Books for Kids About U.S. Government

Learn more about the American government with these US Government books for kids. Study our nation’s history, politics, and constitution! Samantha Shank

We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States – David Catrow This creative book helps kids understand what the constitution is in a fun way. Laugh along to this story of exactly what our constitution says!	C is for the Constitution – Baby Professor  Go through this picture book with your kids and introduce them not only to the constitution but the need for the constitution. Discover why we needed the constitution then and why we still need it today.
Know Your Rights!: A Modern Kid’s Guide to the American Constitution – Laura Barcella This book introduces kids to the U.S constitution in a way that they can truly understand the  importance of the constitution. Not only does it make the constitution easy to understand, but also introduces kids to the founding fathers who helped put it together.	One Vote, Two Votes, I Vote, You Vote – Bonnie Worth This book is a simple and fun reading for kids, but one that dives into important information. It tells of how votes matter and what the American presidency means to our country.
Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution – Jean Fritz and Tomie dePoala  This children’s book about the constitution goes into how it came together. Read this story of how the document was drafted with the kids to give them a deeper understanding of our government!	A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution – Betsy and Giulio Maestro Betsy’s book goes into why the constitution was drafted in the first place as well as how it came to be. Not only is this a retelling of these events, but this book also includes a map and summary table.
When You Grow Up to Vote: How Our Government Works for You – Eleanor Roosevelt Eleanor Roosevelt, one of the most well-known first ladies in history shares her perspective on how the people in government work the voters. Her book dives into each government position starting with the local government and moving up to the national level.	We the People: The Story of our Constitution – Lynne Cheney This book, written by the wife of former vice president, Dick Cheney, is a retelling of the independence our country fought for and the organization that went into that newly found freedom. She tells of the founding fathers getting together in order to create the constitution and create an organized country.
See How They Run: Campaign Dreams, Election Schemes, and Race to the White House – Susan E. Goodman Talk through the presidential process with your kids as well as other steps in government. This book tells of how our votes make a difference in our country’s big decisions.	Constitution Translated for Kids – Cathy Travis Another book further explaining what the constitution is so that kids can understand the historic document. This is a simple translation that focuses on the statements within the constitution and what they really mean.
A Kid’s Guide to America’s Bill of Rights – Kathleen Krull Learn all about the Bill of Rights and what the document means to our country. Kathleen’s book focuses on the amendments to our constitution rather than the original document.	How Does the US Government Work? – Universal Politics This book introduces kids to the process of governmental positions. It also tells of how the government functions and keeps up with the demands of the country. This book is an informational one for the kids who crave facts.
What Can a Citizen Do? – Dave Eggers This book dives into our roles, as citizens within the government. It focuses on what it means to be a citizen and what that affects.
What Are the Three Branches of the Government?: And Other Questions About the U.S Constitution – Ben Richmond This children’s book dives into parts of our government. It tells of how each one functions and what that means when they all work together.	The Bill of Rights: Protecting Our Freedom Then and Now – Syl Sobel J.D. Syl writes about the Bill of Rights and how they came to be. This book discusses the citizen’s concern for the future of their country and how the amendments came from some of that worry.
We the People: The Constitution of the United States – Peter Spier Not only does this book provide kids with information on the constitution, but also the complete text of the document within it. Teach your little ones all about the historic document and then go over it together to learn even more.	What’s the Big Deal About Elections – Ruby Shamir This book teaches children just how important our country’s elections are. It also reminds us how important our individual votes are.
Everyone Counts: A Citizens’ Number Book (America by the Numbers) – Elissa D. Grodin Learn about our government with the help of numbers. This book provides facts about our nation as well as an easy way to memorize them!	The U.S Congress for Kids – Ronald A. Reis Learn about what Congress is within the government and how it functions. This book shares facts about this piece of the government and what it means for citizens
D is for Democracy: A Citizen’s Alphabet – Elissa D. Grodin After you’ve gone through the government based on numbers, go through it with the help of the alphabet. Not only is the present government discussed, but the early stages of it as well	What Does the US President Do? – Baby Professor Discover what the American presidency means for citizens and to the president himself. Read along and learn facts about what the president does within our government.
Government for Kids: Citizenship to Governance – Baby Professor Walk through what it means to be a citizen in relation to our country’s government. This book is full of facts that kids will carry with them even after they put the book down.	The U.S Constitution (American Symbols) – Norman Pearl  Talk about the U.S constitution as a symbol for our country and dive into what it really means for us with the help of this book. Follow along to read about the contents of the document as well.
If You Were There When They Signed the U.S Constitution – Elizabeth Levy Hear about what happened in the summer of 1787 as if you were actually there. This picture book goes into what it may have looked like and the impact that summer now has on our country.	Constitutional Law for Kids: Discovering the Rights and Privileges Granted by the U.S Constitution – Ursula Furi-Perry This book talks about the laws within our constitution and why they’re so important to our country with your children.

Bloom's Math Question Stems (Reading Sage)

Math Problem Solving Strategies (Reading Sage)

Valentine's Day Facts

St. Valentine's Day falls on February 14th of each year. Although the name is Saint Valentine's Day, most people refer to the day as Valentine's Day. It was originally a day to celebrate Saint Valentinus, who performed weddings for soldiers who were not allowed to marry. He was imprisoned for this, as well as for ministering to Christians. Saint Valentinus wrote a letter to the daughter of his jailer before he was executed. His letter was signed ‘From Your Valentine'. He was buried on February 14th. Valentine's Day was not associated with romantic love until the middle ages. After St. Valentine was buried, Julia, the daughter of his jailor, planted an almond tree with pink blossoms near his grave. The almond tree today is a symbol of lasting friendship and love. In 1537, King Henry the Eighth declared that February 14th was a holiday. King Henry the Eighth had most of his wives executed because they did not give birth to a son. By the 1700s in England it began to resemble the Valentine's Day we know today. At this time, lovers began to express their love with gifts of flowers, candy and cards, which were called 'valentines'.

More Interesting Valentine's Day Facts

The first Valentine`s Day candy box was invented by Richard Cadbury in the late 19th century.

On Valentine`s Day every year, there are at least 36 million heart shape boxes of chocolates sold.

There are enough candy hearts made each year to stretch from Valentine, Arizona to Rome, Italy, and back again. The number of these candy hearts produced is approximately 8 billion.

There are approximately 50 million roses given on Valentine`s Day around the world.

There are approximately 1 billion Valentine`s Day cards exchanged every year in the U.S. alone. Valentine`s Day is the second most popular day of the year for sending cards, second only to Christmas.

Cupid is the son of Venus. Venus was the god of beauty and love.

Happy Valentine Day

ReadingIQ

Using Historical Thinking Skills to Analyze the I Have a Dream Speech

The impact of Martin Luther King, Jr. on American society and politics is immeasurable. His efforts to bring equality to all races living in America led to lasting change and still hold an important place in all American history curricula. As we celebrate the legacy of Dr. King on the third Monday of January every year, it is important to find fresh ways to teach our students about his life, while still incorporating some of the essential reading, writing, and thinking skills students need.

Let’s look at Dr. King’s most memorable speech with a focus on historical thinking skills.

Close Reading:

Close reading asks students to determine a source’s point of view and purpose.  For example, Dr. King’s famous I Have a Dream speech includes the sections:

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Students can break down each line to determine the vision that Dr. King had for his country. They can then summarize the entire section by analyzing the interpretation for each line.

Contextualization:

Contextualizing is the skill that asks students to look at the facts and events surrounding a particular document that may have influenced its creator. To fully understand the context of Dr. King’s message we must look at race relations and segregation in America in 1963. Teaching Tolerance offers a five-lesson teacher’s guide to their film A Time for Justice: America’s Civil Rights Movement which chronicles the civil rights movement from the 1954 ruling in Brown vs. the Board of Education to the 1965 passage of the Voting Rights Act. The guide includes primary sources, interactive activities, and the background information that give Dr. King’s words context.

For upper elementary students, Scholastic provides a brief overview of the same era. It provides context for Dr. King’s speech but does not require a lot of class time to convey much of the same information.

Corroboration:

Corroborating a source’s content is when students locate other sources that back up or contradict the source being analyzed. In trying to corroborate Dr. King’s words, students can be presented with various speeches.

Here are two examples:
The first is by Alabama governor George Wallace, that says, in part,

and I say . . . segregation today . . . segregation tomorrow . . . segregation forever.

The second example is from President John Kennedy, which says:

This afternoon, following a series of threats and defiant statements, the presence of Alabama National Guardsmen was required on the University of Alabama to carry out the final and unequivocal order of the United States District Court of the Northern District of Alabama. That order called for the admission of two clearly qualified young Alabama residents who happened to have been born Negro.

Students should use excerpts of these speeches to corroborate Dr. King’s characterization of a country that is divided and unequal. Students can also use these speeches to make a claim about American society in the 1960s.

Sourcing:

To properly source a document, students must determine if the who, when, and where of a document makes it more or less reliable. All three of our speeches were given in 1963. We know from our contextualizing, that America was in a state of racial turmoil at the time. In our corroborating, we learn that the speeches by President Kennedy and Governor Wallace highlight the issues stated by Dr. King. All sources seem to be a reliable source of history of the time they were created.

Dr. Martin Luther King is a monumental figure in American history. His contributions cannot be overlooked. With some of the sources and activities above, you can honor his work and memory, while still integrating the skills our students need.

Taken from Help Teaching 

March Calendar

February 2019

January Calendar

Elementary School New Year Writing Prompts

1.      New Year Expository

      If you had to live this year over again, what would you do differently? What would you do the same? Why?

2.      New Year Reflection

      Think about the kind of person you were two years ago. How have you changed in the last two years? What new things have you learned? Try to predict the kind of person you will be two years from now. How do you think you will have changed?

3.      New Year Story Starter

      Write a New Year story that begins with “Jenny squinted worriedly at the calendar. ‘That can’t be right,’ she thought. ‘It says January 1^st, 1968.’”

4.      New Year Narrative

      Write a narrative piece describing your favorite way to celebrate the New Year. What traditions do you like to observe and who would you want to celebrate with?

5.      New Year Expectations

      What are three things you are excited for that are going to happen this next year? When are they going to happen and why do you have to wait?

Middle School New Year Writing Prompts

6.      New Year Reflection

      Think about what happened to you in the last year. What happened that was good and what happened that was bad? Was it a good year overall or a bad year overall? If it was bad, what can you do to try to change it for next year? If it was good, how can you make the next year even better?

7.      New Year’s Resolution List

      Think of a resolution for all of the different parts of your life. Come up with resolutions or goals for your family interactions, your relationships with your friends, your schoolwork, your extracurricular activities and something fun!

8.      New Year Creative Writing Idea

      Write a story about a person who wakes up on January 1^st and has lost all of their memories.

High School New Year Writing Topics

9.      New Year Activities

      Write a letter to yourself one year from now. List what you hope to have accomplished by the end of this year and what you think you will be like when you read it.

10.  New Year Resolutions

      Come up with five or six resolutions for the New Year. Write an essay enumerating them, breaking them into manageable goals and explaining how you will attain each goal and how you will keep track of your progress.

11.  New Year Creative Writing Prompt

      Write a story that consists only of a character writing down his or her resolutions for the new year. Try to reveal as much as possible about the character (e.g. history, fears, insecurities, hopes, motivations, goals, relationships, personality traits.)

www.FreeWritingPrompts.net

Child Safety Protection Month

November is Child Safety Protection Month. The goal of Child Safety Protection Month is to create awareness about the potential dangers children face in everyday situations and to use this new knowledge to prevent any dangers. This also deals with baby safety. As a parent, child safety is something that is often overlooked and relatable to personal safety. We try to protect our kids from all of the dangers of the outside World, but sometimes we forget about the dangers that kids face in their own homes. Childhood accidents put our kids lives at risk.

According to the National Network of Child Care, here’s a few child safety tips and facts that you need to know about, such as:

• Some foods are difficult to chew such as hot dogs, hard candies and nuts and cause 40% of all childhood choking deaths.
• Using child safety seats in the rear of the car, not the front seat.
• Keeping small children away from workout equipment.
• Putting outlet covers on outlets

http://ocean.happeningmag.com/child-safety-protection-month

20 to 21 Century Learning Comparison
20th Century Model		21st Century Model
MATH	·     Memorization of low level procedures ·     Pattern recognition ·     Ability to perform calculations by hand ·     Speed ·     Accuracy ·     Ability to perform well under pressure	·     Deeply understanding the problem ·     Structuring the problem and representing it symbolically ·     Creative problem solving ·     Pattern recognition to understand which math tools are relevant ·     Adept use of computational resources ·     Critical evaluation of first-pass results ·     Estimation, statistics, and decision-making ·     Taking chances, risking failure, and iterating to refine and perfect ·     Synthesizing results ·     Presenting/communicating complex quantitative information ·     Collaboration ·     Asking questions about complex quantitative information
LANGUAGE ARTS	·     Clear penmanship ·     Proper spelling and grammar ·     Sound vocabulary ·     Ability to read written materials (novels, poems, plays) ·     Ability to write in complete sentences	·     Use sound vocabulary ·     Read a wide variety of written materials (novels, poems, plays, essays, news) critically ·     Communicate clearly across multiple media forms, with a range of styles ·     Form and justify independent bold perspectives ·     Ask thoughtful questions ·     Engage in constructive debate
HISTORY	·     Coverage of important events and figures ·     Ability to recall important historical facts ·     Write short essays clearly recounting historical information	·     Critically analyze historical events and sources ·     Form independent views on dynamics and implications ·     Write clear and thought-provoking theses ·     Ask questions and engage in historical debate ·     Relate historical developments to current issues shaping the world we live in
SCIENCE	·     Cover core disciplines – physics, chemistry, biology ·     Cover key definitions, formulas, and concepts ·     Gain familiarity with basic lab procedures	·     Understand how the world works ·     Be able to form and test scientific hypotheses ·     Be able to ask insightful questions and design experiments ·     Build things based on scientific principles ·     Apply principles across disciplines ·     Develop scientific creativity