Preaching to the Chickens : the Story of Young John Lewis by Jabari Asim. 2016

In Honor of John Lewis, Congressman and Civil Rights Leader, 1940-2020

Inspiration Book:

Preaching to the chickens : the story of young John Lewis by Asim, Jabari — Nancy Paulsen Books, 2016 328.73; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 4.9. Gives readers a...glimpse into the boyhood of Civil Rights leader John Lewis. John wants to be a preacher when he grows up--a leader whose words stir hearts to change, minds to think, and bodies to take action. But why wait? When John is put in charge of the family farm's flock of chickens, he discovers that they make a wonderful congregation! So he preaches to his flock, and they listen, content under his watchful care, riveted by the rhythm of his voice. Includes an author's note about John Lewis, who grew up to be a member of the Freedom Riders, chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and demonstrator on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, and was a Georgia congressman. CCBC

Rationale: Originally, I planned to feature Voice of Freedom : the Story of Fannie Lou Hamer (Candlewick, 2018) this week, but with the death of Congressman John Lewis this weekend, I rearranged my plans. Although Peaching to the Chickens was not selected as a Notable Social Studies Trade Book, it did receive a number of accolades : Junior Library Guild Selection, Notable Children's Book, CCBC Choice, Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Books, and Best Illustrated Children’s Book. It also does not fit the time frame I have arbitrarily set for this year’s My Books Alive criteria, but it definitely fits the theme of the summer. John Lewis’ death puts him front and center as a person of color who used methods unlike those being promoted in 2020. His modus operandi needs to be examined.

I first became aware of John Lewis, not through his work, but through a fellow civil rights worker who was a colleague--named Jim Zwerg. Mr. Zwerg was born and raised in Appleton, Wisconsin, near where I have spent my entire librarian and teaching life. It was through newspaper articles about Mr. Zwerg that I first learned about John Lewis and have followed Lewis’ and Zwerg’s lives since. Both men had the same mission and values in life, but one was black and one is white. 

Much of the lesson developed to pay tribute to Lewis is based on the Lesson Plan from Lee & Low for the book John Lewis in the Lead : A Story of the Civil Rights Movement by Haskins and Benson https://www.teachingbooks.net/media/pdf/LeeandLow/John_Lewis_tg.pdf

Grades 5-8--A Tribute to John Lewis, Civil Rights Leader

Background: Students in small cities and rural America have little knowledge about the Civil Rights Movement and the lives of people of color and the struggles they have had to be fully equal in American society. That is one of the reasons began the summer series. John Lewis was one of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement

Preparation: Write the following questions on different pages of chart paper or on sentence strips.

1. How would you define injustice? What examples of injustice in today’s news can you name?
2. What is courage? Give some examples.
3. How do you expect to be treated by others? How do you try to treat other people? How do you feel if people don’t treat you well or fairly?
4. What do you know about the Civil Rights Movement in the United States? Who were some of the movement’s leaders?
5. What are some laws you know about? How do they affect your life? How can laws be changed in the United States?

Gather any newspaper headlines or articles about John Lewis’ death.

Introduction: We’re going to think about some tough topics today. I need you to think hard and maybe outside the box. I need you to be honest and not laugh or ridicule somebody’s ideas and thoughts. Everyone’s ideas need to be heard. (Now pose one of the above questions, and allow as much time as needed or productive discussion is occurring.)

An important advocate and worker for Civil Rights died on Friday, July 17th, 2020. Does anybody know his name? (Hopefully you will get an answer that is correct.) Even when he was a young boy, he had a lot to say about important topics. His young life is described in the book, Preaching to the Chickens. 

Read aloud: Preaching to the chickens : the story of young John Lewis by Asim, Jabari — Nancy Paulsen Books, 2016 328.73; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 4.9.

How did Mr. Lewis’s childhood impact his outlook on life? 

(Ask several of the above questions again. Were there any new ideas? Any changed ideas?)

Optional Extension: Spend a day reading around the classroom or family table. Read one of books in the related list below as you pay tribute to Mr. Lewis. The procedure of reading around the classroom or table involves passing a copy of the book being read randomly around the table. When the book is passed, each student or family member, or the person to the right or left of the new reader asks a question about the previous reading. This is a simple way to keep people focused rather than daydreaming. The first time this method is used there may need to be coaching to help keep participants on tack.

Related Titles and their Resources: 

Freedom riders : John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement by Bausum, Ann — National Geographic, 2006 323; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 6.0. Black America -- White America -- Common ground -- Early rides -- Blood brothers -- Rolling on -- Separate paths -- Toward one America -- Partial roster of Riders -- Chronology. Recounts the freedom ride of John Lewis and Jim Zwerg into the South in 1961 as part of the Civil Rights Movement.

Lesson Plan from Ann Bausum http://www.annbausum.com/freedom-riders.html#top

Audiobook Excerpt narrated by Cecelia Riddett (3:40 min.) https://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=2996

Video Book Trailer from Read On Wisconsin https://readon.education.wisc.edu/?page_id=2255

John Lewis, civil rights leader and congressman (Freedom's Promise) by Harris, Duchess  — Core Library, an imprint of Abdo Publishing, 2020 323; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 6.1. John Lewis was an influential African American politician who played a key role in the civil rights movement. He raised awareness of racial discrimination and violence in the 1960s. 'John Lewis: Civil Rights Leader and Congressman' explores Lewis's activism and political career. FREE Teaching Resources available for download at www.titlewave.com

John Lewis in the lead : a story of the Civil Rights Movement by Haskins, James — Lee & Low Books, 2006 323; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 6.3. An illustrated biography of Georgia congressman John Lewis, focusing on his activities on behalf of civil rights, specifically his leadership in the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in an effort to secure voting rights for African-Americans. FREE Teaching Resources available for download at www.titlewave.com

Teacher Resources:

For Peaching to the Chickens

Support Materials from Reading is Fundamental (membership may be required to access) https://www.rif.org/literacy-central/book/preaching-chickens-story-young-john-lewis

Read Aloud Tips from New Balanced Literacy Schools https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.roosevelt.edu/dist/5/293/files/2019/07/Information-Sheet-Preaching-to-the-Chickens-1.pdf

Discussion Questions from Unleashing Readers

http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=13342

Audiobook Excerpt narrated by Kevin R. Free (.44 min.) https://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=18808

Little legends : exceptional men in black history by Harrison, Vashti — Little, Brown and Company, 2019

305.38; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 7.5. . . . this . . . volume brings to life true stories of black men in history. Among these biographies, readers will find aviators and artists, politicians and pop stars, athletes and activists. The exceptional men featured include artist Aaron Douglas, civil rights leader John Lewis, dancer Alvin Ailey, filmmaker Oscar Micheaux, musician Prince, photographer Gordon Parks, tennis champion Arthur Ashe, and writer James Baldwin.

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes. 2018

BOOK BREAK #3

Inspiration Book:

Ghost boys by Rhodes, Jewell Parker — Thorndike Press, a part of Gale, a Cengage Company, 2018: -Fic-; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 3.0. After seventh-grader Jerome is shot by a white police officer, he observes the aftermath of his death and meets the ghosts of other fallen black boys including historical figure Emmett Till. NSSTB List 2019

Rationale: I had planned to write about book selection as a connection with the latest School Library Connection (May/June 2020, pp. 38-40) article “Turn Students into Collection Developers” by Courtney Pentland, and then connect those comments and ideas with the Inspiration Book Ghost Boys. I will save my thought on book selection for a future post.

I did not intend to do three weeks of BOOK BREAK entries, but several events happened in this country that provided the impetus for another BOOK BREAK. What were those events? A police an abusive arrest of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis and a shooting of a black man in Georgia by a group of whites. Why and how could these events connect with a BOOK BREAK? The Inspiration Book is about a police shooting in Chicago and the connection with other black youths like Emmett Till who have been killed.

Police shootings are a tough topic. Police arrest abuse is a tough topic. Vigilante shooting is a tough topic. Featuring tough topics is how My Books Alive began about a decade ago. When I read Ghost Boys I wondered how I could use the book or introduce it to a class or a student, not because of the seriousness of the topic, but because of the ghosting business. In my small private school ghosts aren’t always welcome. But I knew that this book was too good and too vital to not add it to the collection. In fact, I wondered how I’d handle the books aloud to a friend. She wanted to read it from my description. We talked and I still didn’t have a resolution in my mind. You see, in a school, where our budgets are so tight, I don’t like to have a book sit on the shelf--I want kids and teachers reading books on tough topics and doing research. Here I had a good book that needed the opportunity to share.

And, those recent police arrest and vigilante shootings provided the need and reason to have Ghost Boys in the collection. And, I also had the reason to do a BOOK BREAK. Serendipitous things do happen just when they’re needed. Check out the last two week’s entries about where I get ideas for BOOK BREAK. https://www.mybooksalive.com and https://www.mybooksalive.com/2020/05/night-diary-by-veera-hiranandani-2018.html

 Current events are another source of ideas, and probably the most relevant and timely.

Outline for a BOOK BREAK for the Inspiration Book, Ghost Boys:

1. Preparation: gather newspaper headlines and/or news clip of the Georgia vigilante shooting and police arrest abuse in Minneapolis. (Or,if these are no longer in the news: Trevon Martin, East St. Louis, Illinois, etc.) Projection capability for Book Trailer

1. A library needs to have books on many topics and many points of view. Sometimes the point of view presented, may not be one you like. Sometimes the topic is one that makes you squirm. On TV news reports and in newspapers recently there have been information about an abusive arrest and a shooting..
2. (Hold up newspaper headline or show a news clip.) The topics represented in these headlines are tough to talk about. They’re tough to understand. There are always two sides to the story. We need to get to the facts.
3. View Book Trailer.  https://www.teachingbooks.net/booktrailer.cgi?id=4630

Author Jewell Parker Rhodes tells us the story of Ghost Boys.

4. Ms. Rhodes says that only the living can make things better. What can you do to improve race relations in our school? Our town? Our country?
5. My idea, for you, read Ghost Boys, pass it around among your friends to read. Then I’d like all the readers to come to the library and we’ll do some taking about a tough topic.

Teaching Books, the resource I frequently turn to for ideas, has gathered four outstanding teaching tools to use if you plan a student study of Ghost Boys. Check out each resource, and pick and choose what you would like to use.

Educator Guide from author Jewell Parker Rhodes (far ranging excellent resources) http://jewellparkerrhodes.com/children/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/GHOST-BOYS-Educator-Guide-FINAL.pdf

Curriculum Connections from Vermont Department of Libraries https://libraries.vermont.gov/sites/libraries/files/DCFBookReviewsQuestions19-20.pdf#page=54

Teaching Ideas from Texas Bluebonnet Award 2019-2020 (extensive resource ideas) https://texasbluebonnetaward2020.wordpress.com/ghost-boys/

Reader’s Theater Script from Texas Bluebonnet Award 2019-2020 (could use this script as part of BOOK BREAK) https://texasbluebonnetaward2020.wordpress.com/ghost-boys/

RELATED TITLES

Fire in the streets by Magoon, Kekla  — Aladdin, 2013-Fic-; Int Lvl: 5-8. Sequel to: The rock and the river. In the aftermath of Dr. King's assassination in 1968, Chicago fourteen-year-old Maxie longs to join the Black Panthers, whether or not her brother Raheem, ex-boyfriend Sam, or her friends like it, and is soon caught up in the violence of anti-war and civil rights demonstrations.

Night on fire by Kidd, Ronald  — Albert Whitman & Company, 2015 -Fic-; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 4.0. When Billie hears about a group calling themselves the Freedom Riders passing through Anniston to protest segregation on buses, she thinks change could be coming. But instead of embracing change, Billie's town responds with violence, and she finds herself at Forsyth & Sons Grocery watching a bus burn. Shocked by the actions of people she thought she knew, she realizes that freedom has a cost. But is she brave enough to stand up and fight for it?

Genesis begins again by Williams, Alicia  — Atheneum, 2019 -Fic-; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 4.5. Genesis tries again and again to lighten her black skin, thinking it is the root of her family's troubles, before discovering reasons to love herself as is. This deeply sensitive and powerful debut novel tells the story of a thirteen-year-old who must overcome internalized racism and a verbally abusive family to finally learn to love herself.

With the might of angels (Dear America) by Pinkney, Andrea Davis — Scholastic Inc., 2019 -Fic-; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 4.8. In 1955 Hadley, Virginia, twelve-year-old Dawnie Rae Johnson, a tomboy who excels at baseball and at her studies, becomes the first African American student to attend the all-white Prettyman Coburn school, turning her world upside down. Includes historical notes about the period. FREE Teaching Resources available for download at www.titlewave.com

Midnight without a moon by Jackson, Linda Williams  — Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017 -Fic-; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 5.6. Rose Lee Carter, a thirteen-year-old African-American girl, dreams of life beyond the Mississippi cotton fields during the summer of 1955, but when Emmett Till is murdered and his killers are unjustly acquitted, Rose is torn between seeking her destiny outside of Mississippi or staying and being a part of an important movement. 

Miles to go for freedom : segregation & civil rights in the Jim Crow years by Osborne, Linda Barrett Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 5.7. Introduction -- The South -- The North -- The nation -- Time line. Describes the lives of African Americans during the Jim Crow years, a period of legal segregation and discrimination from the 1890s through the 1950s, including photographs and interviews with African Americans who were young during this time and other primary resources.

Roll of thunder, hear my cry by Taylor, Mildred D  — Dial Books for Young Readers, 2016 -Fic-; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 5.7. An African-American family living in the South during the 1930s is faced with prejudice and discrimination which its children do not understand. FREE Teaching Resources available for download at www.titlewave.com

A sky full of stars by Jackson, Linda Williams — Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018 -Fic-; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 7.6. Sequel to: Midnight without a moon. In Stillwater, Missippi, in 1955, thirteen-year-old African American Rose Lee Carter looks to her family and friends to understand her place in the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement.