Joshua's Song
Written by: Joan Hiatt Harlow
Copyright: 2003
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Reading Level: 4.1
Lexile Measure: 520L
Suggested Delivery: Historical Fiction, Group Reading
Summary: Joshua's Song takes place in Boston during the year 1919. The book follows Thirteen year old Joshua Harper as he drops out of school to get a job selling news papers to help his family make some money. Josh has recently run into a world of troubles as his father just passed away from influenza and his voice has started to get deeper so he can no longer sing in the Boston Boys Choir. Joshua starts running into difficulties selling papers when disaster strikes Boston in the for of a Great Molasses Flood. Read along as Josh attempts to overcomes these difficulties in his life and help his family as much as he can.
Words to Describe Joshua's Song
Technology Resources
http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Joshuas-Song/Joan-Hiatt-Harlow/9780689855429/reading_group_guide
The above website comes from the Publisher of Joshua's Song, Simon and Schuster. The link provides some good discussion questions you can use during and after reading. The website also lists a number of activities that can be used from writing activities after feeling Molasses to math lessons based on Newspaper sales from the book.
http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/TLresources/units/Gallagher2003Fall/ENelson/index.html
The following link provides more of a background into child labor itself. This link is good for an introduction into the ideas of child labor. the book Joshua's Song deals with children and young teenagers dropping out of school to go work in order to make money for their family. The link offers good activities and unit plans to help with the ideas involved with child labor.
Key Vocabulary Terms
Before Reading Activity
Before reading you can introduce the idea of child labor to the students in a small presentation. You can then have the students gather together and discuss what they would do if they had to go out into the world and work because the rest of their family couldn't. Have them pick the ideal job they would choose if they had to work at their current age.
During Reading Activity
During the reading you can create a small discussion packet for the students to use that has some discussion questions about the story and you can insert pictures from the time period acquired from the Library of Congress. Some examples of discussion questions could include, "What was Josh's life like before his father died?" or "What's Josh's Home like?" You can also have students analyse pictures from the time period and compare them to the story.
After Reading Activity
A good activity to do after reading is have the students dress up as if they were living in the time period the book took place in. The students can do some other research of the time period to see what people's lives were like so they can portray a good character. the students will present their opinions of the time period or their view of the Molasses Flood.
Writing Activity
A good writing activity once the book ends can come in the form of a science experiment. Bring in some bottles of molasses the students can use and observe. Have the students play with some molasses in their hands for a minute or so. Once the students finish playing with the molasses have them write describing what the molasses felt like and how hard it was to get off their hands because of how sticky it can be. Ask them to also write down their thoughts of what it would be like if everything around them was covered in molasses and if it would be difficult to clean up.
Written by: Joan Hiatt Harlow
Copyright: 2003
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Reading Level: 4.1
Lexile Measure: 520L
Suggested Delivery: Historical Fiction, Group Reading
Summary: Joshua's Song takes place in Boston during the year 1919. The book follows Thirteen year old Joshua Harper as he drops out of school to get a job selling news papers to help his family make some money. Josh has recently run into a world of troubles as his father just passed away from influenza and his voice has started to get deeper so he can no longer sing in the Boston Boys Choir. Joshua starts running into difficulties selling papers when disaster strikes Boston in the for of a Great Molasses Flood. Read along as Josh attempts to overcomes these difficulties in his life and help his family as much as he can.
Words to Describe Joshua's Song
- Heartwarming
- Thrilling
- Gripping
- Exciting
- Historical
Technology Resources
http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Joshuas-Song/Joan-Hiatt-Harlow/9780689855429/reading_group_guide
The above website comes from the Publisher of Joshua's Song, Simon and Schuster. The link provides some good discussion questions you can use during and after reading. The website also lists a number of activities that can be used from writing activities after feeling Molasses to math lessons based on Newspaper sales from the book.
http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/TLresources/units/Gallagher2003Fall/ENelson/index.html
The following link provides more of a background into child labor itself. This link is good for an introduction into the ideas of child labor. the book Joshua's Song deals with children and young teenagers dropping out of school to go work in order to make money for their family. The link offers good activities and unit plans to help with the ideas involved with child labor.
Key Vocabulary Terms
Before Reading Activity
Before reading you can introduce the idea of child labor to the students in a small presentation. You can then have the students gather together and discuss what they would do if they had to go out into the world and work because the rest of their family couldn't. Have them pick the ideal job they would choose if they had to work at their current age.
During Reading Activity
During the reading you can create a small discussion packet for the students to use that has some discussion questions about the story and you can insert pictures from the time period acquired from the Library of Congress. Some examples of discussion questions could include, "What was Josh's life like before his father died?" or "What's Josh's Home like?" You can also have students analyse pictures from the time period and compare them to the story.
After Reading Activity
A good activity to do after reading is have the students dress up as if they were living in the time period the book took place in. The students can do some other research of the time period to see what people's lives were like so they can portray a good character. the students will present their opinions of the time period or their view of the Molasses Flood.
Writing Activity
A good writing activity once the book ends can come in the form of a science experiment. Bring in some bottles of molasses the students can use and observe. Have the students play with some molasses in their hands for a minute or so. Once the students finish playing with the molasses have them write describing what the molasses felt like and how hard it was to get off their hands because of how sticky it can be. Ask them to also write down their thoughts of what it would be like if everything around them was covered in molasses and if it would be difficult to clean up.