All American Boys is filled with symbolism. It's helpful for students to analyze it in order to gain a deeper understanding of the characters and their journey. The symbols in this book will come alive when you use a storyboard. In this activity, students will identify and illustrate symbols from the novel, supporting their choices with details from the text.
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that identifies recurring symbols found in All American Boys. Illustrate each symbol and write a short description below each cell.
Student Instructions:
Bridge classroom learning with real life by relating the novel's symbols to current social topics. This helps students see the relevance of literature in today's world.
Choose a symbol, such as the basketball or graffiti, that connects to themes like identity or protest. Encourage students to think about how these symbols appear in their own communities.
Ask students to share news stories, personal experiences, or examples from pop culture that reflect the symbol's meaning. This deepens understanding and engagement.
Have students draw, collage, or write a short piece showing how the symbol connects to a real-world issue they care about. This builds critical thinking and empathy.
Invite students to present their work. Celebrate diverse insights and encourage respectful dialogue to strengthen classroom community.
All American Boys uses symbols like basketball (unity and identity), graffiti/tagging (voice and protest), uniforms (authority and conformity), family (support and conflict), circus cartoons (escape and commentary), sports (teamwork and challenge), and marching (solidarity and activism) to deepen character and theme understanding.
Have students identify key symbols from the novel, illustrate scenes representing each symbol in a storyboard, and write brief descriptions explaining their significance. This visual approach supports deeper analysis and engagement.
Analyzing symbolism helps students uncover deeper meanings in the text, connect with characters’ experiences, and understand broader themes like justice, identity, and activism present in the novel.
Examples include storyboard assignments, creating symbol posters, writing analytical paragraphs about each symbol, or leading group discussions on how symbols evolve throughout the story.
Use interactive activities like storyboards, class discussions, or group analysis where students can visualize, discuss, and write about motifs, making abstract ideas more concrete and relatable.