Synopses & Reviews
Life for Caesar and his family has always been hard, but at least they've had each other. Even though his life as a slave is full of long hours and backbreaking work, having his mother, father, and sisters around him is the one thing that makes life bearable. But when the master chooses Caesar to be his personal servant and to live in the big house far away from his own home, Caesar has no choice but to obey. Why do things have to change?
Synopsis
Even though life as a slave is full of long hours, Caesar knows that having his family makes life bearable. When the master chooses him to be his personal servant and live in the big house far away from his own home, Caesar must obey.
About the Author
Joan Lowery Nixon is the award-winning and beloved author of more than 100 books for young people, including the Orphan Train Adventures, the Orphan Train Children books, and the Ellis Island series.
Teacher Guide
NOTE TO TEACHERS
Young Americans
Colonial Williamsburg
Joan Lowery Nixon
Classroom Connections
18th-Century America
Colonial Williamsburg
Slavery
Creative Drama
Careers
Grades 2-6
Award-winning author Joan Lowery Nixon takes readers on a journey to the past with a dynamic new series dramatizing the real-life adventures of children who grew up in Williamsburg, Virginia, in the 18th century.Historical fiction gives readers the opportunity to experience life as it might have happened in another place and time. Joan Lowery Nixon, a noted writer of historical fiction for children, has used primary resources available through the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation to create this series of novels for young readers. Records of births, baptisms, and purchases of slaves are examples of the materials that she used in her research. This diligent research, aided by the tremendous support and help of the historians from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, makes Nixon’s authentic stories ideal for teaching a unit on Colonial America.•Brings the birth of our nation to life.•Produced in partnership with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.•Ideal for teaching a unit of Colonial America in the classroom.•Each book includes maps, photographs, an Author’s Note, and a letter of authenticity from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.“[In addition to] reading as much as I could . . . I visited Colonial Williamsburg to do firsthand research, even attending programs with students who had come on field trips.” —Excerpt from the Author’s Note in Ann’s Story: 1747
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Ann’s Story is based on the real Ann McKenzie, who was born in Williamsburg in 1739. In 1747, it’s unheard of for a woman to be a doctor. Will 9-year-old Ann be able to fulfill her dream?Caesar’s Story is based on the life of a slave who once lived and worked at Carter’s Grove Plantation. When 9-year-old Caesar becomes the master’s personal servant, he has no choice but to obey. How will he be able to live in the master’s house, so far away from his family?
ABOUT THIS AUTHOR
Joan Lowery Nixon has written more than 100 books for young readers. Her books have received numerous awards, including the Western Writers of America Golden Spur Award for Best Western Juvenile Novel and many state Children’s Choice awards. She is the only four-time recipient of the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award for the Best Juvenile Mystery.
TEACHING IDEAS
Interdisciplinary ConnectionsLANGUAGE ARTS—In Caesar’s Story: 1759, Mama Hannah enjoyed telling the slave children stories and legends from the African village where she had grown up. How were stories used to teach children lessons? Divide the class into small groups and ask them to locate an African story and prepare to share it orally with the class.Ask students to research people like Phillis Wheatley, Abigail Adams, Harriet Tubman, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who made important contributions toward changing the lives of African Americans and women in America. Then have them identify contemporary people who have continued the fight for freedom and individual rights. Instruct students to select one of these people and prepare a written tribute that might be used for a program during Black History Month or Women’s History Week.SOCIAL STUDIES—The slave quarters and the master’s house are described in great detail in Caesar’s Story: 1759. Ask students to use information from the books, resource materials in the library, and information on the Internet to prepare a presentation for tourists who might visit a restored plantation like Carter’s Grove and a house like that of the McKenzie family.Slavery in the United States has not always been the same. Discuss how slavery in colonial times differed from slavery during the Civil War? How did slavery emerge in Colonial America? Why did it change?SCIENCE/HEALTH—In Ann’s Story: 1747, there is a smallpox epidemic. Ask students to find out other diseases that were common in 18th-century America. Then have them identify the various treatments. Which of these diseases still exist today? What new epidemics are also threats? Ann’s father sells healing herbs in his apothecary shop. Ask students to identify herbs that are used in preventive medicine today. Invite someone from a health-food store to speak to the class about the proper use of herbs.Thematic ConnectionsART—Ask students to determine, from the novels and resources in the library media center, the type of clothing that people wore in 18th-century America. Divide the class into small groups and assign each a character from one of Nixon’s Colonial Williamsburg® novels. Instruct each group to make a paper doll dressed in clothes they think the character would be wearing. What does the clothing of the characters say about their status in society? MUSIC—Music was extremely important to the slaves. Have students research “Negro spirituals” or “work songs” and the roles they played in the slaves’ lives. Allow students time to learn some of the songs. Discuss why these songs are considered so important to Americans’ culture and heritage. Have students create a songbook describing the importance of the individual songs in either words or pictures.CREATIVE DRAMA—Visitors to Williamsburg today will see a reenactment of life in colonial times. Divide students into small groups and ask each to select a scene from Ann’s Story: 1747 or Caesar’s Story: 1759 and script it as a one-act play. Ask each group to perform their play for the class.You can also have students perform a tableau: Choose a setting from one of the books and have students take a position in the scene and then begin acting it out. After a minute, stop the action and have the students describe what they are doing. Have the rest of the class discuss whether or not the actions in the scene were true to the time period.CAREERS—Caesar is very proud that his father has acquired the skill to become an accomplished cabinetmaker. Ask students to discuss how skills in math and art are necessary for a cabinetmaker. These and many other careers that were important during the 18th century can be researched on the Colonial Williamsburg® Web site.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
Pre-reading ActivityJoan Lowery Nixon’s books are set in Williamsburg, Virginia, during the 18th century. Ask the students in your class what comes to mind when they think of American history in general and Williamsburg specifically. Then ask them what they want to find out about life in Williamsburg during the time periods that the Colonial Williamsburg®: Young Americans books take place. Have students research the history of Williamsburg by visiting the Colonial Williamsburg® Web site—at www.colonialwilliamsburg. org—or plan a class trip if close enough. Ask the class to share facts that they learned about this period in American history and discuss the importance of preserving and restoring our nation’s history.
BEYOND THE BOOK
INTERNET RESOURCESThe Official Site for Colonial Williamsburg®http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.orgThe resource for information on Williamsburg, Virginia.The Internet Modern History Sourcebookhttp://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook07.htmlThe Colonial America page from the Internet Sourcebook is intended for teachers and older students.
OTHER TITLES OF INTEREST
RELATED TITLESOrphan Train ChildrenJoan Lowery Nixon19th-Century AmericaGrades 2–6Portraits of Little WomenSusan Beth Pfeffer19th-Century AmericaGrades 3–6My Name Is Not AngelicaScott O’Dell18th-Century AmericaGrades 4–5 / 0-440-40379-0The People Could Fly: American Black FolktalesVirginia HamiltonIllustrated by Leo & Diane DillonAfrican American CultureAll Grades / 0-679-84336-1Many Thousand Gone: African Americans from Slavery to FreedomVirginia HamiltonIllustrated by Leo & Diane DillonSlavery All Grades / 0-679-87936-6