5.3.4 Roots of the Blues SUMMARY This book traces the evolution of blues music from its West African origins to current-day rap music LESSON VOCABULARY appreciate choir religious teenager barber released slavery INTRODUCE THE BOOK INTRODUCE THE TITLE AND AUTHOR Discuss with students the title and the author of Roots of the Blues Make sure students understand that here the word roots means origins Have students identify the instrument the man on the cover is playing Then, based on the title, ask: What you think the book will be about? How might it relate to a social studies topic? BUILD BACKGROUND If possible, play a selection of blues music Then invite students to share any knowledge of blues music, gospel music, and West African music Also, ask students to discuss what they know about the history of slavery in the United States and the fact that enslaved people introduced new forms of music to American culture PREVIEW/USE TEXT FEATURES Have students look through the book Draw their attention to the time line on pages 10–11 Point out that there are a couple of dates in some of the boxes Also note that the book has many illustrations with captions that give important information about the history of the blues 64 MAIN IDEA AND DETAILS GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS READ THE BOOK SET PURPOSE Have students set a purpose for reading Roots of the Blues Students’ own interests should guide this purpose Have students tell what they hope to learn from the book If they need prompts, ask: Do you want to know how the blues got started or what famous musicians sang the blues? STRATEGY SUPPORT: GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS Discuss how different types of graphic organizers present information Focus on the kinds of organizers with which you know students are familiar Point out that the time line on pages 10–11 is one kind of graphic organizer that shows the order in which something happened Then, point out the graphic organizer on page 21 Tell students that they will be filling this in after they read the book COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS PAGES 6–7 What is the main idea of this section? (Enslaved West Africans brought their musical culture to America.) PAGE 11 According to the time line, when did different types of blues music begin to appear in different areas? (1930s) PAGES 16–17 What information is the author giving on these pages? (information on some famous blues musicians) PAGE 19 How is rap music like the blues? (Possible response: It tells stories.) Roots of the Blues 16911_LRD_TG_064-065 64 1/4/06 9:50:11 AM REVISIT THE BOOK READER RESPONSE Possible response: Main idea: Blues music has its roots in African music, and it has had much influence on American popular music Details may include: West African musical traditions, griots, plantation call-and-response and field hollers, spirituals, regional blues, jazz, rock and roll, rap Call and response: Leader called to listeners, who then responded Field hollers: Workers called across fields to each other Spirituals: Singers sang about feelings, hopes, and religion Possible response: freedom, captured Responses will vary EXTEND UNDERSTANDING This book is full of photos and illustrations Have students discuss which images they found the most interesting and why Ask students how seeing pictures of West Africans, enslaved people, and blues musicians helped them better understand and relate to what they were reading RESPONSE OPTIONS WRITING Allow students to listen to blues music at listening centers, online, or at the library Then have them each write a paragraph describing the music, their opinion of it, and how it made them feel MUSIC CONNECTION Invite students to find out more about the people who make the music talked about in Roots of the Blues Students can research on rap, jazz, gospel, or blues musicians Skill Work TEACH/REVIEW VOCABULARY Create word cards Then have students sort words by parts of speech and use each word in a sentence Help students understand that the word released can have more than one meaning In this book, it means “set free.” The other meaning is “published or sold.” TARGET SKILL AND STRATEGY MAIN IDEA AND DETAILS Remind students that the main idea is the most important idea about a topic Supporting details are small pieces of information that tell more about the main idea Read the section on page together and ask what the topic is (West African music) Then have students give the main idea (Music is important to the cultures of West Africa.) Ask students to give the details that support that idea GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS Review that people use graphic organizers to help organize, understand, and remember information Show students a Main Idea Chart (see TG page 143) Tell students that as they read each section of Roots of the Blues, they should record the main idea and supporting details of that section in the chart Point out that supporting details will be found not only in the text but also in the illustrations, captions, and time line ADDITIONAL SKILL INSTRUCTION AUTHOR’S PURPOSE Review that the term author’s purpose means the reason or reasons an author has for writing There are four common purposes—to persuade, to inform, to entertain, and to express a feeling or emotion Ask: What you think the author’s purpose is? As they read, suggest that students think about how the illustrations in the book help serve the author’s purpose For example, why did the author choose to include many pictures of people performing? Roots of the Blues 16911_LRD_TG_064-065 65 65 1/18/06 10:56:45 AM Roots of the Blues Name Main Idea and Details • The main idea is the most important idea about a paragraph, passage, or article • Supporting details are small pieces of information that tell more about the main idea Directions Read the following passage Complete the diagram by telling the main idea of the passage Then list supporting details that tell more about the main idea T he earliest blues singers played handmade musical instruments that made interesting and unusual sounds Among these early instruments were the banjo and the washboard and stick Later on, blues musicians would play guitars, pianos, and harmonicas Blues musicians gained a reputation early on for experimenting with different sounds on their instruments Main Idea © Pearson Education Supporting Details 66 16911_LRD_TG_066-067 1/4/06 9:50:35 AM Roots of the Blues Name Vocabulary Directions The base word of dancer is dance Write the base word for the words below Check the Words You Know appreciate religious barber slavery choir teenager released released slavery Directions In each of the following sentences, the vocabulary words are in dark type Put an X in front of the sentences that incorrectly use the vocabulary words Her help baking the cake was really appreciate The barber gave terrific haircuts to all the kids in the neighborhood The choir practiced singing every day from three to five o’clock The group was made up of people from all different religious The teenager boy loved listening to loud music Directions Use three of the vocabulary words in one sentence © Pearson Education 67 16911_LRD_TG_066-067 1/4/06 9:50:37 AM ... Main Idea Chart (see TG page 1 43 ) Tell students that as they read each section of Roots of the Blues, they should record the main idea and supporting details of that section in the chart Point out... how the illustrations in the book help serve the author’s purpose For example, why did the author choose to include many pictures of people performing? Roots of the Blues 16911_LRD _TG_ 0 64- 0 65 65. .. 65 1/18/06 10 :56 : 45 AM Roots of the Blues Name Main Idea and Details • The main idea is the most important idea about a paragraph, passage, or article • Supporting details are small pieces of