Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963, The
Publication Information
Author:  Curtis, Christopher P.	Illustrator:
Title:  Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963, The	Date:  1995
Publisher:  Delacorte Press	City:  New York, NY
ISBN, paperback:  0-385-32175-9	ISBN, hardback:
Recommended audience:
ABE/ABLE:   Yes	ESOL:
Family:   Yes	Young Adult:   Yes
Picture:
General Information:
Book Type(s):    fiction
HSE Descriptor(s):    language arts - reading
Summary:
The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons, an African American family from Flint, Michigan are drastically changed after a trip to Alabama in 1963. This is a powerful book, sometimes powerfully funny and sometimes powerfully touching.
Teaching Ideas:
This would make a fine "centerpiece" book for study of the Civil Rights Movement. Students are sure to respond emotionally. Kenny's character matures over the course of the novel, so a focus on character development might also work well. Teachers can read the book aloud to learners, perhaps a chapter per session (and especially the beginning chapters, which are funny). After the incident in Birmingham, student response activities, either via writing or via discussion, would be very effective. The especially dramatic chapters (i.e., 13 through the end) would be good choices for DR-TAs or DL-TAs.
Teaching Strategies:
DR-TA: Directed Reading Thinking Activity    http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/dr_ta.pdf
Keywords: select any link below for a list of resources which also have that keyword
Ethnic Groups > African-American Emotions-Personal Issues > personal issues > individual > coming-of-age Family > parent > parenting History > region > U.S. history > Civil Rights History > time period > 20th Century > 1960's Communities > urban

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