Lesson Plan

Chapter 9 Lesson Plan: The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963

Lesson Plan Image
Grade Level:
Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
Subject:
Literacy and Language Arts,Social Studies
Lesson Duration:
90 Minutes

Essential Question

How did travel in the 1960s differ depending on race?

Objective

In this activity, students will use a 1962 copy of The Green Book, historical atlases, and the novel to develop one potential itinerary for the Watson family.

Background

The Green Book is a travel guide written by and for African Americans, published
between 1936 and 1967, when overt and covert practices limited access to lodging,
food, and other necessary services in Jim Crow America. The Green Book provided an
extensive list of safe and welcoming businesses that would allow individuals to travel
with more comfort and confidence during the era of racial segregation in the United
States. The book was also important in promoting Black-owned businesses and
supporting African American entrepreneurship.

Christopher Paul Curtis doesn’t show Momma using The Green Book, but “The Watsons
Go to Birmingham—1963” is clearly inspired by it. In this activity, students will use a
1962 copy of The Green Book, historical atlases, and the novel to develop one
potential itinerary for the Watson family.

Preparation

Gather materials:

Materials

Download Watsons Trip Planner

Procedure

  • Provide a brief introduction to The Green Book. Consider using the following short videos:
  • Refer students to the following passage from Chapter 9: Momma had planned "who got baloney sandwiches on Day One, who got tuna fish on Day Two, who got peanut butter and jelly on Day three...how long we could hold ourselves between going to the bathroom...who'd get the windows on each day and who was responsible for keeping paper and junk from piling up in the car."
  • Divide the class in groups of 2-3 and distribute worksheets. Working together, students will use an early 1960s edition of The Green Book and historical road atlases to fill in the blanks and create itineraries for the Watsons’s trip from Flint, MI to Birmingham, AL.
  • Have groups share their itineraries with the class, noting interesting facts they learned along the way.
  • Ask students what lodging was available for people traveling to Birmingham who did not have family to stay with? Discuss the A.G. Gaston Motel, now a part of Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. Read as a class the following article:The A.G. Gaston Motel and the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
To shorten this activity:
  • Divide the trip in two or three, assigning groups different sections of the route to research.
To lengthen this activity:

Vocabulary

Negro: A historic term used to refer to Black people. This term is no longer considered appropriate.
 

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Last updated: August 26, 2023