Chapter 12 Lesson Plan: The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963
Grade Level:
Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
Subject:
Literacy and Language Arts,Social Studies
Lesson Duration:
90 Minutes
Essential Question
What did children experience in Birmingham in 1963?
Objective
In this activity, students will draw upon first-hand accounts and other primary sources from
the Kids in Birmingham 1963 website to research other ways children might have
experienced Birmingham that summer.
Background
While chapters eight and nine briefly mention racial unrest in Birmingham, it barely
comes up in chapter 12. Their first morning in Birmingham, Kenny overhears Momma
and Grandma talking about “how much trouble people were having with some white
people down here, who got married to who, how many kids this one had, how many
times that one was in jail, a bunch of boring junk like that." While Momma asks about
changes in the neighborhood, she seems too focused on Grandma Sands’ friend, Mr.
Robert, to really talk about Birmingham. Meanwhile, Kenny is still struggling to
understand Grandma Sands’ accent, a task made more difficult by Alabama’s
unrelenting heat. So far, the Watsons’s experience of Birmingham is relatively quiet,
barely moving beyond the immediate vicinity of Grandma Sands’ home. In this
activity, students will draw upon first-hand accounts and other primary sources from
the Kids in Birmingham 1963 website to research other ways children might have
experienced Birmingham that summer.
Preparation
Gather materials:
* Tablets or other devices with internet access
* Kids in Birmingham 1963 website: https://kidsinbirmingham1963.org
* Young People in 1963 Birmingham worksheet (provided)
Materials
Download Chapter 12 Worksheet
Procedure
* Do now: Brainstorm a list of adjectives that would describe the Watsons’ first day in Birmingham. Share with a partner.
* Explain the goal of today’s activity is to research other ways children might have experienced Birmingham that year. Introduce the Children’s March and play one or both of the following videos:
** “Birmingham and the Children’s March." PBS. April 25, 2013. https://www.pbs.org/video/religion-and-ethics-newsweekly-childrens- march-50th-anniversary/
** “Children’s Crusade of 1963: American Freedom Stories." biography.com. The History Channel. Jan. 10, 2014. https://youtu.be/WV0k-3Hkjsw
* Distribute worksheets. Direct students to https://kidsinbirmingham1963.org >
“Stories" > “I was there"> “Participated in or witnessed 1963 Children's
March"; “Segregated places"; and “Bombings and violence." Have students
choose one or more accounts per topic and complete the corresponding
worksheet.
* Ask students to share their findings with the class.
* Lead the class in a discussion of whether their findings make it seem more, or less, understandable that Mr. and Mrs. Watson are sending Byron to the South.
To shorten this activity: Ask students to use fewer sources and share their research
with the class.
To lengthen this activity: Ask students to imagine that they are a child or teen in
Birmingham in 1963 and Grandma Sands has arranged for them to be a host for one of
the Watson children for the summer. Have them draft a letter to Joey, Kenny, or
Byron, introducing themselves, their city, and what it’s like to be a kid in Birmingham
right now (i.e., 1963)
Contact Information
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Tags: civil rights lesson plans social studies lesson plan language arts lesson plan birmingham civil rights national monument christopher paul curtis the watsons go to birmingham
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service