Open Wide, Look Inside

Robert E. Lee

Posted on November 23, 2010 by openwidearchive

Introduction

This blog provides teachers with a wealth of resources to draw from as they delve into the strategic brilliance and leadership of Robert E. Lee— a pivotal player in the Civil war. Children come face to face with E. Lee as they tackle the Civil War component of SOL USI.9d). As you journey through the realm of information that this website has to offer open your minds to the endless opportunities that you as a teacher have in teaching this content to your children in an exciting and fun way. Gone are the days where history has to be boring. It is all about how you present the information to your children.

Text Annotations

The Picture Book of Robert E. Lee by David Adler

Through the use of great pictures this book presents the stories of war along with numerous quotes that will help its readers understand our history. It explains the Civil War so that it is easy for the kids to understand. Alder did a wonderful job of displaying the war and allowing children to understand the concept on a very neutral level while also outlining his life. In doing this he helps children really visualize the order of events.

Robert E. Lee: Brave Leader by Rae Bains

This book traces the life of the highly respected Confederate general, with an emphasis on his difficult boyhood in Virginia. It presents the content in an interesting manner and encourages its readers to love history.

Promise Quilt by Candace Ransom

This picture book is told from the point of view of a Virginia girl, Addie, during the Civil War. When her father leaves the family farm to be General Robert E. Lee’s guide, Addie finds ways to remember him–even when he does not return at the end of the war. The author’s note describes the issues of slavery and states’ rights that divided the northern and southern states and that led to the war.

Robert E. Lee, young Confederate (Childhood of famous Americans) by Helen Albee Monsell

These classics have been praised by adults, parents and teachers alike. They bring the biography of Robert E. Lee to life in an inspiring, believing way, sweeping young children right into history.

Robert E. Lee: Southern Hero of the Civil War by Mona Kerby

This biography describes the life of the famous Confederate general who fought for Virginia during the the Civil War. It provides children with all the information they need to know about this figure in a clear and concise manner.

Web Annotations

Seize the Night– Is a website that provides background information on Robert E. Lee, and describes his accomplishments and ventures as a leader. It doesn't just provide information of Lee's leadership but the conspiracy theories of other leaders such as Abraham Lincoln and J.F. Kennedy as well as a wealth of information on other military leaders allowing discussions to be sparked on how Robert E. Lee's accomplishments compare to other well renown military leaders.
Video on Robert E.Lee– This video walks you through Robert E. Lee’s journey as a confederate. These are facts that our children need to know and so by displaying them in a visual and auditory context it helps children learn their history in a more exciting way.
Powerpoint tutorials– This website walks children through the "how to" of creating a powerpoint. The idea behind this website is that you get your children to make their own powerpoint on the information that they have learned about Robert E. Lee in a learning style that helped them learn the content.
Games– This website provides teachers with a variety of games that they can use to incorporate the information on Robert E. Lee. Learning history doesn't have to be boring when you can provide your children with all these games to play. Encourage them to create their own game to learn the content.
Jeapardy game– By clicking on the icon, Government and Civil War, you will be taken to a jeopardy game that encompasses many social studies questions on a variety of topics including questions on Robert E. Lee. It is a fun way to test your children’s knowledge after the unit.

Additional Resources for teachers

DVD on Robert E. Lee– Another way to make sure that your children are retaining information about important players in the civil war. This dvd could serve as a refresher after a lesson on Robert E. Lee and his role in the war. The biography traces the life and accomplishments of U.S. Civil War general Robert E. Lee – the son of Revolutionary War hero “Light Horse” Lee — who led the ailing Confederacy through a lengthy period of survival long after its last resources were seemingly tapped.
Arlington National Cemetery– The Arlington National Cemetery if close to your school could be an excellent place to take your children for a field trip. The estate has a fascinating history that is tied to the families of George Washington, Robert E. Lee and events of the Civil War. But even if you cannot personally attend this site with your children you can point them in the direction of this website allowing them to explore their own history in a fun and interactive way.
NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive– Provides archive information that were attached to Robert E. Lee's Confederate career.
Robert E. Lee– provides a wealth of information from powerpoint presentations, to lesson plans and online games to help children interact with their confederate forefather in an interesting and fun way.
Lesson plan– A well planned lesson that introduces Robert E. Lee and the pivotal role he played in the confederate war.
Thinkquest– It provides a timeline, an all about Lee and Letters by Lee. It presents a wealth of information in a structured way for children to share with their friends.

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Ancient Greece

Posted on November 23, 2010 by openwidearchive

Ancient Greek civilization is an exciting and intriguing part of our history. The Ancient Greeks made many contributions to society from government and sports to architecture and literature. While students will never get to experience first hand the customs and cultures of Ancient Greece, books and activities can better help students to understand the way of life in Ancient Greece. The following books and resources can help deepen a student’s knowledge about Ancient Greece from the city-states to mythology. The books and resources are intended to be used in a 3rd grade classroom (SOL 3.1).

Text annotation:

Adventures in Ancient Greece by Linda Bailey

In Adventures in Ancient Greece, the Binkerton children are taken back in time to Ancient Greece during the Olympics. The reader journeys through the city-states of Ancient Greece with the Binkerton’s as they learn all about Ancient Greek customs, religions and culture. The story is full of facts and excitement as the reader follows the Binkerton’s and learn about Ancient Greece.

Ancient Greece by Anne Pearson

The illustrations in this book will grab everyone’s attention. The book also covers the history, people, customs, religion, recreation and warfare of the Ancient Greeks. The illustrations add to the facts listed in this book for a better visual understanding of the Ancient Greek way of life.

If I Were a Kid in Ancient Greece: Children of the Ancient World by Cobblestone Publishing

This book delves into the lifestyle of children in Ancient Greece from house rules to pets. The books investigates what tools, activities and customs children would have to follow if they lived in Ancient Greece.

The Ancient Greeks (People of the Ancient World) by Allison Lassieur

This book is organized differently from all other history books, instead of looking at the Ancient Greek civilization chronologically like most books, this book looks at Ancient Greece by sociological strata. The book starts at the top of Greek society with the people of the government and then delves all the way down to slaves and workers. This gives the students a good look into how life in Ancient Greece was for each level of society and how the cultures and customs worked.

Pandora of Athens; 399 B.C. by Barry Denenberg

In Pandora of Athens; 399 B.C., the reader is taken back to Ancient Greek society where they follow Pandora a young Greek girl as she fights the roles society and her father have laid out for her. The book while make-believe helps students see the reality of life in Ancient Greece. The story is very well written and will capture students’ attention from beginning to end.

Recommended Websites for Students:

The History for Kids website has tons of information for students about Ancient Greece. Students can learn about a wide range of subjects from clothing and literature to mythology and economy.

The Winged Sandals website is a great website for students. The website offers students “plays” to watch about Greek mythology, games to play, history pages, who’s who among the Grecians and instructions to make crafts.

Adventures in Ancient Greece website is an interactive website which offers students a chance to click around and learn more information and play games while learning about Ancient Greece. At the end the students are able to take three quizzes that test them on their knowledge they learned and opens new activities.

The BBC website offers students the chance to click through and learn more about Ancient Greece, from customs and gods to architecture and wars. The site also has quizzes under each subsection as well as a Greek Hero Game for the students to play.

The Odyssey Greece website is an interactive website in which students are taken back to Ancient Greece. The site lets students click through to learn more about Ancient Greece. Students can learn about chewing gum or constellations and even cities’ names in the U.S. whose origins date back to the Ancient Greek empire.

Additional Teacher Resources

Ancient History website has many links for teachers. The links all offer different kinds of resources from lesson plans and activities to PowerPoint and video clips for the classroom.

Ancient Greece This website is a great resource for teachers, it has a lot of in-depth information about art and architecture, history, wars, people and mythology. The website also includes a photo gallery to offer teachers even more information about Ancient Greece.

Scholastic’s Ancient Greece website offers numerous ideas for teachers on how to teach Ancient Greece to students. The website gives lots of ideas for creative craft ideas to keep students interested while learning about the ancient civilization.

BBC teacher’s website about Ancient Greece goes along with the student resource version. The teacher website has complied lesson plans, tours, time-lines, games, craft ideas and FAQ’s about Ancient Greece to help students further explore the ancient civilization.

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Carving Out a Name for Himself

Posted on November 23, 2010 by openwidearchive

George Washington Carver made a name for himself with peanuts. He is world-reknowned for having beaten the odds€”as an African-American in the post Civil War era in America in the late 1800s€”to become a scientist and successful inventor. He was director of agriculture at the prestigious Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in Alabama and is credited with creating not only 300 uses of the peanut, but also medicines, soaps, buttermilk, ink, shaving cream, and instant coffee, to name just a few. The following books, websites, and resources cover VA SOL 1.5.

Books on George Washington Carver

Written as a Buddy Books First Biography, George Washington Carver by Rebecca Gomez, is chocked full of information for the budding reader. With 29 pages broken down into 8 chapters, this book captures the salient facts on Mr. Carver’s life and accomplishments in easy-to-read prose.

George Washington Carver: The Peanut Scientist, one book in a series written about Great African Americans, was written by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack. This book would best be used by a first grade teacher to introduce the subject of Mr. Carver. It is filled with wonderful black and white photographs of Mr. Carver, depicting him in his various endeavors, that provide good primary resources for examing his life and times. This book also has the requisite timeline and glossary for young readers if used in a group research activity.

Written by Nathan Olson and illustrated by Keith Tucker, George Washington Carver, Ingenious Inventor is a graphic novel depicting the life and times of Mr. Carver. In a clear and visually appealing way, this book sets itself apart from other biographies by its use of first person dialogue and the use of comic book style illustrations. I highly recommend this book to grab the attention of reluctant readers.

The Groundbreaking, Chance-Taking Life of George Washington Carver and Science & Invention in America was written and illustrated by Cheryl Harnass. The original pen and ink block prints and running timeline along the bottom of every page make this book an excellent resource for teachers. Excerpts can be shared with students as the level of detail in this book is much deeper than in the young reader selections.

Written by David Adler and illustrated by Dan Brown, A Picture Book of George Washington Carver is more than just a picture book. Watercolors depict Mr. Carver’s life and the author cites Mr. Carver’s own words on several occasions. This book is a brief introduction to Mr. Carver’s life and accomplishments.

Websites about George Washington Carver

Excellent resource for quick information on Mr. Carver. This website shows some his artwork and how he used it to teach farmers about pests. It also has some background information on The Jesup Wagon, a rolling teaching cart, that Mr. Carver designed was filled “with soil samples, farm equipment, recipes, plants, and anything else that could have been used as a teaching tool”.

Large type, a well-written first grade script, and an uncluttered page make this website a good choice for first graders studying Mr. Carver. It includes links to discover Mr. Carver’s achievements, like one of the educational booklets he wrote, Help for the Hard Times. At the bottom of each webpage, there is a thought-provoking question for students to consider before clicking to read more (e.g., “What other ways could farmers make money?”).

This website features an online game called Quia. It is available through subscription, but as one of its complimentary games, there is an excellent, trial version of a Who Wants to be a Millionaire-type gameshow featuring questions about Mr. Carver. Not only does this site provide the question-answer game, but it also provides background and facts about Mr. Carver as well.

Everyone keeps talking about all those uses of the peanut that Mr. Carver discovered, so what are they? This website lists the 105 recipes of Mr. Carver’s from his How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it for Human Consumption publication in 1940.

A&E Biography showcases Mr. Carver in a mini-bio. There is a brief history of his life along with a very well-produced (A&E-style) mini-biographical video. Many parts of the video would be entertaining for a young crowd, however it does reveal a striking image of a hooded figure wrapped in a noose when describing a lynching that Mr. Carver witnessed in his early years.

Additional Resources for Studying George Washington Carver

Bio-Cube

From ReadWriteThink.org, this bio-cube is a fun way to help remember the facts about historical figures. Older students will enjoy typing the information online where younger first graders would benefit from a blank printout and entering the information manually. The software asks students to report a notable quote, personality of the individual, pertinent facts, and his/her significance to society. Once the information is entered, the worksheet can be cutout and made into a 3-D foldable of a cube.

Video

Havefunwithhistory.com has a short video with a brief history of Mr. Carver’s life. The video shows rare footage of Dr. Carver receiving an award at the age of 80 in 1941. Students will get a sense of Mr. Carver’s humble nature and hear how his throat was ravaged by whooping cough in his youth leaving him with a high-pitched voice.

George Washington Carver Song

From the album, Teach The Children, Medicine Man Ya Ya sings an upbeat song about ‘The Peanut Man’. Playing this little ditty in the classroom, while completing your art activity during your George Washington Carver lesson plan, will surely help kids remember Mr. Carver and the contributions he made to science and society. Click on George Washington Carver Song to hear a 30 second introduction to the song. In addition to the Mr. Carver song, Teach the Children, also features songs about Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks.

Coloring Pages

The USDA has a great collection of worksheet activities perfect for ‘morning work’. Among the handouts depicting Mr. Carver himself are the anatomy of a peanut plant (Science SOLs!), a dot-to-dot peanut, food pyramids, and cross-word puzzles for older students.

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Veterans Day

Posted on November 23, 2010 by openwidearchive

Veterans Day is a national holiday that recognizes and honors men and women who have served to protect America and its freedom. Students in the third grade will learn the significance of this day and the implications of having a republican or representative form of government that work to uphold the peoples’ rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The following teacher and student resources can be used to support lessons for Veterans Day or VA SOL 3.11.

Books and Literature

This heartfelt and moving story about Veterans Day is told through the lens of Emily’s Pop-Pop who volunteers to speak to her class about this important holiday.

Through the symbolic white table, Katie begins to understand the depths of the sacrifice that her uncle made in the Armed Forces.

This book gives you a glimpse of all the military branches and military life as it takes you through the alphabet. This book will not only teach students about veterans day and those who serve in the military, but can also be used to help students in their writing.

The Impossible Patriotism Project helps readers and listeners capture the meaning of patriotism. It helps students to see who the real patriots are as we are taken through Caleb’s struggles in finding meaning in his father’s absence.

Pepper’s Purple Heart is about a dog who gets hit by a car while his owner and best friend are playing a game. Claire’s neighbor takes care of Pepper and gives him the purple heart that he received as a Marine in the Vietnam War. This fun and informative book will help students understand Veterans Day.

Student Resources

Fun Facts-This site offers cool facts on veterans.

Games and Activities– This site offers games and activities for students.

Trivia– Students can test their knowledge of Veterans Day through interactive puzzles and quizzes.

Research tools– This site provides links to games, coloring pages, and background information for students to explore.

Newsarticle– This is a online news article on Veterans Day for students.

Teacher Resources

History and Background– This site provides the history and background of Veterans Day for teachers.

Lesson Plans– Teachers can find lesson ideas and examples of lesson plans for Veterans Day.

Teacher’s Guide– This link provides you with a complete and comprehensive guide to facts and activities for Veterans Day.

Poster Gallery– Teacher’s can use this site to encourage students to create Veterans Day posters.

Worksheets– Teachers can find free worksheets and activity pages for students.

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Patrick Henry

Posted on November 22, 2010 by openwidearchive

Patrick Henry

Patrick Henry was born in Hanover County, Virginia in 1736. He was a huge part of America's struggle from British rule to self-government.Patrick Henry was a lawyer, patriot, orator, and helped form every aspect of founding of America. His most notable attribute was his speech in which he said, "Give me liberty or give me death!"

Books For Children

Written by Jesse Jarnow

This book features six chapters on Patrick Henry. It gives a brief overview of his life and gives a very detailed account of his Liberty speech. I like that the book features a glossary and an index for children to use.

Written by David A. Adler and Illustrated by John and Alexandra Wallner

This book would appeal to younger readers. I liked the way that it told the story of Patrick Henry, but was illustrated in a cartoon like way. The pictures are very detailed and children would truly enjoy the artwork. There was an easy to follow timeline in the back of the book that the children would find helpful.

Written by Stuart Kallen

This book was by far the best for children because it was broken into many small parts. It would be a great resource for children who are writing a book report or just need a little more knowledge about Patrick Henry.

Written by Ann Heinrichs

This is a great resource for children. This book contains actual pictures of important documents like, The Constitution, and The Virginia and Kentucky Resolution. This book also shows how Patrick Henry’s contributions directly helped

Written and Illustrated by Rod Espinosa

Espinosa takes a spin on telling history. He tells Patrick Henry’s story by using a comic strip making Patrick Henry into a real0life super hero. I enjoyed his fun take on telling the story. I also liked that he included a map of the territories, timeline, and further reading sections in the back of the book.

Web Sites For Children

Liberty Kids

This site has a short biography of Patrick Henry and has some Revolutionary Games as well.

Listen to Patrick Henry’s Speech

Richard Schumann interprets the character of Patrick Henry for The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Listen as he re-creates Patrick Henry’s powerful words spoken March 23, 1775 at St. John’s Henrico Parish Church in Richmond.

Color Mr. Henry

This page takes children to an interactive coloring page.

Timeline

This timeline outlines important dates during the Revolutionary War.

Revolutionary War

This page explains how the war got started and what Patrick Henry’s contributions were.

Resources For Teachers

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Ancient Egypt

Posted on November 22, 2010 by openwidearchive

This post discusses resources for the second grade Virginia SOL 2.1. In this unit, students learn about the contributions that ancient Egypt has made to the modern world. Specifically, students study how Egypt helped to develop, and influenced, writing, architecture and a few inventions like paper, the 365 day calendar, and the clock. The following books, websites and extra resources are designed to fit this second grade curriculum, but are varied in difficulty so that they can be differentiated for many different levels of students.

Books

I Wonder Why the Pyramids Were Built: And Other Questions About Ancient Egypt

By Miranda Smith

I Wonder Why the Pyramids Were Built: And Other Questions About Ancient Egypt is a useful resources as an introduction to ancient Egypt as it gives a general overview about the lives and practices of ancient Egyptians. It provides child friendly explanations about tricky subjects like embalmment and mummification while still being an overall funny and entertaining book because of the many “ancient Egypt” jokes. Enjoyable illustrations accompany the text so that students can see what typical Egyptians looked like, and how the landscape and architecture of the time appeared.

The Egyptian Cinderella

By Shirley Climo and illustrated by Ruth Heller

The Egyptian Cinderella tells the familiar Cinderella story with an ancient Egyptian twist. In this version, the Greek slave girl, Rhodopis, is saved from her plight by marrying the Pharaoh, with a little help from the Egyptian god Horus. Students will enjoy this story because they can relate it to what they already know about Cinderella and can compare the similarities and differences between the traditional fairy tale and this Egyptian version. While still being entertaining, this Cinderella story manages to inform students about every day Egyptian life, from the existence and roles of slaves and pharaohs to Egyptian mythology and religion.

Egyptian Life

By Miriam Stead

This book is an excellent classroom resource because it provides examples and descriptions of ancient Egyptian life based upon artifacts currently found in the British Museum. Therefore, this book is different from most books on ancient Egypt because it shows real photographs of real Egyptian objects. Egyptian Life discusses many aspects of the everyday ancient Egyptian experience such as food, family, society, clothing and religion. In this way, this book is a good starting point for students’ comparisons of their modern lives to the lives of ancient Egyptians.

Hieroglyphs from A to Z

By Peter Manuelian

Hieroglyphs from A to Z is similar to the traditional alphabet books, where each letter is given a page and a sentence using a word that begins with that letter, yet it is different in that the letters are also represented in Egyptian hieroglyphs and the sentences are about Egyptian topics. This book serves as a good introduction to the study of hieroglyphics because it provides a comparison between the letters that students are used to, and their ancient Egyptian counterparts. This book presents the ancient Egyptian writing system in an easy to understand format, and also shares a few facts about Egyptian life and mythology.

Ancient Egypt

By George Hart

Ancient Egypt, from the Eyewitness book series, is a virtual encyclopedia of Egyptian knowledge geared towards elementary aged students. This book combines illustrations, photographs and diagrams to explain tricky and interesting subjects like, what the inside of a pyramid looks like, why the ancient Egyptians dressed the way they do, and how the ancient Egyptians made paper. This book may use some vocabulary that is beyond the second grade level, so it may need to be used as a teacher-guided resource or as a tool for differentiation but it provides an expanse of knowledge on practically any topic that you can think of when it comes to ancient Egypt.

Websites

Mr. Dowling.com Ancient Egypt

This site, geared at upper elementary school students, explains topics like the gift of the Nile, the land of the dead, the pharaoh, the Rosetta Stone and Cleopatra. It provides detailed maps and clear explanations of why each of these topics is so important to any study of ancient Egypt. The wording might be a little hard for some second graders to understand, and the site is mostly text-based, so this would be a great site for a teacher-led Webquest or class activity where the teacher could guide students’ reading.

Kids Konnect Ancient Egypt

This site would be a wonderful resource for any class studying ancient Egypt since it provides a wealth of information about everything and anything Egypt related. It provides links to information on hieroglyphics, gods, mummies, the Nile, pharaohs, pyramids, Egyptian literature, art, history and more. Teachers and students could use this site to find anything that they might want to know about ancient Egypt, but again, this site may be difficult for second graders to navigate, because it is so expansive, so if students use this resource it should be guided by the teacher.

The British Museum-Ancient Egypt

This website is published by the British Museum’s Egyptology Department but is intended for an elementary audience. It has information about Egyptian life, geography, gods and goddesses, mummification, pharaohs, pyramids, time, trades and writing. This site would be especially useful in light of the SOL because of its explanations about the development of the clock and writing. Each topic contains a story and an exploration link, for example, in the temple section students can “explore” the inside of a temple. This site is easy to navigate so students could traverse it by themselves.

A to Z Kids Stuff- Ancient Egypt

This website acts as an introduction to the history and contributions of ancient Egypt. It discusses the different Egyptian kingdoms and their time periods, as well as Egyptian inventions and some brief information about prominent pharaohs. At the bottom of the page are listed fun activities that students could do to help them learn about ancient Egypt. Since this site is only one page long it would be an easy way for students to learn about ancient Egypt on their own.

Children’s University of Manchester- Ancient Egypt

This website is produced by the University of Manchester as a child’s guide to ancient Egypt. It provides interactive activities that students can do online, like, explore ancient Egypt, Giza pyramid panorama, the Egyptian number system, writing in hieroglyphics, make a mummy and more. These activities have easy to understand directions and are fun ways to explain topics about ancient Egypt.

Other Resources

Why did the Egyptians build the tombs and pyramids? Movie

This movie, presented by BBC Learning Zone Class Clips, shows footage of the pyramids in Egypt and explains why the ancient Egyptians first began to develop the pyramids. It explains the different types of pyramids, which pharaohs preferred which type of pyramid and how Egyptians used the natural resources available to them to design and create the pyramids.

Southlands Elementary Ancient Egypt WebQuest

This WebQuest, produced by Southlands Elementary School, takes students on an internet tour of ancient Egypt to learn about topics like daily life, the sphinx, the Egyptian calendar, hieroglyphics, the pharaohs, the pyramids, the Rosetta Stone and mummification. This WebQuest would be a great review of a unit on Ancient Egypt; it uses clear directions and simple links to keep students from being confused or overwhelmed. The other unique thing about this WebQuest is that it asks students to develop their higher-level thinking by asking questions like “write down some differences between poor and rich Egyptians”, rather than simply asking all explicit questions.

The Ancient Egypt Pack: A Three Dimensional Celebration of Egyptian Mythology, Culture, Art, Life and Afterlife

By Christos Kondeatis

This book combines pull out activities and pop-up diagrams to explain the mysteries of ancient Egypt. There are board games, pop-up pyramids, an ancient Egyptian mask and many more interactive and tactile activities to keep students entertained while they are learning. This pack would be a great way to introduce students to a unit on ancient Egypt, or for use as a center activity, or just as something for the class to read together. It provides a lot of information in a very fun package.

Pyramids: 50 Hands on Activities to Experience Ancient Egypt

By Avery Hart

This book provides educators with many different activities for students to learn about ancient Egypt. There are activities about making mummies, designing Egyptian clothes, discovering what the ancient Egyptians ate, playing Egyptian games like tug of war, and more. This book encourages students to “think like Egyptians”, so they should complete the activities using resources and materials that the ancient Egyptians would have had, which adds a unique twist to simple games and projects. These activities are not just for fun, however, they are very educational and include a lot of factual information that students must understand in order to complete the activities, which makes for an excellent resource for both students and teachers alike.

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Abraham Lincoln

Posted on November 22, 2010 by openwidearchive

The following resources are for teachers and students to refer to when exploring the life and times of our sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln. The Virginia SOLs included are K.1(a), 1.2, 2.11, U.S. 11.3c, US1.9d.

Abraham Lincoln

Who Was Abraham Lincoln? By Janet Pascal
This "big head biography" is perfect for elementary school- aged children. There are over 100 black-and-white illustrations and maps. The text is easy to read and very informative. Young readers will learn all about Abraham Lincoln in a fun, interesting format and will be encouraged to check out the other historical biographies in this series.

Lincoln Tells a Joke: How Laughter Saved the President (and the Country) By Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer
This book is not only a great read, but also a great read aloud. The straightforward style and use of humor makes it enjoyable for students in elementary school. There is colorful art on every page and the text completely draws the reader in, making them eager to learn all there is to know about our 16th President.

Abraham Lincoln the Writer: A Treasury of His Greatest Speeches and Letters By Harold Holzer
This book is geared to the older elementary student. It is a compilation of Lincoln’s writings, including personal letters, notes on the law, excerpts from speeches, debates, and inaugural addresses, letters to parents of fallen soldiers, and telegrams to his family. Reproductions of period photos, portraits, and documents illustrate the text effectively. This book is highly interesting and a fine resource for students seeking quotations or for those wanting to meet Lincoln through his own words.

Abraham Lincoln (DK Biography) by Tanya Lee Stone
DK brings historical biographies to life with this new series. Full-color photographs of people, places, and artifacts, and sidebars on related subjects add dimension and relevance to stories of famous lives that students will love to read. This book helps the reader explore the extraordinary life of Abraham Lincoln in a way that is exciting and interesting.

Abraham Lincoln (10 Days That Shook Your World) by David Colbert is an exciting look at our sixteenth president told through an eyewitness account of ten crucial days in his life. This book, part of a series of historical biographies, is best for upper elementary students.

Resources for Teachers
Abraham Lincoln
This site is chock full of links to lesson plans, classroom activities and other educational resources. It is nicely organized and has many historical pictures and references. Everything you ever wanted to know about Abraham Lincoln can be found on this site.
Primary Sources
This site is an excellent resource for primary sources. This site includes interpretive materials, featuring a brief Lincoln biography and discussions of eight major historical themes. This helps visitors raise historical questions and formulate hypotheses, thereby searching the primary materials more constructively.
Lincoln Printables
Here you will find printables, interactive worksheets and activity pages associated with President Abraham Lincoln.
Lincoln Lesson Plans
This website has lesson plans, suggested readings, and primary resources that are helpful in teaching about Abraham Lincoln.
More Primary Sources
This site is helpful for primary sources and what to do with them. It provides the source and activities and other informative links.

Resources for Students
Scrambler
A scrambler is a program that chops up an image and scrambles up the pieces (requires the java plugin). The object of the game is to swap 2 pieces at a time until all pieces end up in position to form the completed picture. These scramblers all come with a 4 minute timer. Can you beat the clock? These games require a keen eye for detail!
Quiz
An interactive quiz about Abraham Lincoln.
Game
Abraham Lincoln's Crossroads is an educational game based on the traveling exhibition Lincoln: The Constitution & the Civil War, which debuted at the National Constitution Center in June 2005. It invites students to learn about Lincoln's leadership by exploring the political choices he made. An animated Lincoln introduces a situation, asks for advice and prompts players to decide the issue for themselves, before learning the actual outcome. At the end of the game, players discover how frequently they predicted Lincoln's actions. A Resources Page keyed to each chapter provides links to relevant Websites on Lincoln and the Civil War, permitting students to explore issues in more depth.
Lincoln Scavenger Hunt
This is an interactive treasure hunt that students print out and answer as they explore the website.
Lincoln Listen and Read
This is an interactive Listen and Read page that students can use on the classroom laptop or personal computer.

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Teaching About Community in a Preschool Classroom

Posted on November 22, 2010 by openwidearchive

It can be difficult to explain what a community is to a preschool classroom. Community helpers are often included in preschool themes, but the overall community is frequently overlooked. Here are some great resources for teaching children about living in a community– sharing, cleaning up after ourselves, being kind to others, and of course: the community helpers that keep us safe, and our community running.

Books

David Gets in Trouble by David ShannonThis book, part of Shannon’s David series helps children to understand that actions have consequences. The funny story and creative drawings will keep children drawn in. This story teaches children that they need to think about the things they do and admit when they have made a mistake.

Stone Soup by Heather ForestThis clever story has been told serveral times by several different authors, however the story never gets old. A hungry stranger tells some people in the village that he can make a pot of soup out of some water and stones. As word spreads and curiosity grows, the entire town works together to find everything the stranger suggests to be added into the soup. The result is a delicious pot of soup that the entire town worked together to create. This book is fantastic for teaching the value of teamwork and sharing.

The Subway Sparrow by Leyla TorresThe subway Sparrow is a wonderful book about a sparrow that gets stuck on a subway car in new york city. The passengers on the subway– all different backgrounds and ethnicities– work together to save the sparrow. Torres created a book with great illustrations and an even better message. A community has to work together to accomplish it’s goals.

Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler by Margaret CuylerMrs. Ruler’s has some unusual tendencies. She always speaks in rhyme and she disciplines her students by making them complete kind acts for one another. The students love being kind to each other so much that they start completing as many acts of kindness as they can! The fun rhyming in the story will draw children in and the story aptly teaches the importance of looking out for others.

Career Day by Anne Rockwell, illustrated by Lizzy RockwellThis book features a classroom career day. Each student explains to the class what their parent or guardian does for a living. The book covers a variety of job and careers making it extremely useful for teaching about community helpers.

Resources for Children

Barney’s Clean-Up GameHelp Barney clean up! Can you put the objects in the right container?

Who’s at The Door? Identify the correct community helper based on a given clue!

The Litterbug BlastKeep the community clean by cleaning up the litter before it builds up and covers the town!

Dora and the Thankful Old Troll Help Dora the Explorer cheer up the troll! Can you get him to say thank you?

Create a BadgeCreate your own firefighter badge!

Resources for Teachers

Everything Preschool Community Helpers ThemeThis site contains games, books, songs, activities, crafts and more– all about community helpers!

Dora’s Clean Room Activity PackThese printables can be handed out as a book or in sections to help children learn about putting their things away.

Teaching Social Studies in PreschoolThis site has a great section on teaching about community, community helpers, and saftey.

Songs for Teaching This page contains songs about jobs, hygiene, getting dressed, cleaning up, and being part of a community!

Posted in economics, resource links, social studies, teaching | Comments Off

Patriotic Symbols

Posted on November 20, 2010 by openwidearchive

America the Beautiful: Patriotic Symbols

Introduction

This blog post provides several book reviews, websites that students can access, and additional teacher resources. The material that is found within the links provided can be used with grades ranging from kindergarten to third grade. The various stories and websites cover the material and concepts related to the Virginia standards of learning (VA SOL K.8, K.9, 1.11). Through these links students will generate an understanding of what a symbol is and be able to recognize symbols that are important to the United States of America. Students will also analyze the Pledge of Allegiance and understand why we recite it every morning in school.

Literature

The Bald Eagle

By: Norman Pearl and Illustrated by: Matthew Skeens

The bald eagle is one of the strongest symbols of freedom and strength of our nation. This book tells the story of how the eagle became an American symbol over 200 years ago. Children are invited to take a journey with Bill the bird keeper as he shows them how the bird lives and how it became a patriotic symbol of the United States.

L is for Libery

By: Wendy Cheyette Lewison and Illustrated by: Laura Freeman Hines

In this book, children will learn about a symbol that stands in the New York harbor. They will learn how the Statue of Liberty has welcomed people from near and far for centuries. This is a great book to read with younger children as it uses simple language and bold illustrations. Children will learn about the history and the freedom the Statue of Liberty stands for and how they can celebrate it.

Red, White, and Blue: The Story of the American Flag

By: John Herman and Illustrated by: Robin Roraback

This story traces children’s minds back to the very beginings of the American flag. Children will learn about who created the flag and how it came into being. Children will also be able to learn and observe the many changes that the flag has gone through over the years. Lastly, children will gain an understanding of the American flag and its importance as a symbol for our country.

The Pledge of Allegiance

By: Scholastic Inc.

This book illustrates the text of the Pledge of Allegiance through bold pictures of American landscapes, monuments, and flags. Children are educated on the meaning of the pledge, its history, and additional information about the American flag. Children will be able to gain a better understanding of the words they pledge every morning. At the end of the book, children are asked to reflect back on what they have learned and think about the question, “What do you feel when you say the Pledge of Allegiance?”

The Washington Monument

By: Kristin L. Nelson

This book introduces children to one of the most remarkable patriotic landmarks in our nation: the Washington Monument. Children will learn basic facts about the monument such as: how long it took to build, who was behind the planning of the monument, and what troubles the workers faced. Through fun text and captivating pictures, children are able to become consumed in the book after page 1. They will aslo find answers to other interesting questions such as: why the monument was built to honor George Washington, what the 50 flags that circle the monument stand for, and why the monument was built with two different colors of marble.

Web Sites for KIDS

Printable Symbols of the United States

This site provides children with a variety of different pictures of patriotic symbols of the United States. Children can pick from a wide range of pictures from the bald eagle to the Washington Monument. After clicking on the picture they wish to color, an enlarged picture will appear on the screen. The children use an interactice crayon where they are able to use a variety of colors to complete their picture. This site can be a great way for the students to test their knowledge of the American flag and its colors. After finishing their picture, if the students have access to a printer they will be able to print it out once they have finished.

America in Pictures Webquest

This webquest has been designed for first grade level students. The students are instructed that they will be making a four page picture book about American symbols. On each picture page there must be a picture and one sentence telling what the symbol is. Students are provided with various links to websites where they will discover more information about the Statue of Liberty, the American flag, Uncle Sam, and the Bald Eagle. After going to each of the websites, the students will have enough information to create their picture book. This webquest provides step by step instructions and examples of what they need to do along the way.

The American Bald Eagle

This site provides children with several other facts they may not have come across yet in learning about the bald eagle. The site introduces the students to the concept of endangered species. Children can also explore the topic of the bald eagle even more as they learn about where it gets its name, what the old English word means, where you can find bald eagles, and the general appearance of the bird. At the bottom of the page, children are presented with various printout pictures of bald eagles that they can color.

The Flag that inspired the National Anthem

At this site, children are exposed to brief summaries of information pertaining to the war, the flag, and the anthem. After each brief summary, the child will be prompted to answer a question about the information they just read. The child will answer a series of questions and will recieve a star for each correct answer. Their goal is to collect as many stars as they can.

US Army Corps of Engineers

Children can visit this site daily to check for live images of bald eagles. The company that runs the site has a live video camera that is placed in an area where eagles are constantly spotted. Live pictures are posted to the website, and many times people can see an eagle in the picture.

Teacher Resources

Construction Paper Flag

This link provides a first grade lesson plan that correlates with the VA SOL 1.11. During this lesson, students will learn vocabulary that is inidicative of American symbols. Students will learn the tradition of the Pledge of Allegiance and how to be patriotic by showing respect. Students will create the United States flag and generate a better understanding of the what stars and stripes stand for.

U.S. Symbols Unit Test (VA SOL 1.11)

This website provides a complete unit test for VA SOL 1.11. The test is 15 questions and in the style of multiple choice. Students will be tested on the various symbols pertaining to United States and the meaning behind each symbol along with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Pledge of Allegiance Decoded

This site interprets the language in the Pledge of Allegiance. Some younger students may have trouble understanding words such as allegiance, indivisible, republic, nation, and justice. By going through the pledge word for word, the students will be able to do more than just recite the pledge; they will undrstanding the meaning of why they do.

Patriotic Symbols

This site provides teachers with information and pictures covering all of the patriotic symbols. Teachers can click on a certain symbol and they will be presented with pictures and facts pertaining to that symbol. After clicking on the symbol, there are also links provided at the bottom of the page for a quiz on the symbol, coloring sheets, or more related links.

Posted in book review, social studies, Virginia history | Comments Off

James Madison

Posted on November 17, 2010 by openwidearchive

James Madison, a Virginian, was the fourth president of the United States and is known as the “father of the Constitution.” James Madison University, located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, is named after him. The resources listed below would be helpful for students and teachers when studying the life and contributions of James Madison, which is part of VA SOL VS.6 (b).

Book Sources:

Below are some good books that can either be read to children, or that students can read on their own. These would be useful for supplemental information about James Madison.

F a t he r of the Constitution: A Story about James Madison, by Barbara Mitchell.This book is part of the Creative Minds Biography collection, and follows James Madison’s life. It discusses his politics and beliefs in easy-to-read chapters. The book follows James Madison’s journey from the Continental Congress, the Constitutional Convention, and finally his terms as the fourth president of the United States.

Dolley Madison Saves History, by Roger Smalley. This book focuses on Dolley Madison and her relationship with husband James Madison, as well as her contributions to history. It is presented in a comic book type format, making it interesting and easy to follow for children. The illustrations are engaging and present an exciting story.

J ames Madison: Our Fourth President, by Ann Graham Gaines. This book discusses James Madison’s leadership and involvement in the writing of the Constitution. The information is presented in chapters with many illustrations and photographs, as well as a time line of events and a glossary.

Childhoods of the Presidents: James Madison, by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. This book describes the early life of James Madison, including his family background, schooling, and life in Virginia. The story ends with his rise to become President. The book includes a glossary and a chronological outline of events.

A Picture Book of Dolley and James Madison, by David A. Adler and Michael S. Adler. Illustrated by Ronald Himler. This beautifully illustrated book describes James and Dolley Madison, both of their lives before meeting, their life together, and James Madison’s presidency. The end of the book includes a list of important dates, author’s notes, and source notes.

Web Sources for Students:

Below is a list of web sources that children can use to enhance their information and learning experience about James Madison.

James Madison Timeline: This link, from Apples For the Teacher, allows students to quickly reference important dates relating to James Madison and his presidency. This could be useful if a student is working on a project or research paper about James Madison.

James Madison Coloring Pages: This link, also from Apples for the Teacher, includes several coloring and activity pages relating to James Madison. There are also ideas on how to use these coloring pages for a literacy activity.

Montpelier: This is the website for Montpelier, which was James and Dolley Madison’s home. Students can go to this site to look at images and learn about Madison’s home. This could provide great supplemental information for students wanting to explore deeper into the history of James Madison.

Liberty Archive on James Madison: This website, from Liberty Kids, allows children to select a president and view additional information. In addition to Presidents, there are a wide variety of topics students can select under the “who, what, and where” section of the website.

Encyclopedia Britannica: From Encyclopedia Britannica’s website, this link offers a great deal of information about James Madison, including images. There is also an outline of Madison’s presidential cabinet, and suggestions for further reading.

Resources for Teachers:

Below is a list of resources for teachers, which include lesson ideas and resources for additional information regarding James Madison.

American Presidents Life Portraits: Here is a lesson idea about American Presidents. This lesson allows students to learn about any U.S. President, and view video clips from C-SPAN’s American Presidents website. Students will learn about the duties of the President and his cabinet, and learn about current and past events of significance.

President Bingo: This lesson, from teach-nology.com, would be great for a review of the U.S. Presidents. Students play a game of Bingo, matching facts to the correct president.

Constitution Day Lesson Ideas: Here are several lesson plan ideas to discuss the Constitution. Constitution Day is September 17, but these lessons would also be useful when discussing James Madison and his role in the creation of the Constitution. Included ideas are a read-aloud, creating a classroom Constitution, and a Reader’s Theater activity.

James Madison Lesson Idea: From Instructorweb. com, here is a lesson plan idea about James Madison. This lesson focuses on reading comprehension, and offers a downloadable passage about James Madison for students to read, and then answer questions about. This would be a good way to integrate information about James Madison into a literacy activity.

Posted in book review, social studies, Virginia history | Comments Off

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