Finding Your Way: The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963

Lesson 4
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ELA

Unit 1

6th Grade

Lesson 4 of 32

Objective


Explain how Kenny's perspective of himself and other characters develops and changes throughout the novel.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis  pp. 32 – 46 — Chapter 3

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

How does Kenny's perspective of Rufus change in the chapter? Provide specific evidence from the text to support your answer.

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Key Questions

  • Summarize how Kenny and Rufus become friends.

  • What does the way that Rufus plays with dinosaurs tell you about him as a person? 

  • Why does Curtis include the flashback with LJ in the chapter? 

  • What is the significance of Rufus' line, "I thought you was different?" on page 44?

Discussion Questions

  • How would this chapter be different if it were told from Rufus' perspective?

Vocabulary


Text-based

desperate

adj.

(p. 33)

 having or feeling a great need

appreciated

v.

(p. 46)

to feel value in something

Homework


Lesson 5 is a writing lesson. There is no assigned reading in preparation for tomorrow.

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Common Core Standards


  • RL.6.3 — Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
  • RL.6.6 — Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.

Supporting Standards

L.6.6
RL.6.1
RL.6.2
RL.6.10
SL.6.1
SL.6.6
W.6.1
W.6.1.a
W.6.1.b
W.6.4
W.6.9
W.6.9.a
W.6.10

Next

Unpack a prompt, study a mentor text, and gather evidence in preparation for writing a paragraph response.

Lesson 5
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