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Lesson Plan

Chapter 6 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:

60 Minutes

Essential Question

How can we learn about our history through food?

Objective

In this activity, students will use the text as well as primary sources to identify benefits and
drawbacks to shopping at local grocery stores and chain supermarkets.

Background

Momma tasks Kenny and Byron with picking up groceries for dinner. In our world of
megastores, online ordering, and even paying by smartphone, signing for groceries at
a corner store might seem quaint. With heightened fears about young people’s safety,
the idea of children walking to a grocery store unsupervised might seem novel. In this
activity, students will use the text as well as primary sources to identify benefits and
drawbacks to shopping at local grocery stores and chain supermarkets. The central
primary source is an interview with 101-year-old Iva Davis, a former owner of a small
Flint grocery store. It may be important to prepare the class for listening to the
informal recording.

Preparation

Gather materials:

• Audio clip of the interview with Iva Davis: https://soundcloud.com/karen-ad-burton/sets/favorites?si=61f55a6e0a5447d0ac188e30752d0c25&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
• Transcript of the interview with Iva Davis (provided)
• Speakers
• Photographs and advertisements for Hamady Bros. and other large grocery stores in Flint (provided)
• Photographs of Watts Grocery and Davis Food Center
• Chapter 6’s Voices from the Field
• Whiteboard and dry-erase marker

Materials

Download Chapter 6 Transcript of Iva Davis Interview - August 28 2015

Download Iva Davis Medium Article

Download National Food Stores Advertisement

Download IGA Advertisement

Download A&P Advertisement

Download Handy Man Grocery Store - Large Local Store

Download Robbins Market - Small Store

Download Watts Market - Small Store

Download Watts Store Interior - Small Store

Download Davis Food Center circa 1953

Download Davis Food Center Cookie + Cake Shelf

Download Davis Food Center Meat Case

Download Iva and Evans Davis

Procedure

• Tell students they will hear from the real-life owner of a small grocery store in 1960s Flint: the late Iva Maude Davis. Through her interview and other primary sources, they will assess the benefits and drawbacks to shopping at small grocery stores versus supermarkets and chain stores.
• Look at photographs of big and small grocery stores in Flint in the 1960s.
• Distribute newspaper advertisements for 1960s Flint grocery stores and ask students to study the documents. How are the stores trying to attract customers? What might Flint consumers find attractive? What might they find less attractive? (Consider prices, selection, claims of freshness, images in the advertisements, etc.)
• Students will now take a closer look at one small Flint grocery store: Davis Food Center. Have them begin by visiting voices from the field to read Karen Burton’s account of her grandmother’s store, Davis Food Center.
• Prepare the class for the oral history recording by taking a few minutes to introduce the speaker and set expectations for the interview. The interview is part of Flint Public Library’s project with Story Corps, a collection of oral history recordings from famous and everyday Americans. Since it wasn’t recorded in a professional recording studio, some parts are clearer than others. Iva Davis was 101 years old at the time of the interview, and some of her memories might not be fresh in her mind. Ms. Davis’s granddaughter and grandson are conducting the interview, so there might be personal references unfamiliar to outsiders. Ask students to take notes on how Ms. Davis describes the store, her customer base, and the rewards and challenges of working as a local grocer.
• Distribute transcripts of the interview and play the audio clip. Drawing from the interview, the Voice from the Field, and Chapter 6 of the novel, lead the class in a discussion of the benefits and challenges of shopping at a small grocery store. Close the discussion, by asking students if the issues raised are still relevant today.

To shorten this activity:

• Choose one newspaper advertisement or skip step four.

To lengthen this activity:

• Ask students to develop a list of 5 additional questions they would ask Iva Davis if they had the opportunity.

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