Description
Life during the Great Depression
Students will learn about life and the events surrounding the Great Depression! From the industries most effected to the political overhauls that resulted from the financial crisis, students will better understand the world that Uncle Jed and Sarah Jean inhabited.
We don't want boring history lessons. That is why we focus on fascinating historical tidbits that help students understand and appreciate the story.
Margaree King Mitchell — bringing representation to children's literature
Students will learn about Margaree King Mitchell, an African American author who brought representation into children's literature. Basing Uncle Jed's barbershop on characters and events from her own life brings a level of connection and relevance to her writing that makes her writing come alive.
Making words make sense — learn by doing, not memorizing
Vocabulary in our language arts guide engages students with a selection of activities designed to build real word retention and growth. We don't bury students with rote memorization that they parrot back for a test and then forget. Students actually engage with the book and build the kind of rich vocabulary that improves their reading comprehension and their own writing.
- They'll learn to use the context in sentences and paragraphs to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words
- Have fun completing a Mystery Word activity that promotes understanding, spelling, and vocabulary retention in a fun activity
Read like a writer — How memorable stories are told
This language arts guide goes past surface comprehension and teaches students how memorable writing works. Through carefully designed activities, students explore the literary techniques in Uncle Jed's Barbershop, including:
- In Context — Students use the surrounding text to better understand words and events
- Words in Action — Work on a engaging activity using appropriate words to complete sentences and then using the clues discovered, find the answer to the Mystery Word!
We introduce language arts skills that build the vocabulary children need to deepen their comprehension skills.
Faith-centered literature study — lesson by lesson
Every page of Uncle Jed's Barbershop offers opportunity for character study and personal growth. This literature guide draws out the values taught in the story, exploring themes such as:
Each theme is tied directly to Scripture, so faith and literature grow together — not separately.
Learning that brings ELA to life
Families love how Progeny Press guides bring books to life — and Uncle Jed's Barbershop is absolutely full of fun learning opportunities. This guide includes a variety of hands-on, cross-curricular activities, including:
- Arts and Crafts — Craft bookmarks or paint and illustrate your dreams.
- Quilting — Learn to sew a quilt block
- Games — Game connections and seeing how quilting resembles tangrams
- Community Project — Work on a service project for a local children's hospital or wing
- Class Speaker — Interview older people about family memories of the Great Depression or invite a history teacher or museum historian
- Writing — Do some research about the animals in the book and write a report
These aren't just filler activities. Each one is intentionally connected to the story, the historical setting, or the biblical themes — making learning feel like an adventure, not a checklist.
Keep reading, even after the final page
Progeny's study guide includes a curated reading list to engage and keep students reading, long after they finish the first book. Featuring additional works by Margaree King Mitchell, including other authors that share themes, setting, and writing style of Uncle Jed's Barbershop. Develop a complete, themed homeschool reading curriculum for your entire year.
