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Tina Robertson

Free 4-Week Kid’s Paddle To The Sea Unit Study

October 17, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a free 4-week Paddle to the Sea unit study for Kids. Look at these other Best Homeschool Unit Studies for more ideas and topics for hands-on learning. Also, look at my page Hands-On Simple And Best Homeschool Geography Ideas & Tips for more fun hands-on geography.

Paddle-to-the-Sea book is a must read for geography lovers.

The journey a toy carved canoe Paddle takes through various waterways and regions highlights the interconnectedness of the Great Lakes and the rivers leading to the Atlantic Ocean.

However, it is much more than a geography and science lover’s book.

It is a living book that bring learning about North America, the waterways, Native Americans and history to life in an inviting way.

Free 4-Week Kid's Paddle To The Sea Unit Study

The story begins near Lake Nipigon, north of Lake Superior in Ontario, Canada where a canoe makes its way to the Atlantic Ocean in four years.

The Native American boy places his canoe and person in the snow.

Gradually, the snow melts.

Next, the canoe is carried to Lake Superior and finally ends in the Atlantic Ocean.

And the reading grade level is for middle school.

I certainly think a younger reader would enjoy the poetic language and beautiful watercolor pictures.

Too, don’t discount this beautiful living geography book for use by a high school teen.

For example, the author uses the word Indian instead of Native American since it’s an older book.

Discuss attitudes of people today toward early nations and now.

However, beyond that all ages will love the adventure and dangers Paddle faces.

There are many rabbit trails to take like exploring about canoes, wood carving, lakes, shipwrecks, Niagara, lumber mills, songs, and Canada.

Paddle to the Sea

Geography living books bring to life the topic you’re studying through a narrative or story form. Yet it combines other subjects while capturing our attention through excitement and adventure.

Paddle-to-the-Sea

A young Indian boy carves a little canoe with a figure inside and names him Paddle-to-the-Sea. Paddle's journey, in text and pictures, through the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean provides an excellent geographic and historical picture of the region.

Now look at these topics and ideas I group together by subject.

You will notice that you can include multiple ages of children.

HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY PADDLE TO THE SEA UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 1

First, look at some of these ideas to study about the history and geography in the book.

  • Learn about the Canadian wilderness.
  • Find and label Canadian provinces, the Great Lakes and Atlantic Ocean.
  • When Paddle reaches Duluth, he begins heading East along the great shipping routes. Research how iron ore, copper, wheat, and coal were carried in ships across the Lakes.
  • Paddle encounters the dangers of a sawmill while traveling the water and a French Canadian lumberjack that rescues him.
  • Name the five Great Lakes. Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario. Tip: Use the acronym HOMES to remember them.
  • Look at my post The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft to understand ocean and sea geography.
  • Paddle reaches Montreal which is a historic trading area. Introduce the Ojibwe or Chippewa, Huron and Frenchmen and learn about bartering, beavers, and pelts.
Free 4-Week Kid's Paddle To The Sea Unit Study

  • What is an international border? And what does it mean to cross a border?
  • Where is Niagara Falls? Look at my post Geronimo Stilton Field Trip to Niagara Falls Summary.
  • What are lighthouses and how were they used? Look at my post 5 Cool Lighthouse Facts and Make a Chip Can Lighthouse.
  • How did the Native Americans use trees? For example, the Chippewa built excellent birchbark canoes. They also built baskets and homes from wood and bark. For more fun look at my post From Forest to Fun: Unique Crafts With Tree Bark.

Additionally, look at these science and nature topic ideas.

NATURE & SCIENCE PADDLE TO THE SEA UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 2

Next, many of these topics can take a day or two to learn about or spend time on what interests your family.

  • Learn how the water cycle impacts Paddle’s journey. Look at my activity Simple and Fun Hands-On Water Cycle Activity For Kids.
  • Investigate the dangers of ice to ships.
  • Paddle sees a shipwreck and rescue using a breeches buoy. Research what are breeches buoy and compare with how rescues in sea are done today.
  • When Paddle drops into a beaver pond. Look at my posts Pond Life for Kindergarten Activity Build a Fun Beaver Dam and Preschool Beaver Craft: Simple Projects for Little Hands.
  • Discuss fish anatomy
  • Paddle is washed into a marsh when he reaches Lake Superior. Discuss what is a marsh.
  • Air currents act like rivers carrying floating objects. Learn about wind. Look at my 5 Simple Wind Energy Activities For Kids & Fun DIY Anemometer and Middle School Hands-on Science : Extreme Winds + Free Minibook. Too discuss how waves move as Paddle bobbed up and down.
  • Discuss how trees are used for logging.
  • Again, and again Paddle is stranded at the beach among debris as he is slowly carried northward through Lake Michigan. Discuss upcycling ad recycling

  • Identify animal tracks. Extend this to learn about scat and see my post 10 Gross Scat Facts and How to Make Edible Scat.
  • Explain the devastation of forest fires.
  • Learn about deer and antlers and investigate when deer lose their antlers. Look at my Deer Unit Study & Notebooking Pages.
  • Learn and explain how to use waterway locks. Research Soo Locks. They enable ships to travel between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes.
  • Investigate forest related careers. Teens may be thinking pursuing a career as a forest ranger. Are there junior ranger programs in your area? Or can you learn online?

MATH & LANGUAGE ARTS PADDLE TO THE SEA UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 3

Because this is a living book do not try to dissect it in depth if you have younger children.

However, if you have older children, focus on some literary analysis.

I think some of this study is necessary for teens to nurture critical thinking skills but try to not reduce book the drudgery.

A teen needs to look for themes and to understand an author’s background or biograph and an author’s message.

In addition, here are more ideas.

  • Define buoyancy
  • Encourage your child to do simple copywork like what was carved on the underside of the canoe “Put me back in the water. I am Paddle to the Sea.”
  • How much time has passed? 4 years and discuss how we know. For example, the change in the seasons in North America.
  • What season does the story begin? In spring and we know because the geese are returning.
  • Who were the animals that came to see Paddle when he started his journey?
  • What were pennies made with when the author wrote the book? Copper. What are pennies and money made with today?

  • For stories that take years create a huge timeline together marking events that signal the start of a new season. For example, the story begins in spring since the geese are returning (Year 1) then summer activities (Year 2) could be when he is trapped in the marsh and caught with fish in the Apostle Islands,etc.
  • The journey Paddle made carried him around the perimeter of Lake Superior. Define perimeter – distance around the outside of an object. When will we need to calculate perimeter? Give some examples. To enhance this lesson determine how to calculate the perimeter if the shape is irregular.
Free 4-Week Kid's Paddle To The Sea Unit Study

ARTS & CRAFTS PADDLE TO THE SEA UNIT STUDY WEEK 4

In addition, look at some of these arts and crafts ideas.

  • Carve a paddle person or canoe if you have older children stressing safety. For younger children use soap. For an example of how to carve animals with soap look at my post How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving.
  • Talk about what is a crooked knife or what the Native Americans called “mocotaugen.” Make your own with wood.
  • Make snowshoes. The Native American boy used them to move over snow to check on Paddle.
  • If you have younger children, explain what is a passport and have them create their own. Have them “stamp” it when they travel to a new place. For example, Canada, U.S. and France.
  • With younger kids, look at How to Make a Fun Paper Plate Fish | F is for Fish for an easy craft.
  • Make a Fun Birchbark Canoe Craft
  • Have kids use stones to tell the story. Paint stones with images or events and place in order first, middle and last.
  • The outline of Lake Superior is shaped like a wolf’s head. Look at this printable that shows all the lakes. Create a wolf head using this outline. What other animals or things can be made using geographical features or outlines of the lakes?
  • When Paddle reached the trading post the Native Americans and Frenchmen were bartering over beads and other supplies. Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet
  • Build a model of a lock and use it raise and lower boats.
  • Because Paddle ran into so much litter, have your child create something upcycled. For ideas on how to make something your child loves look at my activity How to Make a Recycled Robot.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Do Unit Studies

Emperor Penguin Craft: Step-by-Step Guide To Make Your Own Penguin

October 16, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Upcycle a 2-liter bottle into a cute and silly emperor penguin craft with just a few more art supply items and a little bit of time.

Take your kids on a delightful journey of creativity with plenty of penguin crafts.

Too, I have facts and movies that I have gathered up. 

Emperor Penguin Craft: Step-by-Step Guide To Make Your Own Penguin

These ideas cover kids of all ages and can be used for a family emperor penguin unit study.

Emperor penguins are easily identifiable.

Their size alone sets them apart from other penguins.

And their yellow is lighter than that of the similar king penguin, and their beak is shorter and points downward.

From adorable paper penguins to whimsical pom-pom penguin poppers there are Emperor Penguin craft ideas to appeal to everyone.

PENGUIN BOOKS FOR KIDS

First, look at these fun books about penguins.

I add living books when I can find them.

11 Penguin Books & Resources for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To

Add some of these books and resources about penguins to your learning day.

Penguin's Way

With a new children’s book imprint, the Bodleian Library brings beloved classics back into print, beginning with a beautiful storybook about the life of a fascinating Antarctic species. Originally published in 1962, Penguin’s Way by Johanna Johnston tells the surprising story of these creatures, complete with colorful artwork by award-winning illustrator Leonard Weisgard. In Penguin’s Way, a playful colony of emperor penguins lives on the edge of a faraway secret sea. During the summers, the penguins are content to fish and swim in the icy waters. But, when the seasons change, they must travel more than one hundred miles to the snowy lands surrounding the South Pole. All across the snow plain, the penguins sing songs to welcome newly hatched chicks into the world, but how will the fluffy newborns survive the freezing winter? Few things pique children’s curiosity about the world around them better than a good book. Brought back for a new generation of young readers, Penguin’s Way offers a fun and creative introduction to these fascinating animals.

Mr. Popper's Penguins: All-Time Popular Children Book

Charming Characters: Meet the endearing Mr. Popper and his comical penguins, each with their distinct personalities and quirks, creating a delightful and memorable cast of characters.

Whimsical Adventures: Follow Mr. Popper and his penguins on a series of whimsical escapades, as they navigate unexpected challenges and create joyous chaos in their small town.

Heartwarming Message: Experience the heartwarming message of friendship, family, and the importance of embracing the unexpected, as Mr. Popper's life is transformed by the presence of his unusual feathered companions.

Whiteblack the Penguin Sees the World

Whiteblack the Penguin is worried. He has run out of stories for his radio show, a dire situation for the Chief Storyteller of Penguinland. So Whiteblack decides to travel in search of new tales to share. The result is a journey that spans the globe and not only introduces the precocious penguin to a host of colorful characters but teaches him about the power of friendship and what it means to be a hero. Originally created in 1937, while the Reys lived in Paris, this delightful story is being published for the first time, and is sure to enchant readers young and old. From the creators of Curious George, Whiteblack the Penguin Sees The World is a timeless tale with all the hilarity and childlike sense of adventure characteristic of the Reys’ previous work.

The Emperor's Egg: Read and Wonder

Can you imagine spending the winter outdoors in Antarctica without anything to eat? That’s just what the male Emperor penguin does. While his mate is off swimming and catching loads of fish, he stands around in the freezing cold with an egg on his feet for two whole months, keeping it warm and waiting for it to hatch. Welcome to the story of the world’s most devoted dad!

Penguins!: Strange and Wonderful

A new edition to the acclaimed Strange and Wonderful series. The seventeen species of penguins come in all sizes and are fascinating in many other ways. The little blue penguin, the smallest, stands about sixteen inches high, and the emperor penguin, the largest, stands almost four feet tall. Some penguins are named for how they look, such as the black-footed penguin, while others are named for where they live, such as the Galapagos penguin. Laurence Pringle's informative book, with stunning illustrations by Meryl Henderson, introduces young readers to the life and behavior of one of nature's most remarkable birds.

12PCS Realistic Penguin Figurines

This penguin figures set was made by hand painted with high realistically detailed appearance, cute face and childish eyes. Their uniquely molded textures and richly painted details make the animals vivid. And all the animal figures stands up very well, they do not fall over. Children would like to spend more time to observe and play with them.

The Great Penguin Rescue: Saving the African Penguins

African penguins waddle around nesting colonies in lower numbers than ever before. Despite South African government efforts to protect the penguin colonies and their ocean fish supply, young penguins still struggle to survive. Fuzzy chicks waiting for food in open nests may overheat in the sun or become prey. Others simply may not get enough food to survive on their own once their parents leave. But new conservation methods, including rescuing and hand-feeding vulnerable chicks, are giving experts hope. Can volunteers and scientists help save Africa's only penguins before it's too late?

March of the Penguins

This documentary chronicles the heroic and harrowing journey that emperor penguins make amid subfreezing temperatures and violent snowstorms at the South Pole in order to mate.

365 Penguins (Reissue)

A family finds a penguin mysteriously delivered to their door every day for a year. At first they’re cute, but with every passing day, the penguins pile up—along with the family’s problems. Feeding, cleaning, and housing the penguins becomes a monumental task. They’re noisy and smelly, and they always hog the bathroom! And who on earth is sending these kwak-ing critters? Bright, striking illustrations with lots of opportunity for counting (and lots of laughs), 365 Penguins has become a perennial wintertime favorite.

Penguin: A Season in the Life of the Adélie Penguin

Beautiful, full-color photographs and an engaging first-person narrative introduce young readers to an Adelie penguin family's first view of the harsh, wild Antarctic environment.

Penguins!

An illustrated introduction to those wonderful waddling water birds!Living only in the southern hemisphere, there are seventeen different kinds of penguins.  With bright watercolor illustrations and kid-friendly language, Gail Gibbons introduces these black and white birds, describing where and how they live, what they eat, and how they hatch their young.   An exploration of the egg-laying and chick-raising habits of the emperor penguin is also included, describing how these large penguins take care of their babies in extremely cold temperatures, working together to look after one large egg at a time. Readers will also learn about threats to penguin populations, and what conservation efforts have been made to help preserve them.  A collection of penguin facts is also included.

Next, look at these facts about penguins.

5 EMPEROR PENGUIN FACTS

  1. Emperor penguins are the tallest and heaviest of all the penguins, at heights of 36” -48” and weighing up to 99 lbs.
  2. They can dive deeper than any other bird, including other penguins, down to 1,800 feet and can hold their breath for almost 30 minutes.
  3. Emperor Penguins do not hop rather they have a slow waddling walk, moving at about 1.7 mph. They have also been known to toboggan by sliding on their bellies across the ice.
  4. Females, after laying a single egg in April or May transfer care to the male who carefully balances the egg on his feet for 65 – 75 days to keep it warm off the cold ground in a special adapted brood pouch.
  5. Colonies of emperor penguin are made up of 5,000 or more adults and chicks who work together to huddle for warmth. They are tightly packed together and take turns shuffling around to be on the outside for a bit in the harsh cold.
Emperor Penguin Craft: Step-by-Step Guide To Make Your Own Penguin

Also, you’ll love these emperor penguin crafts, activities, and activities.

PENGUIN CRAFTS, RESOURCES, AND ACTIVITIES

For little ones, find out How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft to teach them about these tuxedo clad birds.

Watch The March of The Penguins to follow the amazing journey of Emperor Penguins in subfreezing temperatures in the South Pole.

Learn How to Make an Easy Antarctica Diorama With Your Kids that is a fresh new take on an older idea.

If you are going to dive right into a penguin unit why not make it a Penguin Party? Really make it special with themed snacks and decor to kick it off.

Penguin Poppers would make a really fun indoor or outdoor activity to get the kids up and moving during the unit.

Where is Antarctica is an engaging book from the Where is series that will hold your child’s interest while giving them many great facts about life on this icy desert.

Give this hands on Slippery Penguins on Ice Experiment a try to learn how penguins can move across the ice quickly and easily.

Emperor Penguin Craft: Step-by-Step Guide To Make Your Own Penguin

EMPEROR PENGUIN CRAFT

Now go gather your supplies and get ready to dive into a world of penguins and fun that turns your child into a penguin expert before you know it.

You will need:

  • Empty 2-liter bottle
  • sandpaper
  • Black craft paint
  • Black permanent marker
  • Black craft felt
  • White craft felt
  • Yellow craft felt
  • 2 black beads
  • Hot glue gun/sticks
Emperor Penguin Craft: Step-by-Step Guide To Make Your Own Penguin

First, peel the label off the bottle and wash out the inside well.

Rinse it and set upside down to drain.

You can paint the outside, but I found it much easier and cleaner to pour a bunch of black paint inside the bottle.

Then, replace the cap, and let your child shake it until the inside is completely coated in paint.

This also lessens the length of time needed to wait for drying times in between colors.

Emperor Penguin Craft: Step-by-Step Guide To Make Your Own Penguin

Turn the bottle upside down to allow excess to drip out until it has slowed to almost a stop.

Emperor Penguin Craft: Step-by-Step Guide To Make Your Own Penguin

Replace the cap and color it black with a sharpie.

From black felt cut a pair of three toed feet, two wings ¾ the length of the bottle, a beak, a large circle with a beak (an oversized coffee cup is the perfect size to trace), and just the beak.

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO MAKE YOUR OWN PENGUIN

From the white cut a large oval piece for the belly that reaches from nearly neck to the base.

Cut two small yellow stripes to give our Emperor penguin the distinguishing yellow collar.

Emperor Penguin Craft: Step-by-Step Guide To Make Your Own Penguin

Hot glue the white belly onto your penguin, apply the glue to the felt, not the plastic bottle or it will melt.

Emperor Penguin Craft: Step-by-Step Guide To Make Your Own Penguin

Add the wings to the sides and the feet to the base with glue.

Hot glue the beak piece to the beak portion of the circle to make it a little firmer.

Emperor Penguin Craft: Step-by-Step Guide To Make Your Own Penguin

Gather up your black scraps and stuff the small bits into a larger scrap.

Then ball it up and hot glue onto the cap to give the head some shape.

Emperor Penguin Craft: Step-by-Step Guide To Make Your Own Penguin

Press the circle portion over the scrap ball you put on the cap.

And hot glue into place all around with the beak facing forward. Bend down slightly at the end.

Emperor Penguin Craft: Step-by-Step Guide To Make Your Own Penguin

Add two black beads on either side for the eyes.

Emperor Penguin Craft: Step-by-Step Guide To Make Your Own Penguin

Finally add the yellow collar and attach securely.

Emperor Penguin Craft: Step-by-Step Guide To Make Your Own Penguin

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: 2 liter bottle, antarctica, crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, life science, penguin, science, two liter bottle

Free Africa Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning | Free Continent & Country Reports

October 15, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a free 4-week Africa unit study for Kids. Look at these other Best Homeschool Unit Studies for more ideas and topics for hands-on learning.

In this huge unit study, I give multiple ideas for varied ages so you can teach together.

Also, because Africa is such a large continent, I encourage you to focus on one or two countries if all your children are young.

Free Africa Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning | Free Continent & Country Reports

However, with older children dividing the area by regions and focusing on countries in those regions gives your older kids an in depth study.

In addition, I hold to the firm belief that hands-on activities teach in a superior way to just worksheets.

Sure, worksheets have their place, but it’s been my experience that hands-on learning sticks lifelong.

Let’s dive into this 4-week study first by looking at some books about Africa to add to your study.

BOOKS ABOUT AFRICA FOR KIDS

13 Resources for Children Studying About Africa

Add one or two of these books to your study about the art of Africa.

Africa For Kids: People, Places and Cultures - Children Explore The World Books

Africa For Kids: People, Places, Culture gives children not only a peek into the land and its people but the artwork of even simple everyday items like weaving and serving plates.

Africa Coloring Book For Kids!

Here is a coloring book filled with African souvenirs to color that is soothing and a great springboard for discussion.

African Patterns Scrapbook Paper

I found this beautiful book of African Patterned Scrapbook paper that can be used for many craft projects.

Africa, Amazing Africa: Country by Country

Atinuke’s first non-fiction title is a major publishing event: a celebration of all 55 countries on the African continent! Her beautifully-written text captures Africa’s unique mix of the modern and the traditional, as she explores its geography, its peoples, its animals, its history, its resources and its cultural diversity. The book divides Africa into five sections: South, East, West, Central and North, each with its own introduction. This is followed by a page per country, containing a delightful mix of friendly, informative text and colourful illustrations.

Africa Is Not a Country

Enter into the daily life of children in the many countries of modern Africa. Countering stereotypes, Africa Is Not a Country celebrates the extraordinary diversity of this vibrant continent as experienced by children at home, at school, at work, and at play.

The Water Princess

With its wide sky and warm earth, Princess Gie Gie’s kingdom is a beautiful land. But clean drinking water is scarce in her small African village. And try as she might, Gie Gie cannot bring the water closer; she cannot make it run clearer. Every morning, she rises before the sun to make the long journey to the well. Instead of a crown, she wears a heavy pot on her head to collect the water. After the voyage home, after boiling the water to drink and clean with, Gie Gie thinks of the trip that tomorrow will bring. And she dreams. She dreams of a day when her village will have cool, crystal-clear water of its own.

Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions (Picture Puffin Books)

Artists Leo and Diane Dillon won their second consecutive Caldecott Medal for this stunning ABC of African culture. "Another virtuoso performance. . . . Such an astute blend of aesthetics and information is admirable, the child's eye will be rewarded many times over."

When Stars Are Scattered

Omar and his brother Hassan, two Somali boys, have spent a long time in the Dadaab refugee camp. Separated from their mother, they are looked after by a friendly stranger. Life in the camp isn't always easy. The hunger is constant . . . but there's football to look forward to, and now there's a chance Omar will get to go to school . . .With a heart-wrenching fairytale ending, this incredible true story is brought to life by Victoria's stunning illustrations. This book perfectly depicts life in a refugee camp for 8-12 year olds.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Young Reader's Edition

When a terrible drought struck William Kamkwamba's tiny village in Malawi, his family lost all of the season's crops, leaving them with nothing to eat and nothing to sell. William began to explore science books in his village library, looking for a solution. There, he came up with the idea that would change his family's life forever: he could build a windmill. Made out of scrap metal and old bicycle parts, William's windmill brought electricity to his home and helped his family pump the water they needed to farm the land. Retold for a younger audience, this exciting memoir shows how, even in a desperate situation, one boy's brilliant idea can light up the world. Complete with photographs, illustrations, and an epilogue that will bring readers up to date on William's story, this is the perfect edition to read and share with the whole family.

Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart is the first of three novels in Chinua Achebe's critically acclaimed African Trilogy. It is a classic narrative about Africa's cataclysmic encounter with Europe as it establishes a colonial presence on the continent. Told through the fictional experiences of Okonkwo, a wealthy and fearless Igbo warrior of Umuofia in the late 1800s, Things Fall Apart explores one man's futile resistance to the devaluing of his Igbo traditions by British political andreligious forces and his despair as his community capitulates to the powerful new order. With more than 20 million copies sold and translated into fifty-seven languages, Things Fall Apart provides one of the most illuminating and permanent monuments to African experience. Achebe does not only capture life in a pre-colonial African village, he conveys the tragedy of the loss of that world while broadening our understanding of our contemporary realities.

Wildlife of East Africa (Princeton Pocket Guides, 3)

Those looking for a concise yet informative, visually breathtaking yet affordable East African safari need look no further than this spectacular field guide. Featuring full-color photos of 475 common species of bird, mammal, snake, lizard, insect, tree, and flower, Wildlife of East Africa takes us on an exquisite one-volume tour through the living splendor of the main national parks and game reserves of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Many of the species included--from pelicans to plovers, ostriches to elephants, from the daintiest of antelopes to cattlelike giants, from leopards to lions, baboons to gorillas, chameleons to crocodiles, acacias to aloes--also inhabit neighboring countries. The selection was based on the personal experiences of the authors, wildlife experts who have been leading safaris in the region for more than twenty years.

Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna

Heads up: this is a great book but there is a rite of passage and has a part about circumcision.

Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton gives American kids a firsthand look at growing up in Kenya as a member of a tribe of nomads whose livelihood centers on the raising and grazing of cattle. Readers share Lekuton's first encounter with a lion, the epitome of bravery in the warrior tradition. They follow his mischievous antics as a young Maasai cattle herder, coming-of-age initiation, boarding school escapades, soccer success, and journey to America for college. Lekuton's riveting text combines exotic details of nomadic life with the universal experience and emotions of a growing boy.

The Bitter Side of Sweet

Fifteen-year-old Amadou counts the things that matter. For two years what has mattered are the number of cacao pods he and his younger brother, Seydou, can chop down in a day. The higher the number the safer they are. The higher the number the closer they are to paying off their debt and returning home. Maybe. The problem is Amadou doesn’t know how much he and Seydou owe, and the bosses won’t tell him. The boys only wanted to make money to help their impoverished family, instead they were tricked into forced labor on a plantation in the Ivory Coast. With no hope of escape, all they can do is try their best to stay alive—until Khadija comes into their lives. She’s the first girl who’s ever come to camp, and she’s a wild thing. She fights bravely every day, attempting escape again and again, reminding Amadou what it means to be free. But finally, the bosses break her, and what happens next to the brother he has always tried to protect almost breaks Amadou. The three band together as family and try just once more to escape.

Next, here is a bit of background information to help you plan your own unique study.

I start with an overview and some background information.

BECAUSE AFRICA IS A CONTINENT NOT A COUNTRY

First, especially when my kids were young, it’s important for them to know that Africa is a large continent with many countries.

For example, when we first studied about Africa, it had 51 countries and some island nations.

Now, there are 54 countries according to the United Nations. Too, there are many languages spoken there which is also important to understand.

I found it easier when teaching my kids or co-op to separate the continent by region. Each region has several countries located in it and this gives your children a focus.

Of course, each region has its own cultures, unique geographical features, crafts and proud heritage.

Managing in smaller chunks I believe makes it easier to teach through the years.

Look below as I break it down by region and list a few countries to study in each region.

AFRICAN COUNTRIES/DISPUTED TERRITORIES BY REGION

NORTHERN AFRICA

  • Egypt
  • Morocco
  • Tunisia
  • Sudan
  • Libya
  • Western Sahara
  • Algeria

SOUTHERN AFRICA

  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
  • South Africa
  • Island nation Madagascar

EASTERN AFRICA

  • Kenya
  • Ethiopia
  • Somalia
  • Rwanda
  • Eritrea
  • Burundi
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda

WESTERN AFRICA

  • Niger
  • Ghana
  • The Gambia
  • Liberia
  • Côte d’Ivoire
  • Nigeria
  • Mali
  • Sierra Leone
  • Guinea

CENTRAL AFRICA

  • Central African Republic
  • Republic of the Congo
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Cameroon

ANCIENT CIVILIZATION BEGINNINGS

Then, a lot of our knowledge about Africa comes from the country of Egypt and rightfully so.

Some historians believe life began in Africa first others say it began in the Fertile Crescent (preset day Iraq). Whatever the case, life has been in Africa for thousands of years.

Look at my free lapbook about the Fun Pharaohs and Queens Ancient Egypt Lapbook and Activities and my free Ancient Civilizations unit study on Egypt.

Free Africa Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning

Also, the Rosetta Stone was found in the city of Rosetta (modern el Rashid) near a tributary of the Nile River in Egypt.

See my activity Hands-On History: The Rosetta Stone and Breaking The Code.

HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY AFRICA UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 1

Likewise, look at some of these geographical features and history activities as you explore the countries and regions.

Tanzania is home to Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano.

And Zimbabwe is where the Victoria Falls, one of the largest and most famous waterfalls in the world is located.

Africa has 3 deserts: the Sahara, Namib, and Kalahari. It is divided in half by the equator.

Additionally, the Nile River is one of the largest rivers in the world. Learn how it was used in ancient civilizations and how it’s used today? Can you name the countries it flows through?

Next, learn about the Berber culture by learning about the Atlas Mountains. The mountain range stretches through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.

Furthermore, learn about the Red Sea and gold. Ghana is called the gold coast. Investigate gold mining.

Also, the Congo Basin is a huge rainforest and unique ecosystem.

Free Africa Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning

Finally, issues like the Slave Trade and apartheid can be discussed at your discretion.

  • How to Make An Embroidered African Map Fun Geography Craft
  • Look at the physical geography of Africa
  • How To Make A Mountain Volcano | Mighty Mount Kilimanjaro With Geronimo Stilton
  • Explore the Baobab tree in my unit study and lapbook Famous and Historic Trees Fun Nature and History Homeschool Unit Study
  • Learn about the wind in the desert. Middle School Hands-on Science : Extreme Winds + Free Minibook
  • Free Homeschool Volcano Unit Study

NATURE & SCIENCE AFRICA UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 2

Equally you want to leave enough time to discover about the beautiful landscapes, plants and wildlife.

Too, the issue of no electricity was told through this beautiful story The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

Research about the lack of drinking water and electricity and how the people cope.

In addition, look at just a few of the animals of Africa for your research.

Lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros, zebra, hippopotamus, ostriches, giraffe, African penguin, okapi, and gorillas of the Congo Basin.

  • 8 Facts about African Elephants and a Cute Paper Plate Elephant
  • Interesting Facts For Kids About Africa | Cute Handprint Cheetah
  • Alphabet Letter G is for Gorilla Fun Paper Plate Preschool Mask
  • Compare and contrast the sweet bananas we eat versus the wild bananas native to Ethiopia.
  • 6 World Wildlife Day Activities to Learn About African Lions
  • 8 The Water Princess STEM Activity Ideas and African Clay Pot Craft
  • Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project
  • Learn about Aloe Vera of Africa
  • The Sisal plant makes strong fibers to make rope and other things. Make cordage.

MATH & LANGUAGE ARTS AFRICA UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 3

As you can see there are numerous topics to use to investigate math and language arts topics.

Next, look at some of these ideas.

  • Explore some of the currency of Africa. For example, the rand, naira, the Egyptian pound, and the Kenyan Shilling to name a few.
  • Another fun one for older children is to plan a safari. Estimate costs and flights.
  • Renewable energy is important like solar and wind. Calculate costs for using renewable energy.
  • Read African Proverbs
  • Investigate time zones.
  • And because a variety of patterns are used in art, learn about symmetry and patterns
  • Learn about geometry through estimate sizes of huts and architect.
  • Do a no boring language arts study on the book The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

ARTS & CRAFTS AFRICA UNIT STUDY WEEK 4

Last, but not least spend plenty of time to learn about the beautiful art and crafts and skills passed down to generations.

Here are some ideas.

  • How to Make a Kids’ Fun Ceremonial African Tribal Mask
  • Do Henna Hands
  • Journey to Africa Art and Artifacts
  • People in East Africa do beautiful wood carving and weave baskets and mats
  • Do art about the beautiful deserts and here is a fun Desert Sand Art: Hands-on Learning (Colors of the Desert) activity
  • 10 Fun Toilet Paper Roll Activities & How To Make A Paper Roll Giraffe & Free Template
  • Learn About African Art For Children And Make Fun Djembe Drums
  • Gawu African influenced tapestry
  • Make African Shekere
  • Ceremony face painting is not only an art but full of cultural meaning
  • String beads inspired by African designs
  • Then Tingatinga art is beautiful with vibrant colors
  • Do Kente cloth weaving as a paper strip craft
Free Africa Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning | Free Continent & Country Reports

These ideas give your children an introduction to the fascinating life, culture and African civilization.

Finally, I have 1 free Africa continent at a glance page and 10 African country reports.

HOW TO GET THE 10 FREE COUNTRY REPORTS & AFRICA OVERVIEW REPORT PRINTABLES

The African countries I have free printables for are:

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Egypt
  • Kenya
  • Madagascar
  • Morocco
  • Namibia
  • Nigeria
  • Senegal
  • South Africa
  • Tunisia

Now, how to grab the freebies. They are a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) Sign up on my email list.

2) Grab the freebie now.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

What area of Africa are you learning about?

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Teach Unit Studies Tagged With: Africa, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, homeschool, unit studies, unit study

How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

October 14, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I cannot wait to show you these easy Lego builds for kids. Also, grab more ideas on my page Dinosaur Unit Study.

I start with a roundup of adorable things I found and finish with a T-Rex and Stegosaurus LEGO tutorial.

Too, we do have more than one set of the creative boxes in our LEGO collection.

How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

However, I did use only the bricks and studs that are available inside of these most basic boxes.

Your dinosaurs may look a little different if you are limited on pieces and you may have more of a mix of colors.

Too, while your child is crafting grab a book or two to read aloud.

It’s the best way to learn while doing easy Lego builds for kids.

I prefer living books when I can find them.

BOOKS ABOUT DINOSAURS FOR KIDS

15 Books for Kids Crazy About Fossils and Dinosaurs

Your dinosaur loving kids will love some of these books and resources for a fun dinosaur unit study.

Fossils Tell of Long Ago

What is a fossil? Sometimes it's the imprint of an ancient leaf in a rock. Or it could be the skeleton of a dinosaur that has turned to stone. With clear prose and beautifully detailed illustrations, award-winning author and illustrator Aliki describes the different ways fossils are formed and what they tell us about life on Earth long ago.

This is a clear and appealing science book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. It includes a find out more section with a glossary and activity guide so kids can create their own fossils for someone to find a million years from now.

Dinosaurs! (New & Updated)

Gail Gibbons presents the most recent and up-to-date theories about the history of dinosaurs and dinosaur discoveries. She discusses the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods and the non-bird dinosaurs that lived during each time. Each dinosaur is explored in just the right amount of detail for young paleontologists, as this book brings these magnificent creatures to life again

Digging Up Dinosaurs (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

How did those enormous dinosaur skeletons get inside the museum? Beloved author-illustrator Aliki’s simple, engaging text and colorful artwork bring the long-extinct creatures to life for young dinosaur enthusiasts.

Long ago, dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Then, suddenly, they died out. For thousands of years, no one knew these giant creatures had ever existed. Then people began finding fossils—bones and teeth and footprints that had turned to stone. Today, teams of experts work together to dig dinosaur fossils out of the ground, bone by fragile bone

How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?

A playful peek into the homes of dinosaur babies and their parents at bedtime!How do dinosaurs say good night?Brimming with humor and familiar good-night antics, here is a playful peek into the homes of dinosaur children and their parents at bedtime. Perfect for sharing and reading aloud, this is one nighttime book your own little dinosaur will want to read again and again.

Dinosaur Roar!

A celebratory edition of this much loved classic picture book, now twenty-five years old. This rollicking rhyming text is a joy to read aloud, and the charming and colourful pictures will appeal to the very youngest dinosaur fans. Originally published in 1994, Dinosaur Roar! by Henrietta and Paul Stickland is now seen as a modern classic, a book that every preschool child should have.In the back of the book is a wonderful pull-out poster showing the dinosaur characters.The book carries the endorsement of the Earth Sciences Department at the Natural History Museum.

Dinosaur Bones

With a lively rhyming text and vibrant paper collage illustrations, author-artist Bob Barner shakes the dust off the dinosaur bones found in museums and reminds us that they once belonged to
living, breathing creatures. Filled with fun dinosaur facts (a T. Rex skull can weigh up to 750 pounds!) and an informational "Dinometer," Dinosaur Bones is sure to make young dinosaur enthusiasts roar with delight.

Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs

A long time ago there were dinosaurs. Big dinosaurs and small dinosaurs. Dinosaurs with horns on their heads or spikes down their backs. Dinosaurs with long, long necks and long, long tails. Imaginatively and with a masterful use of color, shape and composition, Bryon Barton brings to life a unique and endearing vision of what the world may have looked like once upon a time.

A long time ago there was dinosaurs. Big dinosaurs and small dinosaurs. Dinosaurs with horns on their heads or spikes down their backs. Dinosaurs with long, long necks and long, long tails.Imaginatively and with a masterful use of color, shape and composition, Byron Barton brings to life unique and endearing vision of what the world may have looked like once up ona time.

Here We Go Digging for Dinosaur Bones

This STEM-friendly musical fossil dig will have dinosaur lovers singing along as they learn the science behind paleontology.

I Dreamt I Was a Dinosaur

If you could be a dinosaur, which would you be? Would you roar like the ferocious T-Rex? Or soar overhead like the pterodactyl? In this playful early-learning book, Stella Blackstone s lyrical, rhyming text takes readers on an unforgettable Jurassic journey, while fabric artist Clare Beaton recreates the prehistoric world of dinosaurs using a colorful array of felt, sequins, beads and buttons.

T Is for Terrible: A Picture Book

I am Tyrannosaurus Rex.

I am a dinosaur,

otherwise known as

a terrible lizard.

Tyrannosaurus rex is a terrible dinosaur; of this, everyone is certain. But is this dinosaur really so terrible? He IS very big and very hungry. True, he might even eat his neighbors for lunch. But from his point of view, he can't help it. After all, he's not a vegetarian . . .

The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek

Meet George. He's strong, as a giant dinosaur should be, strong enough to wreck a plane! (Of course he thinks it's his old enemy, the flying Pteranodon.) He's loyal. He'll do anything to help Joan and Joey save their mother's ranch at Cricket Creek, even chase a bank robber. He's shy. He's so shy he gets Joan and Joey into hilarious, dinosaur sized trouble!

The Magic School Bus in the Time of Dinosaurs

The classroom is decorated as Dinosaur Land, but Ms. Frizzle-inspired by an archeological dig-craves a more authentic experience. The Magic School Bus turns into a time machine and transports the class back millions of years to an adventure where they learn about dinosaurs, their habitats and diets, and even a Maiasaura nesting ground.

Fossils (A True Book: Earth Science)

Fossils are one of the most important tools we have for learning about long-extinct wildlife.

A True Book: Earth Science series presents fascinating facts and fun activities that will engage the budding earth scientist, while exploring the fields of geology, meteorology, ecology, and more. This series includes an age appropriate (grades 3-5) introduction to curriculum-relevant subjects and a robust resource section that encourages independent study. In the 4.6 billion years since Earth was formed, many plant and animal species have come and gone. Readers will discover how fossils are formed, how paleontologists search for them, and what kinds of information they can provide.

Paleontological Fossils Sample- Paleontology Trilobite Fossil, Scientific Amber Specimen

A box of ten fossils: A box of this paleontological fossil sample contains ten of fossils, including sea clam fossils, trilobites, ichthyodonts, porphyrites, copal amber, graptolites, nematodes, phylloceras, corals, and spirals. Fossil specimen of algae.

Ancient Fossils TOOB - Figurines: Dino Footprint, Giant Crab, Ammonite, Raptor Claw, T-Rex Tooth, Frog Skeleton, Sea Scorpion & More

Step into Prehistory: This Toob contains 10 expertly hand-painted mini figurines of ancient fossils, including a Dinosaur Footprint, Giant Crab, Ammonite, Raptor Claw, Fossilized Frog, Trilobite, T-Rex Tooth, Fossilized Fish, Dinosaur Skin, and a Sea Scorpion.

First let’s learn a bit about the real-life counterparts of our little brick buddies.

T.REX & STEGOSAURUS DINOSAURS FACTS

T. Rex 
Name: Comes from Greek and Latin words meaning ‘Tyrant Lizard King’.
Eating Habit: Carnivore
Size: 20 ft tall to almost 40’ long.

Believed to have been in the Cretaceous Period 65 million years ago, in what’s now the USA and Canada. Fun Fact: T. Rex are thought to have had a brain twice as big as those of the other big carnivorous dinosaurs.

Stegosaurus
Name: Stegosaurus is from the Greek for “roof lizard”, named so after its bony plates.
Eating Habit:Herbivore
Size: 21-30 feet long.

Stegosaurus  was thought to have lived about 145 million years ago during the Jurassic period in what’s now known as Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.

Fun Fact: Stegosaurus is the official state dinosaur for Colorado

How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

And then look at these other dinosaur activities.

MORE DINOSAUR FUN

  • Fun Facts About Mold Fossils & 4 Types of Fossil Activities For Kids
  • Make Fun Edible Fossils and Free Magic School Bus Fossils Worksheet
  • Make your own easy Cardboard Dinosaur Feet for some fun dramatic play time.
  • Geronimo Stilton The Journey Through Time Fun Easy No Sew Dinosaur Mat
  • Science Fiction for Middle School Fun Jurassic Park Quick Unit Study (DIY Insect in Amber)
  • For a great sensory activity while you teach your child about various hypotheses for extinction this Erupting Dinosaur Extinction Slime looks like fun.

I also have a few must-have Lego pieces I want to share with you to start your LEGO collection.

First off this LEGO Creative Box is a must have for boys or girls.

They can be used for so much more than just building although that alone is worth the investment.

Next, if you don’t already have one a LEGO Baseplate for your builds is needed to create a foundation that is also moveable.

Once you begin to grow past one or two standard boxes you will want to grab something like these LEGO Organizers to help keep everything together and sorted a bit.

We are building this ferocious T.Rex

How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

And a cute little Stegosaurus

How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

Finally, look at how to make this T.Rex and Stegosaurus dinosaurs.

HOW TO MAKE LEGO T.REX AND STEGOSAURUS DINOSAURS

When building your dinosaurs do not get stuck so much on the exact size of the bricks.

For instance, if it calls for one 2×4 you can use two 2x2s instead just getting the same width and length out of any combination of bricks or plates.

Also sloped pieces can be rounded or sharp edged to help you create your masterpiece.

T.Rex:

  • 2 1×8 plates
  • 1-1 x 6 plate
  • 1-2 x 6 brick
  • 2-2×4 bricks
  • 2-2×3 bricks
  • 2-1×2 plates
  • 2-2×2 sloped
  • 2-2×4 bricks
  • 2-2×3 sloped
  • 3-1×2 sloped
  • 2 -knob studs
  • 4-nose cones
  • 2 studs
  • 2 eyes
  • 2-2×2 roof tile 
How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

First, begin by placing a 2×6 stud on top of the 2×6 sloped pieces to create the base of the body.

This will work with either the rounded ones or the sharp angle ones.

How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

Next, center the 2-1×8 plates on the body to create the tail. Place 1×2 plates on either side.

How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

Put a 2×4 brick on the tail closest to the body and round it off with a sloped 2×2 brick.

This will make it heavier on the back end but by the time we are done building it will be leveled off.

How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

Center a 2×2 on the body and place 1×6 plates on either side, these are the arms.

EASY LEGO BUILDS FOR KIDS

Add 1×2 sloped bricks to the top of each plate for hands.

How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

Place a 2×6 on the center to build up the body and create a neck.

Finally, it is time to build the ferocious head.

Use 2 of the sloped roof tiles as a base, these are the ones that look halfway upside down. Place 4 nose cones on one, and a 2×2 brick on the other.

Put a sloped 2×2 over the ‘teeth’ with knob studs directly behind it for the eyes, which you can then pop into place.

Finish the head with 3 sloped 1×3’s to round it off a bit.

How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

Press the head into place on top of the body.

Stegosaurus:

  • 2-2×8 plates
  • 1-2×2 plate
  • 2-1×2 bricks
  • 1-2 x 3 bricks
  • 4-2×2 bricks
  • 6-2×4 bricks
  • 4-2×2 sloped studs
  • 1-knob stud
  • 2 sloped studs
  • 2 eye studs
  • Assorted slope studs
How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

Take 2-2×8 plates and place them end to end. Top with a 1×2 at one end and then continue as follows- 4-2×4’s placed horizontally over the bricks and any combination of bricks vertically to create a tail that is 2×8 studs long.

Bottom view

How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

top view

How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

To create the spikes along the back and tail we used various heights and sizes of sloped bricks like so.

Place 2×2 sloped bricks on 2×2 bricks to make legs and feet.

Now, quick and easy build a head starting by placing eyes on the knob studs.

How to Make T.Rex & Stegosaurus Dinosaurs Easy LEGO Builds For Kids

Put them on top of a 2×4 brick, adding a sloped piece for the nose, and a flat tile to finish off the head.

Pop the head onto the front of your stegosaurus.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: dinosaurs, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, LEGO, life science, science

15 Best Children’s Books About The Trail Of Tears

October 13, 2024 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have the 15 best children’s books about the Trail of Tears. Also, look at my Free The Trail Of Tears For Kids Fun Unit Study Ideas And Lapbook for more hands-on ideas.

I have listed some for young elementary, but I feel a middle school student would enjoy them too.

You know that is one reason why I am so passionate about unit studies because you can include all ages.

15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears

It was hard to find books that hit about middle school for Tiny, but I found a few he liked.

First, the Trail of Tears is a very sad time in American history.

And it’s one best seen through the eyes of those that walked the trail.

Living books bring to life the topic you’re studying.

It certainly is such a sad topic to teach about, but our children need to see the sad and ugly side of history too, which is why I am trying to keep this unit study for upper elementary grades and higher.

TRAIL OF TEARS UNIT STUDY

Also, a couple of the books listed below I am using for information in the lapbook because they have good reference material.

Look at my list and here is my original list, then I added a few more later.

Some are repeats when we studied it again, but added a few more. Besides some books are just worth reading it again ad again.

  • The Trail of Tears (Step into Reading) This is a great book to include your younger kids. I love the fact that at this age, it should not give the ugly side yet of the way the U.S. treated Native Americans.  It should introduce them to a love of the culture.  All three of my boys read this book when they were younger.
  • The Trail of Tears (American Moments) This is one of the books Tiny read, which I feel could be for a middle school kid. The age level says 9 years old, but again, there is so much background information  that enriches this subject that it would be meaty enough for a middle school child. It has a  helpful timeline in the back and lots of pictures.
  • The Trail of Tears: A History Just for Kids  This is another one we have and though it doesn’t give the age, it is jam packed full of information that a middle school child would find interesting.I like how it presents a question for thought, then proceeds to give background information and explain it.
  • Soft Rain: A Story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears A book about a 9 year old little girl that has to move and leave her home. So sad.

BOOKS ABOUT THE TRAIL OF TEARS

  • If You Lived With The Cherokees  A great read to understand the everyday life of the Cherokee. It would certainly enhance this unit study.  Tiny still loves this book.
  • On This Long Journey, the Journal of Jesse Smoke, a Cherokee Boy, the Trail of Tears, 1838 (My Name Is America) About 16 year old Jesse Smoke and his family as they are forcibly removed from their homes.
  • Trail of Tears (Essential Events) This is the other book we have and are reading. It is for Grade 7 and up.Again, jam packed full of information but I also love the fact that it talks about the Cherokee today. Nobody likes to be stereotyped. And nobody wants to stay focused on the tragedies of the past, but they do like to tell about the advancement of their culture today.
  • The Trail of Tears (We the People: Expansion and Reform) This is for grades 3 – 5 and one we had to leave back in the states, but I think I got this one for the extensive lists it has in it.
  • Life on the Trail of Tears (Picture the Past) We eyeballed this one because even though it says it’s for 1st grade and up, I love the fact that it includes drawings and paintings from the time period with the artists’ ideas of how things looked on the trail. 
  • Trail of Tears (Landmarks of the American Mosaic)  Written by a Cherokee and another book we want to get because it has excerpts from primary sources and can be used for including a high school teen.
  • The Trail of Tears (Cornerstones of Freedom. Third Series) An elementary age book but it does have random information added as you  read it.

15 TRAIL OF TEARS BOOKS FOR KIDS WHO LOVE TO READ AND BE READ TO

Add one or two of these books to your home library or for your unit study about the Trail of Tears.

The Trail of Tears (Cornerstones of Freedom: Third Series)

Explore the buildup to the relocation, the terrible conditions the natives were forced to suffer, and the event's impact on U.S.-Indian relations in the following years.

Even before the first glorious ring of the Liberty Bell, America was a land of freedom and promise. The Cornerstones of Freedom series explores what inspires people from all over the world to start life anew here, endure the economic and social upheavals, and defend the land and rights that are unique to the United States of America. As the United States continued to grow in the early nineteenth century, its people began to covet the land of their native neighbors. This greed led to a horrific forced relocation that we now call the Trail of Tears.

WALKING THE TRAIL

A descendant of the Cherokee recounts his experiences walking the nine-hundred-mile Trail of Tears, describing how he grew to understand his people's tragic history

The False Treaty ...the Removal of the Cherokees from Georgia

Removal of the Cherokees from Georgia with maps

Voices From the Trail of Tears (Real Voices, Real History Series)

During the first half of the 19th century, as many as 100,000 Native Americans were relocated west of the Mississippi River from their homelands in the East. The best known of these forced emigrations was the Cherokee Removal of 1838. Christened Nu-No-Du-Na-Tlo-Hi-Lu―literally “the Trail Where They Cried”―by the Cherokees, it is remembered today as the Trail of Tears. In Voices from the Trail of Tears, editor Vicki Rozema re-creates this tragic period in American history by letting eyewitnesses speak for themselves. Using newspaper articles and editorials, journal excerpts, correspondence, and official documents, she presents a comprehensive overview of the Trail of Tears―the events leading to the Indian Removal Act, the Cherokees’ conflicting attitudes toward removal, life in the emigrant camps, the routes westward by land and water, the rampant deaths in camp and along the trail, the experiences of the United States military and of the missionaries and physicians attending the Cherokees, and the difficulties faced by the tribe in the West.

Trail of Tears

I love the fact that at this age, it should not give the ugly side yet of the way the U.S. treated Native Americans.  It should introduce them to a love of the culture.  All three of my boys read this book when they were younger.

Touch My Tears: Tales from the Trail of Tears

In 1830, a treaty was signed. In 1830, hearts broke. Tears fell on the long journey for twenty thousand. The Choctaw Nation was forced to leave their homelands to preserve their people. But they could not save them all.

For this collection of short stories, Choctaw authors from five U.S. states come together to present a part of their ancestors’ journey, a way to honor those who walked the trail for their future. These stories not only capture a history and a culture, but the spirit, faith, and resilience of the Choctaw people.

Nellie the Brave: The Cherokee Trail of Tears (1838)

Time Period:  Begins 1838  In 1838, Nellie Starr, a young Cherokee girl, is caught in the political upheaval of America's westward expansion. Forced by U.S. soldiers to leave their home in Tennessee, Nellie, her family, and thousands of other Cherokees travel the long, dangerous "Trail of Tears" to a new home in the Indian Territory of modern-day Oklahoma. Using actual historical events as a backdrop, this brand-new children's novel teaches lessons of American history and the Christian faith. Can Nellie learn to forgive the people who've turned her world upside down? Nellie the Brave is a compelling read for girls ages eight to twelve.

Soft Rain: A Story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears

It all begins when Soft Rain's teacher reads a letter stating that as of May 23, 1838, all Cherokee people are to leave their land and move to what many Cherokees called "the land of darkness". . .the west. Soft Rain is confident that her family will not have to move, because they have just planted corn for the next harvest but soon thereafter, soldiers arrive to take nine-year-old, Soft Rain, and her mother to walk the Trail of Tears, leaving the rest of her family behind. 

On This Long Journey, the Journal of Jesse Smoke, a Cherokee Boy, the Trail of Tears, 1838 (My Name Is America)

In 1838 in Tennessee, the Cherokee Nation is on the brink of being changed forever as they face the Removal -- being forcibly moved from their homes and land, in part because of a treaty signed by a group of their own people. Sixteen-year-old Jesse Smoke has been studying at the Mission School, but it has been shut down and turned into a fort for the ever-increasing number of soldiers entering the territory. Now Jesse has returned to his home to live with his widowed mother and two younger sisters. All hope lies on the Cherokee chief, John Ross, who is in Washington, D.C., trying to delay the Removal. Then one night, family members are suddenly awakened, dragged from their homes, and brought at gunpoint to a stockade camp.

The Trail of Tears (We the People)

Describes why the Cherokee Native Americans were forced from their
native lands and the journey they experienced to the Indian Territory
established by the U.S. government in Oklahoma.

Life on the Trail of Tears (Picture the Past)

Reveals the lives of the Cherokee people who were forced to travel to an Oklahoma reservation in the winter of 1838, discussing their lives before leaving their homes as well as the hardships faced on the trail.

Trail of Tears (Landmarks of the American Mosaic)

This book covers a critical event in U.S. history: the period of Indian removal and resistance from 1817 to 1839, documenting the Cherokee experience as well as Jacksonian policy and Native-U.S. relations.This book provides an outstanding resource that introduces readers to Indian removal and resistance, and supports high school curricula as well as the National Standards for U.S. History (Era 4: Expansion and Reform). Focusing specifically on the Trail of Tears and the experiences of the Cherokee Nation while also covering earlier events and the aftermath of removal, the clearly written, topical chapters follow the events as they unfolded in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as the New England region and Washington, DC.

How I Became A Ghost — A Choctaw Trail of Tears Story

A Choctaw boy tells the story of his tribe's removal from the only land his people had ever known, and how their journey to Oklahoma led him to become a ghost--one with the ability to help those he left behind.

Talking Leaves

Thirteen-year-old Uwohali has not seen his father, Sequoyah, for many years. So when Sequoyah returns to the village, Uwohali is eager to reconnect. But Sequoyah’s new obsession with making strange markings causes friends and neighbors in their tribe to wonder whether he is crazy, or worse—practicing witchcraft. What they don’t know, and what Uwohali discovers, is that Sequoyah is a genius and his strange markings are actually an alphabet representing the sounds of the Cherokee language. 

Cherokee, Indians of the Mountains

Tells of everyday life in the Cherokee Nation and how it changed with the coming of the white man

More Trail of Tears Activities

  • Free The Trail Of Tears For Kids Fun Unit Study Ideas And Lapbook
  • Books About the Trail of Tears
  • Trail of Tears Indian Removal Act Minibook
  • Cherokee Garden Pan Bread
  • Trail of Tears Notebooking Pages
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears

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1 CommentFiled Under: Geography Based, History Based, Science Based Tagged With: book lists, books, Native Americans, nativeamerican, nativeamericans

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