Description
Additional Resource: Check out some of the songs from the award-winning musical adaptation, JED!
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.
- Write your answers directly in the book
- Durable perfect-bound, heavy gloss cover
- No computer or software needed
- Answer key on perforated, removable pages
- Fillable fields, audio clips & interactive activities
- Print the whole guide, single lessons, or class sets
- Reusable file for multiple children or students
- Best experienced with free Adobe Acrobat Reader on a computer
- A copy of The Courage of Sarah Noble novel
- A copy of The Courage of Sarah Noble study guide workbook
- A Bible (digital or physical)
- A dictionary (student-friendly or online)
Created for beginning learners, this guide introduces critical thinking and introduces early ELA techniques and concepts.
- Homeschool families looking for Christian literature curriculum
- Schools looking for top quality ELA materials
- Parents wanting to build reading comprehension and character
- Co-ops and small group instruction
These guides work well on their own or alongside your preferred grammar and writing program.
What grade level is this designed for?
Recommended for grades 1–3, giving elementary students a fantastic introduction to the world of literary analysis in a grade appropriate way.
Is this a Christian literature curriculum?
Yes. Our faith-based curriculum integrates Christian worldview discussion with strong literature study and writing instruction.
Does the workbook include a complete answer key?
Yes. A full detailed answer key is included on perforated pages for easy removal before giving the book to students.
Is there space to write directly in the workbook?
Yes. Each lesson provides built-in space for students to record written answers, supporting organized learning.
May I copy pages for classroom or co-op use?
Yes, this guide is reproducible for classroom, co-op, and homeschool instruction.
What type of binding does the guide use?
Perfect bound in a full-size 8.5x11 format with a heavy gloss cover and quality interior paper for durability.
- Premium Print Format — Durable, perfect-bound 8.5x11 guide built for long-term classroom and homeschool use.
- Answer Key Made Simple — Full answer key on perforated pages, easy to remove before student use.
- Student-Friendly Design — Built-in space for written answers supports active learning and organized responses.
- Reproducible for Classroom Use — Approved for copying for Christian schools, co-ops, and group instruction.
- Open-and-Go Teaching — No devices needed. Just the book, a pencil, and a positive attitude!
- Trusted for Over 30 Years — Chosen by homeschool families, Christian schools, and educators nationwide.
- A copy of The Courage of Sarah Noble novel
- A copy of The Courage of Sarah Noble study guide CD
- A computer with a CD drive
- A Bible (digital or physical)
- A dictionary (student-friendly or online)
Created for beginning learners, this guide introduces critical thinking and introduces early ELA techniques and concepts.
- Homeschool families looking for Christian literature curriculum
- Schools looking for top quality ELA materials
- Classes wanting to print class sets of the worksheets
- Parents wanting to build reading comprehension and character
- Co-ops and small group instruction
These guides work well on their own or alongside your preferred grammar and writing program.
What grade level is this designed for?
Recommended for grades 1–3.
Is Progeny Press a Christian curriculum?
Yes, our faith-based literature study is Christ-centered and includes biblical application lessons. It can also be adapted for secular use by treating the Dig Deeper questions as moral/value discussions.
Does the CD study guide include an answer key?
Yes, a full detailed answer key is included as a separate file on the CD.
Is the study guide printable or fillable on screen?
Both! Print the entire guide or individual pages, or complete it digitally using the fillable form fields, audio clips, and taking advantage of the javascript enabled interactive activities. For the best experience, we strongly recommend using Adobe Acrobat Reader on a computer.
What devices can open the PDF study guide?
The PDF works on Mac and Windows using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. Because this guide includes fillable fields, audio clips, and JavaScript-based interactive features, a computer with Adobe Acrobat Reader is strongly recommended for full functionality; mobile devices may not support every interactive feature and default PDF viewers may experience unintended performance.
Can I use this guide with multiple students?
Yes, you can use or reuse the study guide for your own children or co-op students. Public and private school teachers can use it within their classrooms.
Do I need any special software?
Adobe Acrobat Reader (free) is strongly recommended to get the full benefit of this guide's fillable fields, embedded audio, and interactive JavaScript activities. A basic PDF viewer can open the file, but won't support all interactive features.
- Permanent Master File — The CD keeps a permanent backup copy in case of a computer crash or new device.
- Works on Mac & PC — Compatible with both major operating systems.
- Interactive & Multimedia — Fillable form fields, embedded audio clips, and JavaScript-powered activities bring lessons to life — best experienced with free Adobe Acrobat Reader on a computer.
- No Costly Software — PDF files open in the free Adobe Acrobat Reader program.
- Print What You Need, When You Need It — The whole guide, single lessons, or full classroom sets.
