The 5 O'clock Band
The 5 O'clock Band
Book Title: The 5 O’Clock Band
Book Author: Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews
Book Illustrator: Bryan Collier
This book addresses: what it means to be a leader, New Orleans music
Potentially Tricky Vocabulary:
Gumbo: a thick soup with come combination of vegetables, meat, and seafood
Jambalaya: rice with meats and seafood
Majestic: grand and impressive
Questions to ask the student before reading:
What do you know about New Orleans?
Have you ever seen a parade?
What do you think it takes to be a good leader?
Historical context to give before reading:
Being a good leader is hard - but good leaders can often do extraordinary things. You can be a leader in a club, a sports team, a business, or as president of the country! Even leaders had to learn from somebody though. New Orleans is known for its music, especially music that is played on the streets. It is often a fun and lively atmosphere, where many people gather and celebrate life.
(The questions to ask the student and historical content above are interconnected. The historical context is typically going to be a supplement to what your student might not know. Some students may already be knowledgeable about a subject, others may not know much yet. Pay attention to what your student already knows and share the historical context accordingly.)
While reading:
If you or your student are curious about any of the names mentioned during the story, take a moment to look them up. When the Mardi Gras Indians come up, mention to your student that you’ll be learning more about them later. Their history is a very interesting one and the author’s note goes over a little bit of it.
After reading:
Read the author’s note at the end to your student
What do you think the best advice was that Shorty got?
Would you want to be the leader in a band one day? Why or why not? Something besides a band?
Follow up activity (time permitting):
Have your student brainstorm a leader in their life that they look up to. This can be a famous figure, a family member, a teacher, or someone else that they look up to. Ask them what advice that person might give them about being a good leader. If your student is stuck on this, have your student write a short letter to this person asking them what they think it takes to be a good leader. You can even send or deliver this letter if your student wants!
All definitions were adapted by Karina Connolly from the Merriam Webster online dictionary.