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.

Read Around the World

Travel the world and never leave your living room. Though there are distinct advantages to learning about the Colosseum while walking its cobblestone path ways or climbing to the top on worn stone steps, many of us will never have an opportunity to do so. That's where books span the ravine of being there to taking us there.

Books set in cultures and countries afar, allow us to walk across the Grand Canal, explore the Sahara, swim the English Channel, or climb the Rocky Mountains. In doing so, books broaden horizons, teaching geography and immersing us in culture as we read.

Travel the United States with:
In My Mother's House by Ann Nolan Clark
M is for Majestic: A National Parks Alphabet by David Domeniconi
The Great St. Lawrence Seaway by Gail Gibbons
Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C. Holling
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Latham
Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski (chapter book)
Lentil by Robert McCloskey
Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey
N is for Our Nation's Capital by Roland Smith
The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde H. Swift
A New Coat for Anna by Harriet Ziefert

Traveled the World with:
A Ride on Mother's Back: A Day of Baby Carrying Around the World by Emery and Durga Bernhard
The Apple and the Arrow by Mary and Conrad Bluff
Secret of the Andes by Ann Nolan Clark (chapter book)
The Wheel on the School by Meindert deJong (chapter book)
A Life Like Mine published by DK Publishing
Children Just Like Me by Anabel Kindersley
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
A Pair of Red Clogs by Masako Matsuno
Bread, Bread, Bread by Ann Morris
House and Homes by Ann Morris
How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman
The Glorious Flight by Alice and Martin Provensen
P is for Passport by Devin Scillian
The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese

Additional Resources (some will make your mouth water!)
Eat Your Way Around the World by Jamie Aramini (yummy twists to teaching geography)
Galloping the Globe by Loree Pettit and Dari Mullins (a unit study)
Geography from A to Z: A Picture Glossary by Jack Knowlton (helpful reminders!)
Teaching Ideas website (ideas to get your mind traveling)
Geography Matters website (a plethora of helpful resources)
Online geography games
Netstate website (all about the 50 states, and more!)
Friends Across America (coloring pages for everything America)
Enchanted Learning (all about US Geography)
Enchanted Learning (all about World Geography)
Homeschool Share (lapbooking geography)
Homeschool Share (more lapbooking geography)
Homeschool Share (US geography)

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.

From One Train to Another

Last week the girls and I disembarked the train on which we rode for several days, finishing The Mystery on the Train by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Tonight we boarded another train, riding with four-year-old Walt Disney from Chicago to his new home. Having had a few lessons in "rail lingo" during our first read, we were two steps ahead for our new read. Trust me, this wasn't planned, but I love when situations like this happen- a nice bridge to our next adventure. Seeing the title, Walt Disney, and being a fond of the blue-covered Childhood of Famous Americans series, I pulled the book from the library shelf. Eighty pages into the book, we have not been disappointed. What a great book! Nothing questionable thus far, just an exciting walk through young Walt's life, listening as his innate interest in art and animals comes to life, despite frequent hardship. We are beginning to see young Walt develop a tender relationship with his brother Roy. What a refreshing treasure that is! Well, anyway, tomorrow, with anticipation, we begin on page 80. The tension and conflict in the plot encourages us to come back to find out what happens.

A Link to Storybook History

A friend sent me a link she knew I would enjoy. She was right. It's a blog written by children's book extraordinaire Gladys Hunt. Gladys Hunt has written several titles including well-known and loved, Honey for A Child's Heart.

Here's the link: http://tumblon.com/honey/210/remember-the-little-golden-books

I hope you enjoy the link (and others by Ms. Hunt) as much as I did!

Stories Begin at the Beginning

Creation began when God created. Our family began when we said "I do!" Art begins in the mind of an artist.

Today we began our day reading about artists: Giotto, Bellini, De Vinci and Carle. We read their personal stories and learned about their techniques. I told the girls about the amazing paintings I was in an art gallery in Venice. Then we headed to the kitchen table to mix paint. The eleven year old decided to paint modern art. The seven year old painted a landscape like the one she watched Bob Ross paint the day before. The five year old painted Dad a birthday card. Mom and the three year old painted paper. Paper? Yes, papers from which we will cut collage shapes for our collage beach scene. That's this afternoon's story.

So, this blog shares the beginning of our painting story, the one we will conclude later this afternoon. I will tell you about it later when we finish the story

Scrabble for All Ages

I jumped and shouted, "Look! Cheez-Its with letters!" Turned heads and puzzled looks were upon me. "Lady, your in the grocery isle." They thought.

I knew where I was but I could not contain my excitement. A new idea had jumped from the grocery shelf and into my brain. I see learning opportunities everywhere, even in the grocery isle, and frankly, a new tool for learning is like a Christmas present under the tree.

I have thought about this new find for several days. Cheez-Its with letters. The new snack is called Cheez-It Scrabble Junior. Do you realize the learning possibilities?

• Grab a handful fo Cheez-Its. Group them according to letter...all the C's together, all the T's together, etc. Find out which group has more, which group has less. The math and language arts skills involved are for the youngest learners: grouping, set-building and letter recognition.

• Make an alphabet train. Line up the letters while singing the alphabet and you have the foundations for alphabetizing.

• Grab a letter, make its phonetic sound, and find items around the house that begin with that letter. Beginning phonics with a fun twist.

• Use the letters as mini flash cards. Grab a letter and make the sound. Grab another and make the sound. Go through the whole alphabet.

• Create two letter words: am, an, at, as, ax, be, go, if, in, is, it, me, on, so, and to. Add a letter to each to make three letter words. Spelling at its earliest beginnings.

• Spell the names of family members. These are high-interest words with a purpose for new spellers.

The possibilities are endless, not to mention, fun, different, and appealing . What a unique introduction to a positively educational game, Scrabble!

While I am on the subject of Scrabble, let me share how this game impacted our learning. Being an "adult game" if you want to classify it as such, it instantly grabbed my son's attention. He wanted to play because he saw Mom and Dad playing. Being a beginning speller did not stop him. He wanted to play. So, I created a "dictionary" for him. I stapled 26 pieces of notebook paper together. Each page was labeled with a letter of the alphabet. Once labeled, I wrote 3-5 letter words which began with the letter written on the top of the page. My son used his "dictionary" to play Scrabble with us. His spelling skills improved and eventually he was able to play without the "dictionary". Our children love a friendly, family game of Scrabble. It's a great way to spend an evening. Honestly, our older boy's vocabulary and spelling skills now surpass Mom and Dad and the kids usually win the game.

Scrabble (and Scrabble Junior) have been the number one spelling tools in our home. You can imagine how excited I was to find Cheez-Its Scrabble Junior on the shelf. I let the ladies in the isle know what an incredible treasure had been discovered.

With all this thought and excitement about letters, I have been reminded of our favorite alphabet books.

• A is for Asia by C. Chin-Lee


• P is for Pilgrim by Carol Crane (just one of the many, many titles in a series from the Discover America series...http://www.gale.cengage.com/DiscoverAmerica/guides/


• Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables from A to Z by Lois Ehlert


• 26 Letters and 99 Cents by Tana Hoban


• Alphabet City by Stephen Johnson


• The Airplane Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta (just one of the many, many thematic alphabet books he has written)


• Wild Animals of Africa by H. Ryden

Have fun with language arts today. Education is real and relevant.

Plots: What We Know and What We Figure Out Later

Ever wonder just how each event or person impacts the plot of a story? I have. And I have learned a few lessons, like many of you. Every word, every situation, every action, every character, impacts the story. We may not understand how the story will unfold or which character will play a lead role in the climax, but rest assured it is all important. Without the unknown woman walking through the door, the lady sitting across the library table or the girl coming to the rescue, the plot changes. Sometimes dramatically.

Can we be a part of the plot? Everyday we have the opportunity. We step from bed and into the scene. We talk. We decide. We act. We love. It all adds to the plot. To ours and to others.
Where will I be in the unfolding plot tomorrow? Will I sit on a park bench and offer kind words to the discouraged one or choose to sit quietly? Will I hug the hurting or let someone else do the hugging? It all matters.

This is a seemingly off-topic blog, but a closer read begs a thoughtful pause. Think about the roles we play in the plot. Think about the roles others have played. How do we convey to our kids the role they play in the plot? By living the story. Each story is a story to be lived in order to be learned. They will look back and remember the wrinkled hands that held theirs. They will remember the smell of the soup kitchen in which they served warm meals on a cold day. They will remember walking the battlefields. Lessons learned from the plot of life. Lessons that don't become known, sometimes years later.

Reading books that invite us into the plots of others help us (including our children) learn. When we put our hands under the cool water, pumped out from the garden pump, we think of Helen Keller's courage to learn. When we fly in an airplane, we remember the brave Wright Brothers determination to fly. When we snorkel while on vacation, we understand the significance of an untethered breathing apparatus. All lessons learned from the lives of those who walked before us. Our lives today are no different. The plot is being written. What will we learn from our efforts? What will others learn from us? It is all to be determined....today, but maybe not discovered until later.

Melon Balls: How our Lunch Shaped Up

I've missed blogging, sharing stories from our life. Many weeks have passed, many blogs I wanted to write, but didn't have time to type. Maybe you will hear those later.

Today, however, math jumped out of our watermelon. Our oldest daughter was helping prepare lunch. She pulled the watermelon out of the fridge as the other daughter yelled, "Let's make melon balls!" Perfect. The younger children hadn't heard of melon balls. We took turns balling the melon into spheres of all sizes and density. Soon we have a whole bowl full of spheres and began thinking of other spheres we knew: globes, soccer balls, baseballs, soap-on-a-rope, golf balls. eyeballs. Our list ran long;the gears in our minds, spinning. By the time we made and ate 50 melon balls (counting by ones and then tens) we understood the concept of "sphere".

Learning while preparing and eating food is what my book Flip Three Pancakes with One Spatula is all about. Each lesson teaches a math concept and then extends the lesson to content areas, suggesting titles of books for additional practice or reinforcement.

So, in keeping with the concept of "sphere", here are ways to extend and reinforce the lesson.

1. Round up an orange, either off the tree, fresh off the orange tree in the backyard or from the fruit basket. Compare its spherical shape with the shape of a flat one-dimensional circle. Discuss the differences. Find examples about the house or on a nature walk. Read Circles Around Town by Nathan Olson or Circles by Sarah Schuette.

2. Cut the orange in 8 slices and divide evenly (if possible) among those at the table. Discuss the orange in terms of its fractional parts: half, quarters and eighths. Read Each Orange Had 8 Slices: A Counting Book by Paul Giganti, Jr.

3. Use a set of fraction circles to experiment with fractional parts of a circle. Cut out your own fraction circles from construction paper.

4. Measure the circumference of the orange with a string. Measure the circumference of other spheres in the home (golf ball, baseball, or beach ball). How does the circumference of the orange compare in length with the other spheres?

5. Make fresh squeezed orange juice.

6. Discuss the nutritional value of oranges. Hint: think Vitamin C, scurvy and the like.

7. Visit an orange packing plant or grove.

8. Draw and shade an orange, talking about light, dark and shadows. Research shading on the Internet, with a parent's supervision, of course.

9. Read Sunny Numbers: A Florida Counting Book by Carol Crane.

10. Mix red and yellow paint to make orange. Add black and white to make shades and tints. Use the paints to sponge paint with circles or to paint an orange, shaded with the tints of orange paint.

Organizing High School Records: Writing a High Schooler's Story

Heart of the Matter is hosting 8 Ways to a More Organized Homeschool Carnival. This week, Week Four, is Organizing Your Records. The posts will be up March 27. In the meantime, you can stop by, read the past week's posts, and be blessed by moms who offer their creative organization tips.

Over the last several weeks I have encouraged moms who are gathering high school records in an effort to write the "stories" of their high school students. One mom was gathering documents for employment, another mom was proving her "good student" was eligible for reduced car insurance. The last mom was in the process of preparing a transcript and other necessary documents required for college admission. I encouraged these moms to keep their high school records well-organized making the high school story writing process less daunting. Accurate and organized record keeping is the key to developing a high school portfolio.

There are many ways to keep high school records. We begin organizing high school records as soon as our students enroll in high school courses, which might be eighth grade if they take Algebra I or other high school level courses. We purchase a two-inch binder, fill it with notebook paper and plastic protector sleeves, and use dividers to create twelve sections, arranged alphabetically:

• Activities (a listing of sports, scouts, band, choir, youth ministry, 4-H)



• Awards (each award for Honors Student, Presidential Physical Fitness, Eagle Scout, Student Leader placed in a plastic protective sleeve )
  


• Certificates (each certificate for Most Valuable Player, Band President, Varsity sports placed in a plastic sleeve)
  


• College admission requirements (for the colleges we are considering)



• College applications (the actual documents found online, printed out for easily reference)



• Community service/volunteer hours (a log of hours and the supervisor's contact information from church, community, political, and service organizations where the student volunteered, as well as hours documented in letter format on the organization's letterhead with contact information, dates of service, and hours served)



• Grades (for each subject completed or currently enrolled)



• Letters of recommendation (letters, placed in plastic sleeves, from individuals/supervisors who know your student in an educational setting, church setting, work setting, or community setting who can speak to character, work ethic and academic ability)

• Medical records (verification of shots and any important medical information, colleges will need this for admission)



• Test results (sent to your home from PSAT, SAT, ACT, CLEP and AP)



• Transcripts (outside the home, perhaps online classes or correspondence programs)



• Work experience (listing of employer's contact information, employment dates, advancements, job titles and description of responsibilities)



• Writing samples (perfect references for college essays)
  

Important papers and information are filed in the appropriate section as soon as they enter our home (or shortly thereafter!). This system is easily expandable if we need it to be and there is no limit to what we can include. We consider all information necessary until we find out otherwise.

As our students journey through their high school years we file information into the notebook. Having the information in one place speeds the story writing process. To write a resume for a potential employer we reference the letters of recommendation for possible references. At the end of the student's junior year when he/she begins to write college essays, the writing sample section of the notebook is a valuable resource. To write a high school transcript, we format the document on the computer and fill in the needed information from the notebook. We also refer to the notebook as we complete community service and extracurricular sections on college applications. The notebook is a goldmine of nuggets!

Writing your high schooler's high school story is exciting! Whether you are creating a resume for a first job, calculating grades for reduced car insurance premiums, or compiling a college admission's package, your high schooler's notebook will lessen stress and frustration. All the information will be at your fingertips, in one place. The time spent with your high schooler writing his/her story will be a memorable one, one in which you can rejoice togehter. It is the culmination, the last chapter, of the student's homeschool journey. Enjoy writing it!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Every wonder if a Saint Patrick ever existed? Or, if he did, what made him so famous? We asked the same questions and today we found our answers while reading Saint Patrick by Ann Tompert. Saint Patrick was one of the most famous and beloved saints, born during the fourth century in southwest Britian. His mission was to take Christianity to the Irish people. One of his greatest tools of evangelism was the three-leafed clover, the shammrock, with which he explained the Trinity. Now the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick is the reason we celebrate Saint Patrick's Day.

Author Ann Tompert uses information from Saint Patrick's letter "Confession" to answer the many questions children (and their parents) have about the saint. The picture book was selected by Booklist as one of the top ten religious books for children in 1998. Ms. Tompert has written a bookshelf full of children's books including two other titles we have enjoyed.

Saint Nicholas by Ann Tompert

Saint Valentine by Ann Tompert

Today as we read Saint Patrick and Saint Nicholas, we compared the saints, their missions, the locations of their homelands and their journeys. We used a globe to track the saint's travels. We discussed the similarities and differences between the saints and subtracted their birthdates to find out how far apart they were born. If we had clover in our yard, we would have wandered outside to pick some. We settled for cutting out a few we had traced on green construction paper. The shammrock shape is symmetrical, in case you wondered. I also went online to find out more about the author's personal story, as many times the life of the author brings depth to his/her writing. By the end of our reading, we had been emersed in the stories of two saints that impacted world history and answered questions about why we celebrate a current event, Saint Patrick's Day.

http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/birthbios/brthpage/01jan/1-11tompert.html

http://www.boydsmillspress.com/contributors/contributors/tompert_ann.html

Tall Tales Versus Truth

What a discussion we had today! Not one part of the discussion was planned, it just happened. We were going through life and poof! we learned something new. Well, some of us did. The others, we were just reminded of what we all ready knew. This is the the learning I like best because I know they got it. New concept. Discussion. Application. Learned.

It all started with a trip to the library, like most of our learning. We checked out some interesting books, came home and read. Here is the list of the books in our bag:

Pecos Bill: A Tall Tale reold and illustrated by Steven Kellogg
Paul Bunyan: A Tall Tale retold and illustrated by Steven Kellogg
American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborne

We read these and other tall tales. While reading, one listener said, "That doesn't sound like it can be true?" How right she was! I asked her what she thought was not true and why. She answered. Then we talked about how authors use exaggeration to tell a story, to make it interesting to the reader. Exaggeration, used as a literary device is used to stretch the truth.

Well, this was a great lead for a discussion. I asked more questions. What is truth? How do we know something is true? Where can we look if we want to know if something is true?

We finished our conversation. Later, we learned more about one of the authors. That link is below.

http://www.stevenkellogg.com/page2.html

Biographies: Stories about People

"Today Benjamin West is remembered because he was the father of American painting; and many like to think of him as the only American ever to become President of the Royal Academy of England. But I like to remember him as a boy who wanted so very much to paint that he dug his colors out of the earth and made his brushes from his cat's tail."

Marguerite Henry

Biography is my favorite genre. Several of my children would tell you biography is their favorite genre, too. What is it about people stories, stories that allow us to peek into the pages of one's life?

We are relational beings, created to be in relationship with others. So, when we pick up a book that invites us into the lives of others, we read as fast as we can, trying to learn more about the person. Such has been the case with one of our recent reading adventures, Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin by Marguerite Henry.

My children and I traveled back to eighteenth-century Pennsylvania to grow up alongside Benjamin West, who eventually became the Father of American Painting. We faced his challenges as a Quaker boy passionate about painting, a forbidden venue in his time and community. Benjamin, determined to use his artistic talent, enlists the help of Grimalkin, his coal-black companion. The author's writing style invited us into the plot with her descriptive language and well-structured story line. In fact, by the end of the story, we knew Benjamin West, feeling his frustrations, his joys and his triumphs.

Not only did we come to know Benjamin, but we also came face to face with the Quaker faith and the people who followed these beliefs. Our reading led to profitable conversations and additional research. Having grown up in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, I was familiar with Quakers and what they believed, but this was my children's' first introduction. It was an accurate, historical introduction, one which allowed us to "live" history in eighteenth-century southeast Pennsylvania.

I highly recommend this book, written by an award-winning author who is known for her fictional animal stories as well as her juvenile non-fiction. We read Benjamin West aloud to three of our four youngest, a pre-kindergartner, a second grader and a fifth grader, all whom begged for me to turn the pages and read on. The book could be read independently by children ages 8-12.

For more information about Benjamin West:

Read The Boy Who Loved to Draw by Barbara Brenner

The Power of a Story

This past weekend Mike and I hosted a small group leader gathering in our home. Many of us had not met before the evening so Mike, in an effort to help us get to know one another better, offered a question for thought and discussion. “If you could have dinner with any person, dead or alive, who would that person be?” Interestingly, one-third of the people chose to have dinner with a parent or a grandparent they had lost prematurely. Each person explained why they chose that particular person.

At the end of the evening, I chatted with one of the leaders about the power of stories, stories shared in the written word and in the spoken word. We agreed the motivation behind choosing a family member was the desire to hear the stories, the stories of the family heritage, the stories which contributed one’s being, the stories that contributed to the lives of others.

My grandmother will celebrate her 91st birthday tomorrow. She has lived through the Great Depression, WWII, the Kennedy Era, the invention of many modern conveniences and more. She remembers events well, better than most of us on any given day. She holds within her, a living history, of our world and of our family.

Several months ago, my seven-year-old daughter questioned the age of her great-grandmother and made an insightful comment as we studied the Great Depression. “We must ask Grammy about her experiences during the Great Depression. She might be the only person left alive that we can talk to about living during that time.” Ah, yes, child, you understand the importance of passing down stories.

We are all story tellers, story bearers, regardless of our age. Stories are the connection to generations, the stories we long to hear, the stories our hearts need to hear. Today I will purpose to tell at least one personal story to my children, one with which they might better understand their heritage and their world.

What Shall We Give Our Children?

Mike, I and the boys have been reading and discussing Leap Over a Wall by Eugene H. Peterson. The book chronicles and ponders the various aspects of David’s life. Interestingly there is a chapter entitled Imagination: David and Goliath. This chapter is all about the power of stories. Of course, this chapter grabbed my attention, because I know stories influence and change people’s lives, not to mention the generations that follow. And so it is with the story of David and Goliath.

Many of us, whether churched or unchurched, know the details of this empowering story. David, a small shepherd boy, collects five smooth stones, tucks them in his pouch and sets out to face the giant Philistine. An enormous feat which takes God-sized courage. David looks in the face of the giant, the adversary, and with a slingshot, claims the victory.

As we grow, this story grows with us. We realize as years and accompanying experiences move us through life how powerful this story really is. It is not just this story which impacts our lives, but all stories, the good and the not-so-good. “Stories don’t stay put; they grow and deepen.”1

One of the greatest gifts I give my children is a heart and mind full of stories, stories which were read, told or listened to. Stories from the Bible, stories from yesteryear, stories from my childhood, stories of the present and stories of the future; all will allow my children to discover, to explore, to ponder, to work out the relationship of good and evil, love and hate. The stories I give to them shape their being and help form in them a “God-dominated imagination”.2

I cannot underestimate the power of stories in the lives of my children. They, like me, will reference the stories when they need courage and hope, faith and encouragement. I must decide which stories I will present to them to open, to read or to listen to.

All quotations from the reference below.
Reference: Leap Over a Wall, Eugene H. Peterson, 1997

Weaving Scripture Into Life Stories

Some of my favorite stories are from the Bible. Today I was reading Proverbs 31, the infamous wife of noble character. I can relate to verses 10 through 31, not because I exude all the noble characteristics of the wife, but because the skills and tasks named in the text encourage me to reflect on my life story, to weave the character into my role as a wife.

If you who live in Central Florida, you know today brought a continuous hammering of rain. I waited for the drops to stop, hoping I could trek out to the grocery store without becoming drenched and then be chilled by the cool air. At 4:00 this afternoon, I decided it was not going to stop raining and I would simply have to be tough and weather the weather. I thought about Proverbs 31:21, “When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.” As I loaded the groceries in my car, in the rain, the verse popped into my mind. We were not experiencing a snow storm, and I didn’t fear for my family, but I had an “ah ha” moment. The moment was unrelated to my character, but instead to the impact of scripture, of stories, on our lives. Scripture read and learned will not be forgotten; it will become a part of our life stories. Today, the wise words of scripture were woven and applied to my life. I can’t wait to read tomorrow!

What Will Happen Next?

Caught between the unfolding events, I wonder what will happen next? What will the next paragraph reveal? What shadow does this sentence cast on the next chapter? My life is an eloquently-written classic penned by The Author and I sit on the edge of a paragraph waiting to see how today's actions will unfold and impact the rest of the story. It is a masterpiece.

I remind myself not to want to read ahead, but to enjoy today's chapter. The sights and the sounds, to take them in, to relish them. As I focus on today's action, I find myself content, patient, joyous and full of gratitude. This is how the author intended me to read this masterpiece, this classic. He hoped I would not skip ahead, impatiently reading what might spoil today's joy.

Tomorrow will reveal new events, new characters, new lessons but I pray I can be content to enjoy today's amazing paragraph and not read ahead.

There's Always a Story

The story we read yesterday. The story we read today. The story we are living. There's always a story. We all experience stories, our own or the stories of others, everyday. This blog shares the stories of yesterday, the stories of today and the stories that will influence our tomorrows. Enjoy!