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e the
results.
Why do write? When do people in your family use writing?
What written things do you see every day? What is their
purpose? What effect do different writing implements have on
writing, for example quill pens, ballpoint pens, typewriters,
and computers?
School Days
Did you ever wonder why there is no school in summer? Or
why there might be soon?
What you'll need
Map of the United States
Crayons or colored pencils
History log
What to do
1. Talk about what school was like when you were a child.
Include how schools looked physically (e.g., one-room
schoolhouse or campus?); what equipment teachers used
(e.g., chalk boards or computers?); what subjects you
studied; what choices you faced (e.g., transportation to
and from school, extracurricular activities ); and
favorite teachers.
2. Talk about what school was like 50 or 100 years ago. Ask
your librarian for help in looking this up, and talk to
older relatives.
Include the history of work in America and how this
affects schooling. For example, when America was an
agricultural society, children were needed to help plant
and harvest crops. It was common then that children didn't
go to school every day, or in the summer.
Have children draw a variety of crops or animals raised in
the United States, including those grown in their own
state or neighborhood. They can draw either right on the
map or on paper that they will cut and paste on the
appropriate state. The map can be traced from an atlas in
the library or from a geography book. Talk about when
various crops are planted and harvested, and the effects
of growing seasons on migrant worker families.
Talk about another change in work in America and how it
affected schooling. For example, when America was becoming
a manufacturing economy, during the Industrial Revolution,
laws were made against child labor and for mandatory
schooling.
Help your child talk about how the work of parents in
America today affects schooling, for example, the need for
afterschool programs.
3. Imagine what school will be like in the future. Younger
children may want to use blocks to build their future
school, and older children may want to draw theirs.
What has remained the same about school from the past to
the present? What has changed? If you could be the head of a
school 20 years from now, what would you keep and what would
you change based on your current school? How would you go about
making the changes?
Time To Celebrate
On quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies is written the
phrase "E pluribus unum," "One out of many." What does it mean?
What you'll need
U.S. coins
Map of the world
Calendar
History log
What to do
1. Have your children look at U.S. coins for the expression
"E pluribus unum", and translate it for them: "One out of
many." Explain to them that it refers to America as one
nation with many peoples and cultures, and that it is not
a common nationality but shared democratic values that
bind us as a nation.
2. With your children talk about the following list of
holidays celebrated in the United States. Look at a
calendar to add other holidays, and next to each holiday
write when it is celebrated and what is celebrated.
New Year's Day January 1 New beginning
Martin Luther January 15 Birth of a leader
King Jr.'s
Birthday
Presidents' Day 3rd Monday Originally, Presidents
of February Lincoln and Washington
currently all former
U.S. presidents
Memorial Day Last Monday War dead
of May
Independence Day July 4 National independence;
adoption of the
Declaration of
Independence in 1776
Labor Day First Monday Working people
of September
Columbus Day Second Monday Landing of
of October Columbus in the
Bahamas in 1492
Veterans Day November 11 War veterans
Thanksgiving Fourth Giving thanks
Day Thursday of for divine goodness
November
Christmas Day December 25 Birth of Jesus
3. Use the opportunity of talking about what holidays
celebrate to read original sources. For example: on
Presidents' Day read one of the grea
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