Text Complexity Analysis of: Watsons Go to Birmingham-­‐-­‐1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis Text Type: Historical Fiction Text Description Recommended Complexity Band Level The storyteller Kenny, a 10-year-old boy, lives with his 13 year old
brother Byron and family. When Byron gets into trouble, they decide that
he needs to spend the summer with strict Grandma Sands in
Birmingham, Alabama. Tragedy strikes when a bomb goes off in the
church. Byron and Kenny are changed forever. th
This is a good choice for 5 grade. Quantitative Measure Quantitative Measure of the Text: 1000 Range: 740-­‐1010 Associated Band Level: 4-­‐5 Qualitative Measures Text Structure: Slightly Complex The structure of the text is simple, conventional, and chronological. Graphics are not included and are unnecessary. Language Features: Slightly Complex Language is literal and clear for the most part. There is one somewhat ambiguous part when Kenny is drowning and sees the “Wool Pool” coming for
him under the water. He sees it again when he enters the bombed church. The language is contemporary, familiar, and conversational in nature. Meaning/Purpose: Moderately Complex The story has multiple levels of meaning – the humorous but challenging journey of kids growing up in urban Flint, Michigan intersects with the
country’s growing racial tension, which eventually launches the civil rights movement. The purpose of the story is implicit and the ending has a strong
message of picking oneself up after a fall and going on, even if life is unfair. Knowledge Demands: Moderately Complex The themes are simple, but there are several. Most of the book is about common experiences (family, friendship, school) but there are some
fantastical situations (see section on Language). It is told from a single perspective (Kenny) which is like students’ perspectives if they are from an
urban community. Knowledge of the Civil Rights era is helpful. Why do you want to teach this book? This book is a perfect introduction to the American Civil Rights Movement. It is humorous and engaging to many
readers. Urban children will identify with the setting and themes, and suburban/rural kids will experience a window into a world that is new to
them. All kids will connect to the universal themes of love, family, and the pains of growing up. Text Complexity Analysis of: Watsons Go to Birmingham-­‐-­‐1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis Text Type: Historical Fiction Considerations for Reader and Task Possible Major Instructional Areas of Focus (include 3-­‐4 CCS Standards) for this Text: CCSS.ELA-­‐LITERACY.RL.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. • How does the backdrop of the civil rights m ovement impact the Watson family? Below are factors to consider with respect to the reader and task: Potential Challenges this Text Poses: § Students might need additional support for understanding the historical context of the novel. Differentiation/Supports for Students: § Provide historical context for the civil rights era. § Text Sets •
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RL.5.3 – Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact). • How do Kenny and Byron react differently to the bombing? How do they react the same? RL.5.6– Describe how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are described. • How does Kenny’s perspective of civil rights develop throughout the novel? •
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Watsons Go to Birmingham, Kenny Leon (Video). The film version of the book. http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/thewatsonsgotobirmingham “Langston Hughes Biography” (Informational). When Kenny was in the second grade, he was asked to read a Langston Hughes poem to a fifth grade class. http://www.biography.com/people/langston-­‐hughes-­‐9346313 “Ballad of Birmingham”, Dudley Randall (Poem). About the 1963 bombing of a church. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/175900 “The Watsons Go to Birmingham-­‐1963: Author’s Note” (Informational). The author explains his inspirations for the book. http://www.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=983 Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis (Literary). A middle-­‐grade novel about an African-­‐American orphan in depression era Michigan. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/368468.Bud_Not_Buddy Birmingham Sunday, Larry Dane Brimner (Informational). The nonfiction account of the events surrounding the Birmingham church bombing that claimed the lies of four girls. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7714283-­‐birmingham-­‐
sunday-­‐orbis-­‐pictus-­‐honor-­‐for-­‐outstanding-­‐nonfiction-­‐for-­‐chi NAACP (Informational). A civil rights organization that promote equal rights and social justice. http://www.naacp.org/ The Civil Rights Movement for Kids: A History with 21 Activities (For kids series), Mary C. Turck (Activities). A history of civil rights that emphasizes children’s role in the movement. Includes activities to help students contextualize events. Created by (name, state, email, date) Reviewed by ____________________________________________(name, state, e-­‐mail, date)