Only Review Our Country’s History For - Nystrom Education · 2016. 7. 7. · Lesson 4 • Unit 1, Lessons 10, 11, 12 The Arrow Over the Door by Joseph Bruchac • Unit 2, Lessons

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Our Country’s HistoryLiteracy Library Lessons

NYSTROM EducationCULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA

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Product Code: N2CHL51

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Literacy Library★ The following books can be used to review and reinforce the content taught in these EWW lessons.

Reading to Learnthrough

Social Studies

Use these Exploring Where & Why Our Country’s History program components with the Literacy Library:• Program Guide• The Nystrom Atlas of

Our Country’s History

• Activity Maps

• Activity Globes

• Raised Relief Maps

• Markers

These Nystrom materials also can be used with the Literacy Library:• The Nystrom Intermediate

Series Physical wall map of the United States

• The Nystrom Intermediate Series Physical wall map of the World

• The Nystrom Intermediate Series Physical Globe

Across the Linesby Carolyn Reeder

•Unit 5, Lesson 43

Around the World in a Hundred Yearsby Jean Fritz

•Atlas, Map, and Globe Skills, Lesson 4

•Unit 1, Lessons 10, 11, 12

The Arrow Over the Doorby Joseph Bruchac

•Unit 2, Lessons 18, 19

•Unit 3, Lessons 26, 27, 28, 30

The Cod’s Taleby Mark Kurlansky




Cooliesby Yin



George vs. Georgeby Rosalyn Schanzer


Ghosts of the White Houseby Cheryl Harness




The Kidnapped Princeby Olaudah Equiano


Lewis and Clarkby Ellen Rodger

•Atlas, Map, and Globe Skills, Lesson 5


Lily’s Crossingby Patricia Reilly Giff


Lyddieby Katherine Paterson



The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963by Christopher Paul Curtis


NYSTROM Education Exploring Where & WhyOur Country’s History

More fun

lessons!

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NYSTROM EducationExploring Where & Why


Teaching with BooksThese books are engaging stories for teachers to read to students and for students to read by themselves.

For reading to the classBefore reading a book:•Start a K-W-L chart on the book’s theme.•Have students use the title, chapter headings,

and/or subheadings to predict what will happen in the story.

•Have students make inferences about the story’s setting based on the cover.

•Introduce students to unfamiliar and recurring terms in the book.

While reading a book:•Use the book to teach or re-teach good

reading strategies: predicting, visualizing, making connections, summarizing, inferring, questioning, using context clues, and rereading when they don’t understand.

•Have students make text–to–text, text–to–self, and text–to–world connections.

•Have students visualize a scene and draw it on paper.

•Have students stop, turn to the person next to them, and discuss a particular moment in the story. They can discusss how the moment made them feel, how they think the character feels, or predict what will happen next.

•Have students write questions about parts of the story they don’t understand. Use their questions as a starting point for class discussion.

•Have students summarize what happened in a chapter.

After reading a book:•Have students evaluate the story by writing a

book review.•Have students create movie posters advertising

the book to the school.•Have students write reading-response essays

based on chapters from the book to prepare for standardized tests.

•Have students create songs, raps, and poems about the book’s theme or facts they learned from the book.

For independent student reading•Include books from the EWW Literacy Library

in your classroom library.•Provide students with independent

reading time.•Give students a grade for completing a

certain number of approved books.•Attach instructions for an activity to the book.

Have students complete the activity for credit.•Have a class journal for each book. After

students read the book, have them write their thoughts in the journal.

•Have students practice note-taking while reading the book. Have them write important points and questions when they complete a chapter.

ART Trifold Story BoardsFold a sheet of paper into three sections. Label the section 1, 2, and 3. Have students describe

and then draw something that happened in the beginning of the story in section 1, the middle in section 2, and the end in section 3. Encourage students to retell the story using their story boards.


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Exploring Where & WhyOur Country’s HistoryNYSTROM Education

Literacy Library

Across the LinesWritten by Carolyn Reeder

BOOK SUMMARY Late in the Civil War, Simon escapes from theplantation while his 12-year-old master and friend, Edward, flees toPetersburg. While Simon searches for freedom and acceptance,Edward searches for self-worth. Through it all, both boys begin tobelieve in themselves and the true meaning of friendship.

CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

ReadingPhonics � The word plantation is found on page 6 and other pagesin the book. Write PLANTATION on the board and underline TION.Have students pronounce the word and then brainstorm otherwords that have tion endings. Have students add to the list each timethey encounter a tion word in the story or in other books.

Fluency � Type pages 7–9 as a script. Assign roles and havestudents act out the scene as a readers’ theater.

Vocabulary � Select sentences from the story that contain militaryvocabulary, such as contraband (page 33), artillery (page 56), andpalisade (page 205). Write the sentences on the board and havestudents use context clues to determine the words’ meanings.

Comprehension � Simon walks away from different situations in thestory. While reading, have students identify the cause for each timeSimon leaves. (See the graphic organizer below.)

WritingActivity 1 � Tell students that Across the Lines is a historical fictionnovel. Explain the term. Have students write a narrative based ona recent news event.

Activity 2 � After reading April 1–3, 1865 (pages 198–213), havestudents pretend they are Simon or Edward and write journalentries for those dates.

(continued)

Use this book tointroduce the followinglesson in ExploringWhere & Why, OurCountry’s History. Orread the book after thelesson to review andreinforce learning.

Unit 5• Lesson 43 Civil War

Battles



�CAUSE EFFECT (Simon Leaves)

��For

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Exploring Where & WhyMap and Globe SkillsNYSTROM Education

Social StudiesCivics � Explain how race relations in the United States havechanged over time. Have students create a lift-the-flap historyassignment. Have students write an example of discriminationfrom the book on each flap, such as It’s against the law to teach aslave to read. Then have them write its matching right under theflap, such as African Americans have the right to an education.

Economics � In the book, the Confederate Army had so little whilethe Union Army had so much. Have students make a list of itemsthat were in short supply in Petersburg.

Geography � The story takes place in Virginia. On pages 54 and55 of the Atlas of Our Country’s History, have students outlineVirginia with their finger. Then have students locate Virginia onthe U.S. Activity Map and trace its boundary.

History 1 � Have students read page 52 of the Atlas of Our Country’sHistory to gain background knowledge about the Civil War. Then,on the U.S. Activity Map, have students label the eleven states thatseceded from the Union in 1861 with C for Confederacy.

History 2 � As a class, make a timeline of the events in the book.

MathOn page 199, Edward explains how to calculate the speed of sound(1 mile for every 5 seconds). Have students find out how far away acannon is if the boom is heard 90 seconds after the artillery flare(18 miles).

Critical ThinkingOn page 130, Aunt Charlotte states, “We live in surprising times.”As a class, discuss what she means. Have students read thenewspaper to identify and discuss current events that “surprise”them. Post the articles on a Surprising Times bulletin board.

Art On pages 89–91, Edward creates a drawing based on a quote fromConfederate President Jefferson Davis. Have students interpret themeaning of quotes by notable figures today and draw illustrationsbased on their interpretations.

MusicOn page 184, Edward hears Union soldiers singing a parody of“Dixie.” Have students create a song about the Civil War bychanging the lyrics of a modern-day song.

Exploring Where & WhyOur Country’s History

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It’s against thelaw to teach aslave to read.

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Literacy Library

Around the World in a Hundred Years

Written by Jean Fritz; illustrated by Anthony Bacon Venti

BOOK SUMMARY This lively and humorous nonfiction narrative chronicles the Age of Exploration from Columbus to Magellan and more.


Reading Suggestion: Give the class a brief description of a few of theexplorers. Let the class choose one or two explorers to read aloud. Pass thebook around the class so that each student gets a turn reading a paragraph.

ReadingVocabulary � Read the first two paragraphs on page 96 to the class.Write the words isthmus, strait, and treacherous on the board.Then have students define the three vocabulary words, usingcontext clues and the dictionary, if necessary.

Comprehension � Read the first complete paragraph on page 25 tothe class and show them the picture on page 24. Have students writea paragraph explaining the difference between a barca and a caravel.

WritingActivity 1 � Read the paragraph on page 9 to the class. Ask studentsto write a paragraph describing what a sailor from the fourteenthcentury might have imagined the edge of the world was like.

Activity 2 � Have students imagine they are Columbus, attemptingto persuade King John of Portugal or Queen Isabella of Spain tofinance his voyage. Have each student write a letter to the king orqueen explaining why he or she should support the expedition.

Social StudiesCivics � Read pages 46–49 about the trouble Columbus had withhis settlements. Ask students to list two mistakes Columbus madeas a governor.

Culture � The explorers who encountered indigenous peoplefound the natives to be very different from Europeans. Havestudents write a paragraph from a Native American’s point of viewdescribing their first encounter with Europeans and describinghow different they must have seemed.

Economics 1 � Exploration is largely motivated by profit. Have students list two ways Europeans hoped to make money from exploration.

Economics 2 � Using classroom resources, such as books, encyclo-pedias and the Internet, have students research how explorationstoday, such as space or deep sea explorations, could be profitable.Have them share their findings with the class.

(continued)

Use this book tointroduce one or more ofthe following lessons inExploring Where &Why, Our Country’sHistory. Or read thebook after the lessons toreview and reinforcelearning.

Unit 1• Lesson 10 The First

Americans• Lesson 11 To the

Indies



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Geography � Read chapter 3 about Bartholomew Diaz to the class.Model drawing Diaz’s voyage to the southern tip of Africa on theIntermediate Physical wall map of the World. Have students drawthe same route on the World Activity Map. Then have them draw adashed line to Asia to show how much farther he had left to go.

History � As a class, make a timeline of exploration from 1421 to 1522.

MathOn the Activity Globe, have students draw three routes fromEurope to Japan: Magellan’s around the tip of South America,Amundsen’s through the Arctic Ocean, and through the PanamaCanal. Using string, have students measure each route and cut itto length. Have the class compare the three lengths of string todetermine which route is the shortest.

Critical ThinkingHave the class discuss what explorers in the 15th and 16thcenturies hoped to achieve and what they actually achieved. Be sure they consider both the positive and negative results ofexploration. Record their responses on a T-chart similar to the one below.

ArtHave the class draw a mural showing events from the Age ofExploration.


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Positive Negative

Results of Exploration

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Literacy Library

The Arrow Over the DoorWritten by Joseph Bruchac; illustrated by James Watling

BOOK SUMMARY Set in New York during the summer of 1777,this story, which is based on an actual event, is told from theperspectives of two boys—Samuel, a Quaker, and Stands Straight,an Abenaki Indian. Despite tensions caused by the RevolutionaryWar, the Quakers and Abenaki decide to live peacefully.


ReadingVocabulary � The book uses a few Abenaki and French words.Have students use context clues to try to determine their meanings.

Fluency � The dialogue on page 52 between Samuel and his fatheroffers insight into Quaker beliefs. Have students find a partnerand practice reading the dialogue. Have them later perform thescene for another pair.

Comprehension 1 � Have each student create a character sketch forone of the main characters in the book, similar to the graphicorganizer below. Have students draw a picture of the character inthe center and then write three short descriptions of the characterin the boxes.

Comprehension 2 � Have students work in pairs and try todetermine what an arrow over the door signifies. Have them sharetheir ideas with another pair.

WritingActivity 1 � Have students write a list poem about the meetingbetween the Quakers and the Abenaki. Have students follow thefollowing format:

Line 1: one noun related to the meeting

Line 2: three adjectives describing the noun

Line 3: two verbs ending in ing related to the noun

Line 4: a prepositional phrase about the noun

Line 5: repeat the noun from the first line

Have volunteers share their poems with the class.

(continued)


Unit 2• Lesson 19 The

Thirteen Colonies

Unit 3• Lesson 27 Declaring

Independence



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Activity 2 � During their brief meeting, Samuel and StandsStraight became friends. Have students write a letter from one boy to the other.

Social StudiesCulture � Samuel and Stands Straight are from very differentcultures. As a class, use a Venn diagram to compare their similarities and differences.

Geography � Have students turn to page 34 of the Atlas of OurCountry’s History and locate Saratoga in New York. On the U.S.Activity Map, have students outline the shape of the colony as it was in 1777 and draw a dot where Saratoga was located.

History � The British reserved the land west of the ProclamationLine of 1763 for Native Americans. On the map on page 34 of theAtlas of Our Country’s History, have students trace the ProclamationLine with a finger. Then have them draw the line on the RaisedRelief Map. Ask them to label the land east of the line COLONISTSand the land west of the line NATIVE AMERICANS.

Critical Thinking The Abenaki believed that the Quakers were peaceful because they had no weapons and they left the door to their meetinghouseopen. Have students write a paragraph predicting how thesituation might have been different if the Abenaki had metcolonists who had weapons and who were frightened by thepresence of the Abenaki.

Art Most of the illustrations in this book were probably done incharcoal and appear in black and white. Have students draw and color a picture using only black, white, and shades of gray.


NYSTROM Education

Quakers Abenaki

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Literacy Library

The Cod’s TaleWritten by Mark Kurlansky; illustrated by S.D. Schindler

BOOK SUMMARY This nonfiction book tells the story of codfishand the role they played in our history. Cod was an importantfactor in the exploration of North America and a key commodity inglobal trade. However, in recent years the number of cod hasdwindled perilously due to over-fishing.


ReadingPhonics � Read first two paragraphs on page 11 to the class. Donot read the words phytoplankton, zooplankton, or krill, but ratherwrite the words on the board. Have students use dictionaries tolook up the proper pronunciations of these words. Have volun-teers pronounce the words for the class.

Comprehension � Have students take turns reading pages 36–43aloud to the class. Then have students list two ways cod fishing haschanged over the last two centuries.

WritingActivity 1 � Read the poem on page 39 to the class. Have studentseach compose a similar poem or ditty about fish. Have volunteersshare their poems or ditties with the class.

Activity 2 � Have students write letters to local or state politicians.Have them briefly explain why it is necessary to protect fish today.Be sure students use the proper components of a letter, such as asalutation and closing.

Activity 3 � Have students create their own inventive recipes forcod. Have them draw pictures of the final product. Tell them tobe as creative as they like, writing instructions for preparation andpresentation.

Social StudiesCulture � Read pages 31–33, 35, and 38 to the class about howdifferent cultures enjoy cod. As a class, make a web showing wayscod is served.

Use this book tointroduce one or more ofthe following lessons inExploring Where &Why, Our Country’sHistory. Or read thebook after the lesson toreview and reinforcelearning.

Unit 2• Lesson 22 Triangles of

Trade

Unit 6• Lesson 54 A Place

Over Time



COD

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Economics � Read pages 30–32 to the class. Have students look atthe Triangles of Trade map on page 31 of the Atlas of Our Country’sHistory. Tell students they will all be merchants and divide the classinto three groups, directing them to different areas of the classroom.Have each group make their commodity out of construction paper:cod for the North Americans, iron tools for the Europeans, and goldfor the Africans. Allow the merchants to negotiate their own prices.Let the trading begin. After a few minutes, stop the trading andprompt students to discuss the experience.

Geography � Read about the Vikings on pages 16–19 to the class.Have students follow the voyages of the Vikings on their WorldActivity Maps. Have students draw a Viking ship on the coast of theScandinavian Peninsula and a line to Iceland, Greenland, andNewfoundland. Have students draw a small house on Newfoundland.

Science Have students use classroom resources, such as encyclopedias andthe Internet, to research measures the global community is takingto protect endangered species of fish. Have students write asummary of their findings to share with the class.

Critical ThinkingDue to over-fishing and other human activities, the world now faces acod shortage. Using what they have learned about the history of cod,have students predict how human history might have been differenthad the cod shortage occurred hundreds of years ago. Have studentswrite two paragraphs describing their speculations.

Art The illustrations on the endpapers of the book are prints madefrom a real fish. Have students apply paint to other objects, such as the underside of leaves, and make prints of them.


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Literacy Library

CooliesWritten by Yin; illustrated by Chris Soentpiet

BOOK SUMMARY This book describes two Chinese brothers who came to America to support their family. It details thehardships immigrants endured during the construction of the first transcontinental railroad.


ReadingFluency � Divide the class into groups of four. Have the groupsread the page that starts with Then in the late afternoon . . . Have onestudent read the text, two read the dialogue, and another createappropriate sound effects, such as the howling wind or thecrashing snow. Have them read the page to another group.

Vocabulary � Have students use context clues to define unfamiliarwords from the story (such as queue, gow man, fie dee). Then havestudents illustrate a scene from the story and add speech balloons.Have students write sentences that include these unfamiliar wordsin the speech balloons.

Comprehension � Read the page that starts with The workers helped todig . . . On an index card, have students write about a time theycared for someone, such as a sibling or grandparent. Collect thecards and place them in the classroom library. Have students readfrom them during silent reading or library time.

WritingActivity 1 � Have students pretend they are journalists in the 1800sand write an exposé on the treatment of Chinese railroad workers.Suggest students use actual events and quotes from the story.

Activity 2 � Read the page that starts with The cooks sneaked barrels.Then have students write speeches convincing Chinese laborers toeither go back to work or to continue their protest. Have studentspresent their speeches to the class.

Social StudiesGeography 1 � In the story, Shek and Wong travel from China tothe United States. On the Activity Globe, have students locateeastern Asia near the Yellow Sea and draw an arrow from Asia tothe west coast of the United States.

Geography 2 � In the story, the workers tunnel through the SierraMountains. Have students locate and feel the Sierra Mountains onthe Raised Relief Map. Then have them draw a line across themountains north of Lake Tahoe.

(continued)


Unit 5Lesson 44

TranscontinentalRailroad

Unit 6Lesson 50 In Search of a

Better Life



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Geography 3 � Have students draw railroad tracks on the U.S.Activity Map to trace the route of the transcontinental railroadfrom central California to northern Utah. Suggest students usemap B on page 56 of the Atlas of Our Country’s History as a guide.

History � As a class, create a timeline for the construction of thefirst transcontinental railroad.

MathCentral Pacific paid Chinese laborers approximately $30 a month. IfShek were trying to earn a total of $1,200, have students determinehow long would it take him to earn the money (40 months or 3 yearsand 4 months).

ScienceRead the page that starts with Then, in the late afternoon . . . Havestudents research the term avalanche and create a mock web pageabout the natural disaster. Have students draw a line across the topof a piece of construction paper and write a mock web address,such as www.avalanchepage.com. Have students design the rest ofthe page like a web page, with features such as the causes andeffects of an avalanche. Suggest students use magazine picturesand colored pencils to design their page.

Critical ThinkingAs an independent activity, have students compare the letter on thepage that starts with The brothers slept . . . and the letter on page 71of Lyddie. Have students write a paragraph telling how the lettersare similar.


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Literacy Library

George vs. GeorgeWritten and illustrated by Rosalyn Schanzer

BOOK SUMMARY This nonfiction book chronicles the events ofthe Revolutionary War from the perspectives of the ContinentalArmy’s Commander-in-Chief George Washington and England’sKing George III—leaders of the opposing sides.


Reading Suggestion: For the first reading, only read the book’s larger text,excluding speech balloons and illustration captions.

ReadingVocabulary � Write the following words from page 35 on theboard: unsuspecting, quickly, and dishonorable. Have studentscircle the prefix, underline the root word, and/or put a boxaround the suffix in each word.Comprehension 1 � Show and read students the heading on page 50.As a class, create a list of questions that the following paragraphsmight answer. Read pages 50–51, and have students raise their handwhen they hear an answer to a student-generated question.Comprehension 2 � Read page 26 to the class. Using a cause-and-effect chart, have students identify at least three effects for thefollowing cause: The King and Parliament closed Boston Harbor.

Comprehension 3 � As an independent activity, have students usethe index on page 60 to locate information on a notable figure orhistoric event, such as Thomas Jefferson or the Boston Massacre.

WritingActivity 1 � After reading pages 24 and 25, have students write an invitation for the Boston Tea Party. Invitations should answerthe five W’s (Who? What? When? Where? Why?). Activity 2 � Read page 45 to the class. Then have students writethree journal entries for one of General Washington’s soldiersduring the winter of 1777 and 1778.Activity 3 � After reading the book, have students pair up andwrite an imaginary dialogue between George Washington and King George III that takes place after the Revolutionary War.(Optional: Have students act it out.)

(continued)


Unit 3• Lesson 26

Revolutionary Protests• Lesson 27 Declaring

Independence• Lesson 28

Revolutionary WarBattles



Cause Effect

The King andParliamentclosed BostonHarbor

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Social StudiesCivics � Read page 48 and discuss the effects of war on civilians.Have students bring in and discuss current newspaper articlesabout civilian violence in different parts the world. Post articles ona Current Events bulletin board.Geography 1 � On the U.S. Activity Map, have students circle theabbreviations for states that made up the original thirteen colonies.(Tell students that Maine was formerly part of Massachusetts andVermont was part of New Hampshire.)Geography 2 � Great Britain is now part of the United Kingdom.On the Activity Globe, have students circle the United Kingdom.Then have students draw an arrow from the United Kingdom tothe east coast of the United States.History � On the U.S. Activity Map, have students write BV forBritish victory and 1775 on eastern Massachusetts to note the firstbattle of the Revolutionary War. Then have students write PV forPatriot victory and 1781 on Virginia near the Chesapeake Bay tonote the last battle of the Revolutionary War.

MathOn December 16, 1773, the Sons of Liberty dropped 45 tons ofBritish Darjeeling tea into the ocean. Have students calculate howmany pounds of tea were dropped into the ocean (90,000 lbs.).

Critical ThinkingActivity 1 � After reading the book, have students complete a Venn diagram, noting the differences and similarities betweenGeorge Washington and King George III.

Activity 2 � On page 30, a Washington speech balloon reads “I donot think myself equal to the Command.” Have students work with apartner to determine the meaning of this quote and write it on asheet of paper. Then have partners share their answers with the class.

Art Have students design a postage stamp commemorating GeorgeWashington on an 8" x 7" sheet of cardstock. Have students usecurvy-cut scissors to cut along the outer edges.


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GeorgeWashington

KingGeorge III

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Literacy Library

Ghosts of the White HouseWritten and illustrated by Cheryl Harness

BOOK SUMMARY This book takes readers on an atypical tour of the White House and introduces them to presidents who haveserved our country from its inception to 1974. Brief biographies of all 43 presidents are included in this book.


Reading Suggestion: For the first reading, just read the speech balloonswhile mentioning only the names of the presidents who speak. Or have students use the collection of biographies as a resource for reports.

ReadingFluency � Assign each student a speech balloon. Have studentspractice reading the speech balloons with appropriate pacing andexpression. Then have students read the book as a readers’ theater.

Comprehension � After reading the pages with biographies of James Buchanan, Herbert Hoover, and Lyndon B. Johnson, have students write a paragraph comparing the White House to a jail. Have students use a Venn diagram to organize their thoughts before writing.

WritingActivity 1 � After reading the book, have students write Sarah’s report on the White House.

Activity 2 � After reading the page with Zachary Taylor’sbiography, have students write a journal entry in the voice offormer President Taylor right before he died. Suggest studentswrite about how he spent his last Fourth of July.

Social StudiesCivics 1 � The White House is in Washington, D.C. Have studentsfind Washington, D.C., on page 77 of the Atlas of Our Country’sHistory. Then have them label it on the U.S. Activity Map. Havestudents draw the national capital symbol next to it.

(continued)


Unit 6• Lesson 53 Presidential

Birthplaces



Jail

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Civics 2 � While reading the black text on the page with the timeline,have students take notes on the qualifications for becoming a United States president. Have students create a pamphlet about thequalifications. Suggest students use other reference materials foradditional information and design the pamphlet.

Geography � President Nixon was the first American president tovisit China. Have students find China and the United States onpage 81 of the Atlas of Our Country’s History. Then have them labelthese two countries on the World Activity Map. Ask students todraw an arrow from the United States to China.

History � As an independent activity, assign each student a 25-yearperiod. Have him or her read the book to make a timelineshowing presidents who served during that period.

MathThe White House did not get electricity until 1891. Have studentscalculate the number of years the White House has had electricity.

Critical ThinkingActivity 1 � After reading the biographies of former presidentsGerald Ford and Ronald Reagan in the back of the book, havestudents create an additional page for Ghosts of the White House with anillustration of George Washington introducing Sara to Reagan andFord. (Both men have died since the publication of this book.)

Activity 2 � Show students the illustrations of the United States presidents on the front and back pages. Ask students which groups of Americans are not represented (African Americans, Hispanics,women). Have students draw an illustration of the next five presidents.

ArtActivity 1 � Have each student choose a U.S. president. Give them a3" x 4" piece of construction paper. Then have students draw aportrait or symbol of their president in the center of the sheet (forexample, a teddy bear for Theodore Roosevelt). Next, have studentswrite his office term above the picture and two facts about him belowit. Suggest students use page 88 of the Atlas of Our Country’s Historyfor reference. Laminate the sheets to create presidential flash cards.

Activity 2 � Have students create a diorama of one of the rooms inthe White House illustrated in the book.

Dramatic PlayAs a group activity, have 5 students perform a talk show skit, wherea host interviews four ghosts of the White House. Have the presi-dential actors prepare for their roles by reading Ghosts of the WhiteHouse and other books about the presidents.


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Exploring Where & WhyOur Country’s HistoryNYSTROM EducationNYSTROM Education

Literacy Library

The Kidnapped PrinceWritten by Olaudah Equiano; adapted by Ann Cameron

BOOK SUMMARY This nonfiction narrative is based on theautobiography of Olaudah Equiano, which chronicles his capture,enslavement, and quest for freedom.


ReadingPhonics � Before reading the book, write Olaudah Equiano on theboard. Have volunteers try to pronounce the name. Then, underthe name, write the pronunciation (o-lah-OO-day ek-wee-AHN-o).As students read the name aloud, correct their pronunciation ifnecessary.

Vocabulary � Read the chapter “To War” (pages 47–53) to theclass. The chapter describes Olaudah’s experiences in the Frenchand Indian War. Have student use context clues to define theterms man-of-war and India man. Then read the definitions fromthe list of Nautical Terms near the back of the book.

Comprehension � Have each student select a chapter to read fromThe Kidnapped Prince. Ask them to write a paragraph describingwhat happened to Olaudah in their chapter. Then have volunteersread their paragraphs to the class in order.

WritingActivity 1 � Have students each write three questions they wouldlike to ask Olaudah if he were alive today. Collect students’questions and choose a few to read to the class as prompts fordiscussion.

Activity 2 � The Kidnapped Prince is an autobiography based onactual events from the life of Olaudah Equiano. Have studentswrite a memoir about an event in their own lives.

Social StudiesCulture � Read the chapter “Tinnah. The Scarred People” (pages21–23). The Africans described in this chapter seem very strangeto Olaudah. Have each student write a paragraph describing howstrange Europeans must have seemed to Olaudah upon firstmeeting them.

Geography 1 � Olaudah spent much of his early life at sea in theTriangles of Trade. On page 31 of the Atlas of Our Country’s History,have students trace the trade routes on the map with their finger.Then, on the World Activity Map, have students draw the same twotrading triangles. Have volunteers describe what was shipped oneach leg of the trading triangles.

(continued)


Unit 2• Lesson 20 Plantation

Life• Lesson 21 Indentured

Servants and Slaves• Lesson 22 Triangles of

Trade



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Geography 2 � As the class reads the book, track the placesOlaudah visits and lives on the Intermediate Physical wall map ofthe world, as students follow along on their World Activity Maps.(A map at the back of the book shows many of his travels.)

History � Have the class make a timeline of Olaudah’s life. Assigneach student or group of students a chapter from the book. Havestudents use index cards to write a brief description of the events intheir chapters, including the month and year. Collect the cardsand have students help you hang them in chronological order froma string attached to the board or wall.

MathActivity 1 � Read the chapter “A Glass Tumbler” (pages 84–88) tothe class. Using the information on page 85, have students calculatehow many pence were in a shilling (12 pence in a shilling).

Activity 2 � Have students determine how many glass tumblersOlaudah would need to sell at six pence to earn the six shillings tobuy the two bags of fruit (12 tumblers).

Critical ThinkingAt many points in Olaudah’s young life his journey could havetaken a dramatically different turn. Have students write aparagraph about how Olaudah’s experiences might have changedhad events happened differently. For example, how wouldOlaudah’s life have changed if he had eluded his captors in Africaor if he had not been allowed to buy his freedom?


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Lewis and ClarkWritten by Ellen Rodger

BOOK SUMMARY This book details the journey of MeriwetherLewis and William Clark to the Pacific Ocean, a journey thathelped pave the way for U.S. expansion. This nonfiction bookprovides background information, timelines, and detailed accountsof the expedition.


Reading Suggestion: Have students use the book as a resource. Its table ofcontents, glossary, and index make it ideal for looking up information onNative Americans, natural features, and historical figures.

ReadingVocabulary 1 � As an independent activity, have a student read agiven number of pages from the book and write unfamiliar wordson a sheet of paper in order to make a personalized vocabulary list.

Vocabulary 2 � On the board, write sentences from the book thatcontain words from the glossary. Have students circle context clues inthe sentence in order to determine the meaning of glossary words.

Comprehension 1 � While reading pages 18–19, have students takenotes and write at least five facts about Sacagawea in their own words.

Comprehension 2 � Point out the nonfiction elements in this book:table of contents, page numbers, sidebars, photos, captions,glossary, index. As an independent activity, have students createquestions for others using the nonfiction elements. (For example,which pages in the book reference the Missouri River?)

WritingActivity 1 � Havestudents use one of the timeline bullets inthe orange panels as atopic for a news article.Suggest that studentsuse reference materialsand/or the Internet to gather additionalinformation for theirarticles.

Activity 2 � Afterreading the book, have students write an acrostic poem about one of themembers of the Corps of Discovery, using each letter of the person’s name to begin a new line of the poem.

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Unit 4• Lesson 34 Lewis and

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Acrostic PoemSaves livesACommunicates with the ShoshoneAGAWEA

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Activity 3 � Have students create a comic strip portraying any one of the events that occurred during the expedition, such asencountering the Shoshone or crossing the Bitterroot Mountains.

Social StudiesCulture � As an independent activity, have students use the bookand pages 42–43 of the Atlas of Our Country’s History to list thedifferent Indian nations the Corps met along the journey.

Geography 1 � On the Raised Relief Map, have students locate theMissouri River and trace it upstream, from its mouth to its source.

Geography 2 � Have students trace the entire journey west on theRaised Relief Map. Suggest students use Map B on page 42 of theAtlas of Our Country’s History for reference.

History � Fort Mandan in what is now North Dakota played apivotal role in Lewis and Clark’s expedition. On the U.S. ActivityMap, have students draw a fort symbol in central NorthDakota (47°N, 101°W). Have students write WINTER 1804–1805and MANDAN INDIANS near the symbol.

MathThe Missouri River is 2,315 miles long. If the Corps of Discoverypoled and paddled upstream 15 miles a day, have studentsdetermine how many days would it take for them to travel from itsmouth to its source (154 days).

ScienceShow students the photo of the prairie dog on page 15. Then readits caption. Explain where prairie dogs are found. Have studentscreate a prairie dog habitat inside a shoebox, using constructionpaper, glue, and crayons or markers.

Critical ThinkingActivity 1 � Before reading, write the titles from the table ofcontents on the board. Have students write what they expect tolearn from each chapter.

Activity 2 � After reading page 16, have students write a paragraphpredicting what they think would have happened to the Corps ofDiscovery had they not found the Shoshone.

Art Have students create a mobile about the expedition. Have themdraw at least three events, members of the Corps of Discovery,animals, natural features, or places on large index cards. Then havestudents write two facts about each on the back. Next, have studentsattach their cards to a hanger with yarn or string. Have them writeLEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION on the front of the hanger.


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Lily’s CrossingWritten by Patricia Reilly Giff

BOOK SUMMARY Lily has just completed the fifth grade and isoff to spend the summer in Rockaway, New York. The year is 1944and World War II has affected the lives of everyone she knows.Lily’s father has left for Europe and her best friend has movedaway. Lily must now spend the summer coping with their absenceand making new friends.


ReadingFluency � Divide students into groups of five. Assign them theparts of Lily, Albert, Mr. Rowley, Mrs. Sherman, and the mailman.Have them practice reading the dialogue on pages 164–165.Then have each group present their readers’ theater for another group.

Comprehension � Have pairs of students attempt to determinewhat the Loose lips sink ships poster mentioned on page 58 means.Have them compare answers with other pairs.

WritingActivity 1 � The characters of Lily’s Crossing send and receivemany letters throughout the story. Have students each write aletter to one of the characters in the book. Remind the class toinclude the components of a letter, including the salutation andclosing. Have volunteers read their letters to the class.

Activity 2 � The story ends with Albert and his sister Ruthmeeting Lily in Rockaway the following summer. Have studentseach write a short play involving the three characters and whatthey might talk about during the first few minutes of theirreunion. Choose a few of the plays to be performed, havingvolunteers act the parts.

Social StudiesGeography � Explain that World War II is a world war because itwas fought on three continents (Africa, Europe, Asia) and in twooceans (Atlantic and Pacific) by about 60 countries. Spin anIntermediate Physical Globe slowly and have volunteers point to these continents and oceans. On the Activity Globe, havestudents outline the continents and underline the names of the oceans.

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Unit 6• Lesson 51 World

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History � Draw a three-column chart on the board and label thecolumns AXIS, ALLIES, and NEUTRAL. Have students use pages66–67 of the Atlas of Our Country’s History to help them classifyfollowing countries on the chart.

Switzerland Germany FranceHungary United Kingdom United States

ScienceHave the class plan and plant a Victory Garden. Have studentskeep a daily log of the garden’s progress.

Critical ThinkingOn page 42, Lily mentions her “Problem List.” Have students writea Problem List for another character in the book or for themselves.

ArtHave students each draw a scene from the book on a sheet of paper.Ask them to share their drawings with the class, explaining what thecharacters are doing and where their scenes fit in the story. Collectthe drawings and display them in chronological order.

MusicTeach students some of the songs mentioned in the book, such as “Mairzy Doats,” “The Last Time I Saw Paris,” and “God BlessAmerica.”


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LyddieWritten by Katherine Paterson

BOOK SUMMARY Thirteen-year-old Lyddie takes care of a lowlyfarm, her siblings, and her mentally-ill mother. Forced to save herfamily and their land, Lyddie heads to Massachusetts to work as amill girl. Struggling through poor working conditions, declininghealth, and loneliness, Lyddie discovers what she is truly working for.


ReadingPhonics � Write the letter from Lyddie on page 71 on the board.Have students rewrite the letter, correctly spelling all misspelled words.

Vocabulary � After reading chapters 21 and 22, have studentscomplete a vocabulary web for the word turpitude. Have studentswrite the word in the middle of the web and then write a definition,synonym, and antonym on its branches.

Comprehension � After reading, havestudents complete a character sketch forLyddie. On construction paper, havestudents draw a portrait of Lyddie in thecenter. Then have students write a list ofLyddie’s interests in the top left corner ofthe paper, her goals in the top rightcorner, her friends’ names in the bottomright corner, and her relatives’ names inthe bottom left corner.

WritingIn the voice of Lyddie, have students write a letter to Lyddie’sfather explaining how she has grown over the last two years.

Social StudiesGeography 1 � Lyddie takes place in Vermont and Massachusetts.Have students find the two states on the U.S. Activity Map andtrace their boundaries.

Geography 2 � The Concord Corporation is located in Lowell,Massachusetts. On the U.S. Activity Map, have students draw a dotin northeastern Massachusetts and label it LOWELL.

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Unit 4• Lesson 35 Life in a

Mill Town



definition:

turpitudeantonym:synonym:

InterestsLYDDIE

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Geography 3 � Ezekial Freeman escaped slavery and made it safely toMontreal. Montreal is a city in Canada. Have students point toMontreal on page 77 of the Atlas of Our Country’s History. Then havestudents draw a dot and label it MONTREAL on the U.S. Activity Map.

History � Irish Catholics came to the United States during the mid-1800s because of the Great Irish Famine. Have students use anencyclopedia and/or the Internet to determine why the faminehappened and how long it lasted. Have students write a paragraphabout their findings.

MathActivity 1 � In the book, the Concord Corporation hired Irishimmigrants as mill girls. Have students use Graph A on page 46 ofthe Atlas of Our Country’s History to determine how many more Irishimmigrants than British immigrants arrived in the United States inthe mid-1800s (1,136,136). How many more Irish immigrants thanGerman immigrants arrived? (365,040)

Activity 2 � At the end of the story, Lyddie tells Luke Stevens thatshe is going to a women’s college in Ohio. Have students use theU.S. Activity Map to determine the approximate distance betweensouthern Vermont and north-central Ohio.

Activity 3 � Have students solve the following problem: If Lyddieworks 13-hour days Monday through Friday, what percentage of herweekday is dedicated to work? (54%)

ScienceActivity 1 � In the story, Lyddie, Charlie, and the hired men atCutler’s Tavern make maple syrup from the sap of maple trees.Vermont produces more maple syrup than any other state in theUnited States. Have students use the book, an encyclopedia, or the Internet to research the production of maple syrup. Then havestudents create a flow chart showing the steps in making maple syrup.

Activity 2 � Using descriptions from chapter 9 and an encyclopediaor the Internet, have students draw a diagram of a loom and labelits major parts.

Critical ThinkingHave students extend the story and write a 24th chapter for Lyddie.Have students create a storyboard to narrate and illustrate themajor events that take place in their chapter.

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Literacy Library

The Watsons Go toBirmingham—1963

Written by Christopher Paul Curtis

BOOK SUMMARY Kenny’s misguided older brother gets intoone too many misadventures in their hometown of Flint, Michigan,Kenny’s parents decide to drive the family to Grandma’s home inBirmingham, where the Watsons get caught in the midst of one ofthe most violent acts of the Civil Rights Movement.


ReadingComprehension 1 � Have students create a character map for anyone of the book’s main characters. Have students draw a picture ofthe character in the center of the paper. Then have students writethree words that describe the character in surrounding boxes.Next, have students write a piece of evidence from the story thatsupports each description.

Comprehension 2 � Have students create a cereal box book report forThe Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963. Have students bring in emptycereal boxes from home and glue construction paper on each face ofthe box. Then have students draw the main characters on the front oftheir boxes and label them. Next, have students draw their favoritescene from the story on the back of their boxes. Finally, have studentswrite out the problem and solution on the sides of their boxes.

WritingActivity 1 � After reading chapters 1–7, have students write apersuasive letter to Byron convincing him to change his ways.Suggest that students refer to incidents in the novel. Activity 2 � After reading chapters 1–13, have students write aWeird Watsons adventure short. Taking cues from chapter titles,such as “The World’s Greatest Dinosaur War Ever” and “I MeetWinnie’s Evil Twin Brother, the Wool Pooh,” have students write ashort story using a Flint or Birmingham setting and at least two ofthe characters from the book.Activity 3 � After reading the first paragraph on page 162, writethe two similes from the paragraph on the board. As a class, writea simile about Grandma Sands. Then have students write similesabout two other characters in the story.

(continued)

Use this book tointroduce the followinglesson in ExploringWhere and Why, OurCountry’s History. Orread the book after thelesson to review andreinforce learning.

Unit 6

• Lesson 52 Civil Rights



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Social StudiesEconomics � In Chapter 8, the Watsons drive around Flint to getauto parts for their car—the Brown Bomber. Flint is one ofMichigan’s leading producers of automotive parts. On the U.S.Activity Map, have students draw a car symbol on the stateof Michigan.

Geography 1 � Help students find Flint, Michigan, on the map onpage 77 of the Atlas of Our Country’s History. Then have studentsdraw a dot in Michigan on the U.S. Activity Map and label it FLINT.Have students repeat the same steps for Birmingham, Alabama.

Geography 2 � On pages 131–132, Momma Watson describes theroute they will take from Flint, Michigan, to Birmingham, Alabama.Have students use a map marker to draw the route from Michiganto Alabama on the Raised Relief Map.

History � The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 is a historical fictionnovel loosely based on the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombingthat took place during the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama.Read the epilogue on pages 207–210. Then, have students readabout the Civil Rights Movement on pages 70–71 of the Atlas of OurCountry’s History. Have students create a Civil Rights Movement factsheet, listing bullet points about events that occurred during theCivil Rights Movement and laws that were passed.

MathIn Michigan in 1963, the total price of a small can of tomato paste, aloaf of bread, and a 1/2 gallon of milk was $1.23. Have students useads and sale fliers from their local grocery store to determine thetotal price of the above items today and calculate the difference.

ScienceMichigan and Alabama’s climates are mentioned in Chapter 1.Have students use a weather-related Internet site, such as weather-channel.com, to track the weather for Flint, Michigan. Then havestudents create a line graph or bar graph to show Flint’s weatherfor the week. Have students repeat the same steps forBirmingham, Alabama.

Critical ThinkingHave students write a literary response essay explaining how theWatsons’ trip to Birmingham affected Byron’s behavior. Suggeststudents compare Byron’s behavior before and after the trip.

Art Have students create Weird Watsons bumper stickers for the BrownBomber. On a 4" x 12" piece of construction paper, have studentswrite a slogan about one of the Watson family members. Suggestthat students illustrate their stickers. Display the bumper stickerson the bulletin board.

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Only Review Our Country’s History For - Nystrom Education · 2016. 7. 7. · Lesson 4 • Unit 1, Lessons 10, 11, 12 The Arrow Over the Door by Joseph Bruchac • Unit 2, Lessons