Books About Social Studies/Citizenship
Unspoken:A Story from the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole
When a farm girl discovers a runaway slave hiding in the barn, she is startled and frightened. But she must make a choice - help him or not?
If you are looking for a book about the Underground Railroad to read to a younger audience then this is it. It introduces the topic without all the details of slavery. This story is word-less, but the pictures are so prefect words are unnecessary!
Check out this interview with the author Henry Cole: http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/coleh
When a farm girl discovers a runaway slave hiding in the barn, she is startled and frightened. But she must make a choice - help him or not?
If you are looking for a book about the Underground Railroad to read to a younger audience then this is it. It introduces the topic without all the details of slavery. This story is word-less, but the pictures are so prefect words are unnecessary!
Check out this interview with the author Henry Cole: http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/coleh
I Need My Own Country by Rick Walton
Have you ever felt like you needed your own space? Maybe your own country? In this book a young girl decides she does. She will need her own flag, money, and laws!
This book is a funny why of teaching civics to a young audience. After reading have students create their own country for your classroom. Assign groups to name the country, write laws, design a flag, special symbols, and money.
Have you ever felt like you needed your own space? Maybe your own country? In this book a young girl decides she does. She will need her own flag, money, and laws!
This book is a funny why of teaching civics to a young audience. After reading have students create their own country for your classroom. Assign groups to name the country, write laws, design a flag, special symbols, and money.
Dear Mr. Washington by Lynn Cullen
This book will be released January 8, 2015, but it has been so highly reviewed that it had to be included here!
The children of Gilbert Stuart have promised to behave when George Washington comes to their house to have his portrait painted. Yet, it does not go as well as Gilbert had planned. What ends up is a giant mess and a painting to be remembered for centuries to come.
A simple activity would be letter writing as that has a direct connection to this book. You could also pair this book with a biography about George Washington to make text-to-text connections as well as find the factual elements that are found in this fictional book.
This book will be released January 8, 2015, but it has been so highly reviewed that it had to be included here!
The children of Gilbert Stuart have promised to behave when George Washington comes to their house to have his portrait painted. Yet, it does not go as well as Gilbert had planned. What ends up is a giant mess and a painting to be remembered for centuries to come.
A simple activity would be letter writing as that has a direct connection to this book. You could also pair this book with a biography about George Washington to make text-to-text connections as well as find the factual elements that are found in this fictional book.
The Matchbox Diary by Paul Fleishman
A little girl visits her grandfather and chooses a keepsake cigar box that holds many matchboxes filled with personal mementos, such as an olive pit, a bottle cap, a ticket. Together they recount her great-grandfathers journey from Italy to America. These mementos represented a diary-of-objects kept by a young boy who yearned to record his journey, but couldn't read or write.
A little girl visits her grandfather and chooses a keepsake cigar box that holds many matchboxes filled with personal mementos, such as an olive pit, a bottle cap, a ticket. Together they recount her great-grandfathers journey from Italy to America. These mementos represented a diary-of-objects kept by a young boy who yearned to record his journey, but couldn't read or write.
Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine
This is the story of one man's ingenuity and courage on his journey to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Henry Brown's journey began the day he mailed himself from Richmond, Virginia to to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in a wooden crate. This became his Freedom Box.
Henry Brown wasn't sure how old he was. Henry was a slave and slaves were not allowed to know when they were born.....at last Henry had a birthday! March 30, 1849; his first day of Freedom!
After reading this story bring in a large refrigerator box. Have students sit inside and imagine what it would have been like for Henry.
This is the story of one man's ingenuity and courage on his journey to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Henry Brown's journey began the day he mailed himself from Richmond, Virginia to to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in a wooden crate. This became his Freedom Box.
Henry Brown wasn't sure how old he was. Henry was a slave and slaves were not allowed to know when they were born.....at last Henry had a birthday! March 30, 1849; his first day of Freedom!
After reading this story bring in a large refrigerator box. Have students sit inside and imagine what it would have been like for Henry.
The Camping Trip That Changed America by Barb Rosenstock
This would be a great book when teaching historical fiction. In 1903, President Roosevelt joined naturalist John Muir on a camping trip to Yosemite. Camping by themselves in the uncharted woods, the two men saw sights and held discussions that would ultimately lead to the establishment of our National Parks. This would be good book to introduce or reinforce the concepts of responsibility, conservation and citizenship.
"We are not building this country of ours for a day. It is to last through the ages."
- Theodore Roosevelt, May 19, 1903
This would be a great book when teaching historical fiction. In 1903, President Roosevelt joined naturalist John Muir on a camping trip to Yosemite. Camping by themselves in the uncharted woods, the two men saw sights and held discussions that would ultimately lead to the establishment of our National Parks. This would be good book to introduce or reinforce the concepts of responsibility, conservation and citizenship.
"We are not building this country of ours for a day. It is to last through the ages."
- Theodore Roosevelt, May 19, 1903
Knit Your Bit by Deborah Hopkins
Knit Your Bit is historical fiction inspired by real events. Mikey wants to do something BIG for the war efforts. When his teacher suggests that they enter a knitting bee, Mikey is not impressed. In the end he helps and finds that small acts can matter. This is a great story that speaks to the need for all people to come together for the good of the community. The theme of this book is no matter how small you are, you efforts count.
This book would work when teaching commitment, perseverance, pride, and compassion.
Knit Your Bit is historical fiction inspired by real events. Mikey wants to do something BIG for the war efforts. When his teacher suggests that they enter a knitting bee, Mikey is not impressed. In the end he helps and finds that small acts can matter. This is a great story that speaks to the need for all people to come together for the good of the community. The theme of this book is no matter how small you are, you efforts count.
This book would work when teaching commitment, perseverance, pride, and compassion.
Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns by Hena Khan
Gold is the dome of the mosque, big and grand.
Silver is a fanoos, a twinkling light, a shiny lantern that glows at night.
Informative text and rich, colorful illustrations are sure to inspire questions and observations about world religions and cultures.
Gold is the dome of the mosque, big and grand.
Silver is a fanoos, a twinkling light, a shiny lantern that glows at night.
Informative text and rich, colorful illustrations are sure to inspire questions and observations about world religions and cultures.
Seed by Seed by Esme Raji Codell
Part fact, part fiction, the tale of Johnny Appleseed’s travels across the United States usually focuses solely on apples. In Seed by Seed, a more in depth look at the man, John Chapman, provides a greater detailed account of his deeds. This book shares his influence on shaping the nation in his small way, primarily by leaving five examples to follow.
Visit the links below for teacher ideas on how to use this book:
Part fact, part fiction, the tale of Johnny Appleseed’s travels across the United States usually focuses solely on apples. In Seed by Seed, a more in depth look at the man, John Chapman, provides a greater detailed account of his deeds. This book shares his influence on shaping the nation in his small way, primarily by leaving five examples to follow.
Visit the links below for teacher ideas on how to use this book:
Looking at Lincoln by Maria Kalman
Excellent resource for those who are teaching young children about Abraham Lincoln and how he shaped our nation. This is an invaluable story about a gentleman of true character. "...with malice toward none, with charity for all."
Pair with the book One More Acorn by Don Freeman
Click here to see an author talk and the book read aloud online:
http://2013-bluebonnet-book-club.wikispaces.com/Looking+at+Lincoln
Excellent resource for those who are teaching young children about Abraham Lincoln and how he shaped our nation. This is an invaluable story about a gentleman of true character. "...with malice toward none, with charity for all."
Pair with the book One More Acorn by Don Freeman
Click here to see an author talk and the book read aloud online:
http://2013-bluebonnet-book-club.wikispaces.com/Looking+at+Lincoln
Grace for President
by Kelly DiPucchio
Grace is amazed to find out that a girl has never been president. So she sets out to become her school president. This book has a strong female character. It would be wonderful when teaching about the election process in the elementary grades. It was published in 2008 and will continue to be a great choice for many years.
Pair this book with another great book by the same author Kelly DiPucchio and Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah titled The Sandwich Swap.
Visit the author's website:
http://www.kellydipucchio.com/home.html
by Kelly DiPucchio
Grace is amazed to find out that a girl has never been president. So she sets out to become her school president. This book has a strong female character. It would be wonderful when teaching about the election process in the elementary grades. It was published in 2008 and will continue to be a great choice for many years.
Pair this book with another great book by the same author Kelly DiPucchio and Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah titled The Sandwich Swap.
Visit the author's website:
http://www.kellydipucchio.com/home.html
Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook
This book is prefect when you are learning about community helpers. Throughout the story you have to guess what job the people do based on the clothes hanging on the clothes line. Drawing conclusion and making connections would be reading comprehension strategies that you could teach with this book. After reading have examples of the clothing for the children to dress up in. Have them pretend to be each type of community helper.
The publisher's website has even more ideas: http://www.helinghembrook.com/Books/clothesline.html
This book is prefect when you are learning about community helpers. Throughout the story you have to guess what job the people do based on the clothes hanging on the clothes line. Drawing conclusion and making connections would be reading comprehension strategies that you could teach with this book. After reading have examples of the clothing for the children to dress up in. Have them pretend to be each type of community helper.
The publisher's website has even more ideas: http://www.helinghembrook.com/Books/clothesline.html