History of the Maroon Community

Amina Luqman-Dawson's Website  

 The Story Behind Freewater 

• Plantation:  A large property or landholding dependent on the labor of enslaved people. Also called a labor camp. 

• Contemplate: To think profoundly and at length.

• Overseer: The person who directed the daily work of the slaves, usually a white male. 

• Marauder: Someone who roams around looking for things to steal. 

• Stealthy: Intent to escape sight; sneakiness. 

• Slave: A person who is forced to work for and obey another and is considered to be their property 

• Domicile: The residence where you have your permanent home 

• Refuge: Shelter or protection from danger or distress 

• Serenity: The absence of mental stress and anxiety; calm and/or peaceful.

• Ambition: The strong desire to achieve a goal. 

Before Reading: 

Start by sharing the title and book cover with your students.  Based on this alone, students can make predictions about the genre of the text, and what topics or problems might come up in the text. Possible questions to ask:

• • Do you think this is a fiction or nonfiction text? Why?

  • Based on the title and/or book cover, what problems do you think the main character(s) might face? What are some possible solutions?

  • What are you wondering about?

Decide what you want to achieve from reading the book. Is there something specific you want to learn or understand better? 

During Reading:

For student engagement, present the novel on display with a document camera, or make copies of sections of the novel. The topic of copying is controversial, but for students to gain stronger grasp on the topic, they need to annotate and take notes as they read. 

Modeling close reading is key. Print close reading bookmarks for students to use while they are reading. As you read, model each strategy to students step by step, one at a time. 

• Underline Key Words: The key words we are looking for today are ones that give us clues about the theme.

• Circle What You Don’t Understand: Circle words you don’t know, or parts that don’t make sense.

• Annotate Left Margin: Summarize the excerpt in one sentence on the left.

• Annotate Right Margin: Tell why the author wrote this part on the right. 

Once modeled, now it's time for the students to practice annotating themselves or in groups working to find clues in the text to what the potential theme of the novel is. 

After Reading: 

What's THE MEssage? 

As a whole group, compile a list of potential themes for the novel "Freewater" by Amina Luqman-Dawson. Some questions to spark thought: 

• • What overarching message or lesson do you think the author is trying to convey through this story? 

  • What are the main conflicts or challenges faced by the characters in the story?

  • How do the characters respond to these conflicts or challenges?

  • How does the setting contribute to the overall mood or atmosphere of the story? 

Facilitate a discussion about the themes identified by the students. Encourage them to share their thoughts and provide evidence from the text to support their ideas. Following the discussion, divide students into groups, each group selecting a prediscussed theme to further explore. In their groups, students should discuss how the selected theme is portrayed in "Freewater." They should consider specific scenes, character actions, and dialogue that relate to their theme. By analyzing the themes, readers can make connections between the characters, plot events, and real-life experiences, which enhances their ability to interpret the text more fully. 

Stepping Into Someone Else's Shoes

Diary writing is a great way to explore the thoughts and feelings of characters in a story. Imagine stepping into the shoes of your favorite character and recording their experiences, just like they would in a diary!