Before John was a Jazz Giant by Carole Boston Weatherford

Published by: Henry Holt and Company, LLC

Based on the story of John Coltrane, a saxophonist in the 1930s, this moving poem by Weatherford will inform students about jazz as well as introduce them to the time period.

Suggested Delivery: Read-aloud

Reading Level: Lexile: AD1090L

Vocabulary: Whistling, jitterbuggers, Bojangles, jazz, saxophone, phonograph, ukelele, warbling, scoutmaster, sermon, phonograph. 

Vocabulary Activity: Introduce and relate vocabulary to jazz for the students to understand the terms. Have the students address and relate the words to the book and to jazz music. 

Teaching Strategies: 

Pre-Reading: Discuss with students the time period; what was occurring in the 1930s? Who was John Coltrane? Why is he famous? What is jazz? Play a sample of jazz music for the students to hear.

During Reading: Stop during reading and address various aspects of John's life prior to playing jazz. Why does he choose to play jazz? what kinds of influences did he have in his life? 

After Reading: Discuss what students have learned about John Coltrane and jazz music ( as well as his contribution). Have students provide examples from the book. Introduce students to some of John's music. Inform them of the various other African American musicians of his time. 

Web Resources: 

Activity Guide: http://media.us.macmillan.com/activityguides/9780805079944AG.pdf

Information on John Coltrane: http://www.johncoltrane.com/

Book Review: http://thebrownbookshelf.com/2008/04/21/book-report-before-john-was-a-jazz-giant/

Reading of Book: http://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=3127&a=1&crc=1

Author's Website: http://www.caroleweatherford.com/

Weatherford, C. B., & Qualls, S. (2008). Before John was a jazz giant: a song of John Coltrane. New York: Henry Holt.