RDG 6319 Foundations of Reading, Summer 2016 discussion
The Watson's Go to Birmingham
date
newest »
newest »
I really enjoyed how the author contrasted the north and the south during this time period. The use of dialogue was very effective in allowing the readers to really get to know the characters (especially Mrs. Watson and Grandma Sands). I thought including the epilogue added a lot of value to the novel allowing students to understand its historical context.
Nickole wrote: "I actually had to read this book in high school. It is a great book with a lot of history about the church bombing in Birmingham and the civil rights movement. This is a book that I will definitely..."I think it would be a great way to supplement a Civil Rights study. I didn't include this in my original post, but I thought the sibling dynamics were see develop throughout the novel.
Kimberly, I agree with you. It was very interesting as well to see the environment change after the Watsons moved to Birmingham. Even though students probably don't experience such a dramatic change when they move, they do experience an environment change after moving. This is something I feel students could relate to.
-Nickole
This is a great book that gives you insight into the differences of the North and South during the civil rights era. It also highlights on one of the many tragedies during this time. I love how Byron's character develops in this story. I can't possibly imagine the fear when the bomb went off that the family experienced. This is a great book to help our students understand what life was like then. I think that students could emphasize with the characters depending on the age relating it to some things that are happening today.
Kimberly wrote: "I really enjoyed how the author contrasted the north and the south during this time period. The use of dialogue was very effective in allowing the readers to really get to know the characters (espe..."I also enjoy the dialogue in this story. It really helps to visualize the setting and characters.
Nickole wrote: "I actually had to read this book in high school. It is a great book with a lot of history about the church bombing in Birmingham and the civil rights movement. This is a book that I will definitely..."I agree there are a lot of writing activities you could have students complete with this book. I think that will help them to feel more connected to the book
Victoria wrote: "This is a great book that gives you insight into the differences of the North and South during the civil rights era. It also highlights on one of the many tragedies during this time. I love how Byr..."I agree - the characters would be very relatable for adolescent readers. This book would definitely spark great discussions. I would be interested to hear students comment on how incidents like the church bombing could have been prevented and/or can be prevented in the future.
Wonderful story. I like the humor Kenny uses and how it captures his thoughts. This story can provide an opportunity to talk about the Civil Rights movement and a timeline could be used to put it together. Students could also compare racism the Watson family encounter to what exist today.
Victoria wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "I really enjoyed how the author contrasted the north and the south during this time period. The use of dialogue was very effective in allowing the readers to really get to know the..."I enjoyed the dialogue in this story too. I was able to hear the characters talk.
Victoria, Kimberly, and Robyn, I think the dialogue in this story would be good examples for a writers workshop. This book can be used for many different topics, and that's why, to me, it is such a great book!
-Nickole
-Nickole Castillo