American History

 

OK, so I for real just finished reading 1776 and started reading John Adams even though I posted them last July. I love reading on my phone, but I only downloaded the sample of Adams so I'm not looking forward to switching to the actual heavy, awkward book. This is the time of year when I really get into teaching about the American Revolution so I also rented the musical 1776 and watched it along with the PBS classic about the French and Indian War called The War That Made America. I really want to be reading The Traitor's Wife and Sophia's War during April vacation, but I may have to save them for the summer. Ah, summer!

Lies You Wanted To Hear

I read about Lies You Wanted to Hear by James Whitfield Thomson in the Cape Cod Times in early February, and it was the perfect February vacation read. The newspaper article was about the author who wrote the novel between the years 2006 and 2011 at a library in Natick. I was intrigued by the description in the Times which called the book "a compelling story of a recognizable but flawed couple, bound by bad choices and devotion to their children that explores the consequences of their of self-deceptions with insight and irony." 

Shades of Grey

Oh yeah, sometime in 2012 I read the first two books from the Fifty Shades Trilogy by E L James. One would have been enough. I paid too much money for them and read them on my iPhone because I just haaad to discover for myself, why, as this June 2012 Dailymail.co.uk headline screams 'Mommy porn' Fifty Shades Of Grey outstrips Harry Potter to become fastest selling paperback of all time!

Entertaining and titillating, for sure, but ultimately an over-the-top, guilty-pleasure read.


The SNL skit was funny, though.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is another painful literary reminder of the sad fate of Native Americans in the United States. It is based on autobiographical details of the author's high school years growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington state. Poverty, alcoholism, bullying, and overcoming devastating early childhood health issues are some of the challenges that face the main character, Arnold Spirit, who despite these obstacles never loses hope. With love and humor he takes on what life throws at him, takes risks, and embraces his strengths.

1776 and John Adams

                                                                                 

So, I LOVE teaching social studies, and the fifth grade curriculum is really fun. We start with reviewing maps and globes, then a quick overview of the early natives to settle in the Americas, then European exploration of the New World in the 16th and 17th centuries, development of the colonies, and finally the American Revolution and Birth of a New Nation. David McCullough's books provide a wealth of background information to help bring this time in history alive for me. I am fascinated reading about the personalities and inner thoughts of the early settlers and leaders in America.

First I started reading 1776 on my phone, and then I used a gift card I had to purchase hard copies of 1776 and John Adams. Reading these books gives me lots of juicy details to share with the kids, and makes me feel like I'm doing professional development at the same time!