Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

A Source of Hope

In Good Talk, students read about Mira Jacob’s source of hope that keeps her believing in a brighter future for America; in this activity, students create a poem or painting that symbolizes their own source of hope.

The author uses unconventional and imaginative methods to convey her opinions and experiences of racism, sexuality, family, and politics in America. Mira’s source of hope for America’s future is her son, and she shows this by drawing a portrait of Z etched in white, smiling, against a dark night sky—the same night sky we all share.

• What is your source of hope for a brighter future?
• Create either a painting or a poem that illustrates your source of hope.
• After completing your piece, write a 500-word description of your work. Be sure to include references to Good Talk and how your source of hope and its depiction are either similar to or different from Mira’s. Alternatively, if you were inspired by another piece of art, include that explanation instead.

Teaching Suggestion: Students may be tempted to create something literal or cliché, such as people standing holding hands or a dove of peace. Encourage students to step outside the box and think about what their source of hope truly is; it should be something personally significant to them. Remind students this activity is less about specific techniques and more about understanding the underlying inspiration for Mira’s memoir as well as reminding students of something positive after discussing difficult topics.