of the Chapter's worksheet and fill in a title you think would best describe this chapter

Comments:

Judith Anne Fancher

April 23, 2013 at 12:29 pm

Devil in a Blue Dress

I found this curriculum guide for Walter Mosley's Devil in a Blue Dress. What I see on the website looks fantastic and I was wondering if you could share the rest of the lesson plans you have for this book. Please email me if this is possible. Thank you very much!

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