Black Brother, Black Brother

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Rock, Paper, Scissors”

In this activity, students play rock, paper, scissors to reflect on Coach’s advice to “see everything.” Afterwards, they are encouraged to think about how their approach to the game applies to life and to see parallels to Donte’s experiences.

Begin the Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament by finding your first partner as noted by the tournament bracket on the board.

Play five matches of Rock, Paper, Scissors. In this game, players hold out their hands at the same time in the formation of a rock, a piece of paper, or a pair of scissors. Rock beats scissors, crushing them. Paper beats rock, covering it up. Scissors beat paper, cutting it.

Whoever wins at least three matches advances to the next round of the tournament. As you play, remember Coach’s advice: “See everything. Not just the blade, but the legs, trunk, arm, tilt of the head. Train the eye. Look for the subtle signs. The subtlest of intentions” (96).

If you lose your bout, continue to root for your opponent, cheering them on as they take on their next competitor until only two remain.

After the tournament ends, cheer for the victor, who should their raise their hands in the air with confidence, just like Donte did. Then, discuss the following questions in your reading journal or in a journal entry-style composition:

• What was your strategy when playing? How did you take your opponents’ actions into account?
• How might you apply this strategy to real life? How do you take others into account when you make choices in social situations?
• How does Donte do something similar with fencing? How does fencing help him in his real life?

Teaching Suggestion: Encourage students to think about how they navigate the world in the writing reflection. For Donte, learning to see is crucial for understanding the dynamics of the world around him. It also makes him understand himself better. Students might benefit from sharing their reflections after the writing exercise.