2007 Scholastic Press
Reading level: 6th grade
Lexile: 1070L
Suggested reading: small group
Winner of the 2008 Newbery Honor Award and the Coretta Scott King Award
Inspiring, daring, hopeful, eye- opening, coming of age
Eleven-year-old Elijah is the first child born into freedom in Buxton, Canada, a settlement of runaway slaves just over the border from Detroit. He’s best known in his hometown as the boy who made a memorable impression on Frederick Douglass when the great orator visited Buxton. But Elijah is also known for his amazing abilities to run on at the mouth, “rememberize” things, and hit fish dead in the water with one throw of a chunking stone.
Elijah yearns to be “growned up,” and he gets the chance when Mr. Leroy, a hard-working man in Buxton, risks everything to buy his wife and children out of slavery. Elijah joins Mr. Leroy on a journey from Canada to the United States in an attempt to regain his money from the double-dealing the Preacher. When Mr. Leroy dies on the journey, Elijah winds up pursuing the Preacher alone, but instead finds a group of runaway slaves who have been recaptured by slavers. Elijah witnesses the cruel realities of slavery for the first time; yet he summons up the courage to take a baby girl with him back to Buxton and to freedom.
Key Vocabulary:
haint
fretting
settlement
deceive
conjuring
fragile
Teaching Strategies:
Before: Since Buxton is a community shared by all races, including many that have reached the final stop on the underground railroad, have a class discussion where the students share their knowledge on this topic. While Harriet Tubman is not a main character in this book, ask your students what they have learned or heard about Harriet Tubman and the underground railroad. Next ask your students what else they would like to learn about the underground railroad and the lives that people lead once they have completed the dangerous journey
During: Have the students read the books in small groups, while reading the students should make a concept map of important events, especially including characters, so that they do not become confused further into the reading
After: Have the students write a response to the ending of the book. Was it what they expected? What do they predict will happen once Elijah returns to his community? What do they think the captured slaves in the barn will do?
Teaching Strategies:
1. Elijah Of Buxton has a variety of colorful characters, this book would offer a great opportunity for the students to immerse themselves into the story by performing a readers thetre. Have the students work in small groups and direct them to choose a selection of the book that they enjoyed the most or thought was a critical moment in the book and have them perform it for the class.
2. The book includes the underground railroad which was an extremely important part of our history. Have a readers corner set up with books about the underground railroad ranging from picture books to chapter books so that the students may take time to read through them during free time.
3. Since many of the vocabulary in the book may be unfamiliar, have the students make a collective list of some of these words. Then have the students generate creative sentences using these words to share wit the class in order to create a better understanding of the vocabulary.
Writing Activity:
The students should write a letter as Elijah on his journey to retrieve the stolen money. The letter will be to a friend or family member discussing the perils of his journey as well as any adventures that he encounters on the way.
extra activities!
Christopher Paul Curtis book trailer
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