20th Century US History without a Textbook

Have you ever considered teaching without a textbook?  I never thought I would, but there are so many focused-topic books about American History.  We've found that these books, written by passionate authors are better for us than having a single textbook.   Reading this multitude of books allows us to learn far more than the "overview" a textbook provides.  Although our plans are to fill in with video-based presentations for other topics of the era, these books give us a good background on the writers and themes of the different decades.

In addition, novels, plays, and even memoirs written or set in specific time periods allow us to dig into the culture of an era, which in turn influences its history.  In order to have the time to explore more fully, we've taken a more "unit study" approach and combined literature with history.  This way we can explore both fiction and non-fiction that is either written in or focuses on the prevailing themes and tone of a decade.

This booklist can be used to create a high school level history and literature course of the American 20th century.   It is a lot of reading - far more than a regular text book - but in exchange it gives us a much better understanding of the last 100 or so years.  Note: Fiction books are listed first, with nonfiction the second set of titles for an era.  This list will be updated as we get into the1970s and later - we haven't reached there yet so I want to see how some of the books we have planned work before recommending them.


1900s

The Jungle - Upton Sinclair

Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theatre - Ethan Mordden
(Note: covers beyond 20th century)
Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography - Theodore Roosevelt



1910s

A Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemmingway

A Night to Remember - Walter Lord 
America's Great War: World War I and the American Experience - Robert Zieger


1920s

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Only Yesterday: An Informal History of the 1920s - Frederick Lewis Allen

1930s

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck


The Man He Became: How FDR Defied Polio to Win the Presidency - James Tobin
The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt - Eleanor Roosevelt
The Fireside Chats of Franklin Delano Roosevelt - Franklin Delano Roosevelt


1940s

Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller

The Greatest Generation - Tom Brokaw
Harry Truman - Margaret Truman



1950s

A Streetcar Named Desire, The Glass Menagerie - Tennessee Williams
A Raisin in the Sun - Lorraine Hansbury

Profiles in Courage - John F. Kennedy
The Cold War: A Very Short Introduction - Robert J. McMahon


1960s

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou
Boom! Talking About the Sixties - Tom Brokaw
A Call to Conscience: The Landmark Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr - Clayborne Carson et. al.
Silent Spring - Rachel Carson
A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White House - Arthur Schlessinger
The Boys of '67: Charlie Company's War in Vietnam - Andrew Wiest 
Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years 1954-1965 - Juan Williams


1970s

Where the Sidewalk Ends - Shel Silverstein


1980s


Beloved - Toni Morrison

The Making of a Great Communicator: Ronald Reagan's Transformation from Actor to Governor - Ken Holden

1990s

 Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West - Gregory Maguire
(in conjunction with the 1899 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum)


What are some of your favorite books that personify the 20th Century in the United States? Share them in the comments!


©2012- 2015 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

Luke's American Adventures: Washington and Lincoln

With President's Day coming, we're joining the crew in sharing our favorite president-themed posts.  All of our presidental posts here have focused on the first century of American presidents. Subscribe to Adventures with Jude or follow our Luke's American Adventures board on Pinterest to be notified when we add stories about post-Civil War presidents.  Luke has a Teddy Roosevelt post already outlined!

George Washington

History of George Washington

Happy Birthday, Mr. President?


Did you know that George Washington wasn't really born on his "birthday"?  He was born on February 11, 1731 as marked by the Julian calendar.  For several centuries, Protestant Britain refused to follow the Gregorian calendar, established by Pope Gregory.  When they finally made the change in 1752, it pushed the dates around and had to wait almost two extra weeks for a birthday cake!




A Biography of George Washington

Part I focuses on the George's youth, Part II his early military career, and Part III his role in the American War for Independence and his presidency.

George Washington, True Patriot
(A Schoolhouse Crew Review)

This story starts long before most others. I don't recall learning much about pre-Revolutionary George, beyond he was a surveyor by trade and a scout during the French & Indian War.  I had no idea the complexity of his childhood.  The first chapter begins as the newly commissioned General George Washington is standing on the shores of Boston Harbor.  He recognizes that he is giving up his lifelong dream of being an officer in the British Army - by their reckoning, he is now a traitor - and summoning the courage to begin leading a ragtag bunch of rebels.  It then moves into a flashback of Washington's childhood and youth.  Most history books list a man's accomplishments.  This book explores the man's psyche.

George Washington Field Trips:

Field Trips in the Philadelphia Area

A few George-related field trips are highlighted here.  One of our favorites is Valley Forge (a post from our trip there is in the works), and catching a re-enactment of the Christmas Day Washington's Crossing is on our agenda.

George Washington's Mount Vernon

If you're ever in the Washington DC area, it's worth taking a day outside the city and visiting Washington's home, Mount Vernon.  After having the privilege of sitting on the front veranda and watching the sun set over the Potomac, it's easy to see why Washington wanted to retire from public life and return to his gentleman farmer roots.

 Fort Necessity National Battlefield

This gorgeous field is tucked away in Pennsylvania's Allegheny Mountains.  It was the site of the sole surrender in Washington's military career.   When he first arrived at Great Meadow as a British military surveyor, George Washington wrote that the meadow would be “a charming field for an encounter.”  Taking in the stillness of the open field, we could see what would make a young, still-idealistic surveyor feel this way.   After the loss of  Fort Necessity, he never again referred to war as "charming."  He returned to the area in 1755 as the aide-de-camp to Major General Edward Braddock.  After the loss on the road to Ft. Duquesne and the retreat to the woods around Great Meadow, Washington no longer saw any glory in war: "The shocking Scenes which presented themselves in this Nights March are not to be described. The dead, the dying, the groans, lamentations, and crys ... of the wounded for help were enough to pierce a heart of adamant." 

Washington Monument, 
South Mountain, Maryland
 
South Mountain is the site of the very first permanent memorial to George Washington.  On Independence Day 1827, townspeople from nearby Boonsboro marched up to the mountain peak and erected the base of the monument; by September the rest of the monument was built.  The hike up joins with several hundred feet of the Appalachian Trail as well.

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln Speaks

This six-part series focuses on the speeches of Abraham Lincoln and how they foreshadowed, defined, and cemented in legacy the Lincoln Administration.

1. A House Divided - explore this famous speech that was the cornerstone of Lincolns failed Senate Campaign

2. The President's Job Description - Lincoln uses his first inaugural address to reassure the nation that his job is defined by the Constitution, not a platform.

3.  Liberty for All? shows that the Emancipation Proclamation was imperfect, but Lincoln's best tool for setting slaves free while remaining within the confines of his powers.

4.  A New Birth of Freedom - This two minute speech at Gettysburg includes the words "We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain..." that have become a battlecry for all Americans, even in the 21st century.

5. With Malice Towards None - Lincoln's second inaugural speech begins the process of binding up a shattered nation, and reminds Americans that despite our differences, we are one and good in heart.

6. Now He Belongs to the Ages - these words spoken upon Lincoln's passing meant that the mighty President had died, but time has shown that it is truly all time that Lincoln belongs, and his legacy can be seen to this day.

A Thankful Nation

Thankfulness is older than America, but it was the efforts of Sara Hale and an executive order issued by Abraham Lincoln that established the fourth Thursday in November as a national holiday.





Join the Crew in celebrating President's Day! 

©2012- 2015 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

Literature for High School Summer School

This year, we aren't taking a big summer break -- we will take it in the fall when we have family visiting.  That means Luke is diving right into his 11th grade booklist.    Though we will be on a relaxed schedule for the summer, the plan is to just keep going.  He's entering his second year of American History, and we're up to the Civil War, so most of the books will be about the era.  We decided to skip over the "summer classics" - like Fitzgerald and Steinbeck - and read them as we get to the 20s (The Great Gatsby) and the Depression (The Grapes of Wrath).

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Of course, we do have to shake things up a little bit.  The original plan was to read this book later in the year, when we were studying the Great Depression.  However, Luke decided he wanted it to pull double duty as a read-for-a-report book that goes along with our review of Analytical Grammar's Beyond the Book Report.  I'm really excited because it is one of my favorite books ever, and it was JUST released in eBook format. I can't wait to discuss it with him!

Image: pathughesbooks.com

Seeing the Elephant:  A Story of the Civil War by Pat Hughes

Last year, Luke read and enjoyed Five 4ths of July, a Revolutionary War story also by Pat Hughes.  Seeing the Elephant is set in the Civil War, and is the story of how a Yankee meets a Rebel soldier and comes to see him as not the enemy but a human being.  Yes, this is actually for younger students, but it's a quick read (only 40 pages), and an important thing to learn about the War between the States -- these were human beings out their on the battlefields, not automaton killers.

Image: pathughesbooks.com

 Guerrilla Season by Pat Hughes

Guerrilla Season, also by Hughes, is a young adult novel set in Civil War Missouri.   Timed right in the middle of the war - 1863 - it highlights the story of a young man who just wants to farm, not fight, but has to make difficult choices about where his loyalties lie.




 

Image: Amazon.com

Abraham Lincoln in the Kitchen: A Culinary View of Lincoln's Life and Times  by Rae Katherine Eighmey

And for "fun," the plan is to explore Abraham Lincoln in a different way -- through food!  This Smithsonian-printed volume mixes history with food, from foods from Lincoln's simple childhood table to his grand political barbeques, and includes an number of recipes.  Luke is looking forward to eating his way through history!



©2012- 2014 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

Summer Adventures with Middle School Books

This year, we have two middle schoolers again.  Celia is entering 5th grade, and Matthew is now in 8th grade.  For being in the same age bracket, their "To Read" lists are so different!

Celia has two books to read for school:  A Cricket in Times Square by George Selden (that one came home with a work packet) and Beverly Cleary's The Mouse and the Motorcycle.  She's already at work on those!

She would like to re-read the The Adventures of Lily Lapp series by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher that she read last summer.

She and Neal have been watching the Harry Potter movies together.  I always like to read the book before the movie (they are rarely equally good), but in this case, watching these well done movies first helps her get an overview of the story, and then reading the books will fill in the details omitted for time.  If she puts her mind to it, I wouldn't be surprised if she read the entire series before school starts again in September.  I'm kind of glad she's getting into longer books -- a few summers ago, she was reading Junie B. Jones and The Magic Treehouse series and going through two or three books every day.  A Harry Potter tome should take her at least two or three days!

Image: Amazon.com

She's also looking at other "transitional" Beverly Cleary books like the Ramona Quimby series - she read Beezus and Ramona last year and loved it.  I think she'd also enjoy The Babysitters Club series, as well.   (I admit, I'd probably be just as interested in re-reading those, too...)  No matter what she is reading, she always is contemplating what will be next - she can't bear to not have a new book waiting in the wings.

This summer, things are a bit different for Matthew.  He doesn't have any "official summer reading" because he's now a homeschooler.  We will be taking our longer break in the fall, so he's diving right into 8th grade.

We're currently working on two literature programs.  The first one is called Lightning Literature and it's from Hewitt Homeschooling.  (You can read our review of it soon!)  We'll be working on the books and short stories listed in this program.  Currently he is reading the story "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling, and next on the agenda is The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. After seeing how much the audiobook version of helped Luke manage the dialect with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I think we will be downloading the audiobook version of this one, too.

The second program is Beyond the Book Report from Analytical Grammar.  For this program, he's choosing his own books.  I'm not certain how far we will get with this over the summer - definitely through one book report, and possibly into a second.  His first book choice is Mockingjay by Susan Collins.  He is not a reader by choice, but after reading Catching Fire and seeing the film, he's excited for the next movies.  Instead of seeing the movies first, he's actually interested to read the books first.  Since it gets him to read without arguing, I'm totally fine with that!  For as much of a reader and planner Celia is, he is not.  When I asked him what he was going to read next, he looked at me as if I had lost my mind.  After just staring almost a full minute with his jaw open, he said, "I haven't finished Mockingjay yet, what do you mean, 'What's next?'"  I guess that adventure is going to be charted as we go!



©2012- 2014 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

On the Way to Cape May...

We live in southern New Jersey, just outside of Philadelphia.  Most people think of Philadelphia and the western countryside when planning day trips in the area.  There are lots of things to do in the surrounding Philadelphia metro area (check out our list here), but there are plenty of things to do without leaving the state.  Here are some great day trip ideas, all of them east of the Delaware River.

Inland Adventures

Adventure Aquarium - Camden NJ
Sure, there's lots of fish to see, but what makes this Aquarium special is wandering over to the West African River Experience.  Meet Genny and Button, two enormous (3000 pound) Nile Hippos! Adventure Aquarium is the only aquarium with a hippo exhibit.  Other favorites are Stingray Beach Club (pet one of four different stingray species!) and Penguin Island.

Fort Mott State Park - Pennsville, NJ
Fort Mott is one of three post-Civil War forts built to protect the Delaware River.  Construction began in 1872 and was suspended in 1876.  Though never completed as planned, the fort was used by the US military until 1922, when Fort Saulsbury was built.  (Ok, if you're feeling adventurous you can go a little bit west - from Ft. Mott, you can access the other sentinels, Fort Delaware and Delaware City, Delaware, by ferry in the spring and summer.  But it's passengers only, so your car never leaves the state!)

The Garden State Discovery Museum - Cherry Hill, NJ
This hands-on learning experience is for children ages infant through ten years old.  A special zone for the under-3 set allows them to crawl, toddle, and explore without being pushed around by bigger kids.  Learn about construction, broadcast TV, the Jersey shore ecosystem, and more through play.

In addition to these, there are plenty of state parks in the Delaware River, Greater Atlantic City, and Southern Shore zones.  Pick Your Own farms abound, as well as roadside markets boasting fresh Jersey Produce and baked goods made with local produce.  If you'd prefer to go fishing, catch one of 300+ charter boats and head out onto the rivers or the ocean.  

 The Jersey Shore

Unlike what you may have seen on television, what a Philly girl considers "down the shore" are the resorts from Ocean City and south.  If you'd like a quick musical tour of what I call the "Jersey Shore," check out this video.  It features the song, "On the Way to Cape May" made famous by Philadelphia's own Al Alberts and the Four Aces.




Ocean City - Ocean City, New Jersey
Called "America's Greatest Family Resort,"  this shore town features a boardwalk and Gillian's Wonderland Pier, with amusement rides for the young and young at heart.  It's also the home of the Miss New Jersey Pageant - the winner then represents New Jersey at the world-renowned Miss America Pageant just up the Parkway in Atlantic City, NJ.  

Sea Isle City - Sea Isle, NJ
Lazy days on the beach in Sea Isle are some of my most treasured memories.  This quiet town features a Promenade instead of a boardwalk, featuring quaint shops and beachcomber tours. 

Avalon - Avalon, NJ
Avalon is a great place to set sail from for a day of deep sea fishing.  With a number of dayboat opportunities, you're bound to find lots of chances to catch your supper.

Stone Harbor - Stone Harbor, NJ 
A Tuesday excursion to Stone Harbor this summer (2014) provides a special treat. Spend the day on the beach, eat dinner at one of the cafes on the main throughfare, and then listen in to The Jersey Shore Pops concert series.

The New Jersey Wildwoods - North Wildwood, Wildwood, and Wildwood Crest, NJ
These three towns, along with Diamond Beach, make up the Wildwood barrier island at the southern end of the Jersey shore.  Wide sandy beaches (nearly a mile at some points!) provide lots of space for building sand castles and relaxing with a summer novel on a summer afternoon, or bring your surfboard and catch some waves at Rambler Beach.  After the sun sets, head up to the famous Wildwood Boardwalk.  Three piers of neon-lit amusements provide mild attractions for the little ones and wild rides for the more daring.  Bobby Rydell sang it best:  "Every day's a holiday, and every night is Saturday night!"

Cape May County Park and Zoo - Cape May Court House, NJ
This combination is a year-round favorite of ours!  Open daily starting at 10 am (closing depends on season), and located near the Jersey Shore, this FREE activity is a local favorite as well.  An 85 acre zoo adjoins a park complete with two huge playgrounds (one for big kids and one for tots),  picnic grounds, wooded walking paths, and open green space.  A small lunch stand offers quick meals, or pack a lunch and spread out at a table or on a blanket beneath a tree.  Check out some of the animals we saw on one of our previous visits.

I'm excited for summer to start, because many of these are on our "day trips to take" list!  Bonus:  No bridge toll!  If you're from New Jersey, there's plenty to entertain you on your Summer Staycation!


The Crew is sharing their favorite staycation ideas. This button goes live on Wednesday May 28.





©2012- 2014 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

Lesson Planning and Assignments with Pinterest

I know I've mentioned Pinterest just a few times before.  For example, I think it's a Homeschooling Essential. You can read about why by clicking on the banner.

But today I want to share how I discovered a new way to use Pinterest -- for assigning work to Luke!

We are creating our own US History program, weaving together several programs because I haven't found any one program that provides the depth of study that I want him to have.  We have also merged the history side of his program with literature, and are studying both American authors and novels, poetry, short stories, etc. that are either written by authors during the period we are studying, or by modern writers looking back.  Pinterest has been a huge help in creating our unit studies.

First, I have each era divided onto its own Pinterest board.  They're all titled "Homeschooling US History" but then subtitled by era:

The boards are divided by era, and then I have them in chronologic order, so that I can find the current and flanking units easily.

Notice at the end the pin is titled "Philadephia's Yellow Fever..."  Next to it is my personal board with pins regarding the 1793 Philadelphia Yellow Fever Epidemic.  This particular unit was a crossover history-and-literature,  with the novel Fever/1793 by Laurie Halse Andersen as the spine.  We explored the history of Fairmount Park and the Philadelphia Water Works as part of our historical study.   However, this differently-titled board is a group board.  It contains Luke's assignments.

Up until recently, I would pin a video or journal article that I wanted him to use for an assignment and write the title in his planner, but then he would have to consult me to find out where it was online.  Finally, I realized -- if he had the link, he could do it independently, but I needed it to be simpler than writing the entire URL, so I created him his own Pinboard!  I set him up with a Pinterest account, and set up a group board.  When I am searching for what I want to use in our study, I pin it to my board.  This way, I can pre-screen for appropriateness and accuracy.

Then, when I make the final assignment, I repin it to a second board, and invite him to post on that board.  He can then access the assignments without needing me to find them for him, or googling the title and hoping he finds the same link I did. 

Plus, if he was to find something that he thought went with it (another installment of a video I may have missed, or a "for more information, go to..."), he can pin it himself, and I can then check it out, again without having to make sure the other person finds the same link.

I definitely would only use this with an older student -- middle school and up.  But it's a great way to  teach a new way of researching and documenting, and foster guided yet independent study!

This post is part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew Carnival - see how others homeschool using Pinterest!

©2012- 2014 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

2013: Broken, Yet Blessed

It's the start of a new year, and lots of bloggers are looking back on 2013.  Most are making lists of their favorite posts or their most popular posts, and when began to consider what I'd write as my look-back post, those ideas just didn't strike a chord with me. That seemed too simple...too sugarcoated to really explain our year.

After 2012 containing so much upheaval, I thought 2013 was going to be easier.  I was wrong.  It was a crazy hard year.  If you said, "Name the first things that come to mind that shaped your year," they would be moments where we saw some of our deepest lows:

 the Closing of Sacred Heart

gut-wrenching knowledge that Jude really is behind and we can't hide from reality

I think if I wanted to, I could easily be mired in despair.  And some days, it does feel better to wallow -- while I know I'll eventually put one foot in front of the other and march forward again, sometimes a good cry is in order.

But if I stop to think about what has shaped my heart, it hasn't been teary trudging, but joy in unexpected places.

 absurd laughter following a Froggie Funeral

 a brave high five

hard work pays off

creativity and initiative

joyful noise

realizing it's not food but family that we are celebrating

a new adventure

Bob Hope said,

 "When we recall the past, we usually find that it is the simplest things - not the great occasions - that in retrospect give off the greatest glow of happiness."

 While the big events could easily overshadow the whole year, the smaller events bring forth joy that even the buckets of tears can't wash away.   Now that 2014 is underway, what would I call 2013?  A year that was broken, yet blessed. 

©2012- 2013 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com