One Crazy Summer

By: Rita
Williams-Garcia
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Summary
Eleven-year-old Delphine and her two sisters, Vonetta and Fern, live with their father
and Big Ma, their grandmother, in Brooklyn, New York. However, against Delphine’s
wishes, the girls’ father sends them to Oakland, California one summer to stay with
their estranged mother, Cecile. Delphine hopes she can put together some of the
mysteries of her childhood and her mother’s life, but is not excited about leaving home
and having to continue to take care of her younger sisters in a strange place.

Cecile is a revolutionary, and having kids isn’t really her main focus. She isn’t a
completely absent mom, but neither is she a particularly curious or protective one. She
works with the Black Panthers, the revolutionary black movement that developed in the
late ’60s and early ’70s. These activists saw their activities as upstanding and
necessary as a response to the craziness of the world at the time.
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What is the Civil Rights Movement?

» An organized effort by black Americans to end racial discrimination and gain
equal rights under the law.

» Began in the late 1940s and

ended in the late 1960s.

» Although tumultuous at times,

the movement was mostly
nonviolent and resulted in
laws to protect every
American’s constitutional
rights, regardless of color,
race, gender or national
origin.
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What questions do you have?

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What Was the Black Power

Movement?
The Black Power movement emerged in 1966 from the Civil Rights movement of the 1950's and
1960's.The Black Power movement emphasized racial pride, and social equality with whites,
through the creation of black political and cultural institutions that emphasized their African
Heritage. Black Power focused on racial distinctiveness rather than cultural assimilation. Black
Power became synonymous with black nationalism and black separatism advocating
self-reliance, independence, and militancy. Famous leaders of the Black Power movement
included Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael and Angela Davis.
 What was the Black Panther Party for Self
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Defense?

Black Panther Party Documentary: https://www.teachertube.com/video/the-black-panther-party-documentary-327817

Kids Meet Former Black Panthers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRuDnigDKnI

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What are the biggest problems in

the world today?

What do you think is “wrong”

within society?
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Creating a 10 Point Program

1. Consider the ideas we brainstormed about problems and issues in the world
2. In your groups, generate a 10 point program
3. Be sure that your program points are written with the goal of improving
problems and issues in the world
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What is
historical
fiction?
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Begin Reading One Crazy Summer

● Read acknowledgements (pages 217-218)

● Read “an excerpt from Rita Williams-Garcia’s Acceptance

Speech…”

● Brainpop video: Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay)

● Read pages 1-12

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One Crazy Summer - Tracking Story Elements

● Readers pay particular attention throughout a book
to analyze the setting-when the story takes place,
where, and what it feels like. They also keep track
of story elements as they read, continually building
their understanding of what’s going on.
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One Crazy Summer - Tracking Story Elements

1. Introduce organizer on Oncampus
2. Open document (access through
OnCampus)
3. Select "file" and "make a copy"
4. Rename your copy
5. Share with your reading teacher
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Tracking Story Elements

McGrath Graphic Organizer

Hotaling Graphic Organizer

True Graphic Organizer

Mihalic Graphic Organizer

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One Crazy Summer - Tracking Story Elements

1. Open your tracking story elements doc

2. We will be sharing out our ideas from yesterday’s

reading

3. Please be sure to update your documents as we

share new ideas together
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One Crazy Summer Reading Today...

1. Some Background on The

Monkees
2. Read pages 140 - 151
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One Crazy Summer pg. 120

“Here we come. Walking down the street…” Like
Davy Jones, Mikey Dolenz, and
the other singing Monkees.
NPR Article
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The Monkees in Action!

CNN video about The Monkees (1:12)

What does this show you about entertainment at this time?

About clothing at this time?

How is this type of show similar or different to what is popular

today?
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Discussion 2/28 & 3/1

Choose two characters to compare and contrast:

*Page #’s

a. Delphine and Cecile

b. Delphine and Vonetta
c. Hirohito and Eunice
d. Cecile and Big Ma
e. Sister Mukumbu and Cecile
f. Ankton girls and Johnson girls
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Character Both Character

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Discussion 3/6

How has Delphine’s view of the

Black Panthers shifted since
spending the summer in Oakland?
Provide text evidence.
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Discussion 3/8

How have Delphine’s relationships

changed over the course of the
book? Think about her relationships
with characters such as Hirohito,
Eunice, and Cecile? Provide text
evidence.
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Discussion 3/12
Delphine, Cecile, and Fern have evolved
throughout the book. What are some of the
changes you have noticed and what factors
contributed to these changes? Choose one
character and respond to the prompt
questions. Provide text evidence.