All about Tennessee Williams

Tennessee Williams was a famous American writer who loved to tell stories through plays. He was born on March 26, 1911, in a place called Mississippi. As a kid, Tennessee, whose real name was Thomas, loved to read and write. He had a tough childhood because his family had some problems, but he found comfort in writing stories.

When Tennessee grew up, he wrote many plays that became very famous. One of his most well-known plays is called "The Glass Menagerie." This play is about a family that has dreams and struggles, just like Tennessee's own family. Another famous play he wrote is "A Streetcar Named Desire," which won many awards and is still performed today.

People loved Tennessee's plays because they were full of strong emotions and interesting characters. Though he faced many challenges in his life, like being very sick and having to move around a lot, Tennessee never stopped writing. He showed that even if life is hard, you can still create beautiful things.

Tennessee Williams passed away on February 25, 1983, but his stories are still enjoyed by people all over the world. His life teaches us to follow our dreams and use our talents, no matter what obstacles we face.

1. Where was Tennessee Williams born?
2. What was Tennessee Williams' real name?
3. Name one of Tennessee Williams' most famous plays.
4. Why do you think people loved Tennessee's plays?
5. What can we learn from Tennessee Williams' life?

Symbols and Traditions

Hi! My name is Katie, and I am 8 years old. I want to tell you about my trip to New Orleans. It was super fun! One of the coolest things I learned was about a famous writer named Tennessee Williams. He wrote lots of plays and was very famous. We visited a place called the Tennessee Williams Home and Museum. It was so interesting to see where he lived and worked.

At the museum, we saw his old typewriter and a lot of his books. There were pictures of him and his friends on the walls. My favorite part was seeing the room where he wrote his famous play, "A Streetcar Named Desire." The guide told us stories about his life and how he loved New Orleans. I even got to sit in a chair that he used to sit in!

After the museum, we walked around the French Quarter. There were lots of colorful buildings and many people playing music. We ate yummy beignets, which are like donuts but even better. I had a great time and learned a lot. I hope I can go back to New Orleans again one day!

1. Who is writing this blog post?
2. What is the name of the famous writer mentioned in the post?
3. Describe one thing Katie saw at the Tennessee Williams Home and Museum.
4. Why do you think Katie enjoyed her visit to the museum?
5. If you could visit any place from the blog post, where would you go and why?

Profile of Tennessee Williams

A Timeline of Tennessee Williams to another Festival

After learning all about Tennessee Williams, your job is to create a timeline of their life. You should add all the important events in their life but you can be inventive and add some interesting things that people might like to read about. You can make it as simply as you like with pen and paper or you can be very inventive and create a 3D diorama or hanging banner. The sky's the limit - go for it!

Slideshow - Tennessee Williams
A full set of teaching plans for Tennessee Williamsteaching.