Helping Your Child Learn History (pdf)
Helping
Your Child
Learn History
U.S. Department of Education
To order copies of this publication in English
Rod Paige
or Spanish write to:
Secretary
ED Pubs
Office of Intergovernmental
Education Publications Center
and Interagency Affairs
U.S. Department of Education
Laurie M. Rich
P.O. Box 1398
Helping
Assistant Secretary
Jessup, MD 20794-1398;
John McGrath
or fax your request to: 301-470-1244;
Senior Director for Community Services,
Partnerships and Recognition Programs
or e-mail your request to: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
Your Child
First published in May 1993.
or call in your request toll-free: 877-433-7827
Revised in June 2004.
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Learn History
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While permission to reprint this publication
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with activities for children in preschool through grade 5
U.S. Department of Education, Office of
Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs,
This publication is also available on the
Helping Your Child Learn History,
Department’s Web site at:
Washington, D.C., 2004.
www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/hyc.html.
On request, this publication is available in
alternative formats, such as Braille, large print,
or computer diskette. For more information,
please contact the Department’s Alternative
Format Center 202-260-9895 or 202-205-8113.
Children’s books are mentioned in this booklet as
examples and are only a few of many appropriate
children’s books. Other materials mentioned are
U.S. Department of Education
provided as resources and examples for the reader’s
Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs
convenience. Listing of materials and resources in
this book should not be construed or interpreted
as an endorsement by the Department of any
with generous support from
private organization or business listed herein.
Contents
Foreword
Imagine that you wake up one morning to find out you have no memory! You’re not
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
able to remember who you are or what happened in your life yesterday or the day
History Habits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
before that. You’re unable to recognize your children, and you can’t communicate with
Enjoying History With Your Child . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
neighbors and other people because you no longer know how to greet them, and you
How to Use This Booklet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
can’t understand what they are saying. You don’t remember what the words “elections,”
Some Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
What Is History? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
“wars,” or “movies” mean.
A New Look at the Study of History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Geography: An Important Tool for Learning and Understanding History . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Just as having no personal memory deprives us of a sense of our own identity, having no
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
historical memory deprives us of a sense of our national identity and, in the words of Mrs.
History as Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Lynne V. Cheney, noted author and wife of the vice president of the United States, of “a
Listen My Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
perspective on human existence.” Knowledge of U. S. history enables us to understand
What’s the Story? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
our nation’s traditions, its conflicts, and its central ideas, values and organizing principles.
History Lives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Cooking Up History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Knowledge of world history enables us to understand other cultures. In addition, without
Rub Against History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
historical memory, we miss a great source of enjoyment that comes from piecing together
Our Heroes! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
the story of the past—our own, our nation’s and the world’s. Our historical memory is
Learning How to Learn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
enriched by our understanding of geography, which lets us better see the physical
All About Our Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
context of cultures and environments around the world and across time.
In the Right Direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
What’s News? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
History on the Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Through the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, President George W. Bush has made clear his
History as Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
commitment to the goals of raising standards of achievement for all children and of
School Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
providing all children with highly qualified teachers and with instruction that is based on
Put Time in a Bottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
scientific research. Helping Your Child Learn History is part of the presidentÌs efforts to
Quill Pens & Berry Ink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
provide families with the latest research and practical information that can help them to
Time Marches On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
support their childrenÌs learning at home.
The Past Anew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Weave a Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Time to Celebrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
It’s in the Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
By showing interest in their children’s education, families can spark enthusiasm in them
Working With Teachers and Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
and lead them to a very important understanding—that learning can be enjoyable as well
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
as rewarding and is well worth the effort required.
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Federal Sources of Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
We hope that you find this booklet a valuable tool for developing and reinforcing your
Web Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
child’s interest in and knowledge of history—and that you and your family may increase
Publications for Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
your appreciation for why such knowledge is important.
Books for Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Children’s Magazines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
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Helping Your Child Learn History
Helping Your Child Learn History
iii
Introduction
Children are born into history. They have no
memory of it, yet they find themselves in the
middle of a story that began before they became
one of its characters. Children also want to have a
place in history—their first historical questions
are: “Where did I come from?” and “Was I always
here?” These two questions contain the two main
meanings of history: It’s the story of people and
events, and it’s the record of times past. And
because it’s to us that they address these questions, we are in the best
position to help prepare our children to achieve the lifelong task of
finding their place in history by helping them learn what shaped the
world into which they were born. Without information about their
history, children don’t “get” a lot of what they hear and see around them.
Although parents can be a positive force in helping their children develop
“A system of education that fails to nurture
an interest in history, they also can undermine their children’s attitudes
memory of the past denies its students
by saying things such as: “History is boring,” or “I hated history class
a great deal: the satisfactions of mature
when I was in school.” Although you can’t make your child like history,
you can encourage her1 to do so, and you can take steps to ensure that
thought, an attachment to abiding concerns,
she learns to appreciate its value.
a perspective on human existence.”
To begin, you can develop some of the following “history habits” that
show your child that history is important not only as a school subject but
— Mrs. Lynne V. Cheney
in everyday life.
Author and Wife of U.S.
Vice President Dick Cheney
History Habits
Habits are activities that we do on a regular basis. We acquire habits by
choosing to make them a part of our life. It’s worth the time and effort to
develop good habits because they enhance our well-being. The following
history habits can enrich your life experiences and those of your child.
1. Please note: In this booklet, we refer to a child as “she” in some places and “he” in others. We do this to make the booklet easier to read.
Please understand, however, that every point that we make is the same for boys and girls.
iv
Helping Your Child Learn History
Helping Your Child Learn History
1
Share family history with your child, particularly your own memories
Enjoying History With Your Child
of the people and places of your childhood. Encourage your parents and
As a parent, you can help your child want to
other relatives to talk with your child about family history.
learn in a way no one else can. That desire to
learn is a key to your child’s success, and, of
Read with your child about people and events that have made a
course, enjoyment is an important motivator for
difference in the world and discuss the readings together. (The list of
learning. As you choose activities to do with
publications in the Resources section at the end of this booklet can serve
your child, remember that helping her to learn
as a starting point for choosing materials.)
history doesn’t mean that you can’t have a good time. In fact, you can
teach your child a lot through play. Here are some things to do to make
Help your child know that the people who make history are real
history both fun and productive for you and your child:
people just like her, and that they have ideas and dreams, work hard
and experience failure and success. Introduce your child to local community
1. Use conversation to give your child confidence to learn.
leaders in person if possible and to national and world leaders (both current
Encouraging your child to talk with you about a topic, no matter how off
and those of the past) by means of newspapers, books, TV and the Internet.
the mark he may seem, lets him know that you take his ideas seriously
and value his efforts to learn. The ability to have conversations with your
Watch TV programs about important historical topics with your
child profoundly affects what and how he learns.
family and encourage discussion about the program as you watch. Check
out library books on the same topic and learn more about it. See if the books
2. Let your child know it’s OK to ask you questions.
and TV programs agree on significant issues and discuss any differences.
If you can’t answer all of her questions, that’s all right—no one has all the
Make globes, maps and encyclopedias (both print and online
answers. Some of the best answers you can give are, “Good question. How
versions) available to your child and find ways to use them often.
can we find the answer?” and “Let’s find out together.” Together, you and
You can use a reference to Africa in your child’s favorite story as an
your child can propose possible answers and then check them by using
opportunity to point out the continent on a globe. You can use the red,
reference books and the Internet, or by asking someone who is likely to
white and green stripes on a box of spaghetti to help her find Italy on a map
know the correct answers.
and to learn more about its culture by looking it up in the encyclopedia.
3. Make the most of everyday opportunities.
Check out from your library or buy a collection of great speeches
Take advantage of visits from grandparents to encourage storytelling about
and other written documents to read with your child from time to time.
their lives—What was school like for them? What was happening in the
As you read, pause frequently and try to restate the key points in these
country and the world? What games or songs did they like? What were
documents in language that your child can understand.
the fads of the day? Who are their heroes? On holidays, talk with your
2
Helping Your Child Learn History
Helping Your Child Learn History
3
Some Basics
child about why the holiday is observed, who (or what) it honors and
What Is History?
how and whether it’s observed in places other than the United States. At
“Once upon a time . . . ” That opening for many favorite children’s tales
ball games, talk about the flag and the national anthem and what they
captures the two main meanings of history—it’s the story of people and
mean to the country.
events, and it’s the record of times past. To better understand what history
is, let’s look closer at each of these two meanings.
4. Recognize that children have their own ideas and interests.
By letting your child choose some activities that he wants to do, you let
The Story in History
him know that his ideas and interests have value. You can further
Unlike studying science, we study history without being able to directly
reinforce this interest by asking your child to teach you what he learns.
observe events—they simply are no longer in our presence. “Doing”
How to Use This Booklet
history is a way of bringing the past to life, in the best tradition of the
storyteller. We do this by weaving together various pieces of information
The major portion of this booklet is made up of activities that you can use
to create a story that gives shape to an event.
with your child to strengthen his history knowledge and build strong
positive attitudes toward history. And you don’t have to be a historian or
There are many possible stories about the same event, and there are good
have a college degree to do them. Your time and interest and the pleasure
storytellers and less good storytellers. Very rarely does one story say it all
that you share with your child as part of working together are what
or any one storyteller “get it right.” A good student of history, therefore,
matter most. What’s far more important than being able to give your child
tries to determine the true story by looking to see if a storyteller has
a detailed explanation for the concepts underlying each activity is having
backed up her story with solid evidence and facts.
the willingness to do the activity with him—to read, to ask questions, to
search—and to make the learning enjoyable.
The history with which we are most familiar is political history—the story
In addition to activities, the booklet also includes:
of war and peace, important leaders and changes of government. But
★
history is more than that. Anything that has a past has a history, including
Some information about the basics of history;
ideas, such as the idea of freedom, and cultural activities, such as music,
★ Practical suggestions for how to work with teachers and schools to
art or architecture.
help your child succeed in school; and
★ A list of resources, such as federal sources of history, helpful Web
sites and lists of books for you and for your child.
4
Helping Your Child Learn History
Helping Your Child Learn History
5
Time in History
A New Look at the Study of History
Time in history is a kind of relationship. We can look at several events
Studying history is more than memorizing names
that all happened at the same time and that together tell a story about a
and dates. Although it’s important for citizens to
particular part of the past. Or we can look at the development of an idea
know about great people and events, the
over time and learn how and why it changed. We can consider the
enjoyment of history is often found in a “story
relationship between the past and the present, or the future and the past
well told.” Here are some suggestions to make the
(which is today!). The present is the result of choices that people made
study of history more enjoyable:
and the beliefs they held in the past.
Original sources make history come alive.
As they prepare to study history, children first need basic knowledge
Reading the actual words that changed the course
about time and its relationship to change. They need to learn the
of history and stories that focus on the details of time and place helps
measures of time, such as year, decade, generation and century. And they
children know that history is about real people in real places who made
need to learn and think about sequences of events as they occurred in
real choices that had some real consequences, and that these people could
time. They need to be able to ask, “About when did that happen?” and to
have made different choices.
know how to find the answer.
Less can mean more. An old proverb tells us that, “A well-formed mind
The main focus of history is the relationship between continuity and
is better than a well-stuffed mind.” Trying to learn the entire history of
change. It’s important, therefore, that our children understand the
the world is not only impossible, it discourages children and reduces their
difference between them. For example, the population of the United
enthusiasm for history. In-depth study of a few important events gives
States has changed greatly over time with each wave of immigration. As
them a chance to understand the many sides of a story. They can always
new groups of immigrants entered American society, they brought along
add new facts.
ideas, beliefs and traditions from their native lands. These new cultures
and traditions were woven into existing American culture, contributing to
History is hands-on work. Learning history is best done in the same
its pattern of diversity and making our democratic system of government
way that we learn to use a new language, or to play basketball: we do it as
even stronger. That system continues to evolve to better realize its original
well as read about it.
purpose of safeguarding our basic human rights of freedom and equal
opportunity.
“Doing history” means asking questions about events, people and places;
searching our towns for signs of its history; talking with others about
current events and issues; and writing our own stories about the past.
6
Helping Your Child Learn History
Helping Your Child Learn History
7
Children do well to ask “So what?” Much that we take for granted is
make a lake, using sticks for bridges. The children name the streets, and
not so obvious to children. We need to clarify for them the reasons we ask
they may even use a watering can to make rain that washes away a
them to remember certain things. They need to know why it’s important
house. They may not realize it, but these children are learning some core
to get the facts right. Encouraging children to ask, “So what?” can help
features of geography—how people interact with the Earth, how climate
them understand what’s worth knowing—and why—and so help build
affects land, and how places relate to each other through the movement
critical thinking skills. Being able to think critically prepares children to
of things from one place to another. When we turn to maps or globes as
★
we talk with our children about vacation plans, events happening around
judge the value of historical evidence;
the world or historical events, we teach them a great deal about
★ judge claims about what is true or good;
geography. Not only can such activities help our children learn how to use
★ be curious enough to look further into an event or topic;
key reference tools, but over time, they help them form their own mental
★ be skeptical enough to look for more than one account of an event or
maps of the world, which allows children to better organize and
life; and
understand information about other people, places, times and events.
★ be aware that how we look at and think about things are often
shaped by our own biases and opinions.
Geography: An Important Tool for Learning and
Understanding History
Geography affects history—just look at the dramatic changes in world
geography over recent years. Governments change, and new countries are
born. Many countries no longer have the same names they did even five
years ago. Climate changes bring about events such as droughts and floods
that cause massive loss of life and migrations of people from one place to
another in search of safety. Environmental changes can change the entire
history of a community or region.
As with history, children have a natural interest in geography. Watch a
group of children playing in the sand. One child makes streets for his cars,
while a second child builds houses along the street. A third scoops out a
hole and uses the dirt to make a hill, then pours water in the hole to
8
Helping Your Child Learn History
Helping Your Child Learn History
9
Activities
The activities in this section are arranged into two groups that reflect the
The materials you need for these activities are found around most homes.
meanings of history as story and time. Each group is preceded by a review
Before starting the activities, give your child a notebook—a history log—in
of three elements of story and time from the perspective of history. The
which he can record his own ideas and opinions about each activity. If
review is meant to give you information that can support your conversa-
your child can’t yet write, encourage him to draw pictures of what he
tions with your child as you do the activities.
sees, or tell you what to write for him. In addition, you may want to keep
a camera nearby so that your child can include photographs in his history
For each activity, you’ll see a grade span—from preschool through grade
log. You may also wish to have him decorate and label a shoebox to use
5—that suggests when children might be ready to try it. Of course,
for keeping history-related items and project materials.
children don’t always become interested in or learn the same things at the
same time. And they don’t suddenly stop enjoying one thing and start
Finally, feel free to make changes in any activity—shorten or lengthen it—
enjoying another just because they are a little older. You’re the best judge
to suit your child’s interests and attention span.
of which activity your child is ready to try. For example, you may find
that an activity listed for children in grades 1 or 2 works well with your
We hope that you and your child enjoy the activities and that they inspire
preschooler. On the other hand, you might discover that the same activity
you to think of additional activities of your own. Let’s get started!
may not interest your child until he is in grade 3 or 4.
History as Story
In a box at the end of each activity, you’ll find questions to ask your child
The essential elements of history as story are records, narration and evidence.
about some part of the activity. These questions help your child develop
the critical thinking skills he’ll need to participate well in society, learn
Records
history and learn from history.
History is a permanent written record of the
past. In more recent times, history is also
When you choose or begin an activity, keep in mind that the reason for
recorded on film, video, audiotape and
doing it is to help your child learn something about history. Whatever the
through digital technology. You might tell
specific purpose of the activity, make sure that it’s clear to your child. The
your child that the time before we had any
information in the introduction and the questions for each activity can
way to record events is called prehistory. It
help you do this. After you complete each activity, discuss with your child
was in prehistorical times that dinosaurs
what they learned. For example, making bread is one thing, recognizing
walked the Earth. She should also know that
bread’s historical meaning is another. An added bonus: achieving a goal
before written languages were invented, humans told stories as a way to
you set together at the beginning of an activity gives your child the
preserve their identity and important events in their lives. Over time,
pleasure of a completed project.
however, the stories changed as details were forgotten or altered to fit a
10
Helping Your Child Learn History
Helping Your Child Learn History
11
new situation. Written languages allowed people to keep more accurate
What You Need
records of who they were and what they did so this information could be
Picture and read-aloud books about historical people, places and events
passed down from generation to generation.
or with historical settings. For possible titles, see the list of books under
the Books for Children heading of the Resources section at the end of
Narration
this booklet.
Narration is storytelling, a way that people interpret events. History, with
its facts and evidence, is also an interpretation of the past. George
What to Do
Washington, in his Farewell Address in 1796, said: “Though in reviewing
★ Talk with your child about the book you’re going to read to her. Have
the incidents of my administration I am unconscious of intentional error, I
her look at the pictures and notice costumes, types of transportation,
am nevertheless too sensible of my defects not to think it probable that I
houses and other things that show that the book isn’t about modern
may have committed many errors.” Your child needs to be aware that
times. Talk with her about history—the story of past times.
events can have more than one cause and can produce more than one
—As you read, stop occasionally and ask your child to talk about a
effect, or outcome, and that there is more than one way to look at the
character or what is happening in the book. Encourage her to ask
relationship between cause and effect.
you questions if she doesn’t understand something. Explain words
she may not know and point to objects that she may not recognize
Evidence
and tell her what they are.
All good histories are based on evidence. Your child needs to learn the
—Show enthusiasm about reading. Read the book with expression.
importance of evidence, and she needs the critical thinking skills to evaluate
Make it more interesting by talking as the characters would talk,
historical accounts and to determine whether the they are based on solid
making sound effects and using facial expressions and gestures.
evidence or rely too heavily on personal interpretation and opinion.
★ Help your child develop a “library habit.”
Begin making weekly trips to the library
Listen My Children
when she is very young. See that she gets
Preschool–Grade 1
her own library card as soon as possible.
Many libraries issue cards to children as
A great way for young children to develop an interest in history is for parents
soon as they can print their names (you’ll
to make books with history themes a part of their reading-aloud routines.
also have to sign for your child).
Regularly choose books with history
themes to check out and read at home
with her. And, when she is old enough,
encourage her to continue this habit.
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Helping Your Child Learn History
Helping Your Child Learn History
13
★ After reading a book with a historical theme, encourage your child to
“Remember the time that Uncle Jack decided to help us by fixing
make up a play for the family based on the book. If possible, allow
that leaky faucet in our kitchen?” Then go clockwise around and
her to wear a costume or use props that are mentioned in the story.
have each person add to the story. Set a time limit, say three times
around the circle so that you must end the story somewhere. Talk
about the story. Are there any disagreements about what really
Let’s Talk About It
happened and what was just opinion—or just added on for fun? If
so, how can you settle any differences of opinion about what “really
As you read a book to your child, stop occasionally to ask questions
happened”?
such as the following:
★ Read aloud a fairy tale or folk tale. You might choose, for example,
How do you know this character lived long ago? How is this school
Little Red Riding Hood or The Story of Johnny Appleseed (for more titles,
different from our schools today? Do you know what game these
check the Resources section at the end of this booklet). Talk with
children are playing? Why did the boy decide to join the Army? Can
your child about how the story begins and ends, who the characters
boys that young join the Army today?
are and what they feel and what happens in the story. Ask him how
a “made-up” story is different from the story you told about the real
person you know.
★ Pick a moment in history, for example the fall of the Berlin Wall, the
What’s the Story?
storming of the Bastille in France, the assassination of President
Preschool–Grade 5
Abraham Lincoln or a current event in the news. Take your child to
Good history is a story well told. Through storytelling, children are introduced
your local library and ask the children’s librarian to help you choose
to what’s involved in writing the stories that make history. They begin to
books and other materials about the event that are age-appropriate
for your child. Read the book aloud with a young child; for an older
understand that different people may tell the same story in different ways.
child, have him read it aloud to you or read it on his own and then
talk with him about the book.
What You Need
Family members and friends
A book of fairy tales or folk tales
Let’s Talk About It
What to Do
Ask your child:
★ Gather your child and other family members in a circle and have a
storytelling session. Choose a person that you all know well—a
If you were a TV reporter when the event you read about happened,
relative, friend or neighbor. Begin a group story about that person,
what would you tell your audience about it? What else would you
explaining that nobody can interrupt the story. Say, for example,
include? Where would you get your information? How would you
check its accuracy?
14
Helping Your Child Learn History
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15
—When you get home, ask your child what his favorite object or
History Lives
activity is and why. Talk with your child about what it would have
Preschool–Grade 5
been like to live in that historical place in that period of time. Your
At living history museums children can see people doing the work of
family might pretend to be living in the historical place. Try
blacksmiths, tin workers, shoemakers, weavers and others. They can see
spending an evening “long ago,” without using electrical lights
how things used to be made and learn how work and daily life have
and other appliances such as TVs and microwave ovens. How is
changed over time.
life without those luxuries different from your life today?
What You Need
Visitor brochures and museum maps
Let’s Talk About It
Sketch pad and pencils, or camera
Ask your child:
What to Do
How were days spent in the period of time you experienced? What kind of
dress was common, or special? What kinds of food did people usually eat,
★ Plan a visit to a living history museum with
and did they eat alone or in groups? What kind of work would you have
your child. Write or call the museum ahead of
chosen to do as an adult? If a living history museum were made of life
time to obtain information brochures and a
map. Well-known living history museums are
today, what would people of the future see and learn there? Would you
located in Williamsburg, Va., and Old
rather live long ago or now? Why?
Sturbridge Village, Mass., but smaller museums
can be found in many other places across the
country. If you can’t visit a museum, travel there by reading books or
conducting “virtual” tours on the Internet.
Cooking Up History
—Talk with your child about the information in the brochures and
Kindergarten–Grade 5
what he can expect to see at the museum. Make sure that he
Every culture has its version of bread. Children enjoy making this Native
understands that what he will see is life the way it was once
American fry bread. (Check the Bibliography and Resources sections of
actually lived—not make-believe.
this booklet for books that contain other recipes from history.)
—Help your child sketch something in the museum and put it in his
history log. Tell him that drawings were the way events were
What You Need
visually recorded before there were cameras.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose or wheat flour
—Use your camera to make a modern record of history and create a
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
scrapbook with the photographs of what you saw.
16
Helping Your Child Learn History
Helping Your Child Learn History
17
1 teaspoon salt
smooth (1 or 2 minutes). Add 1 tablespoon of flour if the dough is
1 tablespoon dried skimmed milk powder
too soft.
3/4 cup warm water
—Knead the dough in the bowl with your hands about 30 seconds.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Cover it with a cloth and let it sit 10 minutes.
Oil for frying
—Line the baking sheet with paper towels to receive the finished
Mixing bowls and spoons, spatula
loaves.
Large skillet
—Divide the dough into eight sections. Take one section and keep
Cloth towels
the rest covered in the bowl. Roll the dough into a ball and flatten
Baking sheet
with your hand. Then roll it into a very thin circle 8 to 10 inches
Paper towels
across. The thinner the dough, the puffier the bread will be. Cover
this circle with a cloth. Continue with the other seven sections of
What to Do
dough in the same way.
★
—In the large frying pan or skillet, pour vegetable oil to about 1 inch
Talk with your child about Native American peoples—that they lived
deep. As you begin to roll the last piece of dough, turn on the
in what is now the United States for thousands of years before non-
heat under the skillet. When the oil is hot, slip in a circle of
native peoples came here, and that many tribes still live throughout
the United States.
dough. Fry for about 1 minute or until the bottom is golden
brown. Turn the dough over with tongs or a spatula. Fry the other
★ Read a book with your child about Native American life, both long
side for 1 minute.
ago and today, either fiction or nonfiction. With an older child,
—Put the fry bread on the baking sheet and continue with the other
search the Internet for Native tribes, such as Blackfeet, Chippewa and
rounds of dough.
Navajo. Explore Web sites to learn about tribes’ geographic locations,
—Eat your fry bread while it’s hot and crisp. Put honey on it if you like.
tribal activities and programs.
★
★
Help your child to use the Internet or reference books to find out
Have your child help you gather all of the ingredients listed above.
more about the role of bread in human history.
For a younger child, talk about what you’re doing as you complete
each step in the recipe. Your older child can complete the steps as
you read them aloud. Reminder: You’ll need to supervise your child
closely, regardless of his age, as you work around a hot stove!
Follow this recipe:
Let’s Talk About It
—In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. In
Ask your child:
a small bowl, stir together the dried milk, water and vegetable oil.
How is this bread different from the breads you usually eat?
Pour this liquid over the dry ingredients and stir until the dough is
What place does bread have in our daily lives and in the lives of
people in other cultures?
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Helping Your Child Learn History
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19
★ Take your child on a walk around the neighborhood. Look for objects
Rub Against History
that he can use for rubbings, such as dates in the sidewalk, words on
Grades 1–3
cornerstones and plaques on buildings or interesting designs on
Younger children find making rubbings great fun. Cornerstones and
bricks or other materials used on buildings. Once home, ask family
plaques are interesting, and even coins will do.
members to view the rubbings and guess what each represents. Ask
your child to tell the story behind the rubbings and why he chose to
What You Need
make them.
Tracing paper or other lightweight paper
★ Consider taking your older child to cemeteries or memorial sites
Large crayons with the paper removed, fat lead pencil, colored pencils, or
around town and make rubbings of old gravestones or markers. Talk
artists’ charcoal
with him about each rubbing. Tell him to look for designs and dates
Coins
and ask him questions to make sure that he knows how old the
objects are.
What to Do
★ Encourage your child to cut out some of his rubbings and include
★ Use the list above to help your child
them in his history log.
make a kit to do rubbings. Choose paper
that does not tear easily, but also is light
enough so that the details of the rubbing
will be visible.
★ Begin by having your child make a
rubbing of a quarter or half dollar (large
coins from other countries or commemorative coins can be
interesting to use, too). Tape the coin to a surface to make it stable.
Let’s Talk About It
Double the tape so that it sticks on both sides and place it on the
Ask your child:
bottom of the coin. Attach the coin to a piece of wood or to some
surface that can’t be harmed by the tape. Lay the paper on top of the
What showed up in your rubbings? What did the date and designs
coin, and have your child rub across it with a pencil, crayon or
commemorate? Historical preservation groups in America have
charcoal. Tell him not to rub too hard and to keep rubbing until the
worked to preserve old buildings and to install plaques on public
coin’s marks show up on the paper. Talk with him about what the
historical places. Do you think that this is important work? Why
rubbing shows.
have humans left their marks on the world from early cave
drawings to today’s monuments, such as the Vietnam Veterans’
Memorial? If you made a monument, what would it be? Who or
what would it help people to remember or honor?
20
Helping Your Child Learn History
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21
★ Show your child pictures of historical figures who have been called
Our Heroes!
heroes. Choose people whom you admire and feel comfortable
Grades 3–5
talking about with your child. Choose groups as well, such as the
Heroes are everywhere. Sharing stories about them with children can help
abolitionists who opposed slavery before the Civil War or the people
them understand that heroes come from many different walks of life and
who participated in the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
that their courageous acts occur in many different places and times.
What You Need
Let’s Talk About It
Family photographs; newspaper and pictures from books or the Internet of
both local and national figures who have been recognized for community
Ask your child:
service, bravery or selfless acts
What does it mean to be a hero? Is it easy and fun to be
a hero? What qualities do heroes seem to have? Who are
What to Do
your heroes? Why? What would you like to tell one of
★ Select a photo of someone in your family who has an admirable
your heroes?
quality or who performed a courageous act. You might choose a
grandparent who left everything behind to immigrate to the United
States or your mother who sacrificed so that you could have a good
education or your father who fought in a war or your brother who
took a stand on a controversial issue. Sit with your child and tell him
Learning How to Learn
about the relative’s life. Talk with him about the qualities of heroism
Grades 3–5
that the relative showed—courage, self-discipline, responsibility,
Local newspapers, phone books and other handy resources can serve as
citizenship and so forth.
guides to local history. Teaching children how to use them gives them a
★ Show your child newspaper pictures of local people who have
great tool for finding many sources of information.
performed acts of courage or service to the community. Talk with
him about what the people did and why they are considered heroes.
What You Need
In addition to individuals, choose groups of people who have been
Phone books, both yellow and white pages
called heroes, such as firefighters and policemen.
Local newspapers
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Helping Your Child Learn History
Helping Your Child Learn History
23
★
What to Do
Have your child begin a list in her history log of local historical sites.
Tell her to include phone numbers, addresses, hours of operation and
★ Help your child make a list of her interests.
other useful information for future visits.
Include the sports, hobbies, history topics,
animals and music she likes.
★ With your child, look through your local
Let’s Talk About It
newspapers for lists of things to do in the
community. Look for parades, museum and
Ask your child:
art exhibits, music events, children’s theater,
If you were asked to be a tour guide for visitors to our
history talks, guided walks through
town, what would you show them? If you went to
historical districts or tours of historical
another town, how would you go about finding out
homes. Choose an event in which you can
about its past?
both participate.
★ Sit with your child and show her how to use the phone book to find
information. For example, in the yellow pages, look for the heading
All About Our Town
“Museums.” Talk with your child about the places that you find listed
there—What different kinds of museums are listed? Are they
Grades 3–5
nearby? Look especially for history museums.
A good place for children to begin to develop an interest in history is to
—Brainstorm with your child about what other headings you might
find out the history of where they live.
look under to find information about local history. Try, for
example, “Historical Societies.” (If your phone book has a special
What You Need
section of information about community services and points of
Guides and histories of your town or city
interest, look there as well.)
—Call the historical museums and societies that you find. Ask about
What to Do
their programs for children, their hours and upcoming special
★ With your child, research the history of the town, city or area in
events. Also ask where else you should go to learn about your
which you live. Begin by asking your child what he already knows,
town’s history.
then ask him to make some predictions about what you will find out
—Have your child listen to your phone conversation and model for
regarding when your area was first settled, who the first settlers
her how to ask for information.
were, where they came from, and why they chose to settle in the
area. Help him to record these predictions in his history log.
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Helping Your Child Learn History
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25
—Go with your child to the local library, or
In the Right Direction
sit with him at a computer, and look for
Grades 3–5
historical reference materials—local
In order to talk and learn about places, and to locate themselves and
histories and guidebooks, articles in
others in terms of place, children need to understand and be able to name
regional historical magazines, and so
geographic directions.
forth (your librarian can direct you to
good sources of information). As you
What You Need
work, talk with your child about what
you’re finding.
Maps of your state, a globe or atlas
—Afterwards, talk with your child about what you found out.
Blank paper and crayons or colored pencils
★ As part of this activity, focus your child’s attention on your area’s
What to Do
geography as it played a part in its history. Was it settled because it’s
★ Sit with your younger child at a table or
on a waterway? Did it grow into a large town because of its location?
on the floor so that you can both see a
its climate? Did industry develop there because coal, oil or copper
map of your state. Point out where you
deposits were nearby?
live, explain the directional signs on the
map: north, south, east and west. Mention several nearby towns or
cities that your child has visited or knows about. Point to one of
these and say, for example, “Granddad lives here, in Memphis. That’s
north of our town.” Have your child use her finger to trace the line
Let’s Talk About It
from your location to that place. Continue by pointing out places
that are south, east and west of your location. When your child
Ask your child:
catches on to directions, ask her to point to places that are north,
What is the most surprising thing you learned about our town’s
south, east and west of where she lives.
history? What’s the most interesting old building that you found?
★ For your older child, make the map activity into a game. When you
Were there any historical markers or monuments that you discovered
have made sure that she understands directions, pick a place on the
in our town? Who is your favorite person to talk to for stories about
map and give clues about its location, for example, “I’m looking at a
our town’s past?
city that is west of St. Louis and east of Kansas City.” (You can also
name rivers, lakes, mountains or other geographic features that can
26
Helping Your Child Learn History
Helping Your Child Learn History
27
be seen on the map.) When your child gets the right answer, have
What’s News?
her choose a place and give directional clues for you to use to find it.
Grades 3–5
★ As part of your child’s study of national and world history, help her
What’s new today really began in the past. Discussing the news is a way to
to use an atlas or globe to locate places mentioned in her textbook.
help children gain a historical perspective on the events of the present.
★ Help to make directional words a part of your child’s vocabulary by
using them yourself in daily conversation. Rather than saying,
What You Need
“We’re turning right at the next corner,” say, “We’re turning east at
Newspapers
the next corner.” Encourage her to use the words as well.
Weekly news magazine
★ Give your child blank paper and crayons or colored pencils and ask
A daily national TV news program
her to draw a map of your neighborhood showing important
Atlas or globe
buildings and landmarks (churches, schools, malls, statues, rivers,
Highlighter
hills and so on). Remind her to include an indicator of direction on
the map. After she’s finished, talk with her about what the map
What to Do
shows and have her give specific descriptions about the locations of
various places on it.
This activity can be most useful to
younger children if it’s done from time
to time to get them used to the idea of “news.” Older children benefit
from doing it more often, at least once a week if possible.
★ Look through the daily newspaper or a recent news magazine with
your child. Ask her to decide what pictures or headlines have some
Let’s Talk About It
connection to history. For example, a news story about the signing of
a peace treaty might also show pictures of similar events, such as the
Ask your child:
signing of the Yalta treaty, from the past. A story about the current
Why is it important to be able to read a map or use a
Russian leader might give a historical overview and show pictures of
globe? How can knowing something about locations
Lenin, Stalin and Khrushchev. A story on a Supreme Court ruling
help you in studying history?
that affects school integration might have a headline that mentions
the Brown v. Board of Education decision. Use a highlighter to mark
these references.
—With your child, read the articles you’ve chosen. Make a list (or
have her do it) of any references to events that did not happen
today or yesterday, or to people who died some time ago.
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Helping Your Child Learn History
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29
—Talk with your child about what these past events and people have
History on the Go
to do with events happening today. Help her record these
Grades 3–5
connections in her history log.
★
Visiting the historical places that children
Watch the evening news or a morning news program with your
read about in their history books
child. Help her to write as many references as possible to past history.
reinforces for them that history is about
Discuss the links she finds between these references and the news
real people, places and events.
story you heard. In an atlas or on a globe, help her point out where
the stories she watched took place.
What You Need
★ During another session of TV viewing, help your child focus on how
the information was communicated: did the newscaster use
Your child’s history book
interviews, books, historical records, written historical accounts,
Maps, guidebooks
literature, paintings, photographs? Did the newscaster report “facts”?
Did she express opinions?
What to Do
★ Help your child compare several accounts of a major news story from
★ Find out what historical events your child is studying in school. Then
different news shows, newspapers and news magazines.
check to see if a place related to those events is nearby and arrange
to visit it with your child. If such a place isn’t nearby, arrange for a
“virtual” visit by looking for age-appropriate Web sites. See the list of
helpful Web sites in the Resources section at the end of this booklet.
Many of them contain links that provide “tours” of battlegrounds,
homes, museums and other places of historical interest.
Let’s Talk About It
—Whether your visit is real or virtual, work with your child to
prepare for it together. You might, for example, ask your local
Ask your child:
librarian to help you and your child find books, DVDs and
Did you find anything “new” in the news? What “same old
videotapes about the history of the place you plan to visit or about
stories” did you find? What’s the difference between “fact”
the historical figures who lived there.
and “opinion”?
—Call the visitor information centers for the area and ask to be sent
maps and specially prepared guidebooks (you can usually find
such centers through Internet searches or by consulting travel
books in your local library).
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Helping Your Child Learn History
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31
—Study maps or the area with your child. Talk with her about the
History as Time
best way to get from your home to the site. As you travel, have
The essential elements of history as time are chronology, empathy
her follow the route on the map.
and context.
—Help your child make a list of questions to ask on your trip.
—Talk with her about the place you’re visiting.
Chronology
—After the visit, have your child make up a quiz for you, or a game,
Although our children need the opportunity to study historical events in
that is based on what she learned during the trip.
depth to get an understanding of them, they also need to know the time
—Encourage your child to read more about the place you visited and
sequence of those events as well as the names of the people and places
the people who were part of its history. Especially encourage your
associated with them. When we are able to locate events in time, we are
older child to find historical documents that are associated with
better able to learn the relationships among them. What came first? What
the site. For example, if you visit the site of the Ohio Women’s
was cause, and what was effect? Without a sense of chronological order,
Rights Convention in 1851, which is in Akron, Ohio, you might
events seem like a big jumble, and we can’t understand what happened in
have him read—or read to him—Sojourner Truth’s address,
the past. It’s important that children be
known also as “And ain’t I a Woman?”
able to identify causes of events such as
★ Ask your child to identify any geographical features of the site you
economic depressions and to understand
visited that played a part in the historical event she studied. If, for
the effects of those events. These are skills
example, you visit a Civil War battlefield, you might point out its
that are crucial to critical thinking and to
name and tell your child that the two sides in the war often gave
being productive and informed citizens.
battles different names. The Union side usually chose names that
referred to a nearby body of water, such as a river, while the
Empathy
Confederate side named the battle by the nearest town. So, the battle
called “Antietam” by the Union side (referring to a creek of that
Empathy is the ability to imagine ourselves
name) was called “Sharpsburg” by the Confederate side (referring to
in the place of other people and times. To
the Maryland town that was nearby).
accurately imagine ourselves in the place
of people who lived long ago, we must
have an idea of what it was like “to be there.” This requires learning about
Let’s Talk About It
both the world in which a person lived and that person’s reactions to the
Ask your child:
world. For example, in studying the westward expansion across our
country, children need to be aware of how very difficult travel was in that
What was historical about the place you visited? What kinds of things
communicated the history of the place? Did the visit make you see our
town in a new way? Even though the place we visited was not in our
town, did it make you think of something historical from where we live?
32
Helping Your Child Learn History
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33
time. They may ask why people didn’t just take airplanes to avoid the
School Days
dangers they faced on the wagon trails. When parents explain that people
Kindergarten–Grade 3
then couldn’t fly because airplanes hadn’t yet been invented, children
A good way to introduce children to history is to let them know how
may ask why not. They need an understanding of how technology
school—a main focus of their lives—has changed over the years.
develops and of the technology that was available at the time of a
historical event. Just knowing the physical surroundings of a person at a
What You Need
point in time, however, doesn’t allow children to develop empathy. Stories
Map of the United States
and documents that tell us about people’s feelings and reactions to events
Crayons or colored pencils
in their lives allow us to recognize the human feelings we share with
people across space and time. Helping children find and use original
What to Do
source documents from the past, such as diaries, journals and speeches,
★
gives them a way to learn to see events through the eyes of people who
Talk with your child about what
school was like when you were
were there.
a child. Include how schools
looked physically; the
Context
equipment teachers used; what
Context is related to empathy. Context means “weave together,” and
subjects you studied; what
refers to the set of circumstances in several areas that surround an event.
choices you faced; and your
To understand any historical period or event children should know how to
favorite teachers and activities.
weave together politics (how a society was governed), sociology (what
If possible, show family
groups of people formed the society), economics (how people worked and
photographs of yourself or other family members participating in
what they produced), place (where the events happened) and religion,
school activities—playing a sport, cheerleading, giving a speech,
literature, the arts and philosophy (what people valued and believed at
winning an award, talking with classmates, working in a science lab
the time). When children try to understand the American Civil Rights
and so forth. Have your child notice such things as clothing and hair
movement, for example, they will uncover a complex set of events. And
styles, the way the school building or classroom looked, the
they will find that these events draw their meaning from their context.
equipment being used. Have her compare the school’s characteristics
with that of her own.
History means having a grand old time with new stories. So, as you and
★ Join your child in exploring what school was like 50 or 100 years
your child do the following activities, help him to think about the
ago. Ask your librarian for help in looking this up, talk to older
relationship between history and time.
relatives and neighbors and use the Internet. Again, include
photographs when possible.
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Helping Your Child Learn History
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35
—With your older child talk about some of the history of work in
Put Time in a Bottle
America and explain how it affects schooling. Tell her, for
Kindergarten–Grade 3
example, that many years ago, when America was a largely
Collecting things from their lifetimes and putting them in a time capsule is
agricultural society, children were needed at home to help plant
a history lesson that children will never forget.
and harvest crops. Because of this, children often didn’t go to
school every day, or at all in the summer. In addition, the school
What You Need
year was more or less matched to the time of year that was less
busy on farms—the late fall and winter months.
Magazines or newspapers
Sealable container
—Next explain that when America was switching from an agricul-
Camera
tural to a manufacturing society, some children worked long days
Tape or other sealant
in factories, doing hard, dangerous jobs. Eventually, laws were
passed to keep factories from using children to do dangerous
What to Do
work. Along with these child labor laws, other laws were passed
★
that officially required children to go to school until a certain age.
Talk with your child about time capsules. Explain that when
★
buildings such as schools, courthouses and churches are built, people
Ask your child to imagine what school will be like in the future. Your
often include a time capsule—a special container into which they
younger child may want to use blocks to build a future schoolhouse,
place items that can tell about their lives and times to future
and your older child may want to draw or write about theirs.
generations who open the container.
—Tell your child that you want to help him make his own personal
time capsule. Talk with him about what he might want to put in
it. Ask, for example, what things he might include to give people
Let’s Talk About It
of the distant future a good idea of what he was like and what the
Ask your child:
time he lives in was like.
What has remained the same about school from the past to the
—Have him use a simple camera to take pictures of a few important
present? What has changed? If you could be the head of a school 20
objects in his life—a favorite CD, poster or pair of shoes; a baseball
years from now, what would you keep and what would you change
bat, football jersey or basketball; his computer, music player or cell
based on your current school? How would you go about making
phone. Have him locate and add magazine pictures of games and
these changes?
toys; cars, airplanes and other types of transportation; different
kinds of sporting events; and clothes. Next have him locate
examples of slang, ads for movies and TV shows, and selections
from important speeches, poetry and stories or novels. Also help
36
Helping Your Child Learn History
Helping Your Child Learn History
37
him find stories about current heroes and local, national and world
Quill Pens & Berry Ink
events; and accounts of current issues and crises. Finally have him
Grades 1–3
write a letter to someone in the future that describes life today.
History depends on writing, and writing has changed over time from
—Call the family together and have your child do a “show and tell”
scratches on clay to digitalized codes and letters.
of the items he’s collected.
—Once everyone is satisfied with the collection, help your child label
What You Need
the items with his name and with any other information that will
help those who find them understand how they are significant to
For quill pen:
the history of our time.
feather, scissors, a paper clip
—Have him place the items in a container, seal the container and
For berry ink:
find a place to store it.
1/2 cup of ripe berries (blueberries, cherries, blackberries, strawberries,
—Have him write in his history log a short description of what he
or raspberries work well), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon vinegar, food
has done and record the date. Encourage him to draw a map that
strainer, bowl, wooden spoon, small jar with tight-fitting lid
shows the location of the time capsule and to use the correct
Paper
directional words to label it.
Paper towels
★ Try to find news stories (your local newspaper, library or local
What to Do
historical society or museum can often direct you to such stories)
about the opening of such a capsule in your area and what was in it.
★ Place the berries in the strainer and
If possible, take your child to look at the contents of an opened time
hold it over the bowl. Have your
capsule—perhaps at your local historical society or museum. Also try
child use the wooden spoon to
to locate buildings in your area that contain unopened time capsules.
crush the berries against the
Take your child to see the buildings and point out the cornerstones—
strainer so that the juice drips into
the places in which most capsules are placed. Talk with him about
the bowl. When all the juice is out
the information on the cornerstone.
of the berries, throw the pulp
away. Tell your child to add the salt
and vinegar to the berry juice and stir it well. If the ink is too thick,
have him add a teaspoon or two of water (not too much or he’ll lose
the color). Help him to pour the juice into a small jar and close it
Let’s Talk About It
with a tight-fitting lid. (Note: Make only as much ink as you will use
at one time, because it will dry up quickly.)
Ask your child:
What did the collection of items tell you about the period in
which we live? Did the items tend to be of a certain type?
38
Helping Your Child Learn History
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39
★ Have your child watch as you form the pen point by cutting the fat
Time Marches On
end of the feather on an angle, curving the cut slightly. (Note: A
Grades 2–5
good pair of scissors is safer than a knife. But play it safe, and always
The stories of history have beginnings, middles and ends that show events
do the cutting yourself.) Clean out the inside of the quill so that the
and suggest causes and effects. Making personal timelines can help
ink will flow to the point. Use the end of a paper clip if needed. You
children understand these elements. They allow children to use events in
may want to cut a center slit in the point; however, if you press too
their own lives to gain a sense of time, to understand the sequence in
hard on the pen when you write, it may split.
which things happen and to see connections between causes and effects.
★ Give the quill pen to your child and tell him to dip just the tip in the
ink. Keep a paper towel handy to use as an ink blotter. Allow him to
What You Need
experiment by drawing lines and curves and by making designs and
single letters. Show him how to hold the pen at different angles to
Large sheet of paper (butcher paper,
get different effects.
for example)
Yardstick and ruler
—Have him practice signing his name, John Hancock style, with the
Shelf paper
early American letters shown below. Then have him write his
Colored pencils or crayons
signature in his history log.
Removable tape
—Have him write his name again, using a pen or pencil. Talk with
him about how the signatures are alike and different.
What to Do
★ Sit with your younger child at a table. On a piece of paper, draw a
vertical line. Explain that this is a time line. Use different colored
pencils or crayons to make straight marks on the line in even
intervals and label the marks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and so forth. Explain
to your child that each mark is a year in his life.
—Beneath the first mark, write “I was born.” Then point to another
mark and ask your child what he remembers about that year in
his life. Help him to choose one important event from that year,
Let’s Talk About It
then think of a label to write. Continue with the remaining years,
filling in events for those early years that he can’t recall.
Ask your child:
—Review the timeline. Allow your child to erase and change an
Why do we write? When do people in our family use writing? What
event for a particular year if he remembers one that he thinks is
written things do you see every day? What are their different
more important. (Tell him that historians also rethink their choices
purposes? What effect do different writing tools have on writing, for
when they study history.)
example quill pens, ballpoint pens, typewriters and computers?
40
Helping Your Child Learn History
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41
★ Have your older child make a timeline poster by placing a long piece
The Past Anew
of shelf paper on the floor. Have her use a yardstick to draw a line
Grades 3–5
that is three feet long.
Reenactments of historical battles or periods, such as colonial times, make
—Talk with your child about important dates in her life—the day she
our nation’s history come alive—
was born; her first day of kindergarten, of first grade; the day her
and get children involved.
best friend moved in next door; and so forth. Tell her to write the
dates on the line. Invite her to add dates that are important for
What You Need
the whole family—the day her baby sister was born, the day her
A library card
favorite uncle got married, the day the family moved to a new
Local newspapers
place, the day a grandparent died and so on. If appropriate photos
Phone book
are available, have her add them to the timeline.
—For a horizontal timeline, use removable tape to fasten the paper
What to Do
to the wall, making sure it’s placed at a level that is easy for your
★ Explain to your child what reenactments are—people dressing in the
child to see and continue working on. For a vertical timeline,
costumes of and acting out what life was like at some earlier time. With
hang the paper next to the doorway in your child’s room.
him, find out whether and where local reenactments are held by looking
—Display the finished timeline and ask your child to tell other
in your local newspaper or calling your local historical society, a state
family members and friends what it shows.
park or the National Park Service. If possible, choose a reenactment to
—Have your child expand her timeline by adding events that were
visit. Prepare your child by taking him to a local museum or historical
happening in the world at the same time as each event of her life.
site that relates to the reenactment, by watching a TV program about the
Help her use the Internet or the library’s collection of newspapers
event or period or by searching for information about it on the Internet.
to find and record the headlines for each of her birthdays.
—Attend the reenactment and participate.
—Ask—and encourage your child to ask—the re-enactors questions
about anything, from why they wear particular kinds of hats to
the meanings of the event or period for the development or
transformation of America.
Let’s Talk About It
Ask your child:
Let’s Talk About It
What was unusual or interesting about the reenactment? What role did each
Ask your child:
of the re-enactors play? If there was conflict, what was shown or said about its
What is the most important event on the timeline? What effects did the
causes and effects? What obstacles did the characters face? How did they
event have on your life? What are the connections between the events in
overcome them? What is the difference between the “real thing” and a
your life and world events?
performance of it? What did you learn from the performance?
42
Helping Your Child Learn History
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43
★ Help her draw a web. Begin by placing the name of the place she studied
Weave a Web
in the middle (like the spider who weaves a “home”). Then have her
Grades 4–5
draw several lines (“strands”) from the middle to show the major events
A history web is a way of connecting people and events.
in the life of the place. To finish, have her connect the strands with cross
lines to show other related events. When the web is complete, talk with
What You Need
your child about the relationships among the strands.
Large piece of paper or poster board (at least 31/2 ft. x 21/2 ft.)
★ Have your child send her web to the editor of your local newspaper
Colored pencils, crayons or markers
and ask to have it published. She can write about the web and ask
readers to contribute more information to add to it. Tell her that this
What to Do
is exactly how “real” history is written!
★ As you walk around your neighborhood with your child, point out
★ Newspapers often include timelines of events. Point these out to your
interesting buildings, statues or other features. For example, you
child and talk with him about what they show.
might pick a place in your community that has always seemed
mysterious to you—an old ball field; a store, strange house or
courthouse; a church, fountain, monument, clock or school building.
Have your child study the place and write in her history log what she
sees and hears. For example, have her look for plaques, engravings
or other marks on buildings, such as dates and designs, or for
unusual features, such as bleachers, windows or bell towers.
—Help her to find information about the place by asking a librarian
for resources, by searching the archives of the local newspaper, or
by using the Internet. Tell her to be on the lookout for events that
happened there, such as athletic records that might have been set
or visits by a famous person. Also have her look for things that
changed the place, such as the addition or removal of rooms, stairs
or parking lots.
★ Help your child locate people who have lived in your town a long
time. Arrange for her to interview them using questions about the
Let’s Talk About It
place she studied and the events surrounding it, and about any
important events in the town’s history that they remember.
Ask your child:
When was the place you picked built? How is the place you picked
connected to other events in history?
44
Helping Your Child Learn History
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45
Time to Celebrate
New Year’s Day
January 1
New beginning
Grades 4–5
Martin Luther King
January 15
Birth of a leader
On quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies is written the phrase “E pluribus
Jr.’s Birthday
unum,” which is Latin for “Out of many, one.” It is an appropriate phrase
Presidents’ Day
Third Monday of February
Originally, honored
to describe how our country has developed and the many different people
Presidents Lincoln and
and groups who have made it so great.
Washington; currently
honors all U.S. presidents
What You Need
Memorial Day
Last Monday of May
War dead
U.S. coins
Independence Day
July 4
Adoption of the
Map of the world
Declaration of
Calendar
Independence in 1776
What to Do
Labor Day
First Monday of September
Working people
★ Have your child look at U.S. coins for
Columbus Day
Second Monday of October
Landing of Columbus in
the phrase “E pluribus unum.”
the Bahamas in 1492
Explain that the phrase means “Out
Veterans Day
November 11
War veterans
of many, one,” and that it refers to
Thanksgiving Day
Fourth Thursday in November Day of thanks for divine
our country as one nation with many
goodness
peoples and cultures. Explain that it
Christmas Day
December 25
Birth of Christ
isn’t our families’ ethnic heritages that bind us together as
Americans, but shared democratic values.
★ With your child, talk about the following holidays that are celebrated
★ When you are talking about holidays, take the opportunity to read
in the United States. Look at a calendar and add other holidays, if
original source materials related to them. For example: on Presidents’
you choose. Next to each holiday write (or have her write) when it’s
Day, read one of the great presidential speeches such as President
celebrated and what it celebrates.
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address or President Kennedy’s “Ask Not What
Your Country Can Do for You” inaugural address; on Martin Luther
King’s Day read his “I Have a Dream” speech. Talk with your child
about the meaning of each speech.
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Helping Your Child Learn History
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47
★ Encourage your child to find out about national holidays that are
What to Do
celebrated in other nations. Classmates, neighbors and relatives from
★ Find out what events your child is
other countries are good sources of information.
currently studying in school. Use
★ Invite your child to think and talk about other important holidays
information from her textbook to make a
that she thinks our nation should celebrate. Are their any people she
set of cards. On one card, write the name
thinks deserve to have a holiday of their own? Any group of people?
of a historical figure; on a second card,
Any event that needs to be celebrated that isn’t?
write the events for which that figure is
★ Discuss with your child your family’s personal celebrations, and have
known in history; and on a third card,
her write in her history log about these special days.
write the date(s) for the event. Do this for
four or five figures from the time being studied.
—Use the cards to review with your child, helping her to name each
Let’s Talk About It
figure and match it with the events and dates.
—When your child is comfortable with the cards, shuffle them and
Ask your child:
deal an equal number to your child and to yourself. Choose one of
What kinds of accomplishments or events do we celebrate in America?
your cards and read it aloud. Say, for example, “Harriet Tubman.”
What similarities and differences did you find between American
If your child has the event (“Underground Railroad”) or date
holidays and holidays celebrated by people from other countries?
(“1863”—the year she freed more than 700 slaves in a raid), she
must give you the card. If she has the card, she must give it to
you, and you continue asking for cards. If she doesn’t have the
card, the turn goes to her, and she asks you for a card. Continue
It’s in the Cards
until one of you has no cards left.
★ Ask your child to think of other ways to use card games to learn
Grades 4–5
more about history.
Many children don’t like to study history in school because they are asked
to memorize so many dates and names. Parents can help—and make
learning more enjoyable—by using games to reinforce what their children
are learning in history class.
Let’s Talk About It
Ask your child:
What You Need
Why is it important to know when things happened? Why could
Your child’s history book
some things not have happened any earlier than they did? What
Index cards or sheets of heavy paper cut into cards
would happen to the story of times past if our cards got all mixed
up and out of order?
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Helping Your Child Learn History
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49
Working With Teachers and Schools
★
Research has shown that children at all grade levels do better in school,
What methods and materials does the school use for history
feel more confident about themselves as learners and have higher
instruction? Are these methods based on sound research evidence
expectations for themselves when their parents are supportive of and
about what works best? Are the materials up to date? Can students
involved with their education2. Here are some ways that you can stay
do hands-on projects? Is the curriculum well coordinated across
involved in your child’s school life and support his learning of history:
grades, from elementary school through middle school? Does the
curriculum include both world history and American history?
Become familiar with your child’s school. During your visit, look for
★ Are the history teachers highly qualified? Do they meet state certifi-
clues as to whether the school values history. For example, ask yourself:
cation and subject-area knowledge requirements?
★ What do I see in my child’s school and classroom to show that
★ How much instructional time is spent on history?
history is valued? For example, are maps, globes, atlases, and history-
★ How does the school measure student progress in history? What tests
related student work visible?
does it use? Do the tests assess what students are actually taught in
★ Are newspapers, news magazines and other current events publica-
their classes?
tions part of the history curriculum? Are videos, computer programs
★ How do the students at the school score on state assessments of
and collections of original source materials included in the study of
history?
history? Are textbooks and other resources up to date and accurate?
★ Are activities available that parents can use at home to supplement
★ Does the school library contain a range of history-related materials,
and support instruction?
including biographies and historical fiction as well as information
★ If you feel dissatisfied with the history curriculum, talk to your child’s
about local, state, national and world history, culture, societies and
teacher first, and then to the principal, the head of the history
geography? If so, are they recent publications?
curriculum division, the school superintendent and, finally, members
of the school board. Also ask other parents for their opinions and
Find out about the school’s history curriculum. Ask for a school
suggestions.
handbook. If none is available, meet with the school’s principal and ask
★ If you have not seen it, ask to look at the No Child Left Behind report
questions such as the following:
card for your school. These report cards show how your school
compares to others in the district and indicate how well it is
succeeding.
2. Ballen, J. and Oliver Moles, O. (1994). Strong Families, Strong Schools. Washington, D.C.: U. S. Department of Education; Henderson, A. T. and Berla, N.
(eds.) (1994). A New Generation of Evidence: The Family Is Critical to Student Achievement. Washington, D.C.: Center for Law and Education.
50
Helping Your Child Learn History
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51
★
Meet with your child’s teacher. Schedule an appointment and ask how
Do students discuss their ideas and offer explanations? Do they have
your child approaches history. Does she enjoy it? Does she participate
opportunities to talk and work with each other as well as with the
actively? Does she understand assignments and do them accurately? If the
teacher? Are they encouraged to ask questions in class? Are they
teacher indicates that your child has problems, ask for specific things that
learning how to identify reliable sources of information and how to
you can do to help her. In addition, you can do
use them to find answers?
the following:
★ Does the instruction show students how to connect historical
★ Attend parent-teacher conferences early in
information they’re learning to their personal experiences and to
the school year. Listen to what the teacher
explore how past events affect their lives?
says during these conferences and take notes.
★ Are students regularly assigned history homework? Do assignments
★ Let the teacher know that you expect your
involve history projects, including posters or displays, debates, mock
child to gain a knowledge of history, and that
trials and role playing?
you appreciate his efforts toward this goal.
★ Does the class go on field trips that relate to history? For example,
★ Ask the teacher what his expectations are for
does the class visit historical sites, history museums, local historians
the class and your child.
or local elected officials?
★ Agree on a system of communication with
★ Does the teacher expect—and help—all students to succeed? Does
the teacher for the year, either by phone,
she encourage them to set high goals for themselves? Does she listen
e-mail or through letters.
to their explanations and ideas?
★ Keep an open mind in discussing your child’s
★ Do classroom tests and assessments match national, state and local
education with the teacher; ask questions about anything you don’t
history standards? The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)
understand; and be frank with him about your concerns.
requires annual assessments of students in grades 3–8 according to
★ Compliment the teacher’s efforts with your child. Let her know how
state-defined standards and the dissemination of the results to
much you appreciate her commitment to all the children she teaches.
parents, teachers, principals and others. Curricula based on state
standards should be taught in the classroom; thus assessment would
be aligned with instruction. In addition to assessments required by
Visit your child’s classroom. In the classroom, look for the following:
NCLB, are teachers using many different ways to determine if
★ Do teachers display a thorough knowledge of their subjects? Do they
children know and understand history, including asking open-ended
relay this knowledge to students in ways that students can
questions that require thought and analysis? Do assessments match
understand?
what has been taught? Are they used appropriately to plan
instruction and evaluate student understanding?
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Helping Your Child Learn History
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53
Bibliography
Find out if the school has a Web site. School Web sites can provide
In addition to those listed below in the Resources section, the following
you with ready access to all kinds of information, including homework
resources were used in preparing this booklet:
assignments, class schedules, lesson plans and dates for school district and
Ballen, J. and Oliver Moles, O. (1994). Strong Families, Strong Schools. Washington,
state tests.
D.C.: U. S. Department of Education.
Get actively involved. Attend meetings of parent-teacher organizations.
Bradley Commission on History in Schools. (1991). Historical Literacy: The Case for
If you’re unable to attend, ask that the minutes of the meetings be sent to
History in American Schools. New York: Houghton Mifflin.
you, or that they be made available on the school’s Web site. If your
schedule permits, volunteer to help with the history program. Teachers
Cheney, Lynne V. (1987). American Memory: A Report on the Humanities in the Nation’s
often send home lists of ways in which parents can get involved,
Public Schools. Washington, D.C.: National Endowment for the Humanities.
including the following:
★ Assisting with classroom projects;
Gibbon, Peter H. (2002). A Call to Heroism: Renewing America’s Vision of Greatness.
★ Chaperoning field trips;
New York: Grove/Atlantic.
★ Offering to set up a history display in the school’s front hallway or in
your child’s classroom;
Henderson, A. T. and Berla, N. (eds.) (1994). A New Generation of Evidence: The Family
Is Critical to Student Achievement. Washington, D.C.: Center for Law and Education.
★ Leading hands-on lessons (if you have a good history background
yourself);
Levstik, Linda. S., and Keith R. Barton. (2000). Doing History: Investigating with Children
★ Helping in a computer laboratory or other area requiring adult
in Elementary and Middle Schools. Mahway, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
supervision; and
★ Starting a drive to raise money for computers, books or field trips.
Vansledright, Bruce. (2002). In Search of America’s Past: Learning to Read History in
Elementary School. New York: Teachers College Press.
Even if you can’t volunteer for work at the school, you can help your
Many of the activities are based on suggestions from the following people and
child learn when you’re at home. The key question is, “What can I do at
publications:
home, easily and every day, to reinforce and extend what the school is
teaching?” This is the involvement that every parent can and must
John Ahern; Claudia J. Hoone; Kathleen Hunter; Peter O’Donnell, Director of
provide.
Museum Education at Old Sturbridge Village; and Janice Ribar.
Caney, Steve. (1978). Steve Caney’s Kids’ America. New York: Workman Publishing.
Henry, Edna. (1984). Native American Cookbook. New York: Julian Messner.
Weitzman, David. (1975). My Backyard History Book. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
54
Helping Your Child Learn History
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55
Resources
Federal Sources of Information
Web Sites
Educator’s Reference DeskSM
The following Web sites are some of the many that contain great links for
www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/res.cgi/Subjects/Social_Studies
both you and your child. Most provide you and your child with
information about how to search for specific information and with links to
Federal Citizen Information Center, FirstGov for Kids
other age-appropriate sites.
www.kids.gov
Bringing History Home, a K–6 history curriculum:
Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)
www.bringinghistoryhome.org
www.ed.gov/free/index.html
Council for Excellence in Government, Take Your Kids to Vote:
www.excelgov.org/displayContent.asp?Keyword=prptKidsVote
Library of Congress, American Memory
Family Education Network: http://fen.com
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/ammemhome.html
Global Schoolnet, Global Schoolhouse:
www.globalschoolnet.org/GSH/index.html
National Archives
www.archives.gov/
Internet Public Library, Kids Space: www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/
Kids Web: www.npac.syr.edu/textbook/kidsweb/SocialStudies/index.html
National Park Service
KidSource: www.kidsource.com/index.html
www.nps.gov
Mapquest: www.mapquest.com
National Register of Historic Places
National Constitution Center:
www.cr.nps.gov/nr/
www.constitutioncenter.org/index_no_flash.shtml
National Council for Geographic Education: www.ncge.org
National Trust for Historic Preservation
National Council for History Education: www.history.org/nche/
www.nationaltrust.org/
National Council for the Social Studies: www.ncss.org
No Child Left Behind
National Geographic Society: www.nationalgeographic.com
www.nclb.gov/parents/index.html
National History Day: www.nationalhistoryday.org/
National Standards for Social Studies: www.ncss.org/standards/
Smithsonian Institute: www.si.edu/kids/
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Helping Your Child Learn History
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57
Rich, Dorothy. (1992). Megaskills: How Families Can Help Children Succeed
Publications for Parents
in School and Beyond (rev. ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
American Federation of Teachers. (2001). Helping Your Child Succeed: How Parents &
Russell, William F. (1997). Family Learning. How to Help Your Children
Families Can Communicate Better with Teachers and School Staff. Washington, D.C.
Succeed in School by Learning at Home. St. Charles, IL: First Word Learning
(available online at www.aft.org/parentpage/communicating/index.html.)
Systems, Inc.
American Library Association. (2002). Libraries, Children and the Internet. Chicago, IL.
Wise, Jessie and Bauer, Susan Wise. (2004). The Well-Trained Mind: A
(Available online at www.ala.org/parents/librariesandinternet.html.)
Guide to Classical Education at Home. New York: W. W. Norton.
Cholden, Harriet, Friedman, John A. and Tiersky, Ethel. (1998). The Homework
Wolfman, Ira. (2002). Climbing Your Family Tree: Online and Off-Line
Handbook: Practical Advice You Can Use Tonight to Help Your Child Succeed Tomorrow.
Genealogy For Kids. New York: Workman Publishing.
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Clark, Rosemary, Hawkins, Donna and Vachon, Beth. (1999). The School-Savvy
Books for Children
Parent: 365 Insider Tips to Help You Help Your Child. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit
Publishing.
The following is only a sampling of the many excellent books about
people, events, and issues in American and world history and
Hickey, M. Gail. (1999). Bringing History Home: Local and Family History Projects for
geography that your child might enjoy. Many of the books listed here
Grades K-6. Boston: Pearson, Allyn & Bacon.
are also available in languages other than English. Your local or school
librarian can help you locate books in a particular language.
Hirsch, E. D., Jr. (1997). What Your First Grader Needs to Know: Fundamentals of a
Good First-Grade Education. New York: Doubleday.
For additional titles, check your library for sources such as the listing of
notable children’s books prepared each year by the National Council for
Kay, Peggy. (2002). Games with Books: Twenty-Eight of the Best Children’s Books and
the Social Studies and the Children’s Book Council (available online at
How to Use Them to Help Your Child Learn—From Preschool to Third Grade. New York:
www.socialstudies.org/resources/notable and at
Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
www.cbcbooks.org/html/pubs.html) and the theme-related listing of
books chosen annually by the National Endowment for the Humanities
National Council for Geographic Education. (1998). How to Help Children Become
for its We the People Bookshelf (available online at
Geographically Literate. Washington, D.C. (Available online at
www.wethepeople.gov/bookshelf/).
www.ncge.org/publications/resources/family/page7.html.)
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We have divided the books into two groups, those most appropriate for you to
Jakes, John. Susanna of the Alamo: A True Story. Harcourt Brace.
read with your younger child and those that will appeal to your older child,
who reads independently. However, you’re the best judge of which books are
Jezek, Alisandra. Miloli’s Orchids. Raintree/Streck Vaughn.
appropriate for your child, regardless of age.
Johnson, Angela. Those Building Men. Blue Sky Press/Scholastic.
Preschool–Grade 2
American History, Culture and Biography
Monjo, F. N. The One Bad Thing about Father (biography of Theodore
Roosevelt). Harper.
Adler, David A. A Picture Book of Sacagawea. Holiday House.
O’Kelley, Mattie Lou. From the Hills of Georgia: An Autobiography in Paintings.
Bateman, Teresa. Red, White, Blue, and Uncle Who? The Stories Behind Some of
Little, Brown.
America’s Patriotic Symbols. Holiday House.
van Rynbach, Iris. Everything from a Nail to a Coffin. Orchard Books.
Catrow, David. We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States.
New York: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers.
Waters, Kate. The Story of the White House. Scholastic.
Chandra, Deborah. George Washington’s Teeth. Farrar Straus & Giroux.
World History, Culture and Biography
Cheney, Lynne V. America: A Patriotic Primer. Simon & Schuster.
Bauer, Susan Wise. The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child,
Volume 1: Ancient Times. Peace Hill Press.
Cherry, Lynne. A River Ran Wild. Harcourt Brace.
Berger, Melvin and Berger, Gilda. Mummies of the Pharaohs: Exploring the
Curlee, Lynn. Brooklyn Bridge. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Valley of the Kings. National Geographic Society.
Grant, R. G. and Dailey, John R. Flight. Smithsonian Institution.
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Black Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine,
1845-1850. Houghton Mifflin.
Harness, Cheryl. Three Young Pilgrims. Aladdin Library.
Fisher, Leonard E. Pyramid of the Sun, Pyramid of the Moon. Atheneum.
Hudson, Wade. Great Black Heroes; Five Bold Freedom Fighters. Cartwheel Books.
Ganeri, Anita. Emperors and Gladiators. Peter Bedrick Books.
Musgrove, Margaret W. Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions. Dial Books for
Young Readers.
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Provensen, Alice and Provensen, Martin. The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel
Jimenez, Francisco. The Christmas Gift. Houghton Mifflin.
with Louis Blériot. Puffin.
Kurtz, Jane. River Friendly, River Wild. Simon & Schuster.
Wells, Ruth. A to Zen: A Book of Japanese Culture. Simon & Schuster.
Kuskin, Karla. Jerusalem, Shining Still. Harper Trophy.
Zimlicka, Shannon. The Colors of Russia. Carolrhoda Books.
Le Sueur, Meridel. Little Brother of the Wilderness: The Story of Johnny
Historical Fiction, Drama, Poetry and Games
Appleseed. Holy Cow! Press.
Atwell, Debby. Pearl. Walter Lorraine Books/Houghton Mifflin.
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. Hiawatha. (Various editions.)
Barnes, Peter. Marshall, the Courthouse Mouse: A Tail of the U. S. Supreme Court.
Loomis, Christine. Across America, I Love You. Hyperion Press.
Vacation Spot Publishing.
MacLachlan, Patricia. All the Places to Love. HarperCollins.
Bates, Katherine Lee. America the Beautiful. Putnam.
Panagopoulos, Janie Lynn. A Place Called Home. Sleeping Bear Press.
Benchley, Nathaniel. Sam the Minuteman. Harper Trophy.
Paul, Ann Whitford. All By Herself. Harcourt Children’s Books.
Bunting, Eve. Smoky Night. Harcourt.
Ryan, Pam Munoz. The Flag We Love. Charlesbridge Publishing.
Guthrie, Woody. This Land Is Your Land. Little, Brown & Co.
Swift, Hildegarde. Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge. Red Wagon
Goble, Paul. Death of the Iron Horse. Macmillan.
Books.
Hall, Donald. Ox-Cart Man. Puffin.
Turner, Ann. Abe Lincoln Remembers. HarperCollins Children’s Books.
High, Linda Oatman. A Humble Life: Plain Poems. Eerdmans Books for Young
Turkle, Brinton. Thy Friend, Obadiah. Puffin.
Readers.
Zolotow, Charlotte. The Sky Was Blue. HarperCollins.
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Geography and Reference
Busby, Peter. First to Fly: How Wilbur & Orville Wright Invented the Airplane.
Crown Books for Young Readers.
Doherty, Gillian and Claybourne, Anna. The Usborne Book of Peoples of the
World. Usborne Publishing.
Catrow, David. We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United
States. Dial Books for Young Readers.
Hartman, Gail. As The Crow Flies: A First Book of Maps. Demco Media.
Cheney, Lynne V. A Is for Abigail: An Almanac of Amazing American Women.
Knowlton, Jack. Geography from A to Z: A Picture Glossary. Harper Trophy.
Clapp, J. Right Here on This Spot. Houghton Mifflin.
Leedy, Loreen. Mapping Penny’s World. Holt.
Coombs, K. M. Children of the Dust Days. Carolrhoda Books.
National Geographic Society. Our World: A Child’s First Picture Atlas.
National Geographic Society.
Evans, Freddi Williams. A Bus of Our Own. Albert Whitman & Company.
Rumford, James. Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta, 1325-1354.
Farris, Christine King. My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing up with
Houghton Mifflin.
the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Simon & Schuster.
Fisher, Leonard E. The Statue of Liberty. Holiday House.
Grades 3 and Up
American History, Culture and Biography
Frank, Mitch. Understanding September 11th: Answering Questions about the
Attacks on America. Viking’s Children’s Books.
Barber, James and Pastan, Amy. Smithsonian Presidents and First Ladies.
Smithsonian Institution.
Freedman, Russell. In The Days of the Vaqueros: America’s First True Cowboys.
Clarion.
Bartoletti, S. C. Kids on Strike! Houghton Mifflin.
Harbison, Elizabeth M. (1998). Loaves of Fun: A History of Bread with
Bridges, Ruby with Lundell, Margo. Through My Eyes. Scholastic.
Activities and Recipes from Around the World. Chicago Review Press.
Bruchac, J. Navajo Long Walk : Tragic Story of a Proud Peoples’ Forced March
Hakim, Joy. The First Americans. Oxford University Press. (The first volume
from Homeland. National Geographic Press.
of the A History of US series. Other volumes include: Making Thirteen
Colonies; The New Nation; Reconstructing America; An Age of Extremes; War,
Peace, and All That Jazz 1918-1945; and All the People 1945-1999.)
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Hoose, Phillip. We Were There, Too! Young People in U. S. History. Melanie
Tanaka, Shelly. Attack on Pearl Harbor: The True Story of the Day America
Kroupa Books/Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
Entered World War II. Hyperion Books for Children.
Jacobs, William Jay. Ellis Island: New Hope in a New Land. Atheneum.
Wallner, Alexandra. Since 1920. Doubleday.
Loewen, Nancy. We Live Here Too! Kids Talk about Good Citizenship. Picture
Wells, Rosemary. The House in the Mail. Puffin Books.
Window Books.
West, Delno C. and West, Jean M. Uncle Sam and Old Glory: Symbols of
Macaulay, David. Mill. Houghton Mifflin.
America. Atheneum.
Maestro, Betsy. Coming to America. Scholastic.
Wilson, Jon. The Declaration of Independence: Foundation of America. Child’s
World.
Maestro, Betsy and Maestro, Giulio. A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our
Constitution. New York: Morrow.
Wong, J. S. Apple Pie Fourth of July. Harcourt.
Miller, Marilyn. Words That Built a Nation. Scholastic.
World History, Culture and Biography
New York Times Staff. The New York Times: A Nation Challenged, Young Reader’s
Chrisp, Peter. Alexander the Great: The Legend of a Warrior King. DK
Edition. Scholastic.
Publishing.
Parkes, B. School Then and Now. Newbridge Emergent Readers Series.
Coerr, Eleanor. Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. Puffin.
Ravitch, Diane. The American Reader: Words That Moved a Nation. Perennial.
Deedy, Carmen Agra. The Yellow Star: The Legend of King Christian X of
Denmark. Peachtree.
Reichhardt, Tony. Space Shuttle: The First 20 Years—The Astronauts’ Experiences
in Their Own Words. Smithsonian Institution.
Fiedler, Joseph Daniel. Hatshepsut, His Majesty, Herself. Atheneum.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning. HarperCollins.
Hoose, Phillip. It’s Our World, Too! Sunburst.
Sobel, Syl and Tanzey, Pam. How the U. S. Government Works. Barrons
Macaulay, David. Pyramid. (See also City: A Story of Roman Planning and
Juvenile.
Construction; Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction; and Castle). Houghton
Mifflin.
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Major, John S. The Silk Route: 7,000 Miles of History. Harper Trophy.
Minor, Wendell. Star in the Storm. McElderry.
Mead, Alice. Girl of Kosovo. Yearling Books.
Mistry, Nilesh. The Story of Divaali. Barefoot Books.
Nickles, Greg. Russia: The Cultures. Crabtree.
Nye, Naomi Shihab. 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East.
Greenwillow.
Historical Fiction, Drama, Poetry and Games
Polacco, Patricia. Pink and Say. Philomel Books.
Baker, Charles F., III. The Struggle for Freedom: Plays on the American Revolution,
1762–1788. Cobblestone.
Ryan, Pam M. The Flag We Love. Charlesbridge Publishing.
Brink, Carol R. Caddie Woodlawn. Macmillan.
Sewall, Marcia. The Pilgrims of Plimoth. New York: Aladdin Library.
Fisher, Leonard E. The Oregon Trail. (See also Tracks Across America: The Story of
Waters, Kate. Giving Thanks: The 1621 Harvest Feast. Scholastic.
the American Railroad, 1825-1900.) Holiday House.
Wilder, Laura I. Little House in the Big Woods. (See also others in the Little
Fleischman, Paul. Seedfolks. Harper Trophy.
House series.) (Various editions.)
Forbes, Esther. Johnny Tremain. (Various editions.)
Zeman, Ludmila. Gilgamesh the King. Tundra Books.
Freedman, Russell. Cowboys of the Wild West. Clarion.
Geography
Hoobler, Dorothy and Hoobler, Tom. The First Decade: Curtain Going Up.
Ancona, George. Cuban Kids. Cavendish.
Millbrook. (See also other books in the series about life in the twentieth
century, including The Second Decade: Voyages; The 1920s: Luck; and The 1930s:
Bang, M. Common Ground. The Blue Sky Press.
Directions.)
Cooper, Margaret. Exploring the Ice Age. Atheneum Books for Young
Hunt, Irene. Across Five Aprils. Berkley.
Readers.
Kennedy, Caroline. A Patriot’s Handbook: Songs, Poems, Stories, and Speeches
Haskins, James and Benson, Kathleen. Building a New Land: African
Celebrating the Land We Love. Hyperion Press.
Americans in Colonial America. Amistad/HarperCollins Children’s Books.
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Laufer, Peter. Made in Mexico. National Geographic Society.
Cobblestone
800–821–0115
Leacock, Elspeth and Buckley, Susan. Places in Time: A New Atlas of American
(www.cobblestonepub.com)
History. Houghton Mifflin.
Contains articles and stories that focus on American history. (Ages 8 and up)
National Geographic Society. Historical Atlas of the United States. National
Dig
Geographic Society.
800–821–0115
(www.cobblestonepub.com)
Leedy, Loreen. Blast Off to Earth! A Look at Geography. Holiday House.
Focuses on archeology and on the historical and cultural aspects of various
societies. (Ages 8 and up)
Le Rochais, Marie-Ange. Desert Trek: An Eye-Opening Journey Through the
World’s Driest Places. Walker & Company.
Kids Discover
212–677–4457
Smith, David J. If the World Were a Village: A Book about the World’s People. Kids
(www.kidsdiscover.com)
Can Press.
Contains theme-related articles, many of which focus on events and
people in U.S. and world history. (Ages 5 and up)
Children’s Magazines
National Geographic for Kids
Appleseeds
800–647–5463
800–821–0115
(www.nationalgeographic.com)
(www.cobblestonepub.com)
Offers articles, games, and other geography-related activities. (Ages 7 and up)
Contains articles, activities and games that develop skills and interest in
various content areas, including geography and U.S. history. (Ages 7 and up)
Calliope
800–821–0115
(www.cobblestonepub.com)
Focuses on world history. (Ages 8 and up)
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Helping Y
Acknow our
ledg Child Header
ments
Here
No Child Left Behind
This publication was originally written by Elaine Wrisley Reed of the
On January 8, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the No
National Council for History Education and edited by Jacquelyn
Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). This new law represents his
Zimmermann of the U.S. Department of Education. Revisions for the
education reform plan and contains the most sweeping changes to the
current edition were completed by Elaine Reed and Fran Lehr.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act since it was enacted in 1965. It
Illustrations were done by Adjoa Burrows and Joe Matos.
changes the federal role in education by asking America’s schools to
describe their success in terms of what each student accomplishes. The act
This booklet has been made possible with the help of many people within
contains the president’s four basic education reform principles:
the Department of Education and external organizations, including, most
notably, the Office of Lynne V. Cheney and Libby O’Connell of the History
★ Stronger accountability for results;
Channel, who reviewed drafts, and provided materials and suggestions.
★ Local control and flexibility;
The History Channel also committed financial support towards the
★ Expanded options for parents; and
production of this booklet. In addition, a special thanks to Todd May in
the Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs and Jacquelyn
★ An emphasis on effective and proven teaching methods.
Zimmermann in the Office of Public Affairs for their help in the design,
development, editing, production and distribution of this booklet.
In sum, this law—in partnership with parents, communities, school
leadership and classroom teachers—will ensure that every child in
America receives a great education and that no child is left behind.
For more information on No Child Left Behind, visit the Web site at
www.nochildleftbehind.gov or call 1-800-USA-LEARN.
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U.S. Department of Education
Office of Intergovernmental
and Interagency Affairs
400 Maryland Avenue, SW • Washington D.C. 20202
