For the last week of school, we are going to be working with The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis. We will be reading the first part of each chapter together in class, and you will read the second part independently or with a partner. After each chapter, you will work on discussion questions. At the end of the novel, you will be creating a project on the iPads.
The Watsons Go to Birmingham assignments:
Chapter 1 Audio (full)
Chapter 2 Audio (half)
Chapter 3 Audio (half)
Chapter 4 Audio (half)
Chapter 5 Audio (half)
Chapter 6 Audio (half)
Chapter 7 Audio (half)
Chapter 8 Audio (half)
Chapter 9 Audio (half)
Chapter 10 Audio (half)
Chapter 11 Audio (half)
Chapter 12 Audio (half)
Chapter 13 Audio (half)
Chapter 14 Audio (half)
Chapter 15 Audio (half)
Epilogue (read on your own)
Vocabulary
Watsons Go To Birmingham Vocab: Use the following list of vocabulary words to create flashcards in the "trading cards" app. Fill out the picture, meaning, part of speech, synonym, word clue, and sentence. Be creative with the pictures!
1. generate
2. delinquent
3. hostile
4. numerous
5. vital
6. incapable
7. intimidate
8. emulate
9. sniggle
10. peon
Discussion Questions:
Chapter 3
1. Why is Kenny hesitant to spend time with Rufus?
2. How was Rufus’s life in Arkansas different than it is in Flint?
3. Why do you think Kenny is friends with LJ, even though LJ isn’t nice to him?
4. Why does Kenny end up thinking that Rufus is a better friend than LJ?
Chapter 4
1. What kind of relationship does Kenny have with Joetta? Can you give examples of things that happen between them that make you think that?
2. Why do you think Byron stops Larry Dunn from giving Kenny a “Super Maytag” when Byron often plays similar tricks on Kenny himself?
3. How does the author make the reader sympathize with Larry Dunn?
4. Have you ever had a problem with a bully at your school? How did you work it out?
Chapter 5
1. Why do you think Mrs. Watson speaks “Southern-style” when she gets angry?
2. If you were Mrs. Watson, how would you punish Byron when he plays with fire?
3. Do you agree with Mrs. Watson’s way of punishing him? Why?
Chapter 6
1. Why do you think Byron gets sick after he kills the mourning dove?
2. Why does he get angry at Kenny so suddenly?
3. How does the author show that Byron is not as tough as he pretends to be?
Chapter 7
1. What is your first clue about Byron’s latest misdeed?
2. Why do you think Byron keeps doing things that his parents have forbidden?
3. When Byron misbehaves, who do you think handles the situation better, Mr. or Mrs. Watson? Why?
4. In addition to thinking it is ugly, why does Mrs. Watson object to Byron’s new hairdo?
Chapter 8
1. Why do you think Kenny is so eager to have a real mustache like his dad’s?
2. Why do the Watsons think sending Byron to Alabama will help him to behave better? Do you think it will work?
Chapter 9
1. Besides not wanting to get hooked on country music, why do you think Daddy decides to install the TT-700 in the Brown Bomber?
2. Why do you think Joetta wants to keep the angel from Mrs. Davidson in a drawer?
3. Why do you think Mrs. Watson is so careful with her planning of the trip, such as where the family is going to stay?
Chapter 10
1. Why does Kenny ask for a second serving of Kool-Aid, even though it tastes bad to him?
2. Why do you think Kenny feels scared when they’re driving through the mountains?
Chapter 11
1. How is Birmingham like Flint? How is it different?
2. Have you ever traveled to meet relatives who lived far away from you? How did it feel when you first met them?
3. How does Byron behave when he meets Grandma Sands? Were you surprised by his behavior?
Chapter 12
1. How does Mrs. Watson act differently when she is with her mother in Alabama compared with how she acts at home in Flint?
Chapter 13
1. How does Byron change when the Watsons arrive in Alabama?
2. Why do you think he changes so suddenly?
3. Why does Kenny decide that it is okay to go into the water at Collier’s Landing?
4. What did you learn about Byron’s feelings for Kenny in this chapter?
Chapter 14
1. How does the author describe the scene at the church, after it has been bombed?
2. Why do you think Kenny sees the Wool Pooh in the church after it has been bombed?
3. Why does Joetta think that Kenny has changed his clothes?
Chapter 15
1. Why does Byron spend so much time with Kenny when they come back to Flint?
2. Why does Kenny start going to the World-Famous Watson Pet Hospital so often?
3. How does Byron help Kenny to feel better at the end of the book?
The Watsons Go to Birmingham assignments:
Chapter 1 Audio (full)
Chapter 2 Audio (half)
Chapter 3 Audio (half)
Chapter 4 Audio (half)
Chapter 5 Audio (half)
Chapter 6 Audio (half)
Chapter 7 Audio (half)
Chapter 8 Audio (half)
Chapter 9 Audio (half)
Chapter 10 Audio (half)
Chapter 11 Audio (half)
Chapter 12 Audio (half)
Chapter 13 Audio (half)
Chapter 14 Audio (half)
Chapter 15 Audio (half)
Epilogue (read on your own)
Vocabulary
Watsons Go To Birmingham Vocab: Use the following list of vocabulary words to create flashcards in the "trading cards" app. Fill out the picture, meaning, part of speech, synonym, word clue, and sentence. Be creative with the pictures!
1. generate
2. delinquent
3. hostile
4. numerous
5. vital
6. incapable
7. intimidate
8. emulate
9. sniggle
10. peon
Discussion Questions:
Chapter 3
1. Why is Kenny hesitant to spend time with Rufus?
2. How was Rufus’s life in Arkansas different than it is in Flint?
3. Why do you think Kenny is friends with LJ, even though LJ isn’t nice to him?
4. Why does Kenny end up thinking that Rufus is a better friend than LJ?
Chapter 4
1. What kind of relationship does Kenny have with Joetta? Can you give examples of things that happen between them that make you think that?
2. Why do you think Byron stops Larry Dunn from giving Kenny a “Super Maytag” when Byron often plays similar tricks on Kenny himself?
3. How does the author make the reader sympathize with Larry Dunn?
4. Have you ever had a problem with a bully at your school? How did you work it out?
Chapter 5
1. Why do you think Mrs. Watson speaks “Southern-style” when she gets angry?
2. If you were Mrs. Watson, how would you punish Byron when he plays with fire?
3. Do you agree with Mrs. Watson’s way of punishing him? Why?
Chapter 6
1. Why do you think Byron gets sick after he kills the mourning dove?
2. Why does he get angry at Kenny so suddenly?
3. How does the author show that Byron is not as tough as he pretends to be?
Chapter 7
1. What is your first clue about Byron’s latest misdeed?
2. Why do you think Byron keeps doing things that his parents have forbidden?
3. When Byron misbehaves, who do you think handles the situation better, Mr. or Mrs. Watson? Why?
4. In addition to thinking it is ugly, why does Mrs. Watson object to Byron’s new hairdo?
Chapter 8
1. Why do you think Kenny is so eager to have a real mustache like his dad’s?
2. Why do the Watsons think sending Byron to Alabama will help him to behave better? Do you think it will work?
Chapter 9
1. Besides not wanting to get hooked on country music, why do you think Daddy decides to install the TT-700 in the Brown Bomber?
2. Why do you think Joetta wants to keep the angel from Mrs. Davidson in a drawer?
3. Why do you think Mrs. Watson is so careful with her planning of the trip, such as where the family is going to stay?
Chapter 10
1. Why does Kenny ask for a second serving of Kool-Aid, even though it tastes bad to him?
2. Why do you think Kenny feels scared when they’re driving through the mountains?
Chapter 11
1. How is Birmingham like Flint? How is it different?
2. Have you ever traveled to meet relatives who lived far away from you? How did it feel when you first met them?
3. How does Byron behave when he meets Grandma Sands? Were you surprised by his behavior?
Chapter 12
1. How does Mrs. Watson act differently when she is with her mother in Alabama compared with how she acts at home in Flint?
Chapter 13
1. How does Byron change when the Watsons arrive in Alabama?
2. Why do you think he changes so suddenly?
3. Why does Kenny decide that it is okay to go into the water at Collier’s Landing?
4. What did you learn about Byron’s feelings for Kenny in this chapter?
Chapter 14
1. How does the author describe the scene at the church, after it has been bombed?
2. Why do you think Kenny sees the Wool Pooh in the church after it has been bombed?
3. Why does Joetta think that Kenny has changed his clothes?
Chapter 15
1. Why does Byron spend so much time with Kenny when they come back to Flint?
2. Why does Kenny start going to the World-Famous Watson Pet Hospital so often?
3. How does Byron help Kenny to feel better at the end of the book?
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