Jazz

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

What does the phrase “nature versus nurture” mean? In what fields of study is this dichotomy typically discussed?

Teaching Suggestion: This question offers the opportunity for students to consider the influence of genetics on traits, health, and behavior in comparison to the impact of environment on those factors. For an introduction to this topic, students might use the list of 8 characteristics offered at the 2:00 mark in the video and label each as “nature” or “nurture.” By discussing the influence of these two forces, readers will be primed to consider the roles of parents in the novel and the effects of their absence on the main characters.

• This 4-minute video from FuseSchool introduces the nature/nurture dichotomy in a scientific context. Its consideration of twins might be a useful springboard to consider the first question in terms of parents and children.
• Oxford Bibliographies shares an introduction and overview of the nature/nurture debate along with a reference list.

Short Activity

What important events happened in America in the 1920s and 1930s? Brainstorm a list of 15-20 events with a small group. Work together to place these events on a timeline.

Teaching Suggestion: Students might begin by brainstorming lists of events in 3 columns: political, social, and artistic. This activity introduces the time setting for the novel, but it may also present an opportunity for critical thinking with discussion of why and how historical events are later deemed “important.” As groups share their timelines, students might note separately which events connect with this novel, such as the Harlem Renaissance, the Great Migration, the East St. Louis Massacre, the Silent March, and Prohibition. These and similar resources will help provide additional context; these articles outline important historical events in Black American history in the time period of the novel.

• This article from the Smithsonian American Art Museum describes the Great Migration and its causes and effects.
• The National Gallery of Art offers information and links regarding the visual art of the Harlem Renaissance; Poetry Foundation introduces the movement’s poets and writers; The City University of New York’s Macaulay Honors College presents a list of musicians associated with the movement.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Who are the people that made you into who you are? How have they influenced your actions and achievements? What would your ideal mentor look like?

Teaching Suggestion: Points of connection to the novel may include the role of parents in one’s upbringing and how family shapes one’s motivations and interests. By examining the influence of parents and mentors in a journal-style entry, students have the chance to think about how people are shaped by their relationships.