Pages of the Past : Exploring U. S. History Through Children's Literature

by Findlay, Diane

• ISBN13: 9781579500436
• ISBN10: 1579500439
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-11-01
• Publisher: Highsmith Inc

Summary

Pages of the Past is a tool to help educators find and use quality literature to engage students and enrich the study of U.S. history. The eight chapters cover key events and periods in American history that share proximity in time, as well as common themes and issues. Annotated bibliographies list children's literature titles that reflect the themes and issues of each chapter and period. The books were chosen for their potential to engage the imagination, elicit emotional responses, challenge students to think from new perspectives, stimulate an interest in further reading and learning and create opportunities for students to relate events from the past to the issues of today. Each chapter includes discussion starters and well-designed activities for further exploration. Challenging reproducible worksheets reinforce the concepts through crossword puzzles, word searches, research projects, take-home exercises and more. Most activities can be completed with a minimum of time and expense. Pages of the Past is designed to offer students exposure to compelling characters that help them imagine what it might have been like to share in the experiences that shaped -- and continue to shape -- our nation. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Diane Findlay has worked with children's and young adult literature for over ten years. She was Director of the Waukee (Iowa) Public Library for six years. She holds a Masters of Library Science degree from the University of Iowa

Table of Contents

Introduction	5	(2)
Colonial America	7	(11)
The Revolutionary War and the Founding of a Nation	18	(10)
Westward Expansion and Frontier Life	28	(11)
The Civil War and Reconstruction	39	(12)
Industrialization, City Life and World War I	51	(13)
The Great Depression	64	(9)
World War II	73	(10)
The Fifties and Sixties	83