In the play "A Raisin in the Sun" Lorraine Hansberry tells the tale of an African American family, trying to eke out a living in 1950s Chicago. The drama opens with the Younger family wrought with excitement over the impending arrival of a $10,000 insurance check. To the family, who has never had much money to spend, this money seems an answer to their prayers; however, when the funds arrive, the family faces a whole new array of challenges, forcing them to confront complex issues of trust and racial relations. By teaching this tale to your students, you can allow them to glance back into the past and see what life was once like for African Americans, potentially making them grateful for the world in which they live.
Character Sketch
Increase your students' understanding of the characters that fill this drama by having them complete character sketches. Write the names of each of the characters in the play on slips of paper and have students draw them out randomly. Ask students to sketch images of the characters they draw and, around the images, write ten different adjectives that could be used to describe each character. A student who draw Travis Younger, for example, would draw a picture of a precocious, 10-year-old African American boy and write words such as "energetic" and "youthful" around the image.
Scene Illustration
Engage students in the creation of a visual reference, helping them put themselves into the setting of the play. After showing students pictures of theatrical and film productions of the story to acquaint them with what homes looked like in this time, ask students to create sketches of the scenes in the play, assigning each student a different section to capture. Hang these images up, in order, along a wall and reference them as you speak of the tale.
Character Journal
Have your students step into the shoes of one of the characters in this tale by assigning them the task of composing character journals. For example, assign a student to write a journal from the point of view of Beneatha Younger, a highly intelligent member of the family who has ambitions of becoming a doctor and, throughout the course of the tale, has her dreams shattered by the misappropriation of funds. Make this project a standalone one or have students write a series of journals as they move through the play.
Discussion Questions Bowl
Make your discussion of the book more interactive by having students compose their own discussion questions. Give each student an index card or two and ask him to write down one or two questions that he would like to discuss about the text. For example, one student might write the questions, "Would it have been better if the family had never received the $10,000 at all?" Fold these cards and place them in a bowl, then allow students to draw them out one at a time, engaging them in discussion of each as it is pulled from the bowl.
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