LITERATURE TAB
As a class (Section 1)
Read the first section ... / … and answer the following questions:The little boy went first day of school
He got some crayons and started to draw
He put colors all over the paper
For colors was what he saw
And the teacher said… What you doin' young man
I'm paintin' flowers he said
She said... It's not the time for art young man
And anyway flowers are green and red
There's a time for everything young man
And a way it should be done
You've got to show concern for everyone else
For you're not the only one / · What do we know about the boy’s personality?
· What do we know about the teacher’s personality?
· How are the boy and the teacher similar or different?
· Are you more like the boy or the teacher? Explain why!
· Why does the teacher have a problem with the boy’s actions?
· What conflicts do you predict?
· What is the author saying about society?
Group 1 (Section 2)
Read the second section … / … and answer the following questions:And she said...
Flowers are red young man
Green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than they way they always have been seen
But the little boy said...
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one
Well the teacher said… You're sassy
There's ways that things should be
And you'll paint flowers the way they are
So repeat after me.....
And she said...
Flowers are red young man
Green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than they way they always have been seen
But the little boy said...
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one / · What do you think the teacher looks like? How old is she? How does she dress? What kind of music does she listen to? What does she do for fun? Etc.
· What do you think the teacher’s education was like growing up?
· What do you think society was like when the teacher was growing up?
· What is revealed about the teacher’s personality based on the fact that she feels so strongly about flowers being red and leaves being green?
· Based on your answer to the previous question, what other strong beliefs or practices might this teacher have?
· Why do think the boy “sees” so many colors in the rainbow, in the morning sun, and in the flower?
· What things do you think the boy does for fun outside of school?
· Do you think the teacher will persuade the boy that flowers are red and green leaves are green? Explain why.
Group 2 (Section 3)
Read the third section… / … and answer the following questions:The teacher put him in a corner
She said… It's for your own good…
And you won't come out 'til you get it right
And are responding like you should
Well finally he got lonely
Frightened thoughts filled his head
And he went up to the teacher
And this is what he said… and he said
Flowers are red, green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen / · What is revealed about the teacher based on her actions of putting the boy in the corner?
· Do you think that it would be for the boy’s “own good” to believe that flowers are red and green leaves are green? Explain why.
· What is the teacher afraid of when she tells him that he won’t come out of the corner until her responds like he should? Why is she afraid of this?
· Based on the second stanza on this sheet, what point is the author trying to make about youth or innocence?
· What tone do you think the boy had when saying the last stanza on this sheet? Explain why.
· Predict what future problems this boy might have based on his “new” outlook on life.
· How would you have resolved this conflict if you were the boy?
LITERATURE TAB
Group 3 (Section 4)
Read the fourth section … / … and answer the following questions:Time went by like it always does
And they moved to another town
And the little boy went to another school
And this is what he found
The teacher there was smilin'
She said...Painting should be fun
And there are so many colors in a flower
So let's use every one
But that little boy painted flowers
In neat rows of green and red
And when the teacher asked him why
This is what he said… and he said
Flowers are red, green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen. / · What do you think the teacher was like at his old school? Why?
· Why do you think the boy painted flowers that were red with leaves that were green? What does this reveal about the boy’s personality or upbringing?
· What does the new teacher look like? How old is she? How does she dress? What kind of music does she listen to? What does she do for fun?
· Is the mindset or beliefs of the boy’s new teacher what you expect a teacher to be like? How do you think this mindset affects her students? What other things to you think she teaches her students?
· How is the boy’s personality different than the teacher’s?
· Based on this personality difference, what conflicts do you think might arise?
· Do you think the teacher will have an impact of the boy’s state of mind? Explain why.
Group 4 (Section 5)
Read the fifth section … / … and answer the following questions:But there still must be a way to have our children say . . .
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one / · How did the boy change from the beginning to the end of the song? Was this a change for the better? Explain why.
· Brainstorm universal themes that apply to this song.
· Is the author’s attitude positive or negative? Explain why.
· Overall, what is the author’s main point? What is he trying to prove?
· Which of the two teachers reinforces the way Harry Chapin believes the world to be? Who else do you know that shares the same philosophy?