An american legend is a childrens picture book written and illustrated by ezra jack keats, which tells a story about john henry, who was born with a hammer in his hand and was inspired by the american folk hero of the same name. Oct 19, 2008 heres a great video telling the story and introducing the folk song john henry for banjo. He grew so fast, he burst right through the porch roof, and laughed so loud, he scared the sun. Teach children the lyrics to the song and have them accompany themselves on rhythm band instruments. John henry, a seemingly normal child, grows and grows until the point where he can easily lift his own cradle as if it were a feather. Look for the casey jones reading and the comparing folktales writing project that go with this. Setting likely west virginia 1860s 1870s railroad construction site 3. The story of john henry is told in a classic folk song, which exists in many. But if john henry won, the boss wouldnt want the machine. He sank so low at one point that he was even a servant to slaves in africa for a brief period. However, the story of john henry is much bigger than a single person. Steel driver responsible for hammering steel drill into rock strong. Anonymous, the ballad of john henry the ballad and folktale of john henry, the tireless railroad worker, is the stuff of american legend. The story of john henry tells a story bigger than history, and its a story that tells us about the everyday concerns of the people who told it.
John henry when he was a baby settin on his mammys knee picked up an hammer in his little right hand said hammer be the. The ultimate battle of man versus machine, john henry represented the hearts of the working men who struggled to keep their jobs on the railroad as machines began moving in to do their work. Hell decide which parts of the story seem believable and which parts do not. John, though, has the strength of ten men, and revitalizes all of them. Tall tales contain exaggeration, adventure, and outlandish characters. The john henry ballads probably originated as work songs for steeldrivers and other rail workers in the 1870s, and became more generalized as chain gang, worker, and prison songs. One of the most colorful characters in american folklore is the legendary john henry.
It describes his contest with a steam drill, in which john henry crushed more rock than did the machine but died with his hammer in his hand. The complete guide to selecting beautiful flowers for your wedding, and flowers by design vol. John henry swung those hammers, stopping once an hour to drink water from the dipper polly ann carried. John henry serves as a folk hero for all american workingclass people during changes entering the modern age in america. A tall tale passage about john henry is included in this lesson. The man that invented the steam drill thought he was mighty fine but john henry made 15 ft. A link is provided where possible for easy online reading. Loving2learn offers you a tall tale john henry, to readable online and a learn along video. Julius lester uses great words to describe all the action in the story. John henry, an american legend is a 1965 childrens picture book by american author and. The story can serve as an engaging introduction to the classic man vs. The ballad of john henry traditional on august 28, 1830, the driver of a horsedrawn carriage challenged the tom thumb, the first americanbuilt steam locomotive, to a race on the newly formed baltimore and ohio railroad.
John henry books list of books by author john henry. An american hero some time long ago, in the 1850s, a baby boy was born soon to become an american legend. John henry said to his shaker, man that aint nothin but my hammer suckin wind. John henry was the greatest of hammerers, as well as the best of gamblers, the biggest of drinkers, nastiest of ghters, and the best of lovers. Then see if children can describe the strength of the music. Have children think about the ways the music makes them feel. Hed hammer with a ninepound hammer all day and never get tired and want to rest, lord, lord, and. John henry, a freed slave, happens across a railroad building project. John henry biography at black history now black heritage. Careful examination of an african american tall taleheroic myth. According to the lore and the songs, john henry was a steel driver, meaning it was his job to make the tunnels through mountains for railroad tracks. John henry now, the special english program, american stories.
The chrysanthemums by john steinbeck the high greyflannel fog of winter closed off the salinas valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world. On every side it sat like a lid on the mountains and made of the great valley a closed pot. Special thanks to david from for this wonderful tutorial. For twelve long hours, john henry hammered and the steam engine drilled. John henry, the untold story of an american legend 2006, searched for prisoners called john henry, found one who worked on the chesapeake and ohio railroad, and selected the lewis tunnel in virginia, completed in 1873, as a more likely site, as steampowered drills are known to have been used there. It is important to remember that no one knows for sure if john henry existed. Now, the voa special english program american stories. John henry is one of americas legends, a largerthanlife figure like paul bunyan whose superhuman strength has been celebrated in stories and songs.
Only gods amazing grace could and would take a rude, profane, slavetrading sailor and. His name was john henry, and as he got older his kindness, and hard work showed that he was the strongest man working the rails. The most prominent rhetorical device lester employs in his tale is the use of hyperbole to over exaggerate the great accomplishments of the esteemed legend john henry. The shaker said to john henry i think this mountains cavin in. John henry was the greatest of hammerers, as well as the best of gamblers, the biggest of drinkers, nastiest of ghters, and the best of. The locomotive was winning the race until a mechanical malfunction caused it to slow, allowing the horsedrawn car to pull. When john henry was born the birds, bears, rabbits, and even a unicorn came to see him. With the help of his now 40 employees, john henry foster grew to represent the number one manufacturers in pneumatic equipment. Tall tale john henry upper elemmiddle 1 of 8 read a john henry tall tale and answer the multiple choice questions, then read a true story about john henry with short answer comprehension questions. John henry john henry, a mighty laborer who outperformed a mechanical drill, is a character who first appeared in african american songs and ballads. Defining the first is a matter of assembling facts.
It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. Please join our john henry yahoo discussion group read dr. How john henry became an american folk hero youtube. Students can complete activities to practice identifying metaphors and similes, and even create one of their own. And in time, it has become timeless, spanning a century of generations with versions ranging from prisoners recorded at mississippis parchman farm in the late 1940s to presentday folk heroes. Saying, hammers going to be the death of me, lord, lord, hammers going to be the death of me. Study john henry with your students, while teaching your class about metaphors and similes. Help your child learn the difference between fact and fiction with this fun reading sheet. John henry doc holliday august 14, 1851 november 8, 1887 was an american gambler, gunfighter, and dentist.
Thisconsistedofdriving a metal spike into the rock with a hammer. Yet unlike paul bunyan, john henry may have been a real person, and many historians believe that his epic battle against a machine really did take place. Here is a sampling of some of his stories with a short summary for each. John henry comprehension questions calendar updated pre assessment hyperbole intro activity paul bunyan story paul bunyan partner comprehension questions group discussion jigsaw questions illustration activity personal tall tale activity exaggeration activity personal tall tale rubric tall tales story map worksheet similiarities worksheet. Students get a chance to look at both perspectives and decide whether th. John henry is one of the most famous american tall tales. The legend of john henry level m 3 4 john henry was born into a slave family. The myth of john henry may have been based on actual people. Give examples from the story to explain how you know. Figurative language in john henry by julius lester by.
The legend of john henry level m 11 12 john henry knew he had to beat the machine. Writers and artists see in john henry a symbol of mans foredoomed struggle against the machine. Julius lesters john henry is a tall tale that tells the story of african american folk hero john henry. But john henry kept smashing hard rock and appeared to grow stronger. John henry was a man just six feet high, nearly two feet and a half across his breast.
Henrys best and well known stories as well as lesser known works. He can be seen as a symbol of black strength and of african americans 1 refusal to be crushed. Julius lester and jerry pinkneys warm, humorous retelling of a popular africanamerican folk ballad. In february of 1870, workers began drilling the great bend tunnel where the greenbrier river makes a sevenmile meander around big bend mountain. The story of john henry, told mostly through ballads and work songs, traveled from coast to coast as the railroads drove west during the 19th century. He developed a reputation as having killed more than a dozen men in various altercations, but modern researchers have. Ezras books john henry the ezra jack keats foundation. Think and write about the values reflected in these tall tales. But where peters tale is gentle, john henry s is rugged and largerthanlife. A close friend and associate of lawman wyatt earp, holliday is best known for his role in the events leading up to and following the gunfight at the o. John henry was featured as a fictional character in the 2014 video game wasteland 2. Oct 17, 2007 an animated version of the john henry folk story by abe twist. Henry is known for entertaining and clever short stories. Only gods amazing grace could and would take a rude, profane, slavetrading sailor and transform him into a child of god.
Explain to children that john henry was a very physically strong character. Readers will be introduced to john henry, who grew up as a slave and went on to be known as the fastest and strongest steel driver on the railroad. The legend, as told through ballads and work songs, has kept the story of john henry and the black railroad workers alive. Henry, o pseudonym of william sydney porter, famous american short story writer. John henry was a steeldrivin man eecs at uc berkeley. Both books are illustrated with a graphic boldness that mixes color and texture, collage and painting, abstraction and realism. Julius lesters john henry is based on the african american folk ballad john henry, the tale of john henry, the steeldriving man who was bigger and stronger than anyone and the competition. Short stories o henry pdf henrys short stories are well known for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization and clever twist endings. Both psychology and science grope when they would explain to us the strange adventures of our immaterial selves when wandering in the realm of deaths twin brother, sleep. Whether he was a true historical figure or a fictitious hero carved into the minds of common americans by oral tradition, his story has given inspiration to generations. His eyes were fixed upon della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. The real john henry probably died in a tunnel collapse, historians say.
The john henry ballad with which we are so familiar tells a basic story, in spite of its seemingly infinite number of verses. Read a john henry tall tale and answer the multiple choice questions, then read a true story about john henry with short answer comprehension questions. Published three years after the snowy day, john henry, an american legend, is ezras retelling of the saga of the steeldriving man. Apr 28, 2010 john newton was known as the great blasphemer. After designing, engineering, and welding all of his sculptures in studio, he places linear and planar pieces of colored steel in precariously balanced configurations. All the magic of a winter day, in this version of the keats classic. Meet the legendary john henry, a famous character from a classic tall tale. Short stories from 100 selected stories, by o henry. The legend of john henry the legend of john henry the legend of john henry. Write sentences write sentences that tell why henry chose mudge. John henry is a thought to be the mythical representation of a group of the working class in the 1800s. See all books authored by john henry, including romantic wedding flowers.
When john henry was 3 days old he picked up a hammer and made a prediction. Figurative language in julius lesters john henry metaphor comparing two unlike things by saying that one thing is another thing onomatopoeia using words to represent sounds simile comparing two unlike things, using like or ask his voice sounded like bat wings on. Garst provides his perspective on ideas presented in dr. Pollock17 books in djvu formatsamuel benson0 book in pdf formatjohn ohart1 book in epub format. John henry took the lead, but the salesman wasnt worried, or if he was, you couldnt tell from his talk. The story of a convert john henry newman 9 downloads. Showing top 8 worksheets in the category john henry. The story is referenced by various npcs throughout the game and is also available in full as a series of in game books which tell the story of the competition between john henry and a contingent of robotic workers.
Construction of the big bend tunnel on the chesapeake and the ohio railroad ela close reading planning tool grade level. When he was just a boy, he had to do the work of a fullgrown man. John henry grows so tall so fast that he has to leave home to find other challenges for his strength and determination. Ebooks by john henry newman online reading and free download. There are two john henrys the man and legend surrounding him.
The ballad of john henry, what so proudly we hail, 20. This text series is set apart from others in that students are given the tall tale story of john henry and compare it to information from a researcher who believes that john henry actually lived. Some of the worksheets displayed are unit 7 tall tales, the legend of john henry, lesson 7 john henry, tall tales final, making inferences reading between the lines clad, table of contents, by david pratte, reading comprehension work. Oct 01, 1994 john henry does many amazing things throughout the story, which includes outrunning a horse and breaking through a boulder that even dynamite could not even break through. John henry is best known for his monumental abstract sculptures of intersecting welded beams and monoliths. John newton the story of discovering amazing grace. Tall tales text author level location tall tales 4 th grade set connects geography into a close reading lesson mike fink paul bunyan stormalong sally ann thunder ann febold feboldson varied varied reading a. Researchers believe that john henry represents a black man who was born a slave in the 1840s or 1850s.
He is said to have worked as a steeldriving mana man tasked with hammering a steel drill into rock to make holes for explosives to blast the rock in constructing a railroad tunnel. John henry worked harder than the steam drill until he got sick and his woman polly ann took over. Often the ballad begins with a view of john henry as a baby on his mothers or fathers knee, a baby who notes that either hammer, steel or the big bend tunnel itself will eventually cause his death. A sprawling, ambitious novel which uses a weekend festival in honor of john henry as the focal point for a seriocomic look at the meaning of race, selfwill, and the search for meaning in.
The legend of john henry has been celebrated in song and story for generations, but my favorite version is the childrens picture book john henry by julius lester, with illustrations by jerry pinkney. Today we tell a traditional american story called a tall tale. Books by newman, john henry sorted by popularity project. In 1974 john henry foster office and warehouse relocated to 10740 midwest industrial blvd. Storytown grade 2 lesson 3 springfield public schools. The idea of a university defined and illustrated john henry newman 527. John henry foster made its reputation on the absolute dedication of its employees to both customers and vendors. The railroad tracks that crisscross west virginia pass through the states mountains an engineering feat made possible by the steampowered drill, or, according to legend, a man named john henry. John henry was the working mans champion in a contest to defend the pride and livelihood. An entire crew of freed slaves has been promised land if they can finish by deadline, but theyre exhausted and unable to continue. John henry, the untold story of an american legend by scott. As the story has it, henry was challenged to a workers duel his hammer versus a giant steam drill.
888 613 290 1062 662 328 1526 998 824 979 1091 790 580 1457 848 985 446 1586 908 1033 955 737 983 1029 477 1507 239 74 1388 1097 951 1507 1448 1371 1195 675 690 823 634 769 1090 1071 517 1104 603 738 878 827 319 827