By Sharon Draper PowerPoint constructed by Patricia Hutchison Copper Sun

About the Author Sharon Draper is an educator as well as a writer. She has won many teaching awards including National Teacher of the Year. She has also won many literary awards, including the Coretta Scott King Literary Award. Her writing career began when she was challenged by a student to enter a contest. She won $5000 and the publication of her essay entitled “One Small Torch.”

Genre Historical Fiction blends historical facts with an imaginative story reflects a specific time period reconstructs characters and events from the past brings history to life

Historical Elements in Copper Sun Atlantic Slave Trade Middle Passage Slave Ships Slavery in the U.S. Indentured Servitude Fort Mose, Florida

Characters Amari, a fifteen-year-old African girl Afi, an African woman who befriends Amari Polly, an indentured servant Mr. Derby, master of Derbyshire Farms Clay Derby, the sixteen-year-old son of Mr. Derby Mrs. Derby, the young wife of Mr. Derby Teenie, a slave woman who befriends Amari

Setting There are several settings in the novel Copper Sun Ziavi Village in Africa The Middle Passage Charles Town, South Carolina Fort Mose, Florida The time period is the mid 1700’s

Plot Amari, a young African girl is betrothed to Besa, the love of her life. However, before their nuptials are performed, they are both taken into slavery. Having lost everything, including their freedom, what will their lives be like? Will they endure the harsh conditions of the Middle Passage? Will they survive a life of servitude? Will they ever see each other again?

Mood and Themes Themes: survival, friendship Mood: somber; horrifying; hopeful

Pre-reading Activities Compare and contrast slavery and indentured servitude. Discuss what you have learned about the Middle Passage. After reading the back cover of the novel, predict what dangers might confront the characters on their journey. What might the “copper sun” symbolize? Discuss this with your class.

Point of View If you had lived during colonial times, would you have owned slaves? Give reasons for your answer. If you had found yourself enslaved, how would you have coped? If you had lived during times of slavery, do you think you would have risked helping a slave to escape?

Vocabulary Activity Write down your prediction of the definition of each word; then use a dictionary to actually define the word: coffle fetid scullery addlepated cavorted picaninny cajoled vigilant mire arduous

Dialect Copper Sun is filled with black dialect. See if you can use these words correctly in a sentence: yourn yassa chile askert tolt

Read each quote and discuss the impact it had in the novel: Quotes from the Novel Read each quote and discuss the impact it had in the novel: “We must welcome our guests, then, Amari. We would never judge people simply by how they looked—that would be uncivilized.” “Many will die. Some will live but will die inside. Others will pray for death and be forced to live.” “The pain gonna go after ‘while, but them scars gonna be there forever.” “In spite of all you must endure, my little Tidbit, the flame of your life spirit will not leave you.”

Figurative Language Throughout the novel, Teenie uses some colorful metaphors. Draw a picture of this“Teenieism.” “We done fell out of the trouble tree and hit every branch on the way down.” Find other examples, illustrate them, and share them with the class.

Journal Topics Describe how the mood of the novel changes throughout. What events caused these changes of mood? Summarize the advice Afi gave to Amari. Do you think this was good advice? What advice would you give to Amari? Describe Clay Derby’s view of women and slaves. How are they similar? What would you say to him if he were in front of you today? Teenie told Amari, “Long as you remember, chile, it ain’t never gone.” Do you agree with this statement? Describe Amari’s mixed feelings about white people. What events in her life have shaped these feelings?

Possible Novel Projects Design a montage of all the settings of the novel. Defend or prosecute one of the characters in the novel. Perform this mock trial for the class. Write a Bio Poem for one of the characters and illustrate it. Write your favorite event as a play and perform it for the class.