Example cover page:
Your Name
Period ___
The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963
By Paul Christopher Curtis
Curtis, Christopher Paul. The Watsons go to Birmingham - 1963. New York, New York: Random
House Children's Books a division of Random House, Inc, 1995.
Activity #1 - Found poem
why?
Would they do that?
Hurt some little kids.
They had
brothers
and sisters
and mommies
and daddies.
everybody cried.
They let hate eat them up.
How’s it fair?
(From Chapter 15)
Activity #2 - Tangible or intangible gifts
Kenny:
I have chosen a few gifts that I think you
could really use. First, is a bunch of dinosaurs.
You seem to keep “losing” yours. You let L.J.
Jones trick you out of some and then you gave
the rest away to Rufus when you were upset.
Second, I’m giving you some
http://lookbeforespending.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/toy-dinosaurs.png
common sense. That way you might not get fooled so
easily – like L.J. Jones and the dinosaur fiasco. It also
might help you realize that you shouldn’t let Byron play
tricks on you. The blizzard story is kind of
embarrassing.
The last gift I’m giving you is
courage. I think you need to be able to
stand up for yourself
http://cdn.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/A-good-idea.png
against Byron and Larry Dunn. A little courage might help
you with that. I want you to be like this kitten when he
looks in the mirror and sees a lion. You are as brave as a
lion.
http://wolfram.org/nyc/parenting/self-confidence-change-happens-from-within/
Activity #3 Name analysis
Kenny - handsome
I don’t know if Kenny’s name suits him. It’s not that he isn’t
handsome; it’s just that we don’t really know. His mom calls him
handsome, but moms always do that. On the other hand, maybe he’s very
handsome, and the author just didn’t include that description. All we really
know is that he has a lazy eye. “That means instead of looking where I tell
it to look, it wanted to rest in the corner of my eye next to my nose” (p.
25). That is what it means to have a lazy eye.
Joetta – God is gracious
I think Joetta’s name suits her well. She’s a very kind, thoughtful
young girl. She is even compared to an angel by the neighbor. Mrs.
Davidson brought Joey an angel and told her, “’I’ve named her after my
favorite little girl, this angel’s name is Joetta!’” (p. 127) Joetta also is
very involved with the church and Sunday school; she goes three days a
week. When Momma is going to burn Byron’s finger and Joetta tries to
stop her, Momma uses the argument the she swore to God that she would
burn Byron if he was caught playing with matches again. Momma asks her,
“‘ . . .should I break my word to God?’” (p. 72) She knew that would
convince Joey.
Wilona – hoped for
Wilona is a good name for Momma. It’s clear that she and Grandma
Sands have a close relationship, so we can assume she was hoped for.
When they arrive in Birmingham, Momma and Grandma Sands are crying
and hugging. Grandma is looking at Joetta and talking to Wilona when she
says, “’Lord, ‘Lona, if this child ain’t you! Look at this baby, just as pretty
and sweet as you!’” (p. 158) Grandma has fond memories of Wilona when
she was little, calling her pretty and sweet, so I’m sure she was always
hoped for.
Source:
"Search over 30,000 Baby Names, Find Unique Names for Baby Girls and Baby Boys, and More!"
SheKnows RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2015. <http://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/search/>.
Activity #4 Newspaper
Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963
By Christopher Paul Curtis
5 Stars!
Where and When
The Watsons live in Flint,
Michigan. It is currently 1963.
They will travel to Birmingham,
Alabama, and back home again
during the course of the story.
I would give this book a rating of 5 out of 5. I
enjoyed the Watson family and the adventures they
had. I also really liked how history was embedded in
the end with the bombing of the church. It taught a
lesson on Civil Rights, and brought it home to the
reader because we identified with the Watson family.
A Difficult Choice
There are several parts of this story I really enjoy. Chapter 5 – Nazi Parachutes Attack
America and Get Shot Down over the Flint River by Captain Byron Watson and His
Flamethrower of Death – is probably my favorite. I can really picture the scene in my
head with Momma trying to burn Byron and Joey blowing the matches out. The
description of Momma is hilarious. “Momma’s horrible snake-woman voice came out again.
. .” (p. 73) I can just imagine how mad she is.
My other favorite part is in the last chapter when Byron is comforting Kenny. It is so
sweet and always gives my goosebumps. It’s then that the reader realizes how much
Byron has grown up through the course of the story. Yet, he is still the Byron we know.
When he repeats the line from the first chapter, “’. . . there just ain’t no way in hell two
people as ugly as your momma and daddy could ever have a child as fine as me!’” you just
can’t help but laugh.
Universal Theme
One universal theme in Watsons Go to
Birmingham – 1963, is how a supportive family
can help someone through a terrible time. The
whole Watson family is concerned about Kenny
and how he was affected by the trip to
Birmingham and the bombing of the church.
Byron checks on him often, slowly drawing him
out from behind the couch and then letting
him cry himself out in the bathroom. Byron,
who is always in trouble himself, is the one
who helps Kenny.
HUGE SALE ON
WINTER GLOVES
Anderson’s Clothing Store
MENS – WOMENS – KIDS
50% OFF UNTIL SATURDAY
*I chose gloves so that maybe Momma could buy
more and Rufus and Cody could also get some.
Activity #5 Timeline
https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6224/7024767947_447f1a351c_z.jpg
Byron gets his lips stuck to
the mirror because he was
kissing it.
Byron gets caught playing with
matches AGAIN!
Larry Dunn steals Kenny's gloves.
Byron beats him up - but goes
overboard.
Byron gets a conk. Makes Mom and
Dad mad. Gets his head shaved.
http://www.charlotteparent.com/images/articlenewimages/playingwithmatches_315.jpg
Byron is going to be taken to
Birmingham to live with Grandma
Sands.
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kCFXciD73Yg/maxresdefault.jpg
After a long drive, they arrive in Birmingham
and meet Grandma Sands.
https://thebrownbombergoestobirmingham.wikispaces.com/file/view/1948%2520Plymouth%25
20Ron%2520Bannister.jpg/228019266/320x215/1948%2520Plymouth%2520Ron%2520Bannis
ter.jpg
Kenny almost
drowns, but Byron
saves him.
A bomb goes off in the church where
Joey is. Kenny goes and pulls "Joey's"
shoe off. He thinks she’s dead.
The Watsons return to Flint. Kenny
starts hiding behind the couch.
Byron helps Kenny get better. He
explains that things just aren't fair
and there are bad people out there.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/images/churches/lfirethr.gif