Heart and Soul: The story of America and African Americans

Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans

Written and Illustrated By Kadir Nelson

Copyright 2011

Harper Collins

Reading Level: Lexile- 1050

2012 Nominee of Jane Addams Children’s Book Award for Older Children

2012 Winner of Audie Award for Children’s Titles Ages 8-12

2012 Winner of Coretta Scott King Award for Author (and Illustrator Honor)

“history, African American, inspiration, discrimination, triumphs”

Plot:

Told through the unique point of view and intimate voice of a one-hundred-year-old African-American female narrator, this inspiring book demonstrates that in gaining their freedom and equal rights, African Americans helped our country achieve its promise of liberty and justice—the true heart and soul of our nation.

Suggested delivery: Whole group read aloud, a good resource to use in social studies/history lessons

Electronic Resources:

1.  PBS: Slavery and the Making of America

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/

This site provides multiple resources for students to use to learn about the History of Slavery in the United States and the slave experience. The site provides resources such as videos, articles, and first hand accounts of the time period.

2.  The Great Migration: The African- American Exodus North

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129827444

This site offers an interview with Author Isabel Wilkerson about the The Great Migration of African Americans to the north in radio broadcast form and written form. The site also offers great historical picture from the time period and an excerpt from Wilkerson’s book.

Teaching Suggestions:

1.  Vocabulary:

• Complexion: the color or appearance of skin
• Rotunda: a large, round room, sometimes covered by a dome
• Laborers: a person who does hard physical work
• Abolish: to officially end or stop something (such as law)
• Union: The states that were opposed to slavery and never recognized the confederate states’ succession from the country
• Confederacy: The states that supported slavery and succeeded from the Nation
• Emancipation Proclamation: a technical document that granted freedom to all slaves in all areas of the Confederacy
• Sharecropper: a farmer especially in the Southern U.S. who raises crops for the owner of a piece of land and is paid a portion of the money from the sale of the crops

2. Before, During and After Reading Strategies:

Before Reading:

To introduce the book and initiate the lesson, begin by reading the prologue of the text aloud to the class. The entire book is written from the unique point of view of it’s 100 year old female narrator who introduces herself in the prologue.  In order to help students better understand the narrators tone and point of view, use the following comprehension questions to facilitate a whole-class discussion.

1.     Who is speaking, in the prologue? Who is “Honey”?

2.     Who is she addressing?

3.     Why do you think the author chose to tell this story through the voice of a narrator telling the story to someone she cares about?

2. During Reading:

The illustrations Nelson uses in this text are very powerful and help to visually tell the overall story. project some of the illustrations from the text on a screen for the class to see closely while the teacher reads a passage. After completing a passage ask the students questions that relate the art to the literature. Students will use the “Think Pair Share” strategy to discuss their ideas with one another before sharing with the teacher/ class. Have students respond to:

1. What do you see in this picture?

2. Think about what the author described in the passage we just read. What do you think is happening in this picture?

3. What are some major themes you see in Nelson's paintings?

4. How can you use the paintings to help you better understand the story?

3. After Reading:

Have students select a specific person or topic that they would like to learn more about from the book and further research their topic of choice. Students will present the information they’ve learned on their topic to the class in any form they want. For example, students who choose to research a significant person can present their information through a mock interview, by writing a biography, or by creating a mini-movie of the person’s life. A student who chooses to research a specific event can write a play, create a timeline of events, or write about the significance of the event.

Writing Activity:

Ask students to choose a specific event/ time period that was discussed in the book and write a letter from the point of view of an African American boy or girl who took part in the event. The letter should describe what is happening, and require the student to demonstrate inferential comprehension by describing how the event impacts them and how they are feeling.