Summary:
Jacqueline never felt at home while growing up in both New York and South Carolina. Using short poems, she tells what her life was like growing up as an African American during the 1960s and 1970s. While in the south, she was teased by other kids, and while she was in New York she followed the rules that her friends did not. Even with this hardship, she always had one thing that was consistent and that was the love and support from her family.
Key Vocabulary to Describe Book:
Teaching Strategies:
Key Vocabulary to Help with Understanding:
Electronic Resources:
Jim Crow Museum: Have students look at this website where they can read and learn about the Jim Crow South. On this website you can find pictures and videos that will explain what was going on at this time.
Bullying: Throughout Woodson's life she was constantly being picked on for being different. Whether it was the way she talked or the way her religion she always felt different. Use this website to help teach students about bullying and what how it makes other feel. Students can understand if they are bullying someone or is someone is bullying them and then learn how to address the issue.
Pre-Reading Activity:
Before reading this novel it is important to find out how much the students know about what was happening in the north and the south during Woodson's childhood. This can be determined by having the students fill out a KWL chart. Find out what they know about the north and south during the 1960s and 1970s and what they want to know, and then what they learned. This will help the teacher to determine what they need to go over in order to ensure the students are comprehending what they are reading.
During Reading Activity:
While the stories are reading this novel they may have a lot of questions about the family members that Woodson has and describes in the book. Have the students complete a character chart where they write the characters name, their relationship with Woodson, and something that describes them. This will help students to understand the importance of each character and how they affect the story.
Post Reading Activity:
Since, Woodson showed her love for writing through the novel have students write a letter to her that explains their favorite part of the novel, their own experience with writing, and any questions they may have about her story and experiences. Since Woodson is still alive explain to the students that you will actually be mailing the letters and to make sure they put the letter in the correct format and write in their best hand writing.
Writing Activity:
After the students complete reading this novel, as a writing activity ask them to write a short memoir about their life. Have them include key details about important things that have happened to them that affected their life greatly. Students can create a time line and include pictures to help them. One really useful online timeline tool can be found at ReadWriteThink and students can include a brief discussion and pictures.
- Powerful
- Emotional
- Determination
- Love
- Family
- Adversity
Teaching Strategies:
Key Vocabulary to Help with Understanding:
- Welts: A usually large bump or red area that appears on your skin because of injury or illness
- Greyhound Bus: a type of bus that people use for traveling long distances in the U.S.
- Jehovah Witness: A member of a Christian Church of American origin, the followers of which believe that the end of the present world system of government is near, that all other Churches and religions are false or evil, that all war is unlawful, and that the civil law must be resisted whenever it conflicts with their Church's own religious principles
- Mimeographed: A duplicator for making many copies that utilizes a stencil through which ink is pressed
- Emancipated: To free (someone) from someone else's control or power
- Enslaved: To make (someone) a slave
Electronic Resources:
Jim Crow Museum: Have students look at this website where they can read and learn about the Jim Crow South. On this website you can find pictures and videos that will explain what was going on at this time.
Bullying: Throughout Woodson's life she was constantly being picked on for being different. Whether it was the way she talked or the way her religion she always felt different. Use this website to help teach students about bullying and what how it makes other feel. Students can understand if they are bullying someone or is someone is bullying them and then learn how to address the issue.
Pre-Reading Activity:
Before reading this novel it is important to find out how much the students know about what was happening in the north and the south during Woodson's childhood. This can be determined by having the students fill out a KWL chart. Find out what they know about the north and south during the 1960s and 1970s and what they want to know, and then what they learned. This will help the teacher to determine what they need to go over in order to ensure the students are comprehending what they are reading.
During Reading Activity:
While the stories are reading this novel they may have a lot of questions about the family members that Woodson has and describes in the book. Have the students complete a character chart where they write the characters name, their relationship with Woodson, and something that describes them. This will help students to understand the importance of each character and how they affect the story.
Post Reading Activity:
Since, Woodson showed her love for writing through the novel have students write a letter to her that explains their favorite part of the novel, their own experience with writing, and any questions they may have about her story and experiences. Since Woodson is still alive explain to the students that you will actually be mailing the letters and to make sure they put the letter in the correct format and write in their best hand writing.
Writing Activity:
After the students complete reading this novel, as a writing activity ask them to write a short memoir about their life. Have them include key details about important things that have happened to them that affected their life greatly. Students can create a time line and include pictures to help them. One really useful online timeline tool can be found at ReadWriteThink and students can include a brief discussion and pictures.