Book List for Early American History Unit

Early American History

September:  New World Explorers

We are going to learn about famous explorers such as Leif the Lucky, Columbus, Ponce Deleon and Magellan. They will learn how to tie knots like they do on a real ship! They will make a ship’s log and learn about Pieces of Eight and Gold Doubloons and their values.

Book List:

Usborne Book of Explorers

Leif the Lucky: by Ingri & Edgar Parin D’Aulaire

The Raiders Promise: by Lois Johnson ages 10 & up

Columbus: by Ingri & Edgar Parin D’Aulaire

Christopher Columbus, Level 3 reader: by Stephen Krensky

Where Do you think you’re going Christopher Columbus: by Jean Fritz

Draw Write Now Book 2, ages 5-8

The World of Columbus and his sons: by Genevieve Foster

Who was Ferdinand Magellan: by Sydelle Kramer

Ferdinand Magellan: by Carole Marsh

Ship’s Boy with Magellan: by Milton Lomask

Ponce Deleon Exploring Florida: by Rachel Eagen

Strawberry girl- Florida in the Early 1900’s: by Lois Lenski

October: Native American Indians

Ever wonder what it must have been like to be an Indian? We will go on an adventure and learn about the many tribes, their customs, traditions and what they had to do to survive in the wilderness.

Book List:

Buffalo Woman by: Paul Goble

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses: by Paul Goble

Lone Bull’s Horse Raid: by Paul Goble

Arrow to the Sun: by Gerald McDermott

When Clay Sings: by Byrd Baylor

Annie and the Old One: by Miska Miles

The Desert is theirs: by Byrd Baylor

The Gift of the Sacred Dog: by Paul Goble

Conquista!: by Clyde Robert Bulla

Pocahontas and the Strangers: by Clyde Robert Bulla

Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims: by Clyde Robert Bulla

Paddle to the Sea: by Holling C. Holling

Good Hunting, Blue Sky:  By Parish

The Famous Battle of Bravery Creek: by Hall

Little Chief: by Hoff

Children of the Longhouse: by Joseph Bruchac

The Legend of the Bluebonnet, An Old Tale of Texas: by Tomie dePaoloa

North American Indians: by Marie Gorsline

A Tree's Tale: by Lark Carrier.

The Sign of the Beaver: Elizabeth George Speare

Moccasin Trail: by Eloise Jarvis Mcgraw
Indian Captive, The story of Mary Jemison: by Lois Lenski

November: Colonial Life

As we travel onward we will move into the Colonial Period. While we are there we will discover the very early days of America and how she came to be. We will try our hand at basket weaving making homemade butter and so much more!

Book List:

Jamestown, New World Adventure

James Towne: Struggle for Survival

The Pilgrims of Plymouth

Three Ships Come Sailing

A Lion to Guard Us

Who's That Stepping on Plymouth Rock?

. . . If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620

Pocahontas

The Thanksgiving Story

Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims

If You Lived In Colonial Times

Benjamin Franklin

What's The Big Idea, Ben Franklin?

Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by His Good

Mouse Amos

Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia (Landmark Books)

Benjamin Franklin: Young Printer (Childhood of Famous Americans)

The Courage of Sarah Noble

Madeleine Takes Command (Living History Library)

December: Christmas Time in the Colonial Days

It only seems right that we continue our studies with the colonies on into Christmas where we will learn colonial traditions and crafts for the Holiday Season!

My White Knuckle Grip

I start my day to a little baby girl calling me down the hall way......And there are some mornings I have to stretch and breathe deep before I half sleep walk to her room because I'm not ready to start the day, but she is.....

I try and keep my mind on the tasks ahead. Empty me of me so I can be of use to Him. I live this life knowing that I have to constantly remember it's not all about me....it's all about them, you and others. All about supporting my man. Little girls who need more kisses. And not so little boys who still need their Mama. It's all about lives twisted and mangled. It's all about broken homes and crushed hearts. All about 3rd world countries and their people meeting and hearing about the Christ child for the very first time.

And the daily headlines can make any one go into a downward tailspin. Make them give up hope and lose their joy for a better tomorrow. But hope/joy is not in tomorrow. They are found with in your heart. Hope is not wishing, Hope is a guaranteed promise you can overcome your tomorrows. Joy is the covenant He made with you......

My day consists of step stools and Fairy Tales. Mismatch socks and cereal puffs. With out a doubt I am called to be his wife, called to be their Mama......And sometimes I take a tight grip hold. You know the kind where you white knuckle it until your fingers go numb......Fear will make you grip tighter than you were ever meant to. Fear clogs the mind, fills it with lies and drowns your hope/Joy.......

I go to lunch with a Dear Friend. My Beloved mentor......I've told her that before, how I love watching Jesus bubble over into everything she does. She shares with me her life and I share with her, mine......

She tells me about this dream....A dream that has consumed her life and over takes her soul. A dream that she is watching in real time. A dream that is becoming reality. She shows me Jesus in every word....Like a novel that you can't put down I am hanging on every miracle, every God thing. I swear my jaw dropped over a 1/2 a dozen times.

Only God shows up in those sorts of ways......No other way to explain it. Tell me prayer can't make a difference......Tell me those things are just coincidences.....Only a fool would believe that something comes from nothing.

And I walk away with this....that no matter what the headlines read. No matter what the world is doing and what this life holds here this side of heaven "Kimmy God is still sitting on His throne."

And that fear I was feeling earlier this morning for the future of the ones I cherish, dissipated. We are here for each other. We are here because He has given us a purpose. I loosen my white knuckle grip hold. I remember it's not all about me, but that it's all about mission minded dreams and little old women. It's all about the hungry and the raw nakedness of poverty. It's all about the lost seeking refuge in this strange and scary world. It's all about serving a mighty God who still sits on His throne. It's all about being apart of His plan and standing back in awe and watching it all fall into place.

It's all about letting go and serving. It's loving on those who don't have hope/joy so that they may live Hope and know Joy even when the headlines make life look bleak here.......

It's all about being JESUS to a lost and dying world.

It's all about knowing WE. ARE. NOT. HOME. YET..........

15 Minutes and a Whole Day Blessed!

Today I had to run down town 4 kids out of six in the car. And life is loud and crazy, but I've grown to having it be the norm.... And strangely enough, the quietness is welcoming but I begin to miss the noise when it stays away too long. We do what we had to do and we all pile back into the car. Just before we reach home I spot an elderly woman at her mailbox with her walker. 87 degrees outside and she is barely making an inch every couple of minutes. My Sunshine girl and I both looked at each other knowing that I had to turn around and go back so that we could help this old woman up the hill to her house.

 

I turn around and get to her drive way, sweat dripping off her brow and she is bent down low. I introduce my daughter and myself to her. Tell her that we are neighbors about a mile down the road. Then I politely ask if she would like some help....the look of relief flowed over her face and she couldn't  grab our arms quick enough as I carried her walker in one hand and her arm in the other. It must have been a couple hundred yards from her mailbox to her house up a rocky dirt driveway.

It took us all of 10 minutes to get up her driveway and to this very moment I have no idea how she makes that trek every day.

In that 10 minutes the Lord gave us time to talk. I shared Jesus with her and she shared her smile and her love for teaching.  "I was a teacher for 40 years for Lake county." She talked about classic literature and for me to make sure my children were reading the classics. We asked her to church, she accepted.

She sits down asks my Sunshine girl to guess her age. "Now don't be bashful!" Sunshine says 85 and the old woman came back with "I'm 98!" We left as if we were both riding on cloud nine, but before I said goodbye She grabs my hand and tells  me..."The Lord has blessed me so much because of you both stopping by to help me today. I'm so blessed and thank you, you have made this old gal's day!" I quickly tell her that we were the ones who were blessed.

Love moments like those! Those moments are there everyday, in big and small ways. It took 15 minutes out of my time and it blessed her whole day!

Not only should you look for the Blessings in everyday, we need to look for ways to BE THE BLESSING everyday! 

Chasing Bunny Trails

It's been some days since I have graced this place. It's grace that allows me to be here at all. I have come to the conclusion that in order to live this life, more times than not it's all about letting go.

I guess I tell you that all the time. I tell you that this sin soaked Mama has so much to learn. And many times I feel I'm learning at a slow rate of speed. Many times I've wanted to come here to this spot and share with you all the things that seem to be running across my mind like a scared rabbit just trying so hard to find a way to escape.

And if you know me well, you know that chasing rabbits is something my mind does on a daily basis. Trying to stay focused, but this Mama she has so many things on her plate. Too many rabbits chasing bunny trails in her head.

I have great plans and schemes. I dream of wonderful pottage gardens, and reading literary classics to my children. I dream of a constantly clean home with candles all a glow. I dream.........

Sometimes those things, they do become reality.

And sometimes? I just let them go.........

Because honestly, in the grand scheme of things dreamed it's this......That my children see me broken, imperfect, but trying everyday to get it right. Oh not by my strength......Through my weakness He gives me strength.

Mama friend texts me a message telling me her hair is falling out. Ah and I believe I'm not the only one chasing dreams and bunny trails. Sometimes God comes at us in quiet ways and other times He lets our hair fall out.......Makes us aware of where our priorities truly lie..... She tells me her dreams were getting too big. She was taking on too much. And she just needed to let some of it go.

After chatting with her I come back with this light hearted message.... "Good thing you were made aware of this early or you would end up being completely bald!" We both come back with LOL's and ;).

Because really in this life the biggest lesson is all about just LETTING GO.....AND LETTING GOD.

So as I write this I am thinking of all the things I have learned and all things I want to share with you.....And sometimes my priorities are screaming in the background and I just have to let you go.....But only for moments at a time.....I will be in and out sporadically......After I catch a couple of bunnies. *smile*