Monthly Archives: November 2009

Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: Teammates

                                           Jackie Robinson was the first African-American to play major league baseball.  Teammates, by Peter Golenbock, not only chronicles the struggles Robinson endured in his pioneering position, it also describes the unfair treatment black Americans experienced during the era of legal segregation … Continue reading

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Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: Freedom on the Menu

    Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins, written by Carole Boston Weatherford with paintings by Jerome Lagarrigue, tells the story of an important event of the civil rights movement from a little girl’s point of view.  Connie, a young black girl, … Continue reading

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Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: Thomas Jefferson

Introduction As the main author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson not only created the single most important piece of American literature, he also served as a United States secretary of state, vice president and eventually president. Victoria Sherrow did … Continue reading

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Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: If A Bus Could Talk

   If A Bus Could Talk:  The Story of Rosa Parks written and illustrated by Faith Riggold is a book about the story of Rosa Parks and her act of courage during the Civil Rights Movement. Marcie, on her way … Continue reading

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Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: How To Bake an American Pie

How do you bake an American Pie? Step 1: “Preheat the world until fiery hot with a hunger and thirst to be free.” So begins the book How to Bake an American Pie, by Karma Wilson, and it continues to … Continue reading

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Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: LIVES: Poems about Famous Americans

Introduction Lives: Poems about Famous Americans, selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins and illustrated by Leslie Staub, is a wonderful collection of various types of poems about all different kinds of American heroes. Fourteen poems compose the book, with illustrations of … Continue reading

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Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: So You Want to Be President?

So You Want to Be President? is a humorous look at the responsibilities of the President of the United States.  This story can be used to describe what the President does, along with some information on some of our past … Continue reading

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Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln is a very important historical figure that many elementary grades study as part of our American hertiage. A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln by David Adler is a book to use with the lower grades when studying Abraham … Continue reading

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Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: I Pledge Allegiance

  Introduction and Summary I Pledge Allegiance, written by Bill Martin Jr. and Micahel Sampson, illustrated by Chris Raschka, is a great tool to use when teaching students about civics.  The book does a great job explaining the pledge to … Continue reading

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Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr.

A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr., written by David A. Adler and illustrated by Robert Casilla, is an excellent book to explain the legacy and important contributions made by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. within America.  Students are made … Continue reading

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