Bud, Not Buddy Project Choices 1.
1930s Powerpoint Presentation Summary: Students will research and prepare a Powerpoint about the 1930s in small groups. Students prior knowledge will be built on to establish the setting for the novel. The groups will also be pulling photos and or video clips to use in their presentation. Topics to highlight: The Depression, Social Reform, Presidents, Jazz Music, and Entertainment. 2. 1930s Interviews Summary: Students will generate questions to ask a family member or community member that lived during the 1930s. Questions will be turned in and approved before the interviews. Interviews may be recorded on paper, cassette tape, or videoed. Interviews could then be shared with the class, provide permission is given. After the interviews, students will then write a newspaper article from the information gathered from their interview. A digital photo of the person or persons that were interviewed could be incorporated into the article with permission. Newsprint could be used to write the article on or a word processing program could be used. 3. All That Jazz Flyer Activity Summary: Students will research 1930s jazz greats and create a flyer advertising a fictional jazz band of their design. Bessie Smith Louis Armstrong Duke Ellington Students will then create a flyer advertising a fictional jazz band of their design. Flyers could be made on paper, pencils, and colors or with as a word document. 4. My Rules for Life Throughout the book Bud, Not Buddy you can find "Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself". How did Bud come up with his rules? Do you have any rules for you life? For example, some people live by the "golden rule" which says to treat others like you wish to be treated. Process and Resources 1. When Bud was little, his mother read him fables like Brer Rabbit. In the late 1800s, this African-American author wanted to share the stories told to him by former slaves before they were lost. These stories involved animal characters such as Brer Rabbit and Brer
Fox. Select one of the Remus Tales to read. Retell the story to another member of the class. 2. Fables often end with a lesson to be learned. They are simple truths and morals that we often overlook in everyday life. Create your own "Rules for Life" list. 3. Probably the most famous fables were told by Aesop over 2500 years ago. Over the centuries they were written down by many different people. Use the websites below to find a fable you can apply to your life. What's the moral or lesson? Discuss your idea with a classmate. 4. Write your own fable using a word processor.
5. On the Lam As he was running away from his foster home, Bud said that he was "on the lam." This is a slang phrase for fugitives fleeing from the law. Bud had a number of close calls with the police. During the 1930s, the police were very busy dealing with crimes much more serious than Bud's. Process and Resources 1. Today, we watch television shows to find out about dangerous criminals. Go to the America's Most Wanted page, do you recognize anyone? What would you do if they lived next door? 2. Bud described himself as just like "Public Enemy Number One". In the 1930s people listened to the radio. They heard about what the FBI called fugitives, notorious gangsters, and public enemies. Scan the Facts on the Program page to find the answers to interesting FBI trivia. Use the boldfaced questions on the Facts page to help guide you to the answers. When you finish answering the questions, pick a piece of trivia or interesting fact. Does this fact surprise you? Why or why not? o Was there really a "Public Enemy Number One"? o Who starred in the movie "The Public Enemy"? o Who was the first woman on the list? o How many "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" have been captured from citizens seeing their pictures? o Who is the star of the television program "America's Most Wanted"? o In what year did the "Top Ten Most Wanted" list get started? 3. Bud refers to John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Baby Face Nelson. Who were these criminals? Pick one of these three notorious criminals and read about his life. Summarize the information into a short news report that Bud might have heard on the radio. 4. Many criminals have an alias. Sometimes they just have a nickname. Actually many people use a second name or a nickname. For example, writers often have a "pen name" or pseudonym. Check out the What's in a name? website. Choose one of the following two activities: o Create a "what's my real name?" game. o Invent a name for yourself or use your real nickname. Write a story about how you got the name.
Bud didn't want to be called Buddy. Do you have a nickname that people call you that you hate? If so, write about your feelings about the name.
