History for Children

When 2 Million Children Became Unemployed

2011-07-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

Can’t get your kids to clean their room or take out the trash without grumbles galore? Maybe a session with this book will whip them into shape. Kids at Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade Against Child Labor is a biography of Hines disguised as a 20th century photo documentary of how two million American children, some as young as three, where spending their long, dreary, hazardous days. It’s in fact brimming with his amazing photos of kids in coal mines, canneries, cotton fields and factories. I guarantee your child will be fascinated!

When we first purused this book, my daughter was about seven and still asking for me to peel her boiled shrimp. Then we saw the photo on page 42 of little four-year-old Mary who shucked two pots of oysters a day! Well, I was quick to point out, “Shannon, if little Mary could shuck all those oysters, you are certainly capable of peeling a few shrimp!” And she did.

It is a little eerie seeing eleven-year-old boys tend a blazing hot furnace with no adult supervision, so it may be crazy for me to say, but I can’t help but sense some pride in the faces of some of these capable children. Could twelve hour days have been scaled back to five hour weeks in lieu of cutting work out of children’s lives all together? Clobber me if you will, I'm just wondering. My son is 14 this summer and had high hopes of making money working at a marina near our house, but because of the child labor laws, he can’t be considered for employment until he is 16. My boy grew up around boats and helped bring a boat from the Bahamas to Florida in rough seas when one of the two adults on board was laid up with a bad back. He's earned his boating license, has several hours of flying time and scuba dives. He is quite capable of fueling a vessel, tying a line and helping passengers get their supplies on and off boats...but now he has to wait two more years in order to be paid for it.

On another note, we have a fig tree in our yard. It produced vast quantities of figs this year. My eleven-year-old daughter and her friends scrambled for every opportunity they could get to pick the fruit...because they loved doing it. I’ve heard that Georgia farmers were having a hard time finding fruit pickers this year because the state has scared illegal immigrants away. Why aren’t high school and college kids stepping in to fill the void? I remember my father’s tales of picking apples in upstate New York when he was a kid looking for a buck.

Well, I think Kids at Work will be a great conversation starter at your house too. The book sums it up this way: “Hine’s images of working children stirred America’s conscience and helped change the nation’s laws. With his box camera and his sympathetic eye, he made a dramatic difference in people’s lives. In a real sense, the face of America never looked the same again.”

Ages 6 and up
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: For goodness sakes, learn how to peel your own shrimp:

A New Look at Ancient Rome

2011-05-11T07:02:00.000-07:00

You know you can Google Earth any location on this planet today, but did you know you can Google Earth a place from back in time? Take a look at Ancient Rome...

England Week - Industrial Revolution

2011-05-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

Like the actual industrial revolution, this book originates in England but then spreads into America. One key to that spreading thing is a man named Slater.

He grew up around the mills of England, and worked in them from the age of fourteen to twenty-one. That is when he finished an apprenticeship and wanted to open his own mill. But coming up with the money was a problem. He’d heard the United States awarded about $500 to the designer of a cloth-making machine and was sure there were opportunites for him there. However, the English, being protective of their healthy profits, made it illegal to send textile machinery, or plans for it, out of England. In Samuel Slater’s Mill: And the Industrial Revolution you’ll learn how young Slater played the part of a farmer to get out of England with all those machinery designs safely tucked away—in his head.

The book goes on to describe Slater’s partnerships, machines, workers (lots of children), and his growing business. It grew so much, in fact, that he was worth the amazing sum of $1,200,000 when he died! The effects of this sixty-year revolution are also discussed from the population’s shift from country to city and from farmer to wage earner as well as the pressure put on the south to produce more cotton with slave labor.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊

Acivity: Watch this video and then weave your own textile creation.

England Week - The Plague

2011-05-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

Finding Nell of Branford Hall was like finding a little jewel. First and foremost, with no draggy parts nor dull characters, it was a pleasure to read. Then I was impressed with how it sprinkled in just a snippet of the Glorious Revolution, the Royal Society and other English history. But of course, the main course here is the plague...

It started with rumors that the dreaded disease was in Amsterdam and would get to England eventually. By the time Nell makes her first visit to London the plague has arrived. While there she has a major transportation problem. Her carriage wheel breaks and when she and an escort go in search of a hackney coach to hire they discover they are in the most disease ridden area of the city. Oh, the sites she sees! Ghastly. With great relief she finally returns to Branford Hall. But alas, the plague arrives in her beloved Branford Village. The villagers concoct a plan to deal with the plague. But will Nell’s dearest friend, Kate, survive?

The one oddity to me is that Nell’s uncle, a doctor, knows with certainty that the disease is spread by fleas. I believe this wasn't figured out until after the fact. But I'll say this, young readers will never again think of the plague without thinking of fleas.

Ages 10 and up
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Play medieval doctor. Try to diagnose and cure three patients. Read about their symptoms and then decide what treatment to prescribe.

England Week - Cathedral

2011-05-04T06:14:00.000-07:00

One of the predominate topics from my inspiration for this week’s theme, Sarum: The Novel of England, was Salisbury Cathedral. This amazing structure was built between 1220 and 1258. In trying to find a related book for children, the closest I could come was Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction. It follows the process of building a cathedral in France, so is not based on an English style cathedral (does Westminster Abby come to mind?), but hey, you’ll get the idea.

This book is laden with pen and ink illustrations as is David Macaulay’s custom. He shows us, in amazing detail, 80 years of cathedral creating effort in just about 80 pages. And what an effort it was: design the plans, harvest the wood, quarry the stone, ready the site, build the foundation, erect the walls, hoist the trusses, install the windows and cast the bells and so much more. Like the pyramids, the Great Wall of China, and today’s skyscrapers, Cathedral: the Story of Its Construction will leave you in complete awe of human achievement.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Create your own stained glass window.

England Week - Queen Elizabeth

2011-05-03T07:01:00.000-07:00

What was so good about Queen Bess? As you’ll learn in Good Queen Bess: The Story of Elizabeth I of England, a lot. As the book jacket states, her “strong will, shrewd diplomacy, religious tolerance, and love for her subjects won the hearts of her people and the admiration of her enemies.”

The wives of Henry VIII, the sister named Mary and the Catholic/Protestant power play can be a little murky to understand but this book proceeds through Elizabeth’s life in an organized fashion and makes all that stuff crystal clear. And the icing on the cake? The illustrations! They’re a treat.

If you have any desire to learn about Queen Elizabeth, this is the book for you.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Give this Queen Elizabeth crossword puzzle a try.

England Week - Stonehenge

2011-05-02T06:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so a lot of attention has been on that island “across the pond” recently what with the royal wedding and all. But if you can hang in there for just one more week, I’d like you to focus on jolly ole England a tad longer.

My inspiration for this week’s theme came from reading Sarum: The Novel of England. This saga starts back before there was even an English Channel in the days of prehistoric man, and doesn’t end until the 1970’s. Even at 900 pages, it’s a page turner. The author has an amazing talent for creating interesting, believable characters as the history of England unfolds. I was keen on how Mr. Rutherford introduced people with similar traits to those in the past. The short and stocky Stonehenge mason displayed the same characteristics and talents as the stone cutter working on Salisbury Cathedral centuries later. Anyone with an interest in history will get a lot out of this novel.

And while you’re reading Sarum, how about getting your kids hands on some great books about Stonehenge, Queen Elizabeth, Cathedrals, the Plague and the Industrial Revolution? Then you and your children can discuss these topics while your enjoying your afternoon crumpets and tea.

For starters, If Stones Could Speak: Unlocking the Secrets of Stonehenge, is a fabulous book published by none other than National Geographic. It follows an archeologist as he tries to understand what possessed ancient Brits to place massive stones in a circle. After studying a predecessors notes he decides to look at it with fresh eyes and invites a Madagascar archeologist, who is unfamiliar with the site, to Stonehenge. This is a must own book for any child interested in archeology. They will learn how people are able to make contrasting interruptions and see how the ground contains hints of the past, if only you’ll look properly. As the author himself states, “This is a book about questioning what others believe to be true, not accepting ideas just because famous people say they are right.” You’ll have to read the book to see what secrets were unlocked :-)

Ages: 9-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Build your own Stonehenge. Here’s an idea using legos, and here’s a more ambitious backyard version.

Osama bin Laden: 3/10/57 – 5/1/11

2011-05-02T06:28:00.000-07:00

Well, no doubt, the subject of Osama bin Laden may come up today. While googling for some child friendly learning opportunities, I uncovered an interesting interview. In it, Omar bin Laden, tells what it was like to grow up with Osama bin Laden as his father. Your children will learn that life with you isn’t so bad after all!

It turns out, Omar, who was 20 on that fateful September day in 2001, has published a book along with his mother titled, Growing Up bin Laden: Osama’s Wife and Son Take Us Inside Their World. Now I haven’t read that one, but I can vouch for The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11. This was a fascinating, well researched, trip through bin Laden's mind. I reviewed it here along with a children’s book about Al Qaeda.

Space Shuttle Discovery Launch

2011-02-25T13:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I took the kids to see the end of an era. We got a good view of the last Discovery launch. It was thrilling to hear the countdown, see the smoke billow up, then the shuttle lift off and soar away with a roar. The only down side was the three hour traffic jam afterward.

This has me thinking about watching one of our favorite movies again, October Sky.

Free George Washington Quote to Frame

2011-02-21T13:50:00.000-08:00

This quote is particularly appropriate for George Washington. I learned about his love for farming in George Washington Plants a Nation. This artwork is available here for you to print out and frame. Hang it along side these quotes by Abraham Lincoln and Benjamin Franklin.

Learn History with the Beatles, Madonna and Lady Gaga

2011-02-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

I stumbled across this video at the Why Homeschool blog:

Now, I’m no Lady Gaga fan — but I am gaga over this video! It was produced by a history teacher and a technology specialist. On youtube.com, where they offer over 50 videos, they go by the name historyteachers. Children will have fun learning about the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition and the Vikings with the oh-so-clever lyrics set to the tune of popular music by the likes of ABBA, Justin Timberlake, Blondie, Britney Spears and more. Hats off to historyteachers — great work!

Free Abraham Lincoln Quote to Frame

2011-02-14T14:33:00.000-08:00

Happy belated birthday President Lincoln! He was born 202 years ago on the 12th. Here is an 8" x 10" image I created that you can print out and frame. It matches the Benjamin Franklin quote I posted awhile ago.

Black History Month Challenge

2011-02-03T07:54:00.000-08:00

Can you match the quote with the person who said it? I found this challenge at Biography.com. That site is brimming with all sorts of resources.

Great Heights Week - From Trees to Masts

2011-01-28T15:26:00.000-08:00

Like any human I have my weaknesses. Dove’s dark chocolate-covered almonds are one. I also have a hard time resisting clothing or leather goods that have contrast stitching for some odd reason. And then there’s scratchboard illustrations...which brings me to Giants in the Land. The illustrations are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Creme da la creme of scratchboard I’d say. This book is as big and beautiful as the trees it documents. And what are those trees, you ask? Thousand year-old, New England pine trees, growing as tall as a twenty-five story building. They grew so tall and straight that they made ideal masts for England’s eighteenth-century navy. The story goes on to describe how the trees were chosen and plucked (not easily) from the forest and transported (forty oxen) to a river. You can’t help appreciating the ingenuity required to harvest the trees, while simultaneously despairing that the giants are all gone. But the author ends on a positive note, mentioning the promise in today’s woods. Giants are growing.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Make a tall masted ship out of a milk carton. Here’s what you’ll need:

Milk or juice carton
Scissors (or box cutters or x-acto knife)
Smaller box to put inside milk carton
String
Straw, stick or tinkertoy
Tape
Card stock for the sail
Paint or markers to decorate

An adult should help cut the carton like this:

Paint the smaller box that will go inside the milk carton to hold the sail. We used a medicine box. A soap or make-up box would work too. Punch a hole in the middle of the box with a sharp pencil or cut an x with an xacto knife. Glue the box into the center of the milk carton. Cut out a square piece of card stock about 1/2 to 3/4 of the length of the straw or stick. This will be the sail. Decorate the sail as you like with paint or markers. Punch a hole at the top and bottom of the sail and weave the straw or stick (we used a tinkertoy) through the holes. Wrap a string around the top of the stick and tape each end of the string to each end of the boat. We’re calling our boat the U.S.S. Tropicana. And here she sails:

Great Heights Week: Goliath....and David

2011-01-27T08:01:00.000-08:00

While thinking of tall things for this week’s theme, “Great Heights,” the idea of doing a Goliath post came to me. I checked this David and Goliath out from the library because I just love the cover illustration! And on the inside too the illustrations are as big as life....really good. But when Shannon and I read it last night I didn’t enjoy the writing so much. I mean “old rams skipped and danced in their grave fashion”? It was also annoying how lines were repeated and disturbing how the author included details of David cutting off Goliath’s head at the end. Yuck. Is there a plus side? Well, it is gratifying that the book reeks with the feel and look of life back then. And the fact that there was a conflict at the time of King Saul between the Israelites and the Philistines is certainly substantiated. But best of all, underscored is the lesson that you can conquer any problem if you think smart.

Ages 6-9
◊◊◊

Activity: Here’s a David and Goliath coloring page.

Feeling a little guilty about not having a better David and Goliath offering, I looked around for some online sources and I may have struck gold for the older kids. During the 7th century a Byzantine artist created a series of plates telling the story of David. Today, most of those plates are on display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. At the Online Books Page I found a link to a free learning-activity offered by the museum that encourages young people to look more closely at the Museum’s spectacular set of Byzantine silver objects, known as the David Plates. It provides an in-depth exploration of the plates, including their subject—the biblical story of David and Goliath—and essential background information about the culture in which they were made. Also included are maps, teaching strategies, and activities for students. Wouldn’t it be neat to do this activity before a visit to the museum?

Great Heights Week - The Empire State Building

2011-01-26T16:13:00.000-08:00

During the depths of the Great Depression a majestic symbol of fortitude arose. And it rose high. In fact it was the world’s tallest building for over 40 years. Besides providing a nation with much needed jobs (seven million man hours!), it also provided much needed national pride. In Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building, big pictures and minimal text show the process: from the demolition of the pre-existing hotel to the arrival of the steel and then the methods involved in building the skyscraper. This is an excellent choice for children interested in construction.

Ages: 6-9
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Build your own Empire State Building with this project from papertoys.com

P.S. Older children working on research papers would be well-served to get their hands on two other titles I found. In Unbuilding, David Macauley masterfully illustrates the imagined demolition of the Empire State Building. A great way to learn how it was built, in reverse. And Empire State Building: When New York Reached for the Skies by Elizabeth Mann is chock full of interesting information.

Great Heights Week - Tallest Man

2011-01-25T19:01:00.000-08:00

And I thought I stood out like a sore thumb in high school! (I’m 5'10"ish)

My children and I were captivated when we recently read about the tallest man ever in Jennifer Phillips’ book, Robert Wadlow: The Unique Life of the Boy Who Became the World’s Tallest Man. He was the size of an adult by age five and eventually grew to the incredible height of 8'11.1"! You’ll learn of the accommodations he had to make, that an overactive pituitary gland caused his condition and to see Robert, not as an oddity, but as a person—and a likable one at that. A discussion about fitting in with one’s peers would complement this story nicely.

Besides fascinating photographs, the author also includes a fact page, a timeline and thoughtful questions to explore as well as suggested activities.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊

A review of Stand Straight Ella Kate caught my eye over at the Palnetsme Plan blog recently. This looks like a great choice for all of us tall girls.

Activity: Print out Robert Wadlow’s shoe print and compare it to your own foot size.

Great Heights Week - A Giraffe Adventure

2011-01-24T20:52:00.000-08:00

Eighty years before Columbus made his incredible journey, a giraffe sailed from his African home to China. It was there that he was named after a mythical Chinese creature that was thought to bring good luck. Chee-Lin: A Giraffe’s Journey is a jewel of a book with drop dead gorgeous illustrations. Children will find parts of it sad. Loosing one’s freedom is always sad. But they will delight in Chee-Lin’s special relationships and their imaginations will be sparked by far away cultures in a long ago time.

Ages 4-8
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Here is a pretty-nifty easy-to-access animal geography game. You know that giraffes come from Africa, but where do these other animals come from?

Someone Named Eva

2011-01-20T11:30:00.000-08:00

When is a Czechoslovakian girl not a Czechoslovakian girl? When she is dragged from her family and placed in a German repatriation program where she is only allowed to speak German and is eventually adopted by a German family. Only in Someone Named Eva, Eva, real name Milada, makes the effort to always remember who she really is. And that someone is from Lidice, Czechoslovakia, where she was the fastest runner in school, loved to star gaze and ride bikes with her best friend, had a big brother, a baby sister, and a beloved grandmother, mother and father. She also had Aryan features, which is why the Germans snagged her.

But I didn't understand why the people of Lidice, Czechoslovakia were singled out by the Nazis until I read the Author’s Note. Resistance fighters made an attempt on Hitler’s favorite officer, Heydrich, also known as the “Butcher of Prague.” Nazi intelligence thought there was a connection between the village of Lidice and the resistance fighters (wrong) so they took revenge on it’s 500 inhabitants. The men and teenage boys were shot, the “acceptable” children where sent to the repatriation program and the rest of the children and women where sent to work camps. Then the Nazis razed the town, turning it into nothing but a field.

Shannon and I read this one together and enjoyed discussing it along the way. The constant theme throughout was to never forget who you are.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: I followed a link mentioned by the author to the Lidice Memorial. I noticed this museum on the site where the town of Lidice once stood is sponsoring an annual, international art contest for children ages 4-16. Get out your art supplies and send your entry by March 15, 2011.

Martin Luther King’s Speech

2011-01-12T18:54:00.000-08:00

With Martin Luther King Day right around the corner, I was reminded of the “I Have a Dream” speech challenge I made available at this time last year. Then it dawned on me. I never even approached my own daughter about trying it. So I just printed it out for her and she did a pretty good job:

Even though she wasn’t 100% accurate, she nailed the gist of what he was saying. I especially love her use of the word “heart” in place of “character” in the last blank. There is a link to this fill-in-the-blank challenge at my old post.

P.S. The answers are at the link too :-)

Newbery News

2011-01-11T12:07:00.000-08:00

The 2011 Newbery Medal winner and the four honor winners have been announced. Of special interest to me is the fact that the winner and three of the four honor books are historical fiction:

2011 Newbery Medal Winner

Moon Over Manifest

by Clare Vanderpool
Twelve-year-old Abilene Tucker is the daughter of a drifter who, in the summer of 1936, sends her to stay with an old friend in Manifest, Kansas, where he grew up, and where she hopes to find out some things about his past.

Ages 9-12

2011 Newbery Honors

Heart of a Samurai
by Margi Preus
In 1841, rescued by an American whaler after a terrible shipwreck leaves him and his four companions castaways on a remote island, fourteen-year-old Manjiro, who dreams of becoming a samurai, learns new laws and customs as he becomes the first Japanese person to set foot in the United States.

Ages 12 and up

Manjiro’s life story is f a s c i n a t i n g. I reviewed another book about him here.

One Crazy Summer
By Rita Williams-Garcia

In the summer of 1968, after traveling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp.

Ages 9-12

I noticed over at The Fourth Musketeer that this author is so committed to literature for young people that she offers her own short story contest to encourage and reward young people's writing. Open to kids from 12-19, the winner receives a check for $100, a certificate, and a personal critique by Rita Williams-Garcia!

Turtle in Paradise
By Jennifer L. Holm

In 1935, when her mother gets a job housekeeping for a woman who does not like children, eleven-year-old Turtle is sent to stay with relatives she has never met in far away Key West, Florida.

Ages 9-12

The other Newbery Honor book this year is Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman. It is a collection of twelve poems that celebrate the wonder, mystery, and danger of the night and describes the many things that hide in the dark.

The Newberry Medal is awarded to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children as decided by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association. Given since 1922, it is named after John Newbery, an eighteenth-century English publisher of children’s books. It was the first children’s literary award in the world.

How Globes Are Made

2011-01-07T05:15:00.000-08:00

I have wondered about this....and now I know!

Gutenberg — The Inventor of Printing

2011-01-06T06:36:00.000-08:00

How long does it take to print a book? For Johanne Gutenberg it took more than 30 years! What was the hold up? Well, since it had never been done before he had a lot of problems to work out. Many were related to the invention itself: finding the right metal formula for the type, making an ink that wasn’t too runny or too sticky, figuring out how to space the letters and get them consistently raised off the slug and the designing and building of the press itself. His other problems involved money. He dealt with lawsuits, partnerships gone awry, denied inheritances and fund raising opportunities lost (something to do with selling souvenirs to pilgrims traveling to see remnants of the clothes of Christ).

Fine Print takes you on a fascinating look at the man who was determined to invent mass–produced printing and persevered. It’s a wonderful lesson in persistence and a very interesting glimpse into 15th Century Germany.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Cut a letter in a potato and then print it:

Okay, this involves a knife, so some parental involvement is probably necessary. Cut a medium sized red potato in half, then cut away anything that you don’t want to print. Remember, you have to create your letter backwards on your stamp.

Now put some ink or paint on your stamp and press. Viola!

Free Benjamin Franklin Quote Print to Frame

2011-01-05T10:01:00.000-08:00

Here’s a little token of my appreciation for you. I've combined some artwork I had of Benjamin Franklin with one of his (many!) quotes and put them together in an 8 x 10 layout for you to print out and frame. More to follow...

Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011

2011-01-04T07:19:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to you all.

It’s resolution time! In 2011, I resolve to:
1. Blog more
2. Redesign my blog
3. Discover more great history for children.

As we say goodbye to last year, I thought I'd look back on what history titles the publishing world offered children in 2010. This assortment includes one written by the President. It’s a clever introduction to thirteen famous Americans. As a whole, the group is not concentrated on any one era or theme. Titles range from the age of dinosaurs to the invention of the Apple computer.

It will be interesting to see what 2011 offers. What are your resolutions?

Would You Want to Be In Alexander the Great’s Army?

2010-10-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

Apparently being in Alexander the Great’s army wasn't so...great. In the pages of You Wouldn't Want To Be In Alexander The Great's Army!: Miles You'd Rather Not March, the reader becomes an active participant, weighed down with armor while marching, under attack from a fireship while building a causeway to Tyre and struggling to survive the snow-blocked pass through the frozen Hindu Kush mountains. Filled with colorful, comical illustrations and sprinkled with a manageable dose of facts, learning becomes practically effortless.

Ages 8-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Test your Alexander the Great knowledge with this matching game.

There are more books in this series. Get a load of ALL these titles! Looks like the only one missing is …“You Wouldn’t Want to Get Caught in an Avalanche of ‘You Wouldn’t Want To...’ Books!”

You Wouldn't Want to Be an American Colonist!
You Wouldn't Want to Be an American Pioneer!
You Wouldn't Want to Be an Aristocrat in the French Revolution!
You Wouldn't Want to Be an Assyrian Soldier!
You Wouldn't Want to Be an Aztec Sacrifice!
You Wouldn't Want to Be at the Boston Tea Party!
You Wouldn't Want to Be an 18th-Century British Convict!
You Wouldn't Want to Be Cleopatra!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Civil War Soldier!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Crusader!
You Wouldn't Want to Be an Egyptian Mummy!
You Wouldn't Want to Be in the First Submarine!
You Wouldn't Want to Be in the Forbidden City!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Greek Athlete!
You Wouldn't Want to Be an Inca Mummy!
You Wouldn't Want to Be in a Medieval Dungeon!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Mammoth Hunter!
You Wouldn't Want to Be Mary, Queen of Scots!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Mayan Soothsayer!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Medieval Knight
You Wouldn't Want to Be a 19th-Century Coal Miner in England!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Pirate's Prisoner!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Polar Explorer!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Pyramid Builder!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Roman Gladiator!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Roman Soldier!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Salem Witch!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Samurai!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Skyscraper Builder!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Slave in Ancient Greece!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Suffragist!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Sumerian Slave!
You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Victorian Schoolchild!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Victorian Servant!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Viking Explorer!
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Worker on the Statue of Liberty!
You Wouldn't Want to be Be an 18th–Century British Convict!
You Wouldn't Want to Be Married to Henry VIII!
You Wouldn't Want to Be on Apollo 13!
You Wouldn't Want to Be on the Hindenburg!
You Wouldn't Want to Be Sick in the 16th Century!
You Wouldn't Want to Be Tutankhamen!
You Wouldn't Want to Explore With Marco Polo!
You Wouldn't Want to Explore With Sir Francis Drake!
You Wouldn't Want to Live in a Medieval Castle!
You Wouldn't Want to Live in a Wild West Town!
You Wouldn't Want to Live in Pompeii!
You Wouldn't Want to Meet a Body Snatcher!
You Wouldn't Want to Sail in the Spanish Armada!
You Wouldn't Want to Sail on a 19th-Century Whaling Ship!
You Wouldn't Want to Sail on an Irish Famine Ship!
You Wouldn't Want to Sail on the Titanic!
You Wouldn't Want to Sail With Christopher Columbus!
You Wouldn't Want to Travel with Captain Cook!
You Wouldn't Want to Work on the Brooklyn Bridge!
You Wouldn't Want to Work on the Great Wall of China!
You Wouldn't Want to Work on the Railroad!

National History Day Contest

2010-09-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

It’s all a little foggy, but I do remember a high school history teacher giving an assignment that entailed writing a paper about immigration. I don't recall him ever using the term “History Day Contest,” but there was an awards ceremony at the local college, and lo and behold, I still have my entry to prove it. What do you say to that? I actually received a superior rating! Well, just barely. Notice how they crossed out “Excellent” and then wrote “Superior”? Looks like I just squeaked by thanks to that 1/2 a point!

I DO remember looking for sources in the library, and typing this on my Mom's old typewriter (frustrating!). But mostly I remember what I learned about Savannah, and James Oglethorpe and the debtors who immigrated to England's Georgia colony.

The annual National History Day Contest continues to give children a chance to strive for a superior rating, and mostly a chance to really research and learn about one aspect of history based on a theme. Here’s more information...

What is the 2011 theme? Debate and Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failure, Consequences

What are examples of that theme?
The Iran Hostage Crisis: When Diplomacy Fails
Segregation Debated or Changed: The Little Rock Nine or the Ruby Bridges Story
Debated Diplomacy: The Cuban Missile Crises
Lincoln Douglas Debates: Precursor to War
Irish, Italians, Chinese: Debated Citizenship
Dropping the Bomb: Moral Debate
The Indian Reorganization Debate of 1934: Debated New Deal for Native Americans
Ben Franklin’s Diplomatic Mission to England: Failed diplomacy/successful revolution

What kind of projects can be entered? Entrees can be accepted as either a paper, an exhibit, a performance, a documentary, or a web site.

Who can enter? Middle school aged students compete in the junior division, those in high school in the senior division.

When are entries due? In the spring. If your entry is one of the best in your region, then it will compete at the sate level. Winners from each state go on to compete at the University of Maryland at College Park from June 12-16. Contact your district or state coordinator to find out more.

To give you an idea of what the competition is capable of, take a look at this 2007 group documentary winner (junior division) that I found on YouTube:

Revolutionary Times

2010-09-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

A couple of parents are in Revolutionary War trouble up to their eye-bobs and the “calvary” that comes to their rescue is none other than their thirteen year old son, Samuel. Gary Paulsen, one of our favorite storytellers, weaves another hard to put down tale about a boy who is just mastering the skills of wilderness survival when the war breaks out. Samuel gets caught up in Hessian raids, Indian attacks, British ambushes and tangled up with undercover patriots all in an effort to recover his folks. Woods Runner is a very empowering book for an early teen boy. It also offers an interesting perspective as Samuel travels from the very edge of the wild frontier to the pulse of the enemy, the British held city of New York. Come to think of it, it’s kind of reminiscent of the Hobbit, Frodo, making his way to the oh-so-scary Modor. Interspersed with an occasional fact page, your child is sure to learn much while enjoying this heart pounding story.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: The firearm issued to the British army during the Revolutionary War was the Brown Bess. It was just about 62" long. Create your own Brown Bess, at actual size! Just print out these nine pages, then use the numbers to line up all the sheets correctly, and tape. Since the printing won't go right up to the edge of the paper, you will have to do some vertical trimming. Here is Ryan with his Brown Bess..

Free Museum Admission Day

2010-09-17T05:50:00.000-07:00

Does your child have a museum named after them? Mine does. Shannon had fun using an empty bookshelf, filling it with items that tell her story and making a sign and placards. If you visit, you'll learn all about her hobbies, accomplishments and family tree. This has gotten her in the mood to visit, how shall I say it, a more official museum. Lucky for us, the Smithsonian sponsored free museum day is just around the corner.

Next Saturday, September 25, hundreds of museums are offering free admittance to one person, plus a guest. Whatever your interest there’s a museum for you: from The Oz Museum and the World Kite Museum Hall of Fame to the Toy and Miniature Museum and the Museum of Neon Art. Official tickets and a list of all the amazing participating museums can be found on the Smithsonian Museum Day website.

History of The World in Seven Minutes

2010-09-09T08:49:00.000-07:00

If you have seven minutes to spare, I suggest you use it learning 13 billion years of history...

Happy Thanksgiving from Florida!

2010-09-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

When we think of Thanksgiving we think of Plymouth Rock Pilgrims joining the Wampanoag tribe for a harvest feast in the fall of 1621. But 56 years before this celebration, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés arrived in present day St. Augustine, and he wanted to show his gratitude to God for a safe journey and a new land. The explorer planned a Thanksgiving feast that was enjoyed by the Spanish, with the local tribe of Timucuas as guests. This September 8th will mark the 445th anniversary of this event.

You will learn about this and other Florida history facts in Robyn Gioia’s, America's REAL First Thanksgiving. The contents of this 44 page book include.
1. The World in 1565
2. Uncharted Lands
3. Spain in the 1560s
4. Florida in the 1560's
5. The Timucua, St. Augustine's Native Americans
6. The Founding of St. Augustine, 1565
7. Day of Thanksgiving
8. St. Augustine Today

Also included are a cocido recipe, a timeline and a glossary. This is a must-have book for any child studying Florida history.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: On September 8, celebrate the first Thanksgiving with a big pot of cocido, a traditional Spanish stew. You’ll find the recipe at Spain Recipes.com.

BEACH WEEK - D-Day

2010-09-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

TITLE: Invasion: The Story of D-Day

AUTHOR: Bruce Bliven Jr.

WHO WAS AT THE BEACH? Allied and German forces

WHAT BEACH AND WHEN? Along a 50 mile stretch of coastline, in the Normandy area of France, on June 6, 1944, the greatest invasion in history was implemented by the allied armies.

WHAT HAPPENED? Paratroopers were badly scattered on the ground, amphibious vehicles took on seawater faster than bilge pumps could empty them and rifles became clogged with sand. This was a day of tragedies that somehow turned into triumph. That triumph part may well be owed to a handful of infantry men that were very determined to break through the German lines. It's these accounts that make Invasion: The Story of D-Day so interesting. It's a great overview of the battle that changed the tide of World War II.

Ages 12 and up
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Try this free online D-Day game.

BEACH WEEK - Fossil Finder

2010-09-02T05:59:00.000-07:00

TITLE: Mary Anning and the Sea Dragon

AUTHOR: Jennine Atkins

WHO WAS AT THE BEACH? Mary Anning, paleontologist extraordinaire, before paleontology was cool (or even actually thought of).

WHAT BEACH AND WHEN? In Lyme Regis, England in 1810, eleven year old Mary Anning made an amazing discovery!

WHAT HAPPENED? Mary was born to a struggling family. Her father was a cabinetmaker by trade, but collected fossils from the cliffs on the beach to sell to tourists. Mary was his frequent companion in this endeavor. Then when she was eleven he died, leaving the Annings even more destitute. Mary continued hunting for “curiousities” to help provide for her family. Soon after her father’s death she was the first person to ever uncover an ichthyosaur. She went on to make other important discoveries, most notably the first plesiosaur.

An inspiring tale of an amazing individual. I highly recommend this book.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Mary was uncovering fossils from the Jurassic period. Can you match the picture of the Jurassic creature with it’s name?

BEACH WEEK - Captain Kidd

2010-09-01T06:47:00.000-07:00

TITLE: Captain Kidd: Seventeenth-Century Pirate of the Indian Ocean and African Coast

AUTHOR: Aileen Weintraub

WHO WAS AT THE BEACH? Captain Kidd, a privateer turned pirate.

WHAT BEACH AND WHEN? On his way to New York City in 1699 to see his wife and daughters after three years at sea, Captain Kidd purportedly stopped at Gardiners Island on Long Island, New York to bury his treasure.

WHAT HAPPENED? Raised by a Presbyterian minister in Scotland, Kidd was hired in 1689 by the British to plunder enemy ships (especially those belonging to those dang French!) On one voyage his full crew was working under the “No Purchase, No Pay” agreement. This meant that if they didn't capture a ship, the crew wouldn't get paid. Ships to plunder were scarce, Kidd chickened out of capturing a couple they sailed near, the crew was getting restless to say the least, and then, out of desperation, Kidd attacked a (gasp) British ship. His badness pretty much spiraled out of control after that, and he willy nilly attacked ship after ship. He knew he was branded a pirate when he buried that treasure on Long Island, and hoped that he could use it as a bargaining chip in negotiations to avoid punishment. But, alas, he was hung in London in 1701 where his body was on display for years (geez!), and as for his treasure? It remains a mystery.

Ages 9 to 12
◊◊◊◊

You also might like this DVD produced by the History Channel, Investigating History - Captain Kidd.

Activity: Bury a treasure for your kids to find. Purchase a treasure chest from a craft store, shell shop or import store. Fill it with colored stones, costume jewelry, old or foreign coins, marbles, shells, sea glass and skeleton keys. Bury it and then use brown ink to draw a map to it on this old piece of paper you can print out. The paper is made available by http://ayelie-stock.deviantart.com/art. Once they have practice finding your buried treasure, then maybe they can tackle finding Captain Kidd's!

BEACH WEEK - Surfer of the Century

2010-08-31T05:45:00.000-07:00

TITLE: Surfer of the Century

AUTHOR: Ellie Crowe

WHO WAS AT THE BEACH? Duke Kahanamohi, a beachboy turned Olympian.

WHAT BEACH AND WHEN? Duke spent most of his time at Waikiki Beach in Hawaii perfecting his surfing and swimming in the early 20th century.

WHAT HAPPENED? When a local lawyer with an interest in swimming noticed how fast Duke cut through the water, he got involved in getting Duke into competitive races. Duke eventually won his first gold medal in Stockholm, Sweden in the 1912 Olympics. His interesting life included breaking many swimming records, along with some color barriers, a friendship with fellow Olympian and native American, Jim Thorpe and winning several Olympic medals for the U.S.A. team. He also developed the flutter kick, helped coach the Australian Olympic swim team, built his own surf boards, introduced surfing to Australia and the mainland of America, surfed for nearly two miles on a monster wave that was 30 feet high, acted in a couple of Hollywood movies, rescued eight people from a sinking boat via his surfboard, and served as sheriff of Honolulu. No wonder this guy is considered a legend!

Surfer of the Century is a beautifully illustrated tribute to Duke Kahanamohi.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: How fast can you swim the 100 meter freestyle? Duke’s fastest race time is recorded at 60.4 seconds. Can you beat that?

BEACH WEEK - First Flight

2010-08-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy enjoying the beach and so many other fun activities this summer that my blogging has ebbed. To make up for it I’m offering a flood of history that has happened at the beach...

TITLE: Will and Orv

AUTHOR: Walter A. Schulz

WHO WAS AT THE BEACH? This book details the day of the Wright Brother’s first flight through the eyes of Johnny Moore, a young Outer Banks native, who was, in fact, a witness to this historic event.

WHAT BEACH AND WHEN? The Wright Brother’s chose Kitty Hawk, North Carolina to test their flying machines because the wind blew everyday, the sand made for a soft landing and there were no trees or rocks to run into. Their first successful flight occurred on December 17, 1903.

WHAT HAPPENED? Johnny had gotten to know the Wright Brothers over the three summers they had come to Kitty Hawk to test their flying machines. In 1903 they stayed beyond summer to test their big glider with a motor they called the “Flyer.” The author tells the story of this historical day from the perspective of Johnny, starting with him leaving his house in the morning and ending with him celebrating the first successful flight later that day.

Your child will gain knowledge about not only the motor and propellers, but also the relationship between the Wrights and the locals, who often helped them. This book also drives home the point that the Wright Brothers developed the first method to enable an engine powered aircraft to go up, down and turn all with the Wrights own hand-made parts. These and other details are offered in a nicely paced little story that was first published in 1991, but has the charming qualities of one from the 1950’s.

Ages 4-8
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: If you have money to spare and lots of patience, make a replica of the Wright Brothers Plane with Legos. This set for collectors is selling for upwards of $200! Or, for more feasible fun, try this Wright Brothers coloring page from another post.

Bad News for Outlaws

2010-06-23T09:01:00.000-07:00

Everything about Bass Reeves was big: his shoulders, his hands, his hat, his horse, his mustache and his reputation for being a sure shot. But the biggest thing about him was his character. Vaunda Micheaux Nelson does an exemplary job of introducing this Texas born slave turned free man who fought for justice. In Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal, she chronicles how Reeves went about outwitting outlaws from 1875 to 1907. In that time he brought in over 3,000 bad guys, sometimes as many as 17 at once! Sadly, his own son was one of those 3,000. The tone of the telling puts you in an old west frame of mind and the illustrations are as right as rain. It was fun to find this forgotten hero.

Ages: 9-12

◊◊◊◊

Activity: You may be wondering, what do U.S. Marshals do? They apprehend more than half of all federal fugitives, protect the federal judiciary, operate the Witness Security Program, transport federal prisoners, conduct body searches, enforce court orders and Attorney General orders involving civil disturbances and acts of terrorism, execute civil and criminal processes, and seize property acquired by criminals through illegal activities.

Are you interested in becoming a U. S Marshal like Bass Reeves? Today you would have to meet these qualifications: be a U.S. citizen between the ages of 21 and 36, have a bachelor’s degree or three years of qualifying experience, have a good driving record and valid driver's license, complete a structured interview, meet medical qualifications, undergo a rigorous 17 1/2 week basic training program and be in excellent physical condition. Here are links to the fitness standards for men and the fitness standards for women. Can you do 33 push-ups, 40 sit-ups and run a mile and a half in 12:18? If so, you may well be on your way to being a U. S. Marshall. You can look here for more information.

A Spanish American War Hero

2010-06-20T15:40:00.000-07:00

Papa Tells Chita a Story is probably the only Spanish American War picture book in existence. In it, a black American shares a tall tale with his daughter about how he delivered a secret message to troops on the other side of Cuba. Some of his story is not true (GIANT snakes, and alligators and eagles, oh my!) but he does have a beautiful medal, so some of his story must be true.

This book is based on the story that Harry S. McCard, who had enlisted to earn money to go to medical school, told his real life daughter, Chita. After the war he became one of Baltimore’s first black doctors. I love how a photograph of this father and daughter is included in the back of the book.

Ages 4-8
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Earn your own medal. After you read a book, ride your bike without training wheels, go without television for a week, swim across the pool, eat all your vegetables or learn to tie your shoe, you’ll deserve a medal! Print these then cut them out, (I recommend glueing them to poster board and glueing the second gold page to the back before you cut them out) add a hole (I used a hole punch) for a ribbon and wear proudly! Be sure to write the date of your historic event on the back of your medal.

A Father Daughter Story

2010-06-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

I love this picture book. It is about a father and daughter reconnecting after he returns from World War II. The author remembers an adored over-sized flannel shirt from her own childhood. A similar shirt plays a pivotal role in Crow Call, as do slices of cherry pie and a crow call. With these simple elements a father and daughter begin to know each other again. The Andrew Wyeth like illustrations are stunning. This is a great selection for father's day.

Ages 6-12
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Who will be the first in your family to spot a crow? How many crows will you spot before school starts again in the fall? Here's what to look for...

A Dog’s Tale

2010-05-25T02:57:00.000-07:00

An unstoppable magnetic force occurred when my daughter spied this book cover. And when she got past the cover she could NOT put Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle down. Then, when I read this story of a stray dog in Iraq connecting with an American soldier stationed there and of the great lengths they went to be together, I confess, I cried.

Ages 4-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Here are three ways you can help dogs at your local shelter:

1. Go to the dogs

Besides walking and playing with the shelter dogs you could also help teach them to sit, stay, walk calmly on a leash or shake paws and they will be infinitely more adoptable.

2. Get the word (and pictures) out

Take photos and write descriptions of the animals with staff assistance and keep the shelters’ online, newspaper and other postings current. Publicly showcasing the animals that are at the shelter dramatically increases adoptions.

3. Donate food and other items

When you're buying food for your pet, why not pick up some food for the shelter animals? Shelters also need other items like blankets and sheets. Call your local shelter to ask what is on their wish list.

2010-2011 SSYRA

2010-05-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest Sunshine State Young Reader's Award (SSYRA) book list. The ones I’ve added a photo to are history themed and you can bet I’ll be making a priority of reading them :-)

SSYRA FOR GRADES 3-5

11 Birthdays
by Wendy Mass
Amanda and Leo, best friends with the same birthday, had a falling out on their tenth birthday and have not spoken since, but peculiar things begin to happen as the day of their eleventh birthday repeats itself again and again.

Bird Lake Moon
by Kevin Henkes
Twelve-year-old Mitch and his mother are spending the summer with his grandparents at Bird Lake after his parents separate, and ten-year-old Spencer and his family have returned to the lake where Spencer's little brother drowned long ago, and as the boys become friends and spend time together, each of them begins to heal.

Cicada Summer

by Andrea Beaty
Twelve-year-old Lily mourns her brother, and has not spoken since the accident she feels she could have prevented, but the summer Tinny comes to town she is the only one who realizes Lily's secret.

The Earth Dragon Awakes, The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906

by Laurence Yep
Eight-year-old Henry and nine-year-old Chin love to read about heroes in popular "penny dreadful" novels, until they both witness real courage while trying to survive the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Eleven

by Patricia Reilly Giff
When Sam, who can barely read, discovers an old newspaper clipping just before his eleventh birthday, it brings forth memories from his past, and, with the help of a new friend at school and the castle they are building for a school project, his questions are eventually answered.

The Girl Who Could Fly

by Victoria Forester
When farm girl Piper McCloud reveals her ability to fly, she is quickly taken to a secret government facility to be trained with other exceptional children, but she soon begins working with brilliant and wealthy Conrad to escape.

The Gollywhopper Games

by Jody Feldman
Twelve-year-old Gil Goodson competes against thousands of other children at extraordinary puzzles, stunts, and more in hopes of a fresh start for his family, which has been ostracized since his father was falsely accused of embezzling from Golly Toy and Game Company.

Kenny & the Dragon

by Tony DiTerlizzi
Book-loving Kenny the rabbit has few friends in his farming community, so when one, bookstore owner George, is sent to kill another, gentle dragon Grahame, Kenny must find a way to prevent their battle while satisfying the dragon-crazed townspeople.

Masterpiece
by Elise Broach
After Marvin, a beetle, makes a miniature drawing as an eleventh birthday gift for James, a human with whom he shares a house, the two new friends work together to help recover a Durer drawing stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Mogo, the Third Warthog
by Donna Jo Napoli
When Mogo is cast out of his burrow to make room for a new litter, he learns how to survive and an unlikely friendship with a young baboon blooms, Mogo finds the joy of friendship and love.

Obi, Gerbil on the Loose
by M. C. Delaney
Obie the gerbil must fend for herself in a dangerous household, consisting of a dog, three cats, a parrot, and a mouse hidden in the attic, when the Armstrongs go on vacation and instructions for taking care of Obie get lost.

Piper Reed: Navy Brat
by Kimberly Willis Holt
Piper is sad about leaving her home and friends behind when her father, a Navy aircraft mechanic, is transferred yet again, but with help from her often-annoying sisters and a surprise from their parents, she finds happiness in their new home in Pensacola, Florida.

Safe at Home
by Mike Lupica
Playing baseball was the one thing that made twelve-year-old Nick Crandall feel at home until he found acceptance with adoptive parents, but he faces a new struggle to fit in when he becomes the first seventh-grader ever to make the varsity baseball team.

The Seer of Shadows
by Avi
In New York City in 1872, fourteen-year-old Horace, a photographer's apprentice, becomes entangled in a plot to create fraudulent spirit photographs, but when Horace accidentally frees the real ghost of a dead girl bent on revenge, his life takes a frightening turn.

Someone Named Eva
by Joan M. Wolf
From her home in Lidice, Czechoslovakia, in 1942, eleven-year-old Milada is taken with other blond, blue-eyed children to a school in Poland to be trained as "proper Germans" for adoption by German families, but all the while she remembers her true name and history.

SSYRA FOR GRADES 6-8

Billy Creekmore
by Tracey Porter
Billy is taken from an orphanage to live with an aunt and an uncle of whose existence he was previously unaware. He enjoys his first taste of family life until his work in a coal mine and his involvement with a union bring trouble. He then joins a circus in hopes of finding his father.

The Boy Who Dared

by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
In October, 1942, seventeen-year-old Helmuth Hübener, imprisoned for distributing anti-Nazi leaflets, recalls his past life and how he came to dedicate himself to bring the truth about Hitler and the war to the German people.

Changeling

by Delia Sherman
In a parallel New York City, Neef, a changeling, breaks Fairy Law and will end up sacrificed to the Wild Hunt unless she can meet the challenge of the Green Lady of Central Park.

Diamonds in the Shadow
by Caroline B. Cooney
The Finches, a Connecticut family, sponsor an African refugee family of four, all of whom have been scarred by the horrors of civil war, and who inadvertently put their benefactors in harm's way.

Do Not Pass Go
by Kirkpatrick Hill
When Deet's father is jailed for using drugs, Deet learns that prison is not what he expected, nor are other people necessarily the way he thought they were.

Football Hero
by Tim Green
When twelve-year-old Ty's brother Thane is recruited out of college to play for the New York Jets, their Uncle Gus uses Ty to get insider information for his gambling ring, landing Ty and Thane in trouble with the Mafia.

The Great Wide Sea

by M. L. Herlong
Still mourning the death of their mother, three brothers go with their father on an extended sailing trip off the Florida Keys and have a harrowing adventure at sea .

I. Q.: Independence Hall

by Roland Smith
Teenagers Q and Angela become family when their rock star parents marry. While touring the United States together secrets about Angela’s believed to be dead mother are revealed.

Lawn Boy

by Gary Paulsen
Things get out of hand for a twelve-year-old boy when a neighbor convinces him to expand his summer lawn mowing business.

Lost Time

by Susan Maupin Schmid
Violynne, the twelve-year-old daughter of missing archaeologists on the planet Lindos, must solve the puzzle of her parents' disappearance before the dictatorial Arbiter captures her and forces her to do his bidding.

The Mailbox

by Audrey Shafer
When twelve-year-old Gabe tries to hide his uncle's death from the local authorities, he is not prepared for what happens when this secret is discovered.

Mercy on These Teenage Chimps

by Gary Soto
At age thirteen, best friends Ronnie and Joey suddenly feel like chimps--long armed, big eared, and gangly--and when the coach humiliates Joey in front of a girl, he climbs up a tree and refuses to come down.

The Seer of Shadows

by Avi
In New York City in 1872, fourteen-year-old Horace, a photographer's apprentice, becomes entangled in a plot to create fraudulent spirit photographs, but when Horace accidentally frees the real ghost of a dead girl bent on revenge, his life takes a frightening turn.

Smiles to Go

by Jerry Spinelli
Will Tuppence's life has always been ruled by science and common sense but in ninth grade, shaken up by the discovery that protons decay, he begins to see the entire world differently and gains new perspective on his relationships with his little sister and two closest friends.

Taken
by Edward Bloor
In 2036 kidnapping rich children has become an industry, but when thirteen-year-old Charity Meyers is taken and held for ransom, she soon discovers that this particular kidnapping is not what it seems.

When Will This Cruel War End?

2010-05-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

How would it feel to have your brother, your father and your boyfriend away at war? What would it be like having bands of the enemy army roaming through your property and taking your food supplies? How would you deal with being sequestered to the upper level of your home while enduring the noise and inconvenience of enemy officers using your home’s main floor as their headquarters?

The fictitious Emma addresses all this and more in When Will This Cruel War Be Over?: The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson, Gordonsville, Virginia, 1864. She reflects at times on her old life with it’s new pretty dresses and fine carriage rides but mostly writes about her current state of affairs, including what she is reading, news about the neighbors, who is sick, how difficult her cousin is being, her visits to the stable, the demise of her home and the arrival of letters from her boyfriend and her father. On Wednesday, November 23, 1864 part of her entry states, “At times I feel like I am a thousand years old—that is what this cruel war has done to me.”

What an excellent choice for entertaining reading that offers insight into the Civil War through confederate eyes. This is one of the many titles offered in the Dear America series. I reviewed another one, Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie: The Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell, here.

Ages 9 and up
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Tea and biscuits with apple butter may have been a typical breakfast for Emma. Use this recipe to make your own apple butter.

FIRST LADY WEEK: Martha Washington

2010-05-07T10:48:00.000-07:00

TITLE: Martha Washington: America's First Lady

AUTHOR: Jean Brown Wagoner

WHAT WAS HER BACKGROUND? Martha Dandridge, who was called Patsy by her family, was the oldest of eight children. She grew up on a Virginia plantation and spent her days sewing, riding, reading and playing with her siblings, cousins and even a pet bear cub. This book portrays a positive relationship between young Martha and all the people in her life, including the house slaves. Her’s was an isolated existence with little travel beyond the borders of the plantation, so the highlight of the year was the arrival of a supply ship that anchored near her home. This was a cause for great celebration as guests came from miles around for feasts, dances, horse races and fox hunts.

HOW DID SHE AND THE FUTURE PRESIDENT MEET? Martha lost two children and her first husband to illness and was managing a plantation alone. She was visiting friends who lived on a river near a ferry crossing. Her host noticed George Washington on the ferry and hurried out to invite him to dinner. Washington was already a French and Indian War hero and was commander in chief of the armies of Virginia.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: She was capable at a wide array of skills, from riding a horse to weaving cloth and sewing clothes. She had four children from her first marriage. Of these, two survived into early adulthood and made her a grandmother. She visited George Washington at Valley Forge and aided the sick, the hungry and the needy. After seeing that these men hardly had enough clothes to cover themselves she kept fifteen spinning wheels going day and night at Mount Vernon and pleaded with friends to also make cloth for the soldiers’ clothes.

Ages: 9-12

◊◊◊◊

This was a pleasant way to learn about Martha Washington. I was glad to discover that this book is in a Childhood of Famous Americans series that contains nearly 50 titles. What a great way for children to relate to those who have made history! Other titles in the series include: Milton Hershey: Young Chocolatier, Albert Einstein: Young Thinker, Crazy Horse: Young War Chief and Paul Revere: Boston Patriot.

Activity: Martha Washington had an unusual childhood pet. Can you match these out-of-the-ordinary pets with one of the following first families?

Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge or Hubert Hoover

A.     Silk Worms
B.     Opposum
C.     Racoon
D.     Mockingbird
E.     Badger
F.     Ram
G.    Turkey

You also might want to check out this interesting resource on presidential pets.

FIRST LADY WEEK - Ladybird Johnson

2010-05-06T14:32:00.000-07:00

TITLE: Miss Lady Bird's Wildflowers: How a First Lady Changed America

AUTHOR: Kathi Appelt

WHAT WAS HER BACKGROUND? Claudia Alta Taylor whom we know as Lady Bird Johnson, was born in Karnack, in eastern Texas in 1912. Her nanny proclaimed one day, “She’s as purty as a ladybird,” and the name stuck. A ladybird is another name for a ladybug. She had an enchanted, well-to-do though isolated childhood. Her mother died when she was only five. An aunt came to help raise her, and it is she who inspired Lady Bird to appreciate nature's beauty. Lady Bird enrolled in the University of Texas in 1930, at a time when it was unusual for women to attend college, and earned a degree in journalism.

HOW DID SHE AND THE FUTURE PRESIDENT MEET? While she was attending the university in Austin she met Lyndon Baines Johnson who was working as a congressional aid. He proposed on their first date.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: She had two daughters, Lynda and Luci. She introduced them to gardening but worried about other children playing in concrete parks and having no connection to growing plants. When her husband became president she poured her energy into the Highway Beautification Act. Highway landscapes changed because of that law. Road signs and depreis were better managed and native wildfloweres were planted. Later, when she was seventy, she helped establish the National Wildflower Research Center.

Illustrations filled with rich and vivid colors compliment the copy. This would make a great gift for the child with an interest in flowers.

Ages 9-12

◊◊◊◊

Activity: Here’s a great mother’s day gift idea. Print out this seed packet template, color it, glue up the sides and fill it with seeds. Your mother will love it!

FIRST LADY WEEK: Eleanor Roosevelt

2010-05-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

TITLE: Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery

AUTHOR: Russell Freedman

WHAT WAS HER BACKGROUND? Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the first child born to wealthy socialites in New York in 1884. Her father was President Teddy Roosevelt’s younger brother. Gawky and glum as a child, her mother died from diphtheria when she was only eight. Her dad, an alcoholic, died less than two years later. Eleanor and her younger brother were raised by her maternal grandmother, whose hands were already full with four unruly grown children.

HOW DID SHE AND THE FUTURE PRESIDENT MEET? They first met at a gathering for children from prominent families. Eleanor was fourteen and feeling unattractive, unfashionable and generally miserable when Franklin, her fifth cousin, asked her to dance. Three years later they met again by chance on a train and continued to run into each other at various parties, including the New Year’s Eve soiree of the recently elected Teddy Roosevelt.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Eleanor had a busy life. She raised five children, was a teacher, and a delegate to the United Nations. Unique to her time and position, she earned her own money by writing columns, lecturing and broadcasting, usually topping the president's salary. She gave most of this income to charity. She thrived being among the suffering masses and bringing their plight into the spotlight.

This is a well told account of a very interesting and influential woman.

Awards: Newbery Honor Book

Ages: 9-12

◊◊◊◊

Activity: Here is an Eleanor Roosevelt crossword puzzle.

FIRST LADY WEEK - Dolley Madison

2010-05-04T20:10:00.000-07:00

TITLE: Dolly Madison: First Lady

AUTHOR: Cynthia Fitterer Klingel

WHAT WAS HER BACKGROUND? Dolley Payne was born in what is now Guilford County, North Carolina in 1768 to Quaker parents. Quakers educated their daughters along with their sons, and Dolley was a bright student. The family eventually gave up the farming life and moved to Philadelphia where Dolley married a Quaker lawyer and had two sons. During the 1793 yellow fever epidemic, her husband and youngest son died.

HOW DID SHE AND THE FUTURE PRESIDENT MEET? Dolley was a looker and possessed an effervescent personality. In other words, she was a bit of a man magnet. James Madison, a congressman at the time, fell for her and proposed. She had misgivings...he was only 5'6" tall, was getting up there at the age of 42, and was Episcopalian. The first First Lady, Martha Washington, talked Mr. Madison up to Dolley because she and George were really rooting for this pairing. Dolley married James Madison in 1794.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: America adored her. She had a knack for entertaining and for soothing tensions between political parties as well as between foreign dignitaries. Not only was she the hostess with the mostest during her husband’s eight year presidencey, but also during the previous eight years for Jefferson, who was a widow when he was elected. During the war of 1812 she gained hero status. The British invaded Washington D. C. while James was away. Dolley had the wherewithal to gather important papers and a large painting of George Washington before fleeing. Soon after the British plundered the presidential residence and set the place on fire.

Ages: 9-12

◊◊◊◊

Activity: Dolley was the only First Lady that was raised as a Quaker. Numerous Quakers from many walks of life have become world-renowned. Can you find the Quaker in these groups?

Actor: A. Clark Gable B. John Wayne C. James Dean D. Paul Nueman
Suffragist: A. Elizabeth Cady Stanton B. Susan B. Anthony C. Lucy Burns D. Margaret Mitchell
President: A. Hubert Hoover B. Grover Cleveland C. Warren Harding D. Richard Nixon
Musician: A. Bonnie Raitt B. Taylor Swift C. Bruce Springsteen D. Alice Cooper
Scientist: A. Stephen Hawking B. Carl Sagan C. Jacques Cousteau D. John Bartram
Journalist: A. Edward R. Murrow B. Ann Coulter C. Ann Landers D. Elijah Lovejoy
Author: A. James Michener B. Stephen King C. Michael Chrichton D. John Grisham
Founding Father: A. Benjamin Franklin B. Paul Revere C. Thomas Paine D. Thomas Jefferson
Religious Leader: A. Billy Graham B. John Wesley C. Max Lucado D. William Penn

FIRST LADY WEEK - Abigail Adams

2010-05-03T09:47:00.000-07:00

From Martha to Michelle, America has had more than forty fabulous first ladies, as evidenced in Our Country's First Ladies. This National Geographic book is full of interesting details from the lives of Martha Washington on down to Laura Bush (it was published in 2007). The book dedicates a spread to each First Lady in chronological order that includes a full page portrait and a perfect amount of well written copy. Learn about the influence these women had on their husbands, about the different causes they took on as well as lots of other interesting tidbits. For instance, did you know that Lou Hoover was the first woman to get a geology degree from Stanford University or that Elizabeth Monroe played a pivotal role in saving the wife of Marquis de Lafayette from the guillotine? You’ll also discover that Julia Grant once hosted a White House dinner featuring 29 courses of food and that 21 year old Frances Cleveland was the youngest First Lady. This book is a pleasurable read and an appropriate choice for this week’s theme....First Ladies!

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊◊

I notice that for the same aged reader, DK published a book in 2008 that includes our newest First Lady, Michelle Obama. It has been my experience that you can always count on these Eye Witness books to be fabulous. This one is titled First Ladies and it includes a clip art CD.

Many of you have gotten to know Abigail Adams through the amazing HBO miniseries, John Adams. Following is an introduction to Abigail for the younger set....

TITLE: Abigail Adams

AUTHOR: Alexander Wallner

WHAT WAS HER BACKGROUND? The daughter of a reverend, Abigail was born in 1744 in Weymouth, Massachusetts near Boston. She was bright and wanted to attend school, but school was for boys in her mother’s opinion. So she spent a great deal of time in her father’s library reading and listening in on adult talk of current events.

HOW DID SHE AND THE FUTURE PRESIDENT MEET? When she was seventeen, she met the 26 year old lawyer, John Adams, who was a friend to her sister’s fiance. He was very impressed with her knowledge. They married a couple of years later.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: She gave birth to six children. Of those, four reached adulthood and of those, one became the sixth president of the United States. She was often responsible for managing the family’s farm and finances while her husband traveled. She was directly effected by the brewing storm between the colonials and Britain. She boycotted goods that carried British taxes by making them herself, sheltered Boston residents who were fleeing the city after the Boston Tea Party and tried to influence her husband’s opinion regarding rights for slaves and women in the new laws he was helping to create. Unfortuanetly one reply he gave was “I cannot but laugh.” Believing strongly in education she sent her daughter to school and taught a black servant, who was not allowed to attend school, how to read and write.

Illustrated in a folk art style, this book is an excellent way to acquaint your child with a strong and bright woman who was present during our country's founding.

Ages: 4-8

◊◊◊◊

Activity: Color Abigail and John Adams

Carl’s Cosmic Calendar

2010-05-03T06:51:00.000-07:00

Cosmos is the most watched American public television series in history, with over 500 million people having seen it. And you can add four more to that list.

On these seven DVDs Sagan has intrigued my family as he discusses the origins of life, space, DNA, intelligent design, the diversity of life, the evolution of cities, the speed of light, constellations, terraforming Mars, natural selection and even the early explorers, the Rosetta Stone and the Alexandria Library.

Sagan had a gift for making complex scientific concepts clear, as shown by this explanation of the beginning of the universe to the arrival of humans on this cosmic calendar.

Ages 9 and up
◊◊◊◊◊

Good Knight Stories

2010-04-29T09:19:00.000-07:00

The Barefoot Book of Knights is a cleverly presented retelling of seven tales from days of yore. Most of the stories originated in Europe, but the author also includes legends from Japan, Persia and Russia.

The stories are told through the kindly voice of Master William, the Armorer of the castle, who is in charge of several pages, including a young boy named Tom. When Tom doesn’t understand why a future knight, such as he, should have to wash dishes, or is envious of his brothers approaching knighthood, or is not cooperating with a fellow page, or is just homesick, Master William knows just the right story to set him straight.

Your child will gain a sense of what life was like for a ten year old page starting a new life at a castle. And he or she will relish listening in as Master William tells his tales!

Ages 6-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Knights first used decorated shields in battle as a way to identify allies from enemies. Here is a fun, free place to design your own shield and print it out.

You also might like this Knight Word Search from another post.

Free History DVD

2010-04-28T08:13:00.000-07:00

The History Channel is giving AMERICA The Story of Us DVDs to any school, including home schools, that request it. Requests must be made by July 1, 2010.

Learning to Read While Learning History

2010-04-27T07:43:00.000-07:00

This is what I was reading in 1st grade:

Given the choice, I would rather have been reading this:

Today we are bombarded with more choices than ever, whether we are in the shoe store, on the car lot or in the cereal aisle. In my day everyone was wearing saddle shoes, driving station wagons, eating Wheaties for breakfast and, of course, learning to read with Dick and Jane. Well, happily, that whole variety of options thing has carried over to beginning readers! Step Into Reading offers a batch of entertaining and educational titles on five levels. Step 1: ready to read (preschool to kindergarten), Step 2: reading with help (preschool to 1st grade), Step 3: reading on your own (1st to 3rd grade), Step 4: reading paragraphs (2nd to 3rd grade), Step 5: reading chapters (2nd to 4th grade).

Step 3 is a collection of over seventy books about nature, action heroes, princesses, witches, folk tales and familiar characters like Arthur. And I'm drooling over all the history titles available at this beginning reader level. Here they are:

Abe Lincoln's Hat
Babe Ruth Saves Baseball!
Barack Obama: Out of Many, One
The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto (my review)
Christopher Columbus
Dinosaur Days
Eat My Dust! Henry Ford's First Race
The First Thanksgiving
George Washington and the General's Dog (my review)
The Great Tulip Trade
Johnny Appleseed: My Story
Lewis and Clark: A Prairie Dog for the President
Listen Up!: Alexander Graham Bell’s Talking Machine
Man O'War: Best Racehorse Ever
The True Story of Pocahontas
Paul Revere's Ride

UNCHARTED TERRITORY WEEK: Apollo 11

2010-04-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

TITLE: Neil, Buzz, and Mike Go to the Moon

AUTHOR (and illustrator): Richard Hilliard

WHAT TERRITORY WAS EXPLORED AND WHEN? Humans stepped on the moon for the first time on July 20, 1969.

WHO DID THE EXPLORING? Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins were the first astronauts to fly to the moon. Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon, while Collins orbited it.

HOW WAS THE TRIP? This book describes how training evolved for these three astronauts who all started out as pilots in the U.S. military. When they were accepted into the NASA astronaut program they became members of the Mercury Project, which gave them practice controlling a capsule in outer space. Then this trio had to go through project Gemini, which gave them experience working and walking in space. These were followed by the Apollo program which had 17 missions. But, of course, this book focuses on Apollo 11, from it’s liftoff to it’s moon landing and then it’s Pacific splashdown.

WHAT WAS GAINED? Besides a collection of lunar rocks, soil and dust, a better sense of how humans can perform in space was gained. Back on Earth, American pride swelled with the knowledge that great minds working together were capable of accomplishing such an astonishing feat.

This book is illustrated with nice paintings and includes sidebars with more information.

Ages 4-9
◊◊◊◊

Activity: www.nasa.gov offers a fun interactive site called Nasa Kids' Club.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY WEEK: Dr. David Livingstone

2010-04-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

TITLE: The Story of David Livingstone

AUTHOR: Vautier Golding

WHAT TERRITORY WAS EXPLORED AND WHEN? From the mid 1840’s until his death in 1873 David Livingstone explored the unmapped interior of Africa. He searched for the source of the Nile and Congo Rivers and was the first European to see Mosi-oa-Tunya Waterfall, which he renamed Victoria Falls.

WHO DID THE EXPLORING? David Livingstone was born to a struggling Scottish family and worked long hours in a cotton mill beginning at the age of ten. He was an avid reader with a deep interest in nature, science and theology. By sheer determination he was able to study medicine and partake in missionary training. He longed to be a missionary in China but because of a war there he was sent to South Africa instead. Upon finding South Africa humming with missionaries he decided to go into the untapped interior of Africa for potential converts.

HOW WAS THE TRIP? He dealt with numerous encounters with wild animals, including attacks by a lion and a rhinoceros. Livingstone also endured drought, fever and transportation hardships. The deadly tsetse-fly feasted upon many of his beasts of burden, once killing his entire team of oxen within moments while they were pulling his wagon. Dehydration was a threat on a Kalahari Desert expedition while a leaky boat was a constant irritation on his Zamesi River expedition. He was witness to the evils of the slave trade with natives being bought or captured by the Portuguese and the Arabs. He would befriend a tribe of Africans and upon returning to their village years later find it decimated and empty, cleaned out and burned down by slavers. He once witnessed this very atrocity first hand.

WHAT WAS GAINED? When back in England, Livingstone wrote and lectured on the horrors he witnessed in relation to slavery. He awakened in his countrymen and others around the world a desire to put an end to this wicked activity. He advocated trade of natural resources along Central Africa’s natural commercial highway, the Zamesi River, as a replacement to slavery. He helped countless natives with his medical skills and other know-how, teaching them how to irrigate for instance. He mapped central Africa and opened it up for settlement. But most of all he was a good and kind influence. He was not sent to Africa “to get ivory and gold and slaves but to give a good message of wisdom, and to set men free.”

First published over a century ago, this books describes Livingstone as having a wonderful gift for finding his way into the hearts of men.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: I’ll bet Dr. Livingstone would rock at this game! Test your African geographic knowledge here.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY WEEK: Lewis and Clark

2010-04-21T09:05:00.000-07:00

TITLE: The Great Expedition of Lewis and Clark: by Private Reubin Field, Member of the Corps of Discovery

AUTHOR: Judith Edwards

WHAT TERRITORY WAS EXPLORED AND WHEN? In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson paid 15 million dollars to France for a vast tract of land between the Mississippi River and the Continental Divide. Little was known about the contents of this Louisiana Purchase. Jefferson commissioned the Corps of Discovery to explore from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, following the Missouri River. This journey took place from 1804 to 1806.

WHO DID THE EXPLORING? A party of 33 individuals headed by Meriwether Lewis, a U.S. Army Captain and personal friend of the president’s, and William Clark, who also served in the U. S. Army. This book is written from the perspective of Reubin Field, who was a young Kentucky farmer. When word got out that able woodsmen and hunters were needed to make the trip and would be compensated with land, men like Reubin applied for the expedition. A French trader, Toussaint Charonneau, and his young wife, Sacagawea, joined the expedition as interpreters, along with their brand new baby son that came to be called little Pomp.

HOW WAS THE TRIP? They traveled as much as they could by their keelboat and then canoes. When they couldn’t float they walked, wearing out scores of moccasins. The group encountered many native tribes, most of which were friendly, but some were not. They dealt with hoards of mosquitoes, a stampeding buffalo in their camp, an aggressive grizzly bear and considerable difficulty crossing the mountains.

WHAT WAS GAINED? Data was collected on previously unknown species of mammals, birds and plants and about available resources, especially in regard to the all important fur trade. Knowledge was gained about the tribes living in this area. This expedition ruled out the hope that there was a water route to the Pacific and provided other geographic details. This undertaking also opened the door for westward expansion.

A few years ago the 200th anniversary of this historical event was celebrated, and a slew of great books on this subject were published. I haven’t had a chance to read them all, but am amazed at the variety offered from different points of view, including:

Sacagawea: They Call Me Sacagawea and I Am Sacajawea, I Am York: Our Journey West with Lewis and Clark

York, Clark’s slave: York's Adventures with Lewis and Clark: An African-American's Part in the Great Expedition and I Am Sacajawea, I Am York: Our Journey West with Lewis and Clark

Seaman, Lewis’s dog: Seaman's Journal: On the Trail With Lewis and Clark, The Captain's Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe, Lewis and Clark and Me: A Dog's Tale and Seaman: The Dog Who Explored the West With Lewis and Clark

Lewis and Clark: How We Crossed The West: The Adventures Of Lewis And Clark, Lewis and Clark (In Their Own Words) and Off the Map: The Journals of Lewis and Clark

Natural History: Animals on the Trail with Lewis and Clark and Plants on the Trail with Lewis and Clark

Native Americans: Bad River Boys: A Meeting of the Lakota Sioux with Lewis and Clark

Ages 6-9
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Here's a Lewis and Clark National Geographic Interactive Game.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY WEEK: Magellan

2010-04-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

TITLE: Who Was Ferdinand Magellan?

AUTHOR: S. A. Kramer

WHAT TERRITORY WAS EXPLORED AND WHEN? It took awhile, from 1519 to 1522, but this was the first time a route around the circumference of the globe was sailed.

WHO DID THE EXPLORING? Portuguese born Ferdinand Magellan convinced King Charles I of Spain to supply him with five ships, supplies for two years and a crew of about 250 men so he could sail west and find the elusive route to the Spice Islands.

HOW WAS THE TRIP? Magellan overcame many obstacles... mutiny attempts, storms at sea, endless days of no wind, a supply ship that deserted him, a hard to find passage to the Pacific Ocean, a wrecked ship, a Pacific Ocean that was far wider than imagined, and rampant starvation and scurvy among his crew. After all of that he met his end in the Philippines where he was killed by a band of angry natives. Lacking it's fearless leader, one of the five original vessels limped back to Spain with eighteen souls on board.

WHAT WAS GAINED? A boat load of spices for Spain and knowledge of the size of the world and a better understanding of it's geography. This opened the door for more trade and exploration.

We like this Who Was....? series! I have also reviewed: Who Was Amelia Earhart? and Who Was Leonardo da Vinci?

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: How well do you know him? Test your Magellan knowledge here.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY WEEK: Marco Polo

2010-04-19T17:10:00.000-07:00

TITLE: The Adventures of Marco Polo

AUTHOR: Russell Freeman

WHAT TERRITORY WAS EXPLORED AND WHEN? China and other parts of Asia from 1271 to 1295

WHO DID THE EXPLORING? An Italian merchant family, Marco Polo along with his father and uncle.

HOW WAS THE TRIP? Marco Polo’s father and uncle had been on a trading trip to Russia and met Kublai Khan while trying to steer clear of a war on their return to Italy. The Great Khan requested they return to him with 100 men learned in the Christian religion and some oil from the lamp that burned at the church of the Holy Sepulchre (the tomb of Jesus). They went back towards Italy, collected the oil, two friars and seventeen year old Marco and headed east again. After nearly twenty-four years of rugged traveling mixed with some luxurious living as envoys for Kublai Khan, they returned again to Italy. This time Venice was at war with Genoa and Marco Polo was captured in a sea battle and imprisoned for a year with, as luck would have it, a writer. Marco’s epic adventure became scribed over and over again. It was titled The Description of the World and it’s impact on the medieval mind was HUGE.

WHAT WAS GAINED? The Polo’s gained riches and they spread geographic and cultural knowledge. Prior to their travels, Europeans had never seen coal, or paper money or thought about religious freedom or considered taking a bath more than about once a year.

This is a beautiful book with many first person accounts from The Description of the World.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: We like this game that follows Marco Polo's route as you answer questions about his travels.

A 5,000 Year Old Epic

2010-04-16T07:05:00.000-07:00

These stories about a part god/part man king named Gilgamesh are reminiscent of ancient Greek mythology, but they are more ancient. In fact, they were originally written on clay tablets some 5,000 years ago. Ludmila Zeman has taken these older than dirt Mesopotamian tales and created a kid-friendly, beautifully illustrated trilogy. Besides the lessons in friendship, loyalty, leadership, love and good versus evil, readers will also be exposed to what life in the long ago city of Uruk, situated in present day Iraq, was like. Titles in this series include Gilgamesh the King, The Revenge of Ishtar and The Last Quest of Gilgamesh.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Can you put a story on a clay tablet that someone else can decipher? We started by making our own Mesopotamian Mud (home made play dough). Here is the recipe we used:

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 tb oil
1/2 tb cream of tartar
Food Coloring:
Red: 30 drops
Green: 20 drops
Yellow: 15 drops

Stir ingredients together then cook over medium heat. Stir until liquid ingredients become solid.

Here is Shannon's cuneiform. She wrote about two friends finding a bird's nest containing eggs. I read it without even stumbling!

To see and find out more about cuneiforms check out these sites:
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
Hearst Museum of Anthropology, Berkeley, California
Horn Museum, Berrien Springs, Michigan
Kelsey Museum of Archeology, Ann Arbor, Michigan
New York Public Library, New York, New York
USC Archaeological Collection, Los Angeles, California
The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland

2010-04-14T08:55:00.000-07:00

This quote really resonates with me this week. I lost my very dear aunt on Saturday and mailed in our taxes on Tuesday.

“Certainty? In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.”

—Ben Franklin

The Sailor’s Alphabet

2010-04-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

The Sailor's Alphabet is a must for any child that loves ships. The words are an actual sea shanty from the 1800’s. Each page is dedicated to a letter of the alphabet and a part of a 1837 United States Navy frigate.

A is the anchor and that you all know,
B is the bowsprit that’s over the bow,
C is the capstan with which we heave ’round,
and D are the decks where sailors are found.....

A definition is also provided for each part. For instance: CAPSTAN: A large, spool shaped winch on a ship’s deck that is used for hauling up sails or anchors. It is turned by sailors using capstan bars.

Illustrated with an appealing woodcut style and printed on attractive ivory paper, this book has that something special feeling.

Ages 6-9
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Learn to tie a bowline. This cool site shows animated knots.

Flying Through Geography

2010-03-31T09:04:00.000-07:00

Maybe it’s because we live in Florida and we don’t have dreary days without end, but my kids do not invest much time in playing board games. Then lo and behold, Ryan got Take Off! out the other day and we were all reminded of what a fun game it is. The object is to be the first to fly your plane through the two hemispheres, landing at airports hither and yon as you go. This is a fabulous way of familiarizing yourself with all the nooks and crannies in this world as you fly across the LARGE laminated map. It's just PLANE fun!

Down on Their Luck

2010-03-29T08:03:00.000-07:00

Finding Daddy: A Story of the Great Depression is the story of one family’s desperation during a dismal time in our nation’s history. When times were good, the father and daughter enjoyed making music together. But when the father looses his job he sells his violin, they move to a shanty, food gets scarce and the mother takes in laundry. When the struggling father is told by a neighbor how useless he is, he feels ashamed and deserts his loved ones. The daughter finds him and a way to help the family’s finances. She encourages him to make music with her again, this time for an audience and for tips. Filled with evocative illustrations, it includes a photographic time line, as well as the words to a popular song from that era, Happy Days Are Here Again.

What a great lesson for children.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Memorize the words to “Happy Days Are Here Again” Here are the lyrics:

And here you can hear it.

Tales of Castro

2010-03-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever REALLY wanted to walk out of a bad movie? Or leave a boring class lecture? Or escape the dentist’s waiting room as the sound of the drill looms beyond? Now try to imagine that aching urge to leave being a constant part of your life and that the thing you want to escape is your government.

In Leaving Glorytown: One Boy's Struggle Under Castro, Eduardo F. Calcines recounts his life in Cuba from the time he was five during the Bay of Pigs Invasion until he boarded a plane to Miami when he was 14. I thought his writing a little dry for the first chapter or so, BUT THEN Calcines really hits his stride and all the characters pop. You get to know his family, his friends (some are Communists), his teachers, the intimidating thugs that show up at block parties and the classmate who messes with his mind by telling him his mother is home “turning tricks” while his dad is at work camp. In fact she was home baking vanilla sugar cakes to sell on the black market in order to survive, literally.

His memories of Cuba are of Castro’s voice droning on and on over loud speakers, long lines for rationed food, feeling hungry, soldiers taking his dad away in the middle of the night and being humiliated by teachers who called him a “worm” after his parents applied for an exit visa. But his memories also include the song of birds, the sounds of adults playing dominoes on porches at night, the smell of tropical flowers and Cuban coffee, blue water and the movie house.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the realistic dialog between characters, the way the author captures his close relationship with his family, in particular his father, and the ANTICIPATION!!! When will the visa approval telegram arrive???? When will they get to America??? I was left with the impression that these are good people, and that Castro’s loss was America’s gain. And I was reminded of another growing up in a Communist country book I reviewed: Mao and Me.

Ages 12 and up
◊◊◊◊◊

In order to learn more about Castro I picked up a copy of Fidel Castro: Cuban President and Revolutionary at the library. It was published just last year. Here’s what I learned:

His father owned a successful sugar plantation
His mother was his Dad's housekeeper (they weren’t married, but married later)
He resisted being controlled by authority figures (hmm, then he became one)
He was involved in the revolution in Colombia
He earned a law degree
He detested the Cuban dictator, Batista, who arrested those who opposed him and strictly controlled the government, press and public opinion (hmm, and then he wound up doing those things)
He served time in prison for trying to overthrow Batista
He trained for guerrilla warfare in Mexico
While hiding in the Sierra Maestra hills after another unsuccessful attempt to over throw Batista’s regime Castro was interviewed by the New York Times.
Castro’s forces grew and Batista fled to the Dominican Republic
Castro became Commander in Chief and named Judge Manuel Urrutia Lleo president, but over time eased his way into complete power
He redistributed land, controlled the press, punished those who opposed him and nationalized private industry
He had a positive impact on literacy and provided free medical care

I also learned about the Bay of Pigs, The Cuban Missle Crisis, the Muriel Boat Lift, his relations with other nations and all things Castro. This book would be real asset for anyone working on a research paper.

Ages 12 and up
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Here is a Castro crossword puzzle.

An Interview with Bessie Coleman

2010-03-24T05:30:00.000-07:00

Instead of writing a report on Bessie Coleman, Shannon opted to write her own questions and answers for an interview. She had fun playing the part and learned a lot too. And without further ado, here’s Bessie...

Leonardo da Vinci

2010-03-22T09:52:00.000-07:00

This painting, Young Girl with Ermine, and the most famous painting ever, the Mona Lisa, are two of only ten paintings that Leonardo da Vinci was known to have finished. I took Art History in college but I don’t recall learning that, along with so much more I found in the 100 pages of Who Was Leonardo da Vinci? This book is an artist’s delight with it’s tales of making brushes, painting techniques, and determining subject matter.

Leonardo was born out of wedlock to a well-to-do young man and a peasant girl, neither of which cared to raise him. It’s hard to believe that someone from these awkward and lonely beginnings wound up immortalizing himself through his creative mind and outstanding abilities. To put the timing of his life into perspective, he was finishing his masterpiece The Last Supper the same year Christopher Columbus was making his third voyage to the New World. Besides having a gift for capturing a mood with a paintbrush he was also an adept inventor, musician, engineer and scientist. The book details many of his clever ideas, loosely replicating his work in a casual pen and ink style that made me long to see the real thing. I do feel this book is a great children’s introduction to this 15th century genius.

Also included are sidebars on the making of parchment and paper, art apprenticeships, the Renaissance, astronomy, Raphael, Michelangelo, and drawing techniques.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Can you imagine if the Mona Lisa was painted today? What would she be wearing? What would be in the background? Print out this Mona Lisa template and with markers, create your own modern day masterpiece.

Who Was St. Patrick?

2010-03-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

This 59 second clip from the History Channel will give you a REALLY quick look at St. Patrick. Hope you are all enjoying your St. Patrick’s Day.

The Origins of Vampires

2010-03-17T05:29:00.000-07:00

Inspiration is a miraculous thing. Where does it come from? What inspired the creation of Snow White, Star Wars or Count Dracula? I’m not sure, but according to Vlad the Impaler: The Real Count Dracula, the later was inspired by a Romanian prince with a very unpleasant personality. Although there had been tales of vampires for hundreds of years, it was an Irishman named Bram Stoker who borrowed Vlad Dracula’s name, his castle in the Carpathian Mountains and a bit of his bloody reputation to create the novel titled Dracula in 1897.

Born in 1431, Vlad was named after his father, Vlad Dracul. Dracul was the Romanian word for “dragon.” Vlad Sr. took that as his last name after joining the Order of Dragons. This was a group of 23 royal leaders who vowed to protect the Holy Roman Empire from the advancing Turks. Vlad’s young offspring became known as Vlad Dracula, meaning “little dragon.”

Unlike Count Dracula, Vlad Dracula was not known for sucking blood out of people. But he did seem to thrive on killing people. His preferred method, as you can surmise from the title of the book, was impalement. He held a grudge against the upper crust, so he impaled them. The Germans didn’t hand over his half brother so he impaled them. One woman didn’t sew her husband’s clothes to Vlad’s satisfaction so he impaled her. He displayed the impaled. He dined among the impaled. He reveled in the impaled. One monk reported that he dipped his bread in his impaled victim’s blood before eating it. Yuck! Just to mix things up a bit, he also burned live people to death, hacked people to death and worked people to death. It is estimated that Vlad killed 40,000 all told.

If your child is fascinated by the morbid, than this book is for him/her. And on the positive side they will gain a sense of what life was like in this tumultuous part of the world in the 15th Century. It includes sidebars on Black Death, Constantinople and three empires: Holy Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman, as well as a timeline and glossary. It is a “feels good in your hands” sized book and it's part of Scholastic’s Wicked History series. Other titles in this series include: Genghis Khan: 13th Century Mongolian Tyrant, Ivan the Terrible: Tsar of Death, Mary Tudor: Courageous Queen or Bloody Mary?, Henry VIII: Royal Beheader and Hannibal: Rome's Worst Nightmare.

Ages 12 and up
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Sink your teeth into a pastry that shares it’s geographic origins with Dracula (though this luscious snack is now associated with Hungary). Rest assured, good things have come out of Transylvania! Here is the recipe for Chimney Cakes. I found it at a National Geographic Travel blog.

American Girl

2010-03-11T19:08:00.000-08:00

American Girl has a knack for publishing great books for girls and these Welcome to _______’s World titles are no exception. Plus what a selection:

Welcome to Felicity's World, 1774: Growing Up in Colonial America
Welcome to Kirsten's World, 1854: Growing Up in Pioneer America
Welcome to Addy's World, 1864: Growing Up During America's Civil War
Welcome to Josefina's World 1824: Growing Up on America's Southwest Frontier
Welcome to Samantha's World-1904: Growing Up in America's New Century
Welcome to Kit's World, 1934 : Growing Up During America's Great Depression

I am impressed by the amount of information in these generously sized books. In Welcome to Molly's World,1944: Growing Up in World War Two America the pages are brimming with collage style layouts. You learn not only about the causes and logistics of the war but about how it effected the work force, fashions and lifestyles on the home front. Interspersed among all the interesting details are stories of Roosevelt’s fireside chats, British orphans and a leukemia afflicted Japanese girl, Sadako.

Unfortunately it appears that these are out of print. But luckily they are still available through out-of-print sources.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Help Molly lend a hand on the home front. Here is a fun online game from American Girl!

The History of Energy

2010-03-10T10:30:00.000-08:00

Cavemen gathering around a fire, Benjamin Franklin flying a kite in a lightening storm and a mushroom cloud exploding over Hiroshima; everything you think about when you think of energy is here, and more. The History of Energy contains over fifty pages filled with data about fire, wind, water, coal, steam, oil and nuclear energy. There is lots of cause and effect to boot. Did you know that in order to power his lightbulbs, Thomas Edison built the first commercial power station? Did you ever think about how nuclear energy was a precursor to procedures in the medical field...radiation therapy and CT scans for instance? Did you ever consider what a dangerous mess it was to fill your car with gasoline before there were gas stations?

This book follows the chronological order of man's attempts to harness energy while making the distinction between renewable and nonrenewable. And speaking of nonrenewable, it is amazing to realize that the first big oil boom was just 109 years ago. Think of all the oil we have used up since then! A detailed timeline is included.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Imagine what future skies will look like filled with solar powered flight! The Aviation and Space Education Commission is sponsoring a poster contest titled Flying With the Sun. The deadline is April 12. Here is more information.

Playaway

2010-03-09T08:14:00.000-08:00

In preparation for a family car trip I grabbed what I thought were a couple of “books on tape” while at the library. But later when we opened the cases this is what we found inside, minus the ear buds and the AAA battery (we supply those):

This was our introduction to Playaways. They are a pre-loaded digital audio player. They offer a lot of advantages. They are so compact and portable, you can walk with them. Wherever you press stop is where the audio will begin when you press start. Yay! And Ryan, who has been shying away from reading ever since his optometrist father claimed he was getting nearsighted, has been devouring books on Playaway. And I have to admit, I love that he's giving his eyes a break. These are expensive, about $35 or more to buy, but I think most libraries are carrying them now. We really recommend them.

Barnes and Noble vs Amazon

2010-03-05T11:13:00.000-08:00

I'm in a scrounging for books frame of mind this week. I've been reading a couple of interesting books but have decided to wait and review them with other related titles.

In the mean time I was poking around the Barnes and Noble and Amazon websites. I like to compare them. I also find it very interesting to have foxnews.com open in one window and cnn.com open in a different one, but that's another story. Anyway, at Barnes and Noble my click pattern goes like this: Kids>Subjects>See All Subjects>History. Here I can search inside of this little history niche for sports or dogs or art or whatever which often conjures up some unique history titles. In contrast, at Amazon I click first on Books>Children's Books>History & Historical Fiction. Here I can't search in this narrower history field. And check out how different the top selling children's history lists are at each site:

I see some titles I gotta read! I also see some titles on that Amazon list that make me go “huh?” Would you call 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea a history book??? And that Leprechaun in Late Winter title kind of threw me for a loop. But it turns out it does introduce a historical figure, Lady Gregory. And what is up with two Anne Franks and two Holocaust titles appearing within the top ten on the Barnes and Noble list? I also notice that no single title is shared by both lists.

The bottom line is that I like searching for books at bn.com. But I like how the reviews are organized at Amazon. I like that shipping is free on orders of $25 or more at Amazon and usually order from them. But if I need a single title I call my local Barnes and Noble and if they don't have it they order it for me and I pick it up at the store without paying shipping. And I love their store. Sometimes, on those rare evenings when the kids are hither and yon, and we're not sure what to do with ourselves, my husband and I go hang out at Barnes and Noble. It's nice.

So, which site do you prefer?

Great Blogs

2010-03-03T10:53:00.000-08:00

Discovered some new blogs recently. Ryan is learning his countries in Africa and when I googled "blank African map" for him to fill in for practice I discovered the Free Printable Maps blog. Wow. We’ll be visiting this place again and again. And to show just how thankful I am for this site, here's Ryan's graded test:

While there I noticed a link to Free Coloring Pages. Though most of these are very juvenile, the site did offer a link to several pages of Barack Obama and the Statue of Liberty if any of you happen to need them.

Library of Books, Links & More offers links to loads of topics, including my two favorites, history and geography. Look on the left hand side, eighth subject down. There I spied the Best of History Website. What a treasure trove!

I also enjoyed coming across Karen’s History Project blog this week. She has collected many great history links as well. One that looks particularly interesting is called Picturing History.
Under the Lessons in Looking section of that site I read a thought provoking analysis of how slaves have been depicted in art.

SNOW WEEK - 5,000 Year Old Ice Man

2010-02-26T14:03:00.000-08:00

TITLE: Frozen Man

AUTHOR: David Getz

WHO WAS WHERE IN THE SNOW? A man, nicknamed Ötzi the Iceman, died in the Italian Alps about 3,300 B.C. His mummified body was discovered by hikers in 1991.

AMAZING FACTS ABOUT THIS EVENT: This book describes the discovery, recovery and scientific study of a man who met his demise during the copper age, some 5,000 years ago. Many of his personal belongings were recovered as well, including clothes and shoes sewn with amazing skill, a copper ax, a flint knife, a bow and arrows, birch bark baskets, berries, mushrooms, and a fire-starting kit. It is also interesting to note that he bore tattoos.

This book was published in 1996 and at that time it was surmised that Ötzi got caught in an unexpected snow storm and froze to death. In 2001 x-rays and a CT scan were performed on Ötzi and showed that an arrowhead was lodged in his shoulder. It is now believed that this killed him. For children with an interest in the work of medical examiners, I would encourage them to do further research on Ötzi. It is AMAZING the knowledge obtained from these scans as well as from tests on his DNA, his hair, his one existing nail, his teeth and so on. Scientists have pinned down the time of year he died, the contents of his last two meals, where he lived as a child and as an adult, how he spent his time, the fact that he was infertile, that he had intestinal parasites, and that he was sick for about two weeks a couple of months before he died.

Ages 9 to 12
◊◊◊◊

I have not had the opportunity to read Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past, but see it was published in 2008 and am sure it contains more updated information on Ötzi. It also discusses discoveries of Incan children sacrificed to the gods and the recovered body of George Mallory, who died trying to climb Mt. Everest.

Activity: The Museum in Italy where Ötzi is now on display offers interactive internet activities for children where they can do things like Take a Walk with Ötzi.

SNOW WEEK - Conquering Everest

2010-02-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

TITLE: Triumph on Everest: A Photobiography of Sir Edmund Hillary

AUTHOR: Broughton Coburn

WHO WAS WHERE IN THE SNOW? Edmond Hillary, a New Zealander, along with a Nepalese Sherpa named Tenzing Norgay, were the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest at 11:30 a.m. on May 29, 1953.

AMAZING FACTS ABOUT THIS EVENT: We would never have heard of Hillary if not for Tenzing. His quick thinking saved Hillary from what would have been a fatal crevice fall as they began to ascend Everest. After his Everest adventure, and being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, Hillary set out to fulfill his childhood hero’s goal. Ernest Shakleton had not traversed Antarctica but Hillary accomplished this feat in 1958. Then he devoted most of his life to creating schools, medical access and ecological stability for the people of Nepal through the Himalayan Trust , which he founded. All of this from one adventurous man who started his life as a beekeeper!

This is an interesting National Geographic Society book with pictures aplenty.

Ages 9 to 12
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Can you name the highest mountain on each continent?

SNOW WEEK - Balto to the Rescue

2010-02-24T11:37:00.000-08:00

TITLE: The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto

AUTHOR: Natalie Standiford

WHO WAS WHERE IN THE SNOW? Gunnar and his team of dogs led by Balto were living in Nome, Alaska in January of 1925 when two children came down with diphtheria.

AMAZING FACTS ABOUT THIS EVENT: Diphtheria would surely kill the two sick children and spread to others if the serum could not be brought to Nome from Anchorage, 800 miles away. A train attempted to make the journey with the serum but became stuck in deep snow after traveling 100 miles. It was decided to set up a dog-sled relay. Balto's team was to be the second to last team. They nearly lost the medicine in a snow bank, nearly lost the team in cracking ice, and nearly lost the trail in a blowing snow storm. Then, when there was no sign of the next relay driver, Gunnar drove his exhausted team on to Nome. After being on the trail for 20 hours straight and traveling 53 miles they successfully delivered the serum.

Your child will feel the sense of urgency as he or she reads this Step Into Reading Level 3 book. It’s an inspirational story delightfully told.

Ages 4 to 8
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Try this Balto word search.

SNOW WEEK - Crossing the Delaware

2010-02-23T15:56:00.000-08:00

TITLE: When Washington Crossed the Delaware: A Wintertime Story for Young Patriots

AUTHOR: Lynne Cheney

WHO WAS WHERE IN THE SNOW? George Washington and his dilapidated army crossed the Delaware River from Pennsylvania to attack the Hussians (German fighters hired by the British) in Trenton, New Jersey on December 25, 1776.

AMAZING FACTS ABOUT THIS EVENT: The downtrodden, ill-equipped, rag-tag Americans took by surprise the best trained army in the world. They were rallied by the words of Thomas Paine, “these are the times that try mens souls,” as they prepared for the crossing. 2,400 men and eighteen cannons moved over the ice-laden Delaware that night then marched the nine miles to Trenton where they captured nearly 900 unsuspecting Hessians. They regrouped and took on thousands of British and Hessian troops near Princeton, miraculously gaining the upper hand there as well. Among the American soldiers were Alexander Hamilton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and James Monroe, who was injured in the fight and later became our nation’s fifth president.

What a well written, designed and illustrated way to introduce children to this pivotal moment in American history. The book is punctuated with many quotes including this one:

I remember reading in my youth a small book – The Life of Washington—and of all his struggles none fixed itself on my mind so indelibly as the crossing of the Delaware preceding the battle of Trenton...I am exceedingly anxious that the object they fought for —liberty, and the Union and Constitution they formed—shall be perpetual.

—Abraham Lincoln, February 21, 1861

Ages 9 to 12
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: The Mount Vernon web site offers a nice coloring page of Washington crossing the Delaware. You'll find it through this link.

SNOW WEEK - Shakleton

2010-02-22T09:25:00.000-08:00

Blizzards and Winter Games. The headlines this season got me wondering about historical events that have happened in the snow. Following will be a few reading suggestions for those who haven't had enough of winter yet.

TITLE: Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance

AUTHOR: Jennifer Armstrong

WHO WAS WHERE IN THE SNOW? This is the true story of Irishman, Ernest Shakleton's 1914 to 1916 British funded exploration of Antarctica.

AMAZING FACTS ABOUT THIS EVENT: This is one of the greatest tales of survival in expedition history. After the expedition’s ship Endurance became trapped in sea ice, it stayed frozen fast for ten months until it was crushed and destroyed by ice pressure. The crew was forced to abandon ship. After camping on the ice for five months, Shackleton made two open boat journeys, one of which—a treacherous 800-mile ocean crossing to South Georgia Island—is now considered one of the greatest boat journeys in history. Crossing the mountains of South Georgia on foot, Shackleton reached the island's remote whaling station, organized a rescue team, and saved all of the men he had left behind.

I marvel at the fact that not a soul was lost, that they endured two harsh Antarctic winters in wool clothing and that the amazing photos taken during the adventure survived.

Ages 12 and up
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: What would you rescue from the sinking Endurance? Try this link at this NOVA site.

The Great Escape: Tunnel to Freedom

2010-02-20T05:28:00.000-08:00

Ryan just spent any available time he had with his nose in The Great Escape: Tunnel to Freedom. He was fascinated by this true story of 200 German prisoners of war building a tunnel and disposing of all the displaced sand right under their guards noses.

I noticed it is a Sterling Point Book. I reviewed another of their books last week, The Stout-Hearted Seven: Orphaned on the Oregon Trail. This publishing house produces a bounty of history titles for children, including Alexander the Great, John Paul Jones: The Pirate Patriot and George Washington: Frontier Colonel.

Since I did not read The Great Escape, I decided to interview Ryan and get his opinion for this post.

Ages 12 and up
◊◊◊◊

Activity: It's a big job to build a human-sized tunnel. If you have a pet gerbil or kitten, you could build one for them. Tape together the middle section (after you cut off the top and bottom) of plastic liter bottles or the boxes that soda cans come in. Keep in mind that to build a tunnel of comparable length to the one in the book you will need approximately 300 boxes or 600 liter bottles.

Tuskegee Airmen - Wind Flyers

2010-02-17T07:41:00.000-08:00

Wind Flyers is a beautifully illustrated introduction to the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II. It tells the story of a young boy's love of flight leading him on a journey to war torn skies, and then home again with a lasting pride in his accomplishments.

The author includes a note that explains how these segregated squadrons came to be, and how Tuskegee, Alabama produced six hundred pilots and 145,000 support personnel.

Ages 4-8
◊◊◊◊

Activity: Children between 8 and 17 interested in flying can become a Young Eagle and receive a free local airplane ride. Here are the details.

FREE CLIP ART - Washington & Lincoln

2010-02-15T14:23:00.000-08:00

In honor of President’s Day, here is complimentary clip art
of George Washington, and here is Abraham Lincoln.

Civil War Reenactment

2010-02-15T11:14:00.000-08:00

Ryan and I stepped back in time this weekend at the annual Olustee Battle Reenactment. These pine woods are the site of Florida’s largest Civil War battle which occurred on February 20, 1864.

It was cold, but thankfully sunny. I enjoyed walking around the authentic campsites while reenactors cooked in iron pots and played fiddles around campfires. Besides soldiers, many others were dressed in period clothing, lots of women among them, including one in black mourning dress and veil. We also saw a very convincing Frederick Douglas.

The battlefield was lined with bleachers on one side. From this vantage point I especially liked seeing the cavalry maneuvers. Ryan on the other hand couldn’t seem to get enough of the giant smoke rings produced by the cannon fire. And back in the vendor's tents he couldn’t resist handling the swords and purchasing a cap gun.

If you haven’t seen this U. S. Civil War in Four Minutes video you should check it out. It’s amazing.

ORPHAN WEEK - On the Oregon Trail

2010-02-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

TITLE: The Stout-Hearted Seven: Orphaned on the Oregon Trail

AUTHOR: Neta Lohnes Frazier

WHO ARE THE ORPHANS? This is the true story of the Sager family traveling on the Oregon Trail in 1844. The oldest sibling is John who is thirteen. Then there's Frank, Catherine, Elizabeth, Matilda, Louise and lastly Rosanna, who was born on the journey.

HOW WERE THEY ORPHANED? Both parents succumbed to "camp fever" in route and were buried along the trail. Arrangements were made for the children to stay with the Whitman’s at their mission. These missionaries became their new parents until they were orphaned again, this time in an Indian massacre.

WHAT WAS ORPHAN LIFE LIKE FOR THEM? Wagon train traveling was difficult for everybody. When their parents died, the Sager children had to rely on help from the wagon train’s doctor and captain. The infant, Rosanna, was rarely seen by the other children, as nursing mothers in the train took turns trying to keep her alive. The children were fortunate to find a second life with the Whitman's where they felt as loved as they had by their own parents. Then in 1847, a wagon train came through carrying many children sick with measles. The mission Indians, the Cayuse, lost great numbers of their own children to the disease. This fueled already growing animosity and the Cayuse attacked the missionaries, killing both Mr. and Mrs. Whitman as well as John and Frank. Louise died from the measles. Catherine, Elizabeth, Matilda, and Henrietta (formally called Rosanna) were among the women and children held for a ransom that was paid by the Hudson’s Bay Company.

HOW DOES THEIR LIFE TURN-OUT? The four remaining siblings never lived together again. They were brought up in separate homes in Oregon. All the sisters married young. Henrietta was mistakenly shot and killed by a desperado at the age of twenty-six. Catherine and Matilda each had eight children and Elizabeth had nine. Catherine wrote an account of her life hoping to get it published and to use the proceeds to fund an orphanage in Mrs. Whitman’s name. Her dream was not realized but her information is often used by historians.

The site where the massacre occurred is now the Whitman Mission National Park.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Make a covered wagon. This one is easy. For a more involved one try this and then add the contents. You could also try the Oregon Trail Crossword Puzzle and Help Pack a Covered Wagon from my previous posts.

ORPHAN WEEK - Cave Painter

2010-02-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

TITLE: The Boy of the Painted Cave

AUTHOR: Justin F. Denzell

WHO IS THE ORPHAN? Tao, in this historical fiction, is a boy living in present day France about 16,000 years ago.

HOW WAS HE ORPHANED? His mother became sick and died when Tao was a baby. He doesn't know his father, although he is aware that his father left him out to die of exposure because he has a deformed foot.

WHAT WAS ORPHAN LIFE LIKE FOR HIM? He was rescued by Kala, an old woman in his tribe, who looks out for him and tries to overlook his tendency to draw. Drawing is T-A-B-O-O. No one is allowed to draw except for the shaman, called the Chosen One. Tao has a hard time fitting in with his band of hunters and gatherers and commits two more big no-nos. He befriends a wolf and enters the forbidden slough. An outcast is what he eventually becomes.

WHAT WAS HIS TURNING POINT? Meeting the shaman, who recognizes his talent and teaches him painting techniques.

HOW DOES HIS LIFE TURN-OUT? He replaces the old shaman and becomes the new Chosen One responsible for cave painting. Oh, and finds out who is father is.

Descriptive and entertaining, this story puts you in the “shoes” of a cave boy.

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊◊

Activity: Create your own cave painting. Here's how.

ORPHAN WEEK - Escape from Saigon

2010-02-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

TITLE: Escape from Saigon: How a Vietnam War Orphan Became an American Boy

AUTHOR: Andrea Warren (and again)

WHO IS THE ORPHAN? This is the true story of Matt Steiner, a.k.a. Long, from Saigon, Vietnam. He was born in 1966.

HOW WAS HE ORPHANED? Long's father was American. He disappeared from Long's life at the age of two. His Vietnamese mother struggled with depression, then committed suicide. Ba, Long's maternal grandmother took on raising him. Long was on his own in the streets while Ba worked long hours to support them both. When he was seven, circumstances grew more dire due to the Vietnam War. Feeling like there was no other choice, Ba released Long to an American run orphanage in Saigon, the Holt Center.

WHAT WAS ORPHAN LIFE LIKE FOR HIM? Except for missing his grandmother terribly, his experience at the orphanage was positive. His memories include caring personnel, healthy food, on-site schooling and abundant friends.

WHAT WAS HIS TURNING POINT? President Gerald Ford's decision to help evacuate over 2,300 babies and children from South Vietnam was dubbed Operation Babylift. Leading up to Operation Babylift, panic was endemic as the Communists closed in on Saigon. Any foreigner, government official or South Vietnamese soldier was in particular danger of retaliation. Because Long was half white, it is assured that the Communists would have treated him harshly. This book really gives you a sense of how desperate the days were leading up to the collapse of Saigon. The Holt Center, at enormous cost, evacuated their entire orphanage on one Pan Am flight. Long was on his way to a new life with a new family in a new country.

HOW DOES HIS LIFE TURN-OUT? He was raised by a loving, Ohio family with three older brothers. Today he lives in Indiana and is a doctor, husband and father.

“I want my children to know that war isn't just about guns and soldiers, that families get separated and many innocent people are killed. But even in the middle of war, sometimes good things happen. In this war, there were people trying to help kids like me. I'll tell them I was one of the lucky ones, because I was able to escape and I had a wonderful family waiting for me.”

Ages 9-12
◊◊◊◊

For those interested in Vietnam I also highly recommend reading Water Buffalo Days: Growing Up in Vietnam.

Activity: Can you pin Saigon on Vietnam?

ORPHAN WEEK - Surviving Hitler

2010-02-09T14:00:00.000-08:00

TITLE: Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps

AUTHOR: Andrea Warren (again)

WHO IS THE ORPHAN? This is the true story of Jack Mandelbaum from Gdynia, Poland. He was born in 1927.

HOW WAS HE ORPHANED? Jack came from a loving family and lived an idyllic childhood. As the Nazis were gearing up to invade Poland he still didn't think of himself as Jewish, probably because his parents did not attend weekly services. Jack was a public school student where he learned prayers from nuns and priests and joined his Catholic friends for Christmas choraling. He thought of himself first and foremost as Polish.

Then Jack's life changed from days of contentment to days of avoiding the Nazis to winding up in a concentration camp, separated from his family. Though he did not know it, he was orphaned during this time. His father died in another concentration camp, his mother and younger brother died in a gas chamber and his older sister was shot by the Nazis.

WHAT WAS ORPHAN LIFE LIKE FOR HIM? Jack recounts what concentration camp life was like (and it isn't pretty). It was filled with tiny scraps of putrid food, work, beatings, lice, filth, disease and near starvation. Friendships with fellow captives and his determination to be reunited with his family, whom he thought still alive, kept him going.

WHAT WAS HIS TURNING POINT? Liberation was an ecstatic time but also heartbreaking as he pieced together what happened to his family.

HOW DOES HIS LIFE TURN-OUT? Jack immigrated to the United States and wound up in Kansas City. He was a successful businessman who married and had seven children. He became active in Holocaust survivor groups but made a point of not allowing himself to be consumed by hate.

“God gave us the power to be good or evil. This is our choice. Because some pick evil, we must work together to recognize and stop it. But while we survivors may lead the charge, we cannot do this alone. It must be the goal of all people.”

This is a hard story to share with children, but they must be made aware of it, so they can be ever vigilant as the future unfolds.

Ages 12 and up

◊◊◊◊

Activity: How many countries can you name that were invaded by the Nazis during World War II?