The Piano Lesson Lesson Plan

Ghost Stories

Kind of Activity:

Group Discussion

Objective:

Students will be able to practice creative writing; to explore a major theme of the play

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1

Structure:

The ghost of Sutter is not the only ghost present in the play. Divide students into small groups of three or four and tell groups to brainstorm all the other “ghosts” in the play. Students should think of Crawley, Mama Ola, Boy Charles, Mama Berniece, Ghosts of the Yellow Dog, and so on. Students should also consider the ghost of slavery itself.

Then, tell groups to write a very short scene in which one of these more metaphorical ghosts is banished, as Sutter’s ghost...