Ironically, now as a teacher, I adore teaching history. Why? I approach it as a great story, and I use historical fiction to help me tell that story. What better way to make the past come alive than to view it with the relatable eyes of a middle grade peer.
In 5th grade we go on the great adventure of American history. Here are a few of the novels that have helped me bring the days of yore to my students.
Homesteading and understanding of American Indian tribes of the Northeast Woodlands
Puritan vs. Quaker and the witchcraft insanity of the colonial period
THE FIGHTING GROUND by Avi
The horror of the Revolutionary War
What are some of your favorite middle grade historical fiction stories?
We just finished The Sign of the Beaver in our fifth grade class a couple of weeks ago. The students are working on their final project. Several years ago, we read The Fighting Ground.
ReplyDeleteI also disliked Social Studies when I was younger. The only part that interested me was immigration/Ellis Island. When I attended college, I realized history could be interesting.
Hi Leslie, I hear ya. I hated history when I was a kid, too. Then when I homeschooled my daughters, I took the novel approach. We read books (like the ones you mentioned above)together. It made such a difference.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I was a nerd and totally loved history as a kid. Probably why I ended up studying it as an adult (well, if you count archaeology...). I remember really loving Sign of the Beaver and Witch of Blackbird Pond. I recently read The Book Thief (and sobbed my eyes out). They are all such awesome books to brings the subject alive for students!
ReplyDeleteI didn't like history either (married a history Ph.D. though:), until I figured out late that I loved it when it was a by-product of studying literature or art. That way it became a story with a timeline and hooks to hang dates and facts on. But to answer your question, I home schooled my youngest daughter through 4th grade and I loved all her biographies and historical fiction. She did too! The one that sticks, though, is Detectives in Togas--fiction set in Roman times (duh).
ReplyDeleteI think you marrying a history Ph.D. falls under the category of Karma. I fell for history when I started studying theatre.
DeleteI loved history as a kid. It made my imagination go wild.
ReplyDeleteThe Witch of Blackbird Pond is one of my favorites from my childhood.
From recent reads, I enjoyed What I Saw and How I lied by Judy Blundell (40's) and Al Capone Does My Shirts (30's). They're not necessarily history-oriented, but I love the setting.
I love ancient history. But my favorite historical fiction book was Newbery Award winner A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park. That was one awesome book!
ReplyDeleteOoo, you've listed some good ones! I remember reading Johnny Tremain in sixth grade and it making a huge impression on me. I also love Caddie Woodlawn. I have a deep appreciation for well-told historical fiction--so much research!
ReplyDeleteCaddie Woodlawn was my daughter's FAVORITE. I show the Disney Johnny Tremain movie every year on the last week of school, and the liberty song is stuck in my head for a month.
DeleteI was bored with history during school, but now I love it. My favorite time was visiting Washington D.C., Mount Vernon, and Gettysburg as an adult, and soaking up all that amazing history.
ReplyDeleteHmm, you're email just got to me today. Anyway, The Witch At Blackbird Pond was my absolute favorite! But in 5th grade we studied the Revolutionary war exclusively. We had this wonderful teacher who had us make a huge project, writing papers on battles and people and draw pictures (Lord those are funny) and I wrote poems Oh how funny those are. And I made my own parchment by tea dying paper then burning the edges. It was the most fun I ever had learning. I still have that project. The Boston Tea party was my favorite story that I wrote up in it. I'm surprised I didn't staple tea bags all over it! It took a lot of time, not one of those to be done at the last minute, but sometimes I wish school projects were like that again.
ReplyDeleteHeather
Congratulations Leslie!
ReplyDeleteYou won the Louisa George giveaway! Please check this post http://louisageorge.blogspot.com/2012/03/winner-of-romance-book-paradise-give.html
I agree with you about boring history teachers! I had one named Mrs. Kossie (she's dead now so I can bash her). Her voice was monotonous to say the least, but what always distracted me from her so-called lessons was her lazy eye. In fact, as a kid it freaked me out of my PF Flyers. I mean, when talking she could look at two students at the same time while focusing on one.
ReplyDeleteThankfully, while in college I had a great history professor for two classes. He was animated and would act out scenes. Too, he had a penchant, I believe, for some extravagant hyperbole. Besides, I made two A's in his classes so it's all good.
Entertainment IS crucial to garnering interest from students nowadays, so keep up the good fight.
I think that's the key to history. I hated it unless it was in a movie. Now I love it. The YA I just wrote has a lot of history in it, but it's told as a thriller that I hope is entertaining.
ReplyDeleteYes I remember history being hideously boring until I finally had a wonderful European history teacher in high school - and then discovered how much I love history! I've read Number the Stars and The Book Thief but not the others. In the YA book Unearthly, there is a high school history teacher that got the students involved by assigning them historical roles throughout the class - what fun!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the validation. I was worried I was the only one bored and doodling all over my history notes.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome selection of books. You included some of my favorites, too! I also love Snow Treasure (WWII) and Freedom Crossing (Underground Railroad). The students at my school don't learn very much about the history of the United States (or other countires)- but we do a unit on historical fiction in LA. The kids love it!! We also use a lot of great picture books as mentor texts to help set the stage for certain eras (Pink and Say, The Butterfly, etc.). I used to be bored in history, too! Music from different time periods is also a fun way to spice up history. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, what I wouldn't have done to have a passionate history teacher like you! From what I can remember (which is very little) we studied dates and more dates. Ugh.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I would've remembered more if history was presented in fabulous stories, rather than listed facts. ;)
Great post.
http://cehart.blogspot.com
I did not like History but now I love reading Historical Romances!
ReplyDeleteI teach history the same way! The kids love it :) My favourite to use is Underground to Canada. I've also enjoyed using The True Adventures of Charlotte Doyle - and several of the ones you mentioned! :)
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way in school. I loathed history! Now I'm beating myself up for not listening as much as I should because the storyteller in me eats it up now and I don't know as much as I would like:(
ReplyDeleteI actually always loved history, but maybe it's because I read about it on my own as well. :-)
ReplyDeleteHistory was always one of my favorite classes. I guess I'd pick Harriet Tubman or Little House on the Prairie. Does that count?
ReplyDeleteI loathed history at school to, but I came to love it at college. My teacher there was awesome!
ReplyDeleteI love The Book Thief!
I used hate social studies. But then I found historical romances and history came alive. (Not that I used them to study for exams) :D
ReplyDeleteI think I'm seeing a pattern here. Hmmmmm.
ReplyDeleteYes, I do remember being bored to tears during history class. I would have enjoyed it a lot more if we'd been able to read fiction books as part of the classwork! I don't read much historical fiction, but I did learn about a period of history I previously knew nothing about by reading Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson.
ReplyDeleteI forgot about the My Name is America and Dear America series. I've read the diary entries in real time at the beginning of social studies classes. It's a quick and easy way to make the time period more real.
ReplyDeleteFever 1793. I liked that one a lot. I also love all the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, which are lightly fictionalized.
ReplyDeleteLaurie Halse Anderson also wrote a book about Valley Forge. We didn't read any historical fiction in elementary or middle school. That might have helped. When my son gets to 5th grade, I hope his teacher is as cool as you!
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