Benjamin West: Impromptu Mini Study

Celebrate the simple in learning

It's been a few years and a few children ago that we read Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin by Marguerite Henry (yes, the author who wrote the beloved Misty of Chincoteague, another classic worthy of the read). The book introduced us to the Father of American Painting, an artist of whom we were unfamiliar.



Recently, the youngers were introduced to Benjamin and the olders were reacquainted while reading Benjamin West: Gifted Young Painter by Dorothea J. Snow, a biography from the Childhood of Famous Americans series. We were all intrigued, just as we were years ago at our first introduction.

Little known facts we learned:

• Benjamin wrestled with how his God-given talent could possibly be woven with his Quaker faith, giving his family and his church a new perspective to consider. 
• Benjamin was creative and industrious, making the best of what he had, from colored clay (insert science study here) to using his cat's fur to make paintbrushes (there is a character lesson of truth telling here but I won't spoil the story).
• Benjamin was a court painter for King George III. 
• Benjamin taught famous painters Gilbert Stuart (think famous portrait painter of George Washington) and John Trumbull (think Declaration of Independence) 

Interesting new vocabulary we learned from our reading journey through Benjamin West: Gifted Young Painter .

• Satchel
• Provost
• Ramshackle
• Aghast
• Daub
• Folly
• Hautboy
• Chortled
• Nape
• Comely

We finished the COFA biography today. As I read the last word of the book, a little perked up, interested:

"We have to find out more!"

Yes, we can. And so can you! Look up these painters in your favorite set of encyclopedia (yes, they still exist), explore Google images, and watch a few You Tube videos.

We:

• Analyzed several paintings from each of the artists, beginning with Benjamin West's mentioned in the COFA biography: William Penn's Treaty with the Indians and The Death of  General Wolfe. A discussion ensued regarding how artists depict history in their work and whether or not the history is accurate. 
• Learned of the friendship between Benjamin West and Benjamin Franklin and then studied the the significance of Benjamin Franklin Drawing Lighting from the Sky. A great lesson in history and art appreciation.

A good story sparks an interest.

Our little impromptu mini study sparked a new fire.

"Benjamin influenced many artists. Let's find out more about those artists."

• Charles Willson Peale
• Gilbert Stuart
• John Trumbull
• Thomas Sully
• Samuel F. B. Morse

A spark ignites an interest, which in turn lights a new fire.

More to do:

• Differentiate between portrait and self-portrait. Paint or draw your self-portrait.
• Create a time line of the American history occurring at the time Benjamin West and the other painters were painting. What events were taking place? Did the painters have anything in common?
• Talk about other events in American history happening about the same time. 
• If you had the opportunity to meet Benjamin West, Gilbert Stuart or John Turnbull, what questions would you ask them about their work or the time in which they lived? 
• Learn about the Quaker faith and how it is similar or different from the faith of your family.
• Read Barbara Brenner's The Boy Who Loved to Draw, biography of Benjamin West. If reading more than one book about Benjamin West, discuss how the books are similar or different. Compare facts in each work.

A spark ignites an interest, which in turn lights a new fire.

That's the ever giving blessing of learning.

Penguins

Penguins!

The summer may be hot, but the elementary learners in my house decided to cool off on a three day adventure with penguins!

After watching March of the Penguins, our curious little ones checked out several library books about penguins.

Penguin Chicks by Betty Tatham

A Penguin's World by Caroline Arnold

Penguins! by Gail Gibbons

Puffins Climb, Penguins Rhyme by Bruce Mc Millan

Splash! A Penguin Counting Book by Jonathan Chester

The books inspired us to make a lap book about penguins.  Most of our resources came from Evan Moor's January Theme Pocket.   Instead of making a pocket book, we glued file folders together, accordion style, (cutting a rounded top for the top of the penguin-shaped book) to make the framework of our lap book.  We covered the front cover with black construction paper, rounding the top, and added a white oval for the penguin's tummy.  Orange feet were added to the squared-off bottom.  A triangle beak and round white eyes became the face.  Inside the book we made pockets for the information we collected, glued a map to one page, made a graph of penguin heights, and sponge-painted a page with an arctic scene.  One arctic scene can be seen in the photo above.  We hope our cool arctic adventure inspires you to cool off during these warm months!

Can Living Books Teach History?

I read this common question, or variations, in my inbox this time of year, every year. I usually answer something like:

Question: As I start the look into what we will do next year. I have been thinking about history. Next year I will have a 4th,2nd, and 1st grader. Someone mentioned Childhood of Famous Americans to me. I am looking for something to do maybe twice a week as the other days we have other activities. Could you comment on my thoughts.

Reading aloud returns great rewards. Auditory processing, the ability to process what is heard, develops as children listen to audio materials. Comprehension improves as participants ask questions and retell parts of the story. Vocabulary builds as the reader explains unknown words. Attention span increases as listeners sit eager to hear a story unfold. Relationships deepen as reader and listeners share emotions, thoughts and ideas. Reading aloud returns great rewards at any age. 

In response to the question raised by this mom (and many others like her now considering their curriculum choices for the coming year), she was specifically interested in Childhood of Famous Americans (the hardcovers if you can find them), for the ages posted. Older children may be interested in the Landmark books, biographies in the Signature series or We Were There books.

With the ages stated, these books can be read, comprehended and enjoyed together, as a family. Each child will gather details they find most intriguing. In our home we read in the afternoon before Dad comes home while toddler is still napping or later in the evening right before bed after jammies are on and teeth are brushed. Little eyes and bodies relaxed, transition to bed is easy. Family read-aloud time offers priceless memories of siblings and parents snuggled in the living room, reading.

Reading COFAs is a way to learn history and science. Children quickly become interested in COFA stories because the main characters are introduced as children. As to which title to choose, it is beneficial if the child chooses which title he would like to read first. Children are more likely to engage immediately and intently if their interest is piqued. Remember the content of COFAs lend themselves to history and science. Often as parents read, children begin to think how they can "study" the subject in more detail, maybe designing a lapbook, maybe helping to create a unit study, maybe acting out a historical event or dressing up as the main character, maybe simply checking out library books on the subject for deeper learning. 

If the listener is a reader, he or she may become so interested that independent reading may become a personal motivation. The result may be heading to the home library shelf to choose another independent read. COFAs make great independent reads, encouraging reading growth and fluency while learning history.

Younger readers, not quite ready to read a COFA independently, may enjoy choosing a similar title in the Step-Up book series. The reading level is lower than COFAs and make great reads for emerging readers. They are well-written and kids LOVE the content. 

Can history be studied reading "living books", books which allow the listener/reader to journey alongside characters? Absolutely! In fact, it is the stories our children have "lived" that are best remembered. 

Live History with Landmark Books Part II

A few days ago I posted the 122 titles of the American titles in the Landmark series. Today I am adding the 63 titles in the World series so families can round out their collection. The above picture includes one of each.

The 63 titles in the World Landmark series

1      The First Men In the World by Anne Terry White

2      Alexander the Great by John Gunther

3      Adventures and Discoveries of Marco Polo by Richard Walsh

4      Joan of Arc by Nancy Wilson Ross

5      King Arthur and His Knights by Mabel Louise Robinson

6      Mary, Queen of Scots by Emily Hahn

7      Napoleon and the Battle of Waterloo by Frances Winwar

8      Royal Canadian Mounted Police by Richard L Neuberger

9      The Man Who Changed China: The Story of Sun Yat-sen by Pearl S. Buck

10    The Battle of Britain by Quentin Reynolds

11    The Crusades by Anthony West

12    Genghis Khan and the Mongol Horde by Harold Lamb

13    Queen Elizabeth and the Spanish Armada by Francis Winwar

14    Simon Bolivar, the Great Liberator by Arnold Whitridge

15    The Slave Who Freed Haiti: The Story of Toussaint Louverture by Katerine Scherman

16    The Story of Scotland Yard by Laurence Thompson

17    The Life of Saint Patrick by Quentin Reynolds

18    The Exploits of Xenophon by Geoffrey Household

19    Captain Cook Explores the South Seas by Armstrong Sperry

20    Marie Antoinette by Bernadine Kielty

21    Will Shakespeare and the Globe Theater by Anne Terry White

22    The French Foreign Legion by Wyatt Blassingame

23    Martin Luther by Harry Emerson Fosdick

24    The Hudson’s Bay Company by Richard Morenus

25    Balboa: Swordsman Conquistador by Felix Riesenberg

26    The Magna Charta by James Daugherty

27    Leonardo da Vinci by Emily Hahn

28    General Brock and Niagara Falls by Samuel Hopkins Adams

29    Catherine the Great by Katherine Scherman

30    The Fall of Constantinople by Bernadine Kielty

31    Ferdinand Magellan: Master Mariner by Seymour Gates Pond

32    Garibaldi: Father of Modern Italy by Marcia Davenport

33    The Story of Albert Schweitzer by Anita Daniel

34    The Marquis de Lafayette: Bright Sword of Freedom by Hodding Carter

35    Famous Pirates of the New World by A. B. C. Whipple

36    Exploring the Himalaya by William O. Douglas

37    Queen Victoria by Noel Streatfeild

38    The Flight and Adventures of Charles II by Charles Norman

39    Chief of the Cossacks by Harold Lamb

40    Adventures of Ulysses by Gerald Gottlieb

41    William the Conqueror by Thomas B. Costain

42    Jesus of Nazareth by Harry Emerson Fosdick

43    Julius Caesar by John Gunther

44    The Story of Australia by A. Grove Day

45    Captain Cortes Conquers Mexico by William Johnson

46    Florence Nightingale by Ruth Fox Hume

47    The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler by William L. Shirer

48    The Story of Atomic Energy by Laura Fermi

49    Great Men of Medicine by Ruth Fox Hume

50    Cleopatra of Egypt by Leonora Hornblow

51    The Sinking of the Bismarck by William L. Shirer

52    Lawrence of Arabia by Alistair MacLean

53    The Life of Saint Paul by Harry Emerson Fosdick

54    The Voyages of Henry Hudson by Eugene Rachlis

55    Hero of Trafalgar by A. B. C. Whipple

56    Winston Churchill by Quentin Reynolds

57    The War of Korea: 1950 - 1953 by Robert Leckie

58    Walter Raleigh by Henrietta Buckmaster

59    Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt by Elizabeth Payne

60    Flying Aces of World War I by Gene Gurney

61    Commandos of World War II by Hodding Carter

62    Ben Gurion and the Birth of Israel by Joan Comay

63    The United Nations in War and Peace by T. R. Fehrenback

Live History with Landmark Books Part I

Has your child wondered how it might feel to find gold in California in 1848? How about walking the streets of Philadelphia with Ben Franklin? With Landmark books, children can authentically journey through America’s (and the world- but that is another post) past with our country’s heroes. The are packed with rich history and adventure, each written with eloquent and inviting language, drawing children into the setting, meeting people they might have only heard about and never had the chance to “know”.

“The early morning sun gleamed like a bright golden coin above the California foothills. It was January 24, 1848. In all the green wilderness world there was no sight of life except a wisp of smoke from a breakfast fire, and the figure of a man walking beside a ditch that led from a nearly finished sawmill to a river. Suddenly he stopped and stared intently down.”

                                    - The California Gold Rush, May McNeer

Landmark books make these curiosities possible by taking children along on the journey, whether signing the Constitution or laying rails on the transcontinental railroad. Along the way they meet people who changed or shaped our country.

Now considered vintage (because of their age), these books were the first among historical, non-fiction books written for the middle grade reader. They were originally published by Random House in the 1940s, 50s and 60s in two categories: American and World. There are 122 titles in the American series and 63 titles in the World series all penned by award-winning authors (for example C. S. Forester, Margaret Cousins, James Daugherty and Sterling North) individually contracted to write for the series. The hardcovers are now out of print, though some titles have been edited and reprinted in paperback form.

Landmarks make wonderful additions to home libraries as they can be enjoyed by readers of all ages (I have been known to stay up late into the night eagerly turning pages). They can be found at used bookstores, garage sales, library sales or through online book sources.

“But for a boy, there were trees to climb, fish to catch, boars to sail, and canoes to paddle. There were the Commons, where Bostonians drove their cows to pasture, the marshes, the ponds, the river, and the sea. Boys built forts and stockades and played Indian, put together homemade boats and sailed the ponds as pirates, explored the woods and swam in the blue water.”

                                    - Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia, Margaret Cousins

Some our favorite physical features of the hardcovers include large font and inviting two-tone line drawings. Several of our books have that “old book smell” adding to their authentic feel.

Landmarks have been a part of our almost 20 year home education journey. My oldest son devoured Old Ironsides, his first introduction to a full-length, independently read chapter book. He was hooked, not only on the series, but also on history. (Imagine the excitement when we had the opportunity to walk aboard the U.S.S. Constitution!) Since that time, each of our children has come to better understand history from these vintage gems.

I enjoy sharing our favorites, what they have taught us and how they have influenced our children's understanding of the people and events which have shaped history, through conference workshops and local presentations. Many have never heard of these books are eager to incorporate titles into their studies and learn how they can begin collecting these treasures for their home library. Wanting to know more about how to use Landmarks in your home education program? Contact me. I'd love to share how these books have brought history to life for our family in workshop format.

Note: These non-fiction books do not neuter history. There tell of the scenes of real history, real people and real details. Some of the books include first-hand accounts which may be desired reserved for older readers. For example Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, a moving account, brilliantly written by Captain Ted W. Lawson, contains details of the injuries sustained by the crew which crashed into the China Sea during the Doolittle Raid. As with any book, parents must decide what books and materials are suitable for their children.

The 122 titles in the American category:

1      The Voyages of Christopher Columbus by Armstrong Sperry

2      The Landing of the Pilgrims by James Daugherty

3      Pocahontas and Captain John Smith by Marie Lawson

4      Paul Revere and the Minute Men by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

5      Our Independence and the Constitution by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

6      The California Gold Rush by May McNeer

7      The Pony Express by Samuel Hopkins Adams

8      Lee and Grant at Appomattox by MacKinlay Kantor

9      The Building of the First Transcontinental Railroad by Adele Gutman Nathan

10    The Wright Brothers by Quentin Reynolds

11    Prehistoric America by Anne Terry White

12    The Vikings by Elizabeth Janeway

13    The Santa Fe Trail by Samuel Hopkins Adams

14    The Story of the U. S. Marines by George Hunt

15    The Lewis and Clark Expedition by Richard L. Neuberger

16    The Monitor and the Merrimac by Fletcher Pratt

17    The Explorations of Pere Marquette by Jim Kjelgaard

18    The Panama Canal by Bob Considine

19    The Pirate Lafitte and The Battle of New Orleans by Robert Tallant

20    Custer’s Last Stand by Quentin Reynolds

21    Daniel Boone by John Mason Brown

22    Clipper Ship Days by John Jennings

23    Gettysburg by MacKinlay Kantor

24    The Louisiana Purchase by Robert Tallant

25    Wild Bill Hickok Tames the Wild West by Stewart H. Holbrook

26    Betsy Ross and the Flag by Jane Mayer

27    The Conquest of the North and South Poles by Russell Owen

28    Ben Franklin and Old Philadelphia by Margaret Cousin

29    Trapper and Traders of the Far West by James Daugherty

30    Mr. Bell Invents the Telephone by Katherine B. Shippen

31    The Barbary Pirates by C. S. Forester

32    Sam Houston, the Tallest Texan by William Johnson

33    The Winter at Valley Forge by Van Wyck Mason

34    The Erie Canal by  Samuel Hopkins Adams

35    Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo by Captain Ted Lawson

36    Thomas Jefferson, Father of Democracy by Vincent Sheean

37    The Coming of the Mormons by Jim Kjelgaard

38    George Washington Carver, the Story of a Great American by Anne Terry White

39    John Paul Jones, Fighting Sailor by Armstrong Sperry

40    The First Overland Mail by Robert Pinkerton

41    Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders by Henry Castor

42    The Pioneers Go West to California by Covered Wagon by  George R. Stewart

43    Peter Stuyvesant of Old New York by Anne Erskine

44    Lincoln and Douglas: The Years of Decision by Regina Z. Kelly

45    Robert Fulton and the Steamboat by Ralph Nading Hill

46    The F. B. I by Quentin Reynolds

47    Dolly Madison by Jane Mayer

48    John James Audubon by Margaret and John Kieran

49    Hawaii, Gem of the Pacific by Oscar Lewis

50    War Chief of the Seminoles by Mary McNeer

51    Old Ironsides, the Fighting Constitution by Harry Hansen

52    The Mississippi Bubble by Thomas B. Costain

53    Kit Carson and the Wild Frontier by Ralph Moody

54    Robert E. Lee and the Road to Honor by Hodding Carter

55    Guadalcanal Diary by Richard Tregaskis

56    Commodore Perry and the Opening of Japan by Ferdinanad Kuhn

57    Davy Crockett by Stewart H. Holbrook

58    Clara Barton, Founder of the American Red Cross by Helen Boylston

59    The Story of San Francisco by Charlotte Jackson

60    Up the Trail from Texas by J. Frank Dobie

61    Abe Lincoln: Log Cabin to White House by Sterling North

62    The Story of D-Day: June 6, 1944 by Bruce Bliven, Jr.

63    Rogers’ Rangers and the French and Indian War by Bradford Smith

64    The Greatest Showman: The Life of P.T. Barnum by Joe Bryan III

65    Sequoyah, Leader of the Cherokees by Alice Marriott

66    Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys by Slater Brown

67    Wyatt Earp, U.S. Marshall by Stewart H Holbrook

68    The Early Days of the Automobiles by Elizabeth Janeway

69    The Witchcraft of Salem Village by Shirley Jackson

70    The West Point Story by Colonel Red Reeder

71    George Washington, Frontier Colonel Sterling North

72    The Texas Rangers by Will Henry

73    Buffalo Bill’s Great Wild West Show by Walter Havighurst

74    Evangeline and the Acadians by Robert Tallant

75    The Story of the Secret Service by Ferdinand Kuhn

76    Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too! By Stanley Young

77    America’s First World War: General Pershing and the Yanks by Henry Castor

78    The Doctors Who Conquered Yellow Fever by Ralph Nading Hill

79    Remember the Alamo! By Robert Penn Warren

80    Andrew Carnegie and the Age of Steel by Katherine B. Shippen

81    Geronimo: Wolf of the Warpath by Ralph Moody

82    The Story of the Paratroops by George Weller

83    The American Revolution by Bruce Bliven

84    The Story of the Naval Academy by Felix Riesenberg, Jr.

85    Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr by Anna Erskine

86    Stonewall Jackson by Jonathan Daniels

87    The Battle for the Atlantic by Jay Williams

88    The First Transatlantic Cable by Adele Gutman Nathan

89    The Story of the U.S. Air Force by Robert Loomis

90    The Swamp Fox of the Revolution by Stewart H. Holbrook

91    Heroines of the Early West by Nancy Wilson Ross

92    The Alaska Gold Rush by May McNeer

93    The Golden Age of Railroads by Stwart H. Holbrook

94    From Pearl Harbor to Okinawa by Bruce Bliven, Jr.

95    The Copper Kings of Montana by Marian T. Poole

96    Great American Fighter Pilots of World War II by Robert Loomis

97    The Story of the U. S. Coast Guard by Eugene Rachlis

98    William Penn: Quaker Hero by Hildegarde Dolson

99    John F. Kennedy and PT 109 by Richard Tregaskis

100  The Story of Oklahoma by Lon Tinkle

101  Americans into Orbit: The Story of Project Mercury by Gene Gurney

102  The Story of Submarines by George Weller

103   The Seabees of World War II by Edmund Castillo

104   The U. S. Border Patrol by Clement Hellyer

105   The Flying Tigers by John Toland

106   The U. S. Frogmen of World War II by Wyatt Blassingame

107   Women of Courage by Dorothy Nathan

108   Dwight D. Eisenhower by Malcom Moos

109   Disaster at Johnstown, the Great Flood by Hildegarde Dolson

110   The Story of Thomas Alva Edison by Margaret Cousins

111   Medal of Honor Heroes by Colonel Red Reeder

112   From Casablanca to Berlin by Bruce Blevin, Jr.

113   Young Mark Twain and the Mississippi by Harnett T. Kane

114   The Battle of the Bulge by John Toland

115   The Story of the Thirteen Colonies by Clifford Lindsey Alderman

116   Combat Nurses of World War II by Wyatt Blassingame

117   Walk in Space: The Story of Project Gemini by Gene Gurney

118   The Battle for Iwo Jima by Robert Leckie

119   Midway, Battle for the Pacific by Captain Edmund L. Castillo

120   Medical Corps Heroes of World War II by Wyatt Blassingame

121   Flat Tops: The Story of Aircraft Carriers by Edmund L. Castillo

122   The Mysterious Voyage of Captain Kidd by A. B. C.Whipple

Childhood of Famous Americans

Please note: This is an expanded post of the original which I posted at Start Well Home School on November 18, 2009. Since that time we have read more titles from this series with a growing love for them.

One of the very first recommendations I received from a veteran home educator was to read titles from the Childhood of Famous Americans series to my children. WOW! What a find! These books have engaged my children since the early 1990's. The flame was recently rekindled as my younger children took an interest in the bright red, white and blue covers gracing our shelves. We have been eagerly reading about the childhood lives of famous Americans, learning some very interesting lesser-known facts about people we have come to admire.

Recent notes: These books are fictionalized, though we have found them to contain accurate information about the childhoods of these famous Americans. I think my children find them inviting because of their focus on the childhood life of people they know only as adults.

Each book is packed with noteworthy experiences, personality traits, and adventures about the girl or boy who eventually grew up to be the inventor, scientist, statesman, president, educator, or explorer we knew only as an adult. The books bring the young person to life, incorporating events to which a child reader can relate. We have found ourselves mindful of the childhood experiences and personal gifts which eventually contributed to the famous American's greatness. By the end of each book, the reader is left with the desire to find out what happened next, a perfect lead to further study.

The Childhood of Famous Americans (COFA) series, praised by parents, teachers, and librarians for over 65 years, was first introduced to the public in the 1940s and continued to be printed into the 1960s by Bobbs-Merrill. Originally printed in hardback form, these fictionalized biographies (suitable for independent readers third grade and up or to be read aloud to any age) became instant favorites and were reintroduced in an infamous red, white and blue paperback form in the 1980s.

Recent notes: We especially like the original hardcover books. Though these are out of print, they can be found online or in used bookstore. Great finds! With over 170 COFAs to choose from, there is sure to be one to be woven into any study.

A list of COFAs can be found at Valerie's Living Books.

You can find some here.

If you need a visual (like me) so you can spot them at a sale quickly, take a look here.

In recent years, several publishers are working to bring the once-out-of-print-titles back to life. A great endeavor, however in the process some of the books have undergone editing and rewording. One publisher, Patria Press, began reprinting the stories in 2002, renaming the series Young Patriots. Find out more about the titles they have reprinted at http://www.patriapress.com/.

Whenever we begin new unit of study or a new period of American history we try to find a COFA title to personalize our learning. Visit http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/COFA.htm for a listing of all the titles arranged by era.

The hardcover originals are, of course, our favorite because of their old, authentic feel and larger font. Now considered vintage books, they can be difficult to find. If we cannot get our eyes and hands on these treasures, we look for the well-known red, white and blue covers.


Want to learn more about the heroes and heroines who shaped our country? Find a COFA title and relax on a comfy couch. You and your children will discover inspiring details from the lives of the men and women whom we often know only through their adult accomplishments.

Step Up Books Save A Want-to-be-Reader

The want-to-be-reader in my daughter disappeared, somewhere between simple short vowel words and complex sentences. Just like that, gone. In desperation (if you know us you know we love books) I went to the home library shelf. There before my eyes appeared, George Washington. The title invited me in- Meet George Washington.

I pulled the book off the shelf and thumbed through the pages. PERFECT! Large type. Pictures on every other page. All nestled in chapters between two hard covers. THIS book had the look and  feel of a book an "older" child would read. I beckoned my want-to-be-reader and proposed we sit together as I read. That is all she needed. A book that felt like a "real" book. Not just some story printed in a graded reader, but a real book. Motivation returned.

So often want-to-be-readers are lost when fluency and practice are needed to feed the reading process. Reading can be just plain hard for some. Lots of practice. Lots of encouragement. Lots of interesting "real books" needed to make it through that tough time when a young child is building vocabulary and fluency to become an proficient reader.

We started together. I read to her. The content was intriguing, interesting, something she wanted to know more about. I read the entire book. She listened. She wanted another. I had no idea where I had gotten the only one we owned. Where to look? The library? No, not there. Google saved the day. Within a short time, I was able to locate another, then another. I read a page. Then she read a page. Soon, she read a chapter, then I read a chapter. Dad was invited to read. Before long (maybe 2 months) she was reading, independently on her own with enthusiasm. The want-to-be-reader had been transformed to the I-gotta-read reader. Currently, she wants to read every book in the series. In fact, the now fluent reader won't move to another series until she reads them all (or at least the ones we can find). Step Up books are that interesting to her. Interest is the prime motivator. It's internal. It's powerful.

A map for reference while reading. Yes! Geography and Reading!

In the process of finding other books in the series, we have acquired "extras" of some of the titles (because we had to buy them in lots). If you have a want-to-be-reader who has gotten lost between simple words and complex sentences, perhaps these high interest books will motivate your child as they have ours. If so, let us know. We know how you can add them to your library.

Learning and Paper Trails

Learning is often measured in paper. Thirty-problem speed drills. Handwriting practice sheets. Standardized tests. Lab reports. In and of themselves, these items aren't terrible. They have their place. However, valuable learning also takes place when there is no visible, tangible trace.

We have had one of those weeks, weeks where most learning will not be measured in paper. Stellar, life-impacting learning occurred, but we didn't have sheets and sheets of paper to prove our efforts. During the course of the week, we had the opportunity to:

• learn number recognition while playing BINGO with Great-grandma
• counted and rolled coins (collected in the family change jar)
• played Pizza Fraction Fun 
• weighed produce with a kitchen scale
• made figures with tangrams
• wrote letters on the driveway with sidewalk chalk
• retold a story we heard someone else tell and then discussed how point of view and experiences determine potential bias
• read a recipe, followed directions, and measured ingredients
• listened to Jim Weiss stories on CD

• spelled three- and four-letter short vowel words on a white board
• listened to The Tale of Two Cities and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (books on tape)
• reviewed state abbreviations while driving to Grandma's house
• assembled a floor puzzle of the United States
• listened to mom read Meet the Pilgrim Fathers by Elizabeth Payne
• learned body systems and their functions while listening to Lyrical life Science: Human Body
• listened to the Biology audio text while creating pencil drawings
• discussed the nutritional content of three types of cereal
• cared for the neighbor's dogs

Children were engaged. Learning occurred. No paper trace for these activities. The evidence resided in the minds of the young learners. How did we document our learning? We kept a resource list and took pictures of the white board, tangram creations, and completed puzzle. The rest...you will have to ask the children. I am sure they would be more than willing to share their adventures!

It's A Revolution!

There is a little bit of the American Revolution going around. I have several friends working their way through it, others asking about it, and we are in the middle of it, so why not post one blog and help everyone on their journey through the American Revolution?

Rather than learn about the Revolution as a whole this year, we're taking a look at the events from the angles of the men and women who lived it. As a way to tie it together, we are putting all the famous faces on a timeline so the kids can visually see where the people fall in line time-wise.

Our timeline. You can see we've just started. In fact, we have two more pictures to add today: Abigail Adams and Martha Washington. A side note- our study and reading about George and Martha Washington made the kids curious about Abraham Lincoln. One of our daughters had read Meet George Washington (Step Up Books series) independently and then borrowed Meet Abraham Lincoln (Step Up Books series) from friends, so when the topic came up, the girls started sharing all they knew about our sixteenth president. Later we read about Annie Oakley somewhere, and well, our history study moved forward to the Civil War. Not sure I was done with all I wanted to study about the Revolution, but intrinsic motivation increases retention, so I decided I would rather move on and have them remember what we are studying. Later this week we will add some Civil War era folks to the time line.

Back to the Revolution. Here are some of the books we enjoyed as we studied those who fought for the independence of our country.

George Washington

Adler, David A., A Picture Book of George Washington

d'Aulaire, Ingri, George Washington

Harness, Cheryl, George Washington

Heilbroner, Joan, Meet George Washington (StepUp Books series reprinted in paperback with similar text as a Landmark book)

Stevenson, Augusta, George Washington: Young Leader (Childhood of Famous Americans)

Abraham Lincoln

Adler, David A., A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln

Brenner, Martha, Abe Lincoln's Hat (Step Into Reading series)

Cary, Barbara, Meet Abraham Lincoln (Step Up B

ooks)

Winters, Kay, Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Bo

oks

Betsy Ross

Wallner, Alexandra, Betsy Ross

Weil, Ann, Betsy Ross: Designer of our Flag (Childhood of Famous Americans)

Paul Revere

Adler, David A., A Picture Book of Paul Revere

Fritz, Jean, And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, Paul Revere's Ride (illustrated by Ted Rand)

Stevenson, Augusta, Paul Revere: Boston Patriot (Childhood of Famous Americans)

Benjamin Franklin

Hareness, Cheryl, The Remarkable Benjamin Franklin

Scarf, Maggi, Meet Benjamin Franklin (Step Up Books)

Stevenson, Augusta, Benjamin Franklin: Young Printer (Childhood of Famous Americans)

Sam Adams

Adler, David A., The Picture Book of Sam Adams

Fritz, Jean, Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams?

The American Revolution

Dalgliesh, Alice, The 4th of July

McGovern, Ann, If You Lived In Colonial Times

Moore, Kay, If You Lived At the Time of the American Revolution

We have used various activities from History Pockets: Colonial America and History Pockets: American Revolution by Evan-Moor. Homeschool Share also has lapbook ideas for the American Revolution.

As we move onto the Civil War here is a lapbook one of my daughters created. Some of her graphics were cut from old history textbooks. Templates for some of the topics were used from Homeschool Share.

Summer Reading List

Summer peaks around the corner. For some people packing for vacation is first and foremost on the mind. For others, summer camps and mission trips demand last minute trips to variety stores to purchase last minute necessities. In the midst of preparing for what summer will bring to our families, some of us are also visiting local libraries and used book sales to gather summer reading materials. For those who have asked about summer reading possibilities, I write this blog. The titles have been compiled over the years and are printed in Appendix D of my book You HAVE to Read This One: Raising a Contagious Reader.

"Parents choose reading materials for their children based upon several factors:
• a student’s reading ability and maturity,
• family’s values and worldview, and
• whether a book is to be read aloud or read independently.

All these factors, or a combination of these factors, will determine what titles are appropriate for your children. My list was complied for parents with upper elementary (grades 4-5) and middle school (grades 6-8) students.

The spectrum of age and maturity of students in grades four through eight is great. As a guide, I have marked titles considered more difficult—by vocabulary or content— with (M). Parents may decide to wait until grades 7-8 to introduce these books. Selections marked (2-4) may be considered acceptable read-aloud titles for grades 2-4. As always, if in doubt, read the book first."

• Adams, Richard, Watership Down (M)
• Alcott, Louisa May, Little Men (M)
• Alcott, Louisa May, Little Women (M)
• Allman, Barbara, Musical Genius
• Andersen, Hans Christian, Hans Andersen’s Fairy Tales
• Armstrong, William, Sounder
• Atwater, Richard and Florence, Mr. Popper’s Penguins
• Bagnold, Enid, National Velvet
• Barrie, J. M., Peter Pan
• Baum, L. Frank, The Wizard of Oz
• Beatty, Patricia, Turn Homeward Hannalee
• Beechick, Ruth, Adam and His Kin
• Blackmore, R. D., Lorna Doone
• Brink, Carol Ryrie, Caddie Woodlawn
• Bulla, Clyde Robert, A Lion to Guard Us
• Burnett, Frances Hodgson, Little Lord Fauntleroy
• Carroll, Lewis, Alice in Wonderland
• Collodi, Carlo, Pinocchio
• Crane, Stephen, The Red Badge of Courage (M)
• Coerr, Eleanor, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes
• Crockett, Davy, The Life of David Crockett (M)
• D’Angeli, Marguerite, The Door in the Wall
• Dalgliesh, Alice, The Courage of Sarah Noble (2-4)
• Defoe, Daniel, The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe
• DeJong, Meindert, The Wheel on the School (M)
• Dickens, Charles, A Christmas Carol (M)
• Dickens, Charles, A Tale of Two Cities (M)
• Dickens, Charles, Great Expectations (M)
• Dickens, Charles, Oliver Twist (M)
• du Bois, William Pene, The Twenty-One Balloons (M)
• Edmonds, Walter D., The Matchlock Gun (2-4)
• Equiano, Olaudah, The Kidnapped Prince
• Finley, Martha, Elise Densmore
• Fleischman, Sid, By the Great Horn Spoon!
• Fleischman, Sid, The Whipping Boy
• Forbes, Esther, Johnny Tremain (M)
• Fritz, Jean, The Cabin Faced West (2-4)
• George, Jean Craighead, Julie of the Wolves
• George, Jean Craighead, My Side of the Mountain
• Gipson, Fred, Old Yeller
• Gray, Elizabeth Janet, Adam of the Road
• Green, Roger Lancelyn, Tales of Ancient Egypt (M)
• Green, Roger Lancelyn, The Adventures of Robin Hood
• Green, Roger Lancelyn, The Tale of Troy
• Hawthorne, Nathaniel, The Scarlet Letter (M)
• Henty, G.A., Beric the Briton
• Henty, G. A., Cat of Bubastes
• Henty, G. A., For the Temple
• Henty, G. A., Young Carthaginian
• Homer, The Odyssey
• Homer, The Illiad
• Hugo, Victor, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (M)
• Hunt, Irene, Across Five Aprils (M)
• Hunt, Irene, Up the Road Slowly (M)
• Keith, Harold, Rifles for Watie
• Kelly, Eric P., The Trumpeter of Krakow (M)
• Kipling, Rudyard, Captains Courageous
• Kipling, Rudyard, Just So Stories
• Kipling, Rudyard, The Jungle Book
• Langford, Alan, Tales of the Greek Heroes (M)
• Lee, Harper, To Kill a Mockingbird (M)
• Latham, Jean Lee, Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
• Lawson, Robert, Rabbit Hill
• L’Engle, Madeleine, A Wrinkle in Time
• Lenski, Lois, The Strawberry Girl (2-4)
• Lewis, C.S., The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
• Lindgren, Astrid, Pippi Longstocking
• Lofting, Hugh, Doctor Dolittle Stories
• London, Jack, The Call of the Wild
• London, Jack, White Fang
• Macdonald, George, The Princess and the Goblin
• McGraw, Eloise Jarvis, Mara, Daughter of the Nile
• McGraw, Eloise Jarvis, The Golden Goblet
• Montgomery, Lucy Maud, Anne of Green Gables
• Morey, Walt, Gentle Ben
• Norton, Mary, The Borrowers (2-4)
• O’Dell, Scott, Island of the Blue Dolphins
• O’Dell, Scott, The Hawk that Dare Not Hunt by Day (M)
• Porter, Eleanor, Pollyanna (2-4)
• Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan, The Yearling (M)
• Rawls, Wilson, Where the Red Fern Grows
• Richter, Conrad, The Light in the Forest
• Sewell, Anna, Black Beauty
• Sharp, Margery, The Rescuers
• Sheldon, George, The Cricket in Times Square
• Speare, Elizabeth George, Calico Captive
• Speare, Elizabeth George, The Bronze Bow
• Speare, Elizabeth George, The Sign of the Beaver
• Speare, Elizabeth George, The Witch of Blackbird Pond (M)
• Spyri, Johanna, Heidi
• Stevenson, Robert Louis, A Child’s Garden of Verses
• Stevenson, Robert Louis, Treasure Island
• Swift, Jonathan, Gulliver's Travels
• Taylor, Mildred, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (M)
• ten Boom, Corrie, The Hiding Place (M)
• Tolkien, J.R.R, The Hobbit
• Tolkien, J.R.R., Fellowship of the Rings
• Twain, Mark, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (M)
• Twain, Mark, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (M)
• Vern, Jules, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (M)
• Vern, Jules, Around the World in Eighty Days
• Vern, Jules, Journey to the Center of the Earth (M)
• Wells, H. G., Time Machine (M)
• White, E. B., Charlotte’s Web (2-4)
• White, E. B., Stuart Little
• Wiggin, Kate Douglas, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
• Williamson, Joanne, Hittite Warrior
• Wyss, Jonathan David, Swiss Family Robinson
• Yates, Elizabeth, Amos Fortune Free Man

May this reading list is a springboard to many summer adventures!

AWEsome Story Site

A friend passed along this story site. What an amazing resource! Enjoy!

http://www.short-story-time.com/index.html

Warning: You'll be there all day.

Taking Math on the Road

I am ecstatic about my newest resource, Taking Math on the Road! It is the first, of what I hope will be many, activity folders in my new Do, Learn, & Remember series. As children create an activity folder, they pull math off flat paper and apply concepts—numeration, graphing, measurement, computation, money, estimation, and more— to life experiences.

This series was conceived as I answered questions from parents: "How do you teach math?" or "Do you have a template for that activity?" The Taking Math on the Road CD contains instructions and templates for the games we play in our home to learn math. The CD can be purchased at my website and inserted in the CD drive of your computer. Print the pages you need and begin a thematic math adventure.

Want to know more? I am posting the introduction to Taking Math on the Road here so you can become more acquainted with the ideas behind the Do, Learn, & Remember series.

"The contents of this activity folder are intentionally written to help you teach your child math concepts. Working through this seven day study, your child will create a folder packed with high-interest activities. Unlike worksheets which teach math on a one-dimensional surface, Do, Learn, & Remember actively involves your child. The games are intended to provide stand-alone math instruction but can be easily adapted or incorporated into existing home studies.

Do, Learn, & Remember encourages mastery through repetition, an essential element for teaching math concepts. The completed folder’s compact, pocket-design keeps supplies and pieces safely inside and invites your child to carry learning through the day, playing and practicing again and again. This study is not a once-and-done-creation.

Do, Learn, & Remember activities offer flexibility. The unit was written for varied developmental stages and educational philosophies. Simply choose appropriate activities from the selections provided. Feel free to shorten, lengthen, substitute, or omit activities to accommodate your child’s learning needs. Web resources (marked with a computer symbol) and book suggestions are included for extended study. It is even possible to use the games and resources without constructing the activity folder.

Each lesson includes practical application experiences and related book titles (a library visit enhances study, but is not required) in an effort to make learning relevant to life. Additional supplemental activities and templates are available on this CD. Create, teach, and learn by the means which best encourage learning in your home.

Taking Math on the Road was tested in our home. If it didn’t work, I didn’t include it. In fact, only activities which earned a “Dad, look what we did!” made their way into this unit. Most of the activities were completed at multiple levels (ages 4-8) and some were selected as review activities for children who needed extra practice. Generally, we all played together. Our activity folder and the memories we made creating it, are treasured. We hope yours will be, too!"

Math concepts taught and reinforced in Taking Math on the Road:

• Shape and color recognition
• Counting to 100 by twos, fives, and tens
• Greater than and less than to 100
• Ordering numbers 1-100
• Ordering numbers 100-1000
• Graphing and tallying
• Comparison
• Addition facts and their corresponding subtraction facts (addends 0-6, sums less than 12)
• Foundational fraction concepts

Content area skills integrated and applied to life skills:

• Roman roads
• Road construction
• Shapes, colors, and meanings of common road signs
• History and significance of traffic signals
• Inventors who contributed to automotive history
• Car manufacturing
• Auto mechanics
• Buses
• Drawing vehicles

Bonus! activities and templates for Place Value Pasta, Add the Wheels, Traffic Sign Criss-Cross, and Roman Road Dessert.