Watsons go to Birmingham - 1963
TEACHER’S GUIDE Written by Rosemary Pillsbury Thorndike Press®
Chapter One: “And You Wonder Why We Get Called the Weird Watsons”
Vocabulary:
Narcissus(from Nar-sissy) pg. 28 a character in Greek mythology who met tragedy when he fell in love with his own image
1. Curtis plants a seed in the reader’s mind by suggesting that the Watsons may be weird. Is Byron someone you might think of as weird? How?
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2. When Kenny’s mother suggests that Birmingham, Alabama, may be warmer and friendlier than Flint, Michigan, about what does his father remind her?
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3. Why does Mr. Watson call the landlord a “snake in the grass?”
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4. What would you have done to rescue Byron?
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Chapter Two: “Give My Regards to Clark, Poindexter”
Vocabulary:
hostile pg. 37 unfriendly; showing ill will intimidate pg. 39 make afraid; frighten emulate pg. 39 copy or try to equal or rival
1. How did being Byron’s little brother help Kenny?
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2. What were the two qualities that set Kenny up for teasing?
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3. How did Byron react to Kenny’s poetry reading?
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4. What does Kenny mean when he says, “I knew God had finally sent me mypersonal saver!”?
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5. Who or what are Clark and Poindexter?
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Chapter Three: “The World’s Greatest Dinosaur War Ever”
Vocabulary:
Nazis pg. 54 Allied (the Allies included the U.S.A.) enemy in WorldWar II; followers of Hitler or members of his political party
1. What shocks Kenny about Rufus and Cody’s life in Arkansas?
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2. How did LJ win the World’s Greatest Dinosaur War Ever?
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3. What were the two things about which the other kids teased Rufus?
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4. What did Kenny do that made him feel “like someone had pulled all [his] teethout with a pair of rusty pliers”?
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Chapter Four: “Froze-Up Southern Folks”
Vocabulary:
pomadepg. 67 hair ointment with perfume
Sugar Ray Robinson pg. 82 a great welterweight and middleweightboxing champion
1. According to Byron, why do garbage trucks have wide back doors?
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2. What discovery does Kenny make about Larry Dunn and how does thediscovery change his feelings about him?
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3. Explain why you would or would not like to have Byron as your big brother.
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Chapter Five: “Nazi Parachutes Attack America and Get Shot Down over the FlintRiver
by Captain Byron Watson and His Flamethrower of Death”
1. Why did Kenny believe his mother should burn Byron?
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2. Why was Mrs. Watson so upset about the parachute game?
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Chapter Six: “Swedish Cremes and Welfare Cheese”
Vocabulary:
welfare pg. 100 help or money given by a government agency to peoplewho are unable to meet their own needs
peon pg. 101 a laborer working off a debt
1. How does Byron trick Kenny into keeping the secret about the “free food”?
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2. What proved to Kenny that Byron felt bad about killing the mourning dove?
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Chapter Seven: ”Every Chihuahua in America LinesUp to Take a Bite out of Byron”
Vocabulary:
Chihuahua pg. 112 a dog of the Mexican breed illustrated above, small andwith pointy ears
conk pg. 113 a hair style in which naturally curly hair is straightenedand smoothed down close to the head
executioner pg. 117 the person who carries out a convicted prisoner’s deathsentence
1. On pages 118–119, how does Byron describe his relationship with Kenny asthey are waiting for Mr. Watson to arrive to decide By’s punishment?
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2. With what new physical characteristics does Byron end up and what newnicknames do you predict for him?
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Chapter Eight: “The Ultra-Glide!”
Vocabulary:
pinnaclepg. 131 highest point; peakWalter Cronkite pg. 141 a highly trusted and respected news reporter andanchorman of the CBS Evening News
maestropg. 146 conductor or leader of a musical performance
1. What are the last TWO finishing touches Mr. Watson puts on the Brown Bomber?
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2. What personal care item does Mr. Watson always hide and why?
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3. Where are the Watsons going and why?
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Chapter Nine: “The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963”
Vocabulary:
Lawrence Welk Show pg. 159 a long-lived and popular musical programwhich had massive appeal in the post-WorldWar II era
eavesdropped pg. 161 listened in to a conversation meant to beprivate
seniority pg. 170 a labor union method of recognizing the rightof those with the most years of employment ina work place to first choice in importantthings such as overtime
1. According to Mr. Watson, why is it necessary to send Byron to Birmingham?
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2. What gift does Joetta receive and why does she hide it in her socks drawer?
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3. How do the chapter and the book get their shared title?
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Chapter Ten: “Tangled Up in God’s Beard”
1. What surprise do Kenny and Byron find at the rest stop in Ohio?
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2. Describe the Buster Brown trademark Kenny sees inside Joetta’s shoe.
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3. What secret does Kenny know about but decide not to share with Mrs. Watson?
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Chapter Eleven: “Bobo Brazil Meets the Sheik”
Vocabulary:
vittlespg.188 in country dialect, the word for food
1. Give one reason why Mrs. Watson was angry about her husband driving straightthrough to Birmingham and one reason why she was pleased.
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2. Why does the chapter have the title “Bobo Brazil Meets the Sheik” and is it a fitting title?
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Chapter Twelve: “That Dog Won’t Hunt No More”
Vocabulary:
wilier pg. 203 (from wily) craftier; slyer
1. Why is Wilona upset with her mother?
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2. Why does Birmingham seem to Kenny to be a serious punishment?
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Chapter Thirteen: “I Meet Winnie’s Evil Twin Brother, the Wool Pooh”
Vocabulary:
whirlpoolpg. 210 water moving in a violent spiral at the point wherecurrents meet
1. Why does Kenny think Mr. Collier would put up No Trespassing signs andmake up stories about the Wool Pooh at Collier’s Landing?
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2. What was Kenny after in the water?
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3. How does Byron reveal his true feelings for Kenny in Chapter Thirteen?
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Chapter Fourteen: “Every Bird and Bug in Birmingham Stops and Wonders”
Vocabulary:
raisingcain pg. 235 causing trouble; making a great deal of noise
1. Irony is a set of circumstances resulting in an outcome that is the oppositeof what is expected. For example, a police officer dying from driving whileintoxicated would be ironic because it is not typical of the behavior of police officers. What irony concerning the American flag does the author establish(pg. 230) and how is it ironic?
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2. When Kenny holds the shiny, black shoe with the Buster Brown trademark andbelieves Joetta died in the bombing, he worries about how he had been treatingher. How had he treated her earlier that day?
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3. What allows Kenny to trust his senses and believe Joey was truly still alive?
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4. What saved Joetta from the bombing?
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Chapter Fifteen: “The World-Famous Watson Pet Hospital”
1. To what place does Kenny disappear more and more often and what is helooking for there?
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2. What ugly thing does Kenny find in the World-Famous Watson Pet Hospital?
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3. Does Kenny find the magic powers he was looking for to heal himself?
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