God Bless the Child Links to LOC Resources: Billie Holiday Photo Amanda Hines—Rock Hill, SC—Winthrop University—2010 Author: Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog, Jr. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney God Bless the Child Harper Collins; 1941 Book Summary: Based on Billie Holiday’s song “God Bless the Child,” this book tells of the biblical philosophy that those who have “their own” are blessed. The overall idea is that religion does not necessarily make one treat another any better. Money brings friends, but once it is gone, they are gone, too. It also mentions receiving help from rich relatives, but not “too much.” Setting: This book is set in America in the 1930s. Objective: The students will identify the differences in their lives with the housing, working, and educational aspects of those of an earlier time.

How do you think life would be different if you lived in a log cabin? Imagine you are living in a log cabin. Write a journal entry of your daily life’s activities. Think of how you prepare food, stay warm or cool, help with chores, and take a bath.

What was life like for slaves? Pretend you are interviewing a slave for the local newspaper. Come up with at least 5 questions you would ask him or her. Think about if he or she works inside the house or outside in the fields and what his/her interaction with other people is like.

How do you think school was different for the children in the 1930s? Make a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting your classroom with a classroom in the 1930s.

Standards People, Places, Environments 5-1: The student will demonstrate an understanding of Reconstruction and its impact on racial relations in the United States.

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