The Watsons Go to Birmingham
Fourth
Grade:
Reading
Subject:
Date:
1
What is one reason Kenny is teased?
A
his haircut
B
his eyes
C
his shoes
D
his pants
E
his sister
2
Where do the Watsons live?
A
Birmingham, Alabama
B
Fargo, North Dakota
C
Mobile, Alabama
D
Flint, Michigan
E
Detroit, Michigan
3
How did Byron's lips get stuck to the mirror?
A
Byron kissed his reflection
B
Byron accidentally bumped the mirror
C
Kenny used glue on the mirror
D
Kenny threw water on his lips
E
Byron was trying to lick the frost
4
Who is the fourth-grade bully?
A
Byron Watson
B
Buphead
C
LJ Jones
D
Larry Dunn
E
Joetta Watson
5
When Rufus gets on the bus, Kenny thinks Rufus is ____
A
his new best friend
B
ugly
C
mean
D
his savior
E
way cooler than Kenny
6
Kenny is suprised that Rufus has done something. What is it?
A
beaten up Larry Dunn
B
never been sleding
C
visited the White House
D
lived in Arkansas
E
shot a real gun
7
What did LJ do to trick Kenny?
A
LJ got Kenny to sign for cookies
B
LJ told Kenny to get a new haircut
C
LJ told Kenny to bury his dinosaurs
D
LJ told Kenny to give him gloves
E
LJ told Kenny Rufus was mean
8
Why does Byron say Momma puts so many clothes on the kids in the
winter?
A
They have thin southern blood and will freeze
B
They don't know how to dress themselves
C
They will get frostbite if they don't
D
The Wool Pooh will come and take them
E
They have a strange disease
9
What happened to Kenny's gloves?
A
Joey hid them in the car
B
Byron took them to teach him a lesson
C
Rufus lost one of them
D
Larry stole them and dyed them black
E
Rufus gave them to Cody
10
Byron's punishment is to be burned. What did he do to get in trouble?
A
Took Kenny's army men
B
Tried to burn Joetta
C
Made the house smell like smoke
D
Got his hair cut
E
Played with matches
11
Who saves Byron from being burned?
A
Momma
B
Joetta
C
Daddy
D
Kenny
E
Buphead
12
Momma says the family has had welfare food before. What food does
Byron say he can tell had come from welfare?
A
cookies and drinks
B
bread and tomatoes
C
milk and cheese
D
hamburger meat
E
cereal and juice
13
Why did Byron get sick?
A
he didn't go to the doctor
B
he ate welfare food
C
he got punched in the stomach
D
he ate too many swedish creams
E
he killed a bird
14
What was the punishment for Byron getting a conk?
A
Dad took away his records
B
Dad shaved his head
C
Dad sent him to Birmingham
D
Mom tried to burn him
E
Mom didn't fix him dinner
15
Why did Dad say they needed the Ultra-Glide?
A
so Kenny could listen to Yakkity Yak as much as he wanted
B
because Grandma Sands wanted one
C
because African-Americans couldn't listen to the radio down south
D
so they didn't accidentially start liking country music
E
so they could play music that Byron didn't like
16
Why didn't Momma like the record player?
A
Momma didn't like music
B
Momma thought it cost too much
C
Momma didn't know about it
D
Momma thought the radio was better
E
Momma thought it was dangerous
17
On the trip to Birmingham, you can tell that Momma ___
A
has never been on a trip before
B
is good at changing tires
C
plans on driving without stopping
D
doesn't like peanut butter sandwhiches
E
likes to plan in advance
18
Byron had a plan to get even with his family on the car ride. What did he
plan to do?
A
Byron planned to run away at a rest stop.
B
Byron planned to not talk the whole trip.
C
Byron planned to not use the outhouse.
D
Byron planned to hum the whole way.
E
Byron planned to break the record player.
19
Why did the boys take toilet paper to the woods at the rest stop?
A
They wanted to make spit wads.
B
There wasn't anyplace else to go.
C
They didn't like the outhouse.
D
They were afraid of the Wool Pooh.
E
They were trying to trick Joey.
20
What is the real reason the family might not be able to stop at any hotel on
the way to Alabama?
A
Grandma Sands told them not to stay anywhere.
B
They had no idea where they were going.
C
Dad had made many hotel workers mad.
D
African-Americans weren't welcome everywhere in the south.
E
Joey drooled too much to take to a hotel.
21
Grandma Sands complains that Wilona didn't teach her children to ___
A
speak
B
give a proper hug
C
eat
D
follow directions well
E
swim
22
Why is Kenny suprised by Grandma Sand's appearance?
A
she is much larger than he imagined
B
she looks like Bobo Brazil
C
she is much taller than he thought
D
she is small and old
E
she looks like the Wicked Witch of the West
23
Who is Mr. Robert?
A
Wilona's dad
B
Dad's best friend
C
Grandma's boyfriend
D
Byron's uncle
E
Kenny's enemy
24
What were Mr. Robert and his dog hunting in the story he tells?
A
squirrels
B
mourning doves
C
the Wool Pooh
D
racoons
E
deer
25
Where are the children warned to stay away from?
A
Connecticut
B
Collier's Landing
C
The swimming hole
D
Winne-the-Pooh
E
Sunday School
26
What is the "Wool Pooh" really?
A
a whirlpool
B
an animal
C
a ghost
D
Mr. Collier
E
Byron
27
What is it that "every bird and bug in Birmingham stops and wonders"
about?
A
the Brown Bomber
B
a prank Byron does
C
Kenny sitting in the yard
D
the noise made by a bomb
E
a snowstorm
28
Why does Kenny think Joetta is injured?
A
The Wool Pooh tells him
B
He finds a Buster Brown shoe
C
He has a dream about her
D
She goes missing for days
E
He never thinks that
29
Where does Kenny hide?
A
At Rufus' house
B
In his closet
C
Behind the couch
D
The animal shelter
E
On the school bus
30
Who is it that finally helps Kenny get over his fears?
A
Momma
B
Dad
C
Joey
D
Byron
E
Rufus
Get a piece of notebook paper. You will answer the last five
questions just like an ARMT question.
Write your answers in complete sentences and include
details to support your answers.
1. What is the author, Christopher Paul Curtis, purpose in
writing this book? Use details or examples from the story to
support your answer.
2. When Kenny sat in the Brown Bomber with his father
while his father explained
to him why Byron needed to go to stay with his
grandmother, Kenny felt very
grown-up. Describe with details and clear images a time
when you felt as if you
were treated as an adult rather than as a child.
3. How does the author show that Byron is not as tough as
he pretends to be? Use specific examples to support your
answer.
4. Byron changes throughout the book. Describe some of
these changes. Why do you think this happens?
5. This book has bad language and improper grammar.
Why?