Brown Girl Dreaming Lesson Plan

How do you think Jacqueline Woodson got information about experiences and perspectives from her early life that she can't possibly remember?

Students should note that Jacqueline is no more than a year old for all of this section. They should consider the position of the writer: she writes these poems that sound as if they're from memory, but they must, in fact, be the result of careful research, looking at documents and photographs, talking to family members, and visiting places from her past. Allow this conversation to help correct the misguided notion many students have that it's "easy" to write about one's own life.

What can we understand about the conflicts between...