The Watson’s Go to
Birmingham
Chapters 5-10

Journal Writing Topic: Pretend you are
Kenny and summarize what happened in
Chapter 5.
Chapter 5 – Writing Time


Sometimes people can laugh at things other
people think are very serious. For instance
Byron makes fun of Momma’s story of the fire
she experienced when she was a young child.
Write about why you think that is. Explain how
people can tell the difference between something
that is funny and something that is serious.
In this chapter, Kenny knows that Byron is
playing a dangerous game, but he chooses not to
snitch on his big brother. Think of a time that
you knew a friend or sibling was doing something
dangerous. How did you react? How did the
situation unfold? If you could go back, what
would you do differently?
Journaling Topic – Choose 1
What does Momma do that makes her
look like Eliot Ness from the
Untouchables?
 Do you think Byron will ever play with fire
again? Why do you think this?
 Kenny notes that “Momma’s horrible
snake woman voice came out again…”
Why does this alarm Kenny? And why
would Momma have such a voice?

Chapter 5 - Check
What is Kenny’s perspective on the
punishment that Byron is to receive from
Momma?
2. Why is Kenny terrified when Momma
tells him to go get the matches?
3. What was Momma’s reaction when she
caught Byron playing with fire in the
bathroom?
1.
Chapter 5 - Questions
4. Why did Joetta keep blowing out the
matches when Momma was trying to burn
Byron’s finger?
5. Momma knows first hand how dangerous
fire can be. What happened when she was
a little girl?
6. What kind of reaction did this story get
out of the different Watson family
members? (Momma, Byron, Kenny, Joetta)
7. What evidence do we have that Byron
did not take Momma’s fire warnings very
seriously?
Chapter 5 - Questions
D Grade
 The Functional Failure- a way of stating that
food is of poor quality but still edible. Food is
not actually “graded” this way by the FDA.
Welfare
 Financial or other aid provided, especially by
the government, to people in need.
Peon
 A farm worker or laborer; any person of low
social status
Chapter 6 Info~
Discuss:
 What caused the mourning dove to die?
 What effect did the bird’s death have on
Byron?
 What lesson, if any, do you believe Byron
learned from the dove’s death?
Chapter 6 - Check
Characters’ Perspective
 Kenny says, “I really wished I was as smart as
people thought I was, ‘cause some of the time it
was real hard to understand what was going on
with Byron.” What made Kenny feel this way?
 Kenny tries to comfort Byron after he gets sick,
and in response Byron throws green apples at
Kenny, calls him a “punk,” and tells him to leave.
Why would Byron behave like this?
 Do you know of someone who has made an
unkind decision that you felt was wrong? Did the
person apologize or try to make things right
again? What is an example of a time that you
have needed to forgive someone for something
you thought was wrong?
Journal Prompt – Choose 1
How do you think Byron’s parents will
react when they find out that he signed
for “free food” in the form of cookies at
the grocery store?
2. Byron and Kenny are both bothered by
the idea of being on welfare. What parts
of the book let us know this?
3. Do you think Byron is a good person?
Explain your reasoning.
1.
Chapter 6 - Questions
In
just one sentence,
pretend you are Kenny
and summarize what
happened in Chapter 7.
Focus on the main parts
of this chapter.
Chapter 7 – Check
Conk
 http://newlynatural.com/blog/2009/08/its
-just-hair-the-conk/
 http://www.jazma.com/black-hair-history
Chapter 7 – Informational
Consider the following passage from
Chapter 7: “Byron had gotten a conk! A process!
A do! A butter! A ton of trouble! His hair was
reddish brown, straight, stiff and slick-looking.”
Kenny uses several terms to describe the
same thing. Given the context of the
sentences, what is Kenny talking about?
 Why would Byron straighten his hair?
What do you think motivated him to do
this?

Journaling- Respond to both
questions
Momma and Joetta are both upset by
Byron’s new hairstyle, but for different
reasons. What are the different
reasons?
2. Dad ends up shaving Byron’s head.
Considering the fact that the story takes
place in 1963, how do you think Byron
felt about being bald-headed?
3. What do you think might have been
discussed during the “adult-only” talk
between Momma and Dad?
1.
Chapter 7 - Questions
4.
5.
6.
What do you think that Dad might
have to get back to Grandma Sands
about?
Do you think it was fair of Dad to
shave Byron’s head? Explain
What does it mean to be fair and
just? When troublesome situations
happen, how can we be sure to
treat all people fairly?
Chapter 7 - Questions



What is Kenny’s favorite song to play on the
Ultra Glide?
Momma and Dad had threatened to send
Byron to Grandma Sands’ house many times,
but the kids never believed it would really
happen. Kenny lists three good reasons to
believe that his parents were bluffing? What
are the reasons?
What are the reasons that Momma gives why
Byron had to stay with Grandma Sands?
Chapter 8 - Check
Favorite Song of Momma and Kenny
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=iyzCccndc2w
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=PtTC3pGBjs4
Objects from the 1960’s
 http://thebrownbombergoestobir
mingham.wikispaces.com/Object
s+from+the+1960’s
Chapter 8 - Informational
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
When Dad first surprised the family with the
new Ultra-Glide, what was Momma’s
reaction? And why did she react this way?
Eventually, Momma changes her attitude
and joins the family fun outside with the
Ultra-Glide. What made her change her
tune?
Grandma Sands tells Momma that stuff on
TV isn’t happening near her and that it’s
safe and quiet in her neighborhood. Why
would Grandma say this?
Why would this matter so much to Momma?
How do you think the Watson children will
like Birmingham?
Chapter 8 - Questions



Given what we know is happening in Alabama during the
time that the Watson’s decide to visit Birmingham, do you
recommend that the family go? What advice would you
give them about the trip?
Imagine you are Grandma Sands. Write a letter to Byron
explaining how he will be expected to behave at her house
in Birmingham. Describe how Birmingham will be different
from Flint.
When you are faced with problems in your life, how does it
make you feel? What do you do when you feel that you
can’t change your situation? Do you feel that there is
anything that you are able to do to change your situation,
even if it is something small? Do you believe that there is
any way that you, one person, could work to change some
of the problems in your life? How?
Journal Prompt – Choose 1
Why did Momma and Dad make Byron
sleep in their room the night before the
big trip?
 What would have given Momma and Dad
the impression that Byron may try to run
away?

Chapter 9 - Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
How does Kenny really feel about
sending Byron to Grandma Sands’ house
for the summer?
Why doesn’t Joetta like the angel that
Mrs. Davidson gives her?
Why would the color of the angel’s face
be a problem for Joetta?
Why did Momma have the whole trip to
Birmingham planned?
Why would Momma and Dad decide that
sending Byron to Birmingham for the
summer is a good idea?
Chapter 9 - Questions
If your parents were going to “send you
off” for constantly misbehaving, where
would they send you and why?
 How should unruly, misbehaving children
be corrected so they can turn into
responsible, decent adults?

Chapter 9 questions continued



Pretend that you are Kenny and Byron and
respond to what Dad said. What questions
would you have about the south? How would
you react to Dad’s joke?
Joetta put the angel that Mrs. Davidson gave her
as a gift in her sock drawer because she didn’t
like it. Have you ever received a gift that you
didn’t like? How did you react and what did you
do?
How would you feel if you were separated from
your peers or denied certain rights because of
the way you looked or because of a set of beliefs
you had? What are ways that diversity actually
makes our lives better? Can you think of
examples of how differences among people have
improved a situation?
Journal Prompt – Choose 1



Kenny knows that once Momma falls asleep
Dad plans to drive much further than her
schedule would allow. How does Kenny
figure this out?
Why are the Watson children frightened when
the family stops in Tennessee?
Momma takes out her notebook and
announces: This is the Appalachia Mountains.
We’re over six thousand feet above sea level,
this is higher than we’ve ever been before.
What does “sea level” mean and how is it
relevant to Momma’s point?
Chapter 10 - Check
Map of the Appalachian Mountains:
 http://media.web.britannica.com/ebmedia/3/89843-004-DBECEB58.gif
Chapter 10 - Information
1.
2.
3.
Why doesn’t Dad want to stick with
Momma’s plan to take several days
to drive to Birmingham?
Why is Momma angry that Dad has
not followed the driving schedule?
Why do you think that Byron was
so nervous about being near the
Appalachian Mountains, especially
in the dark?
Chapter 10 - Questions



At this point in the story, with which character do
you most closely identify? Why? What makes
you similar to that character?
Write about a time that you were someplace that
gave you a “creepy” feeling and you just couldn’t
wait to get away.
What are some unfair stereotypes that you can
think of? Have you ever been stereotyped? How
did that make you feel? How do stereotypes
affect others? What are ways that we can avoid
making stereotypes?
Journal Prompt – Choose 1