Show Way

"One of the most remarkable books of the year." -- Kirkus Reviews

Woodson, J., & Talbott, H. (2005). Show way . New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.

In this first person tale, Woodson tells her daughter about her family's history in slavery. After Soonie's great grandma is sold into slavery at the age of seven, she learns to sew show ways, quilts which show slaves a map of the Underground Railroad. Each generation learns to sew these quilts, bringing hope and freedom to many slaves. The family continues to sew quilts after slavery was abolished in 1863, while at the same time fighting for other Civil Rights issues. In the end, Soonie learns the importance of family and hope.

Reading Level: 720L
Suggested Delivery: Read aloud or small group

Electronic Resources:

The Underground Railraod: This website provides a child-friendly overview of the Underground Railroad. It defines what the Railroad was and who used it. Students will get a feel for how slaves traveled through the Railroad and who helped them along the way. Harriet Tubman and Josiah Henson, two conductors of the railroad are highlighted with brief biographies. Finally, the website explains what happened to slaves who escaped and how the public reacted to the events. This can be used prior to reading to give students some background knowledge of slavery and the Underground Railroad, which will aid in their comprehension of the text.

Discussions: This reading guide provides a brief summary of the book, a description of each character, as well as information about the author, Jacqueline Woodson. It also has several discussion questions that students can answer independently or in small groups.

Vocabulary: slave, plantation, show way, "jumped the broom," muslin, freedom lines

Reading Strategies:

• Before/After Reading: Ask students questions about slavery prior to reading Show Way to determine their background knowledge. Ask the same questions after reading. Students must use evidence from the text to support their answers.
• During Reading: Throughout the book, several show way quilts are sewn. Each quilt uses symbols to map out the road to freedom. Create a "quilt" which maps out a route from the classroom to the exit of the building. Have students analyze the symbols to determine how to get out of the school. Students can also make their own quilt with their own map to freedom. Students can then write about how they felt while trying to decipher the symbols. Were they confused? Did they find it simple? They can also write about how the slaves must have felt when following the quilted maps knowing their life was on the line.

Inferential Comprehension: Why is it important that the quilting be passed from one generation to the next?