Song of Solomon

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.

Naming Jewelry

In this activity, students are asked to create a piece of jewelry that contains a symbol of their name.

Pilate’s father gives her the name of a betrayer, and it is the only word he ever writes. At age 12, Pilate folds the piece of paper with her name written in her father’s handwriting into a tiny knot, puts it in a brass box, has someone create a hook for it, and wears it as an earring in her left ear for the rest of her life.

This act is an important element of Pilate’s characterization. Is she rejecting her father’s early assessment of her as a betrayer, or is she claiming or redefining the name as her own? How does Pilate’s act reflect the theme of Beyond the Doll and the Doormat: The Power of Black Women?

• Create an appropriate symbol for your thoughts or feelings about your name. It does not have to be something written, but it might be a song or a poem.
• Use readily available materials to fashion a container for the symbol. Consider making a necklace, a bracelet, or an earring.

Share your symbol with the class and explain its significance.

Teaching Suggestion: Complete the assignment yourself ahead of time and present it to students as part of the instructions.

Differentiation Suggestion: Provide kinesthetic learners with containers of thread, ribbon, paper clips, beads, buttons, and other small, inexpensive items with which to work.

Paired Resource Extension: Medicine Bags or Bundles

As you plan your naming jewelry, recall the Indigenous background of Pilate’s mother, Sing, and look to the medicine bag as inspiration. Like Pilate’s earring, medicine bags are thought to have spiritual connections to the wearer.

• Are there plants, animals, or rocks with ties to your name?
• Are there photos, coins, charms, etc., tied to your name?

Teaching Suggestion: Sharing this article with students will challenge them to think deeply about their symbols and designs. Encourage students to think beyond literal representations of their names to how their names are tied to their identities.