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Finding Your Way: The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963
Students explore the topic of coming of age through the story of an African-American boy growing up during the civil rights era, and his family's strong bond in the face of tragedy.
ELA
Unit 1
6th Grade
Unit Summary
In this unit, students explore themes around coming of age as they read Christopher Paul Curtis's historical fiction novel, The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963. This award-winning text tells the story of Kenny, a young African-American boy growing up in Flint, Michigan in the 1960s, and the events—both small and large—that shape his life. His story is simultaneously universal and rooted in a specific time and place. Like any young person, Kenny makes new friends, bickers with his older brother, and jokes around with his parents; however, his story is also one of trauma and loss as he witnesses the (true-life) bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. By reading about relatable characters in a historical setting, students are more likely to understand that these historical events actually happened to real people.
The supplemental texts in this unit were selected to reflect the everyday aspects of Kenny's life, as well as the historical significance of the time period in which the book is set. Students will read an informational text about sibling relationships, as well as Langston Hughes's classic poem "Mother to Son," about the lessons that parents teach their children. These texts provide students with another lens through which to view the text. Additionally, students will read nonfiction texts about life for African-Americans during the Jim Crow era, as well as a poem that describes the events of the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing.
As 6th grade students begin their year of studying texts that address questions around what it means to come of age, this unit will provoke students' thinking about how both everyday and historically significant events in a young person's life events can influence the person they become.
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Texts and Materials
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Core Materials
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Book: The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis (Yearling, 1997) — 920L
Supporting Materials
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Article: “Siblings Share Genes, But Rarely Personalities” by Alix Spiegel (NPR)
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Article: “'Segregation Forever': A Fiery Pledge Forgiven, But Not Forgotten” (NPR.org, 2013) (produced by by Samara Freemark and Joe Richman, NPR)
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Transcript: “'Green Book' Helped African Americans Travel Safely” (NPR.org, 2010)
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Book: The Negro Motorist Green Book, 1949 Edition (Victor H. Green & Co., Publishers, 1949)
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Photo: At Segregated Drinking Fountain, Mobile, Alabama (Birmingham Museum of Art) (from "In Living Color" by Brandon Call)
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Photo: Department Store, Mobile, Alabama, 1956 by Gordon Parks (The Gordon Parks Foundation)
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Photo: Outside Looking In, Mobile, Alabama, 1956 by Gordon Parks (The Gordon Parks Foundation)
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Photo: Segregated Laundry Service by Birmingham Public Library Archives (Encyclopedia of Alabama)
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Poem: “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes (Poetry Foundation, 2017)
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Poem: “The Ballad of Birmingham” by Dudley Randall (Cities Burning, Broadside Press, 1968)
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Short Story: “The Drive-In Movies”
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Assessment
The following assessments accompany Unit 1.
Content Assessment
The Content Assessment tests students' ability to read a "cold" or unfamiliar passage and answer multiple choice and short answer questions. Additionally, a longer writing prompt pushes students to synthesize unit content knowledge or unit essential questions in writing. The Content Assessment should be used as the primary assessment because it shows mastery of unit content knowledge and standards.
Vocabulary Assessment
The Vocabulary Assessment tests student's knowledge and usage of the unit's of text-based vocabulary.
Fluency Assessment
The Fluency Assessment measures students' ability to read a grade-level text with accuracy and prosody, at a proficient rate, with a reading passage drawn from one of the unit's core texts. Find guidance for using this assessment and supporting reading fluency in Teacher Tools.
Unit Prep
Intellectual Prep
Essential Questions
- How do personal and historically significant events shape the way a person sees the world?
- How do family dynamics shape a person's identity?
Enduring Understandings
- All experiences in a person’s life, both positive and negative, shape a person’s view of the world and of themself.
- Coming of age sometimes includes a loss of innocence—a realization that the world is less simple, kind, or fair than we previously believed.
Vocabulary
Text-based
appreciatedashamedconsciencecrueldesperatedelinquentdispositionemulatefiercehostileimpressedimitationjuvenilemercyprevalentprofoundtemptationtoleratevehementvitalwily
Literary Terms
coming of ageconnotationcolloquial languageextended metaphorfigurative languagehyperboleliterary point of viewmetaphormoodnarratorobjectiveperspectivespeakerstanza
Root/Affix
-ize
To see all the vocabulary for Unit 1, view our 6th Grade Vocabulary Glossary.
Supporting All Students
In order to ensure that all students are able to access the texts and tasks in this unit, it is incredibly important to intellectually prepare to teach the unit prior to launching the unit. Use the guidance provided under 'Notes for Teachers' below in addition to the Unit Launch to determine which supports students will need at the unit and lesson level. To learn more, visit the Supporting All Students Teacher Tool.
Notes for Teachers
- Students will likely already have a fair amount of schema surrounding the civil rights movement, particularly if they read books from the Fishtank curriculum in 5th grade ELA. Be sure to draw on this schema when possible, reviewing concepts and events with which students are already familiar. Consider asking students to brainstorm what they already know about a specific topic before moving into explicit instruction.
- This unit focuses on a dark chapter in U.S. history. Although these events occurred more than 50 years ago, issues of racial segregation, oppression, and violence are still present today. Guidance on how to intellectually prepare for lessons including these topics are included under "Note for Teachers" within designated lessons. Be mindful of your students' experiences when planning.
Content Knowledge and Connections
Previous Fishtank ELA Connections
Future Fishtank ELA Connections
Lesson Map
Common Core Standards
Core Standards
Supporting Standards
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