Retracing Collective Memory in Song of Solomon: Reciprocal Teaching and Technological Responding

The lesson leads students to an understanding of collective memory as it applies to African American identity in Song of Solomon. The purpose of the Reciprocal Teaching pairs was to scaffold the conceptual shift from Part I to Part II in smaller increments chosen by the instructor. Although the activity is more efficient and productive if students have read the entire chapter, the pairs and assigned passages provide a more inclusive environment for those students who did not understand or did not fully read the text. A lesson alteration that may benefit students’ comprehension of the chapter’s multiple themes would be to fully realize a Jigsaw Activity.