Don't Know Much of History

Watch the PowerPoint included in this week’s work, “Don’t Know Much about History.”

1.   Did you recognize events and photos from our recent past? Why is it important for young people to connect to history? 

·         I honestly didn’t recognize the events from the PowerPoint, although they are very sanding to see that this happened.  I’m curious if the bombing of the church where the four little girls were killed is the same bombing from the book “The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963”. 

·         It’s important for young people to connect to history in order to better understand what life was in the past and how things have changed since then.  We want the younger generations to make good choices and that we need to respect everyone regardless of their color or race.

2.   Make sure you click to watch Martin Luther King’s speech on YouTube called “Four Little Girls” found in the PowerPoint.  Additionally, please watch this clip about the making Spike Lee’s documentary on the Birmingham bombings: Spike Lee w/ Bobby Rivers: "4 Little Girls" - YouTube  How much did you know about this event which happened during the Civil Rights movement?  Why does it still resonate today?

·         I didn’t have knowledge of this event that happened during the Civil Rights movement.

·         It still resonates today because seems that after this cruel act Martin Luther King and the African American’s united themselves to get something done and put a stop to the racist acts and the violence against them.

3.   How can fiction help young readers learn about history?  What are some of the traits in the best historical fiction?  How do you see some of those same traits in The Watsons Go to Birmingham?

·         Fiction books will help young readers learn about history because the writers have knowledge of the events that happened in at certain time frame of history, the way people lived and the way people felt in the time frame.  Learning history can be found interesting if it’s presented in a different way rather just a History Textbook.

·         I see some of the traits in The Watsons Go to Birmingham because the author uses some of the language/accent that would be used, the type of car that the Watson family had, and the description/details of their lifestyle.

·         Even though, today you can still here people with their strong accent, the fact that the author emphasized it in the book to make you get a better picture of it.

·         Obviously the year of when the story took place gives us some idea but adding the detail of what the car looked like.

·         The authors gives us lots of details about how they lived, how they dressed, the discipline that they received, their surrounding and what they ate.