Our Awesome America: Historic Symbols

by Amy M. O’Quinn/Originally posted at the National Writing For Children Center website

Picnics, parades, patriotism and fireworks are on everyone’s mind as the Fourth of July approaches, and Americans everywhere will proudly fly the Stars and Stripes to commemorate our country’s quest for independence and freedom!

Yes, Old Glory will definitely be the star of the show in July since it is America’s most well-known icon, but there are many more symbols that represent this great country of ours as well—the Statue of Liberty, the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Liberty Bell, Mount Rushmore, the Great Seal of the United States, the Bald Eagle, etc. We can also include the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Pledge of Allegiance, our National Anthem, the Supreme Court, and of course, Uncle Sam. The list goes on and on, but how many historic American symbols, landmarks, documents, songs, or organizations can your children name? How many can YOU name?

Do You Know. . .

How much do you really know about the Great Seal of the United States? According to information on the Great Seal website, America needed an official symbol of sovereignty to seal and authenticate her international treaties and transactions. The new nation needed a symbolic signature others would recognize and honor. Thus, the Great Seal was created in 1792, the mid-way point between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Here is a bit of Mount Rushmore trivia from the Mount Rushmore National Park website. Did you know that the monument designer originally put Thomas Jefferson on George Washington’s right, but after eighteen months of work, he changed plans, dynamited Jefferson off the mountain, and placed him on the left? Did you know that Teddy Roosevelt, the most controversial choice on Mount Rushmore, had died only eight years before work on the monument began?

Find Out!

For a fun family project, why not explore and research American’s symbols and landmarks to learn more about these famous icons and why they are so important in our country’s history?

To get started, check out Capstone’s Picture Window Books series on American symbols. A few of the titles include:

Mount Rushmore by Thomas Kingsley Troupe

Our American Flag by Mary Lynn Firestone

The Great Seal of the United States by Norman Pearl

The U.S. Supreme Court by Anastasia Suen

The Declaration of Independence by Lori Ann Mortensen

Dig into America’s past, and you might just be surprised to discover many fascinating facts you never knew!



Children love the unusual! So why not surprise them with a science exploration after dark?

Discover Nature at Sundown by Elizabeth P. Lawlor

There are all kinds of enjoyable learning opportunities just waiting in the shadows, and everyone will have fun—all while experiencing the nocturnal side of nature!

Time for Kids: Spiders by the Editors of Time for Kids

Spiders, especially wolf spiders, are very common and easy to spot in your yard at night. According to the experts at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the spiders have a green ‘eye shine’ that is caused “by a tapetum in the eye which reflects light rays back through the eye retina and probably enhances the spider’s night vision.” For a neat activity, use a flashlight or small light that straps around the forehead and walk slowly through your yard, casting the beam towards the ground. You will be amazed at all the beautiful jewel-like glitters you’ll see. These are actually the spiders’ eyes! Shine the light closer to the ‘glitters’ and you’ll probably find a spider. Is it a wolf spider or some other kind? Find out!

Fireflies by Megan E. Bryant

Fireflies or lightning bugs are fascinating creatures that sparkle and flicker in the summer woods. Light production in fireflies is due to a type of chemical reaction called bioluminescence, and the bugs light up to attract a mate. For a fun activity, catch and place several fireflies in a jar with a mesh top for a few minutes. Children love to examine these extraordinary insects and are captivated and delighted by their ability to produce cold light. Discuss the phenomena of bioluminescence before gently releasing the fireflies.

A Child’s Introduction to the Night Sky: The Story of the Stars, Planets, and Constellations–and How You Can Find Them in the Sky by Michael Driscoll

Few things are lovelier than a clear night sky filled with twinkling stars. In addition, studying the heavens with a young stargazer makes for a priceless memory. Although there is a plethora of scientific information concerning navigation, the atmosphere, telling time by the stars, mythology, or seasonal changes that would be interesting to pursue, simply looking upward at the stars and finding constellations or ‘pictures in the sky’ is a pleasurable pastime. How many constellations can you identify? Check out a book or find a relevant website and start gazing at the stars.

Hear and There Book: Night Sounds by Frank Gallo

Whooo, whooo do you hear hooting or calling out in the night? Owls, spring peepers, frogs, crickets and katydids all make interesting sounds that are fun to identify. As you walk around outside in the evening, do you hear noises that are familiar? Now, listen really hard. Do you hear animal calls or sounds that you may not have noticed before? Find out what they are and read about the insect or animal you have identified!

Forest Bright, Forest Night by Jennifer Ward

Exploring at night is an awesome way to generate enthusiasm, creativity and a love of the outdoors. While in the dark, you might just shed some light on a new way to learn and spark the interest of your child to find out more about nature at night!

Written by Amy M. O’Quinn/Originally posted on the National Writing for Children website

Kids in the Kitchen: Fun AND Learning

by Amy M. O’Quinn/Originally posted at the National Writing For Children website

Children learn by doing! This age-old maxim is certainly true, and the theory works in the kitchen as well as in the classroom. Almost all children, especially when they are young, enjoy helping their parents cook and dish up yummy culinary delights. Yes, it can be messy. Yes, you could probably do the job in a fraction of the time without little helpers underfoot. However, consider the rewards of letting your kids don an apron and wield a whisk:

1. First and foremost, children learn about teamwork and how to follow directions. And most importantly, you are not just creating meals together—you are creating memories!
2. Children learn about safety and cleanliness, but they also learn about good nutrition. With childhood obesity becoming an ever-growing epidemic, children need to be exposed to healthy foods and habits.
3. Surprisingly, many young adults do not know their way around a kitchen. Children who learn important culinary skills at a young age are already one-step ahead of the crowd. Cooking is a life skill that will pay off big dividends in the years to come. Learning how to be self-sufficient is also a big booster to self-confidence. Moreover, learning how to chop, stir, mix, roll, pour, and cut, etc. develops fine motor skills and hand/eye coordination.
4. The kitchen is a classroom!

Below is a list of just a few educational things children learn while cooking:

History: Many families heartily embrace their culture and heritage, and learning to cook ethnic foods that the family has enjoyed for generations is a way to connect the present with the past, while ensuring knowledge for the future. Children can also learn about the history and origin of various other foods as well. In essence, cooking is universal.

Science: Cooking is really a science in itself. Children will learn first-hand about chemical reactions, how temperature affects food and cookware, what ingredients will combine well and those that will not. They also learn about the different food groups and how to classify. In addition, the five senses will get a good workout as the children learn about eye-appealing colors and combinations, or tastes/smells such as sweet, salty, bitter, bland, sour, pungent, sharp, and textures such as smooth, rough, grainy, soft, etc.

Math: Many parents discover that cooking is a great way to teach fractions, measuring, weighing, ordinal numbers, counting, geometrical shapes, symmetry, etc.

Creativity/Art: When children are allowed to experiment and try new skills in the kitchen, they develop creativity. An appreciation for pleasing colors, composition, and presentation is also fostered. Who knows, you might just be training a future chef, baker, or food artist.

Reading/Literature: Studying a recipe definitely enhances reading skills and comprehension and emphasizes the importance of following directions. But there are also many ways to incorporate great literature while learning to cook. For example, after reading Homer Price, make doughnuts. How To Make An Apple Pie and See the World is a great lead-in for baking pies. The Duchess Bakes A Cake might inspire cake baking and learning about yeast. And the Little House on the Prairie books definitely inspire learning about good old-fashioned vittles and down-home cooking. It might also be fun to plan a ‘theme’ meal and use relevant recipes and cooking skills to prepare for a special memory-making occasion. The ideas are endless!

Here are a few more suggestions for books that lend themselves to cooking activities, but you can find a whole list of books that contain recipes at Cooking Up Reading:

-Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

-If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Numeroff

-If You Give a Moose A Muffin by Laura Numeroff

-Stone Soup by Marcia Brown

-Cook-a-Doodle-Doo! by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel

-Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

-Country Bear’s Good Neighbor by Larry Dane Brimner

Other Books/Resources/Websites:

Earth’s Kids – Cooking For Kids

Modern Mom – Cooking Projects for Kids

Fork and Bottle – Books and Cookbooks for Kids

Children’s Recipes

Family Fun – Cooking With Kids

Cooking With Kids Website

PBS – Parent Helpers

Nick Jr. – Recipes

Scholastic’s List of Kid Cookbooks

Kid’s Cooking Activities Website – List of Best Kid Cookbooks

Mollie Katzen – Kid’s Page

Cooking With Children Can Be Easy (Kathy O’Reilly)

So now that you know that cooking with kids can be educational as well as fun, what are you waiting for? Grab your apron, preheat the oven, round up your kids. . . and start cooking!

Written by Amy M. O’Quinn/Originally posted on the National Writing for Children website

Why Learning Guides Are Important

Authors write books. Educators purchase many of those books to use in the classroom or for other instructional purposes. It is a wonderful partnership, and everyone benefits—the author, the teacher, the students, and the publisher. But there is something else to consider.

Teachers are increasingly using more and more trade books in the classroom along with or in lieu of traditional textbooks to teach everything from A to Z. There are books on every subject or topic imaginable, and these ‘real’ books written by (usually) one author who is passionate about the topic appeal to students on many levels. Whereas textbooks can be a bit dry and tend to summarize, ‘real’ books are exciting, compelling, informative, and immediate.

However, teachers (and librarians) often want some sort of learning guide or additional instructional activities to go along with the books they have chosen. Many authors and publishers are catching on to this trend, and they are delivering just what ‘the teacher ordered.’ They are discovering that if they create learning guides for their book(s), they will probably sell more copies to teachers and librarians. Again, everyone benefits!

I’ve noticed that many children’s authors, especially those who write non-fiction, have all kinds of links, activities, and lesson plans to coordinate with their books right on their websites. And some publishers, such as Sylvan Dell, are doing the same. In fact, Sylvan Dell provides a page on their website that aligns all their titles to science and math standards for every state.

So if you are an author, consider creating a simple learning guide or some instructional activities to go with your book(s). These can be as basic or as complex as you want to make them, and you can easily make these available to educators via your website. Perhaps you can even include links to resources you found during your research. Carla McClafferty’s website is an excellent example. Just remember, teachers love it when much of the educational legwork is done for them. Instead of starting from scratch, they get to do what they do best—teach!

Teachers Can Also Create Learning Guides

However, if learning guides are not available from an author or publisher, teachers can still create their own to align with state standards.

1. First, review a list of standards for your state. Most educators are already very familiar with these standards, and they can easily be found online as well. Since I live in Georgia, I went to the georgiastandards.org website and chose to review educational standards for fourth grade. For residents of other states, you can simply go to your state’s Department of Education and follow the links to the appropriate grade level.
2. Next, you can match up specific standards with a book or books that apply. Or if you have a special book you really like, you can probably find a standard that correlates, especially in the areas of language arts and social studies. Most of the time, the spectrum is rather broad.
3. Have fun coming up with activities and lesson plans that will enhance the book’s content, reinforce learning concepts, and provide an enjoyable alternative to run of the mill worksheets.

An Example of a Learning Guide/Instructional Activities for Fourth Grade

A Fourth of July on the Plains

Written by Jean Van Leeuwen

Illustrated by Henri Sorenson

Pre-Reading Activities:

Meet the Author: Jean Van Leeuwen  (Give brief biographical information about the author and perhaps look at her website.)

Meet the Illustrator: Henri Sorenson (Give brief biographical information about the illustrator.) Show a few illustrations from the book and discuss the medium used.

Story Summary (from the publisher): Young Jesse and his family are with a wagon train traveling from Indiana to Oregon when they stop to celebrate the Fourth of July, but Jesse is too young to go hunting with the men, so he comes up with his own contribution to the festivities.

Background: This story is based on an account of a July 4^th celebration along the Oregon trail in 1852, as recalled in the Diary of E.W. Conyers, 1905 and combined with the lively memories of Jesse A. Applegate, a seven-year-old traveler, as told in Recollections of My Boyhood, 1914.

Set the Scene: Discuss the setting of the story and view photographs of a plain. Discuss the Oregon Trail and geographical features encountered along the journey.

Vocabulary Words: Introduce new vocabulary words/terms.

Meet the Characters: Introduce characters and give their ages if relevant.

Reading:

Read the book aloud or let students alternate reading orally in small groups.

Discussion:

What was it like to travel in a wagon train? Talk about and make a list of some of the things Henry and the other travelers experienced. What were some of the dangers? How long had they been traveling? Would the students be willing to face the hardships of such a journey, regardless of the adventure? Why or why not?

Patriotism: Why was a Fourth of July celebration so important to the travelers? What are some things we do to celebrate in modern times? What did the travelers do to celebrate the day? How did Henry and his friends participate? What happened to make Henry declare that they got their cannons after all?

Creative Writing: Have students pretend they are part of Henry’s wagon train and write a diary entry about the Fourth of July celebration—including all five senses.

Summarizing/Sequencing: Discuss the events of the story. Let students orally narrate what happened. What was the climax? Make a list of the events in the order they occurred.

Map Work/Math:

Trace the route of the Oregon Trail on a U.S. map. Pinpoint the general area of the story. Identify the states along the trail and calculate the number of miles covered in the journey. If the wagon train traveled an average of fourteen miles per day, how long would the trip take, etc.?

In Conclusion

The suggestions above are just a sampling of learning opportunities or instructional activities that can be used with the book, A Fourth of July on the Plains by Jean Van Leeuwen. Notice how well they correspond to the Georgia educational standards for fourth grade listed below. And there are many more standards I could have chosen as well.

SS4H6 The student will explain westward expansion of America between 1801 and 1861.

a. Describe territorial expansion with emphasis on the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark expedition, and the acquisitions of Texas (the Alamo and independence), Oregon (Oregon Trail), and California (Gold Rush and the development of mining towns).

SS4CG5 The student will name positive character traits of key historical figures and government leaders (honesty, patriotism, courage, trustworthiness).

ELA4R3 The student understands and acquires new vocabulary and uses it correctly in reading and writing.

ELA4LSV1 The student participates in student-to-teacher, student-to-student,

and group verbal interactions.

SS4G1 The student will be able to locate important physical and man-made features in the United States.

SS4G2 The student will describe how physical systems affect human systems.

e. Describe physical barriers that hindered and physical gateways that benefited territorial expansion from 1801 to 1861 (SS4H6a).

SS4CG4 The student will explain the importance of Americans sharing certain central democratic beliefs and principles, both personal and civic.

SS4CG5 The student will name positive character traits of key historical figures and government leaders (honesty, patriotism, courage, trustworthiness).

M4P1. Students will solve problems (using appropriate technology).

Map and Globe Skills

If you are an author, creating a learning guide is a great idea. It does not have to be complex, but you know your book(s) better than anyone else does, and you can provide teachers with some guidance for using your work in the classroom. Moreover, you increase your chances for more sales if you have additional resources for educators and librarians.

If you are a teacher, the sky is the limit. Using trade books in the classroom is a refreshing change for both you and your students. You can easily align your choices to state educational standards, all while choosing books that are fun and interesting to reinforce or introduce new topics or events. With just a little bit of planning, you can create learning opportunities and activities that your students will remember for years!

Good readers get the big picture. They comprehend the meaning of the text and better understand what the author is trying to convey. In addition, learning to identify a character’s point of view in a simple picture book or story is a great way to introduce  children to an important aspect of being a good reader.

It will also prepare them for heavier literature when they get older when identifying a character’s point of view is vital to understanding the plot and the underlying meaning or theme of the story. It is a skill to develop through the years, and having a basic working knowledge of this device will also help students learn about the first person, second person, third person, omniscient, and limited omniscient points of view as they mature as readers and writers.

Point of View (POV):

POV is simply the standpoint or position from which the reader gets to observe, consider, or ‘hear’ the story. For this particular article, I would like to concentrate on a first person narrative POV from a well-known children’s story.

A Simple Way To Teach POV:

Almost everyone knows the story of The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. The pigs are the victims and the wolf is the villain. We ‘hear’ the story from the viewpoint of the three little pigs, and we feel sorry for them—right down to the hairs on their chinny-chin-chins! The wolf is a mean, evil character, and we are happy to see justice served in the end. Obviously, he deserves what he gets!

So gather your students around and read the traditional story of The Three Little Pigs. Or have them act out the story with parts—using appropriate voices and simple costumes if possible. My children always use a high, squeaky voice for the pigs and a low, growly voice for the wolf. Discuss the elements of the story and the perspectives of the characters. Who is ‘good’ and who is ‘bad’? Who is right and who is wrong? How did the pigs feel and react when the wolf came to each of their doors?

A Twist:

But what if there is a chance that the traditional tale we all know and love might not be the ‘real’ story! What if the wolf has a different version of the story to tell? What about his POV?

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs:

Here is where the fun begins! Purchase or check out Jon Scieszka’s hilarious book, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs from your local library and read it to the students. As Alexander T. Wolf, the narrator, tells his audience on the very first page:

“Everybody knows the story of the Three Little Pigs. Or at least they think they do. But I’ll let you in on a little secret. Nobody knows the real story, because nobody has ever heard my side of the story.”

Of course, in this version, we hear from Alexander T. Wolf. He claims that he had a cold and all that he wanted to do was borrow a cup of sugar from one of his neighbors when all the trouble began. According to him, he was framed!

Now discuss the differences in the two stories and the POVs. Compare and contrast. Make a comparison chart if possible.

The Verdict:

So who is telling the truth, the pigs or the wolf? Who is more believable? Why? Should Alexander T. Wolf have been put in jail?

No matter whose side the students choose, they should all be able to determine the differences in the POV of the characters in the two tales and how it changes the whole story, depending on WHO is doing the telling or whose side is championed!

If you like using the idea of the Big Bad Wolf versus The Three Little Pigs to teach POV, you might also find the book, The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig, by Eugene Trivizas to be another great resource to use with this lesson. As the title implies, the roles of the characters, as well as the POVs, have been switched. Another fun read!

Other Ideas:

Have students re-tell classic stories—but have them change the POV for some interesting twists.

Cinderella versus her stepsisters.

Little Red Riding Hood versus the wolf.

Goldilocks versus the three bears.

Resources:

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/mff/fractured_fairy_true.htm
Scholastic’s site for fractured fairy tales and fables

http://www.shol.com/agita/wolfside.htm
Defendant Testifies: The Wolf’s side of the story

http://www.nancypolette.com/LitGuidesText/truestorypigs.htm
Literature guide to The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Nancy Polette

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/fairytales
More fractured fairy tales

http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/708.html
Lesson plans/ideas

In my last  column, I talked about the importance of introducing fine arts to young children. To recap that subject, here is what I wrote:

Why Study Fine Arts?

Charlotte Mason, a 19th century British educator, believed that exposing children to great ideas and beauty in all areas inspired them to greatness as well. She theorized that by letting them become familiar with the best artists, composers, and writers, they would be less willing to settle for mediocrity in themselves. As Elizabeth Gutman said in her book, The Story of Art, part of The Bookshelf for Boys and Girls series: “The magic power of art can arouse all kinds of emotions in us, from simple joy to much deeper feelings. And artists are great people whose works can gladden our eyes, enrich our thoughts, and deepen our feelings.”

I think these words can apply to ALL areas of the fine arts. And with today’s norm of following the crowd or being happy with the status quo, we should want our children to be inspired and motivated to strive for more—to reach for excellence instead of being content with the marginal.

I also introduced the topic of picture study in the last column. Now I would like to discuss the most famous bard of all time, William Shakespeare, and how a ‘Shakespeare Study’ can benefit even young children.

Why Shakespeare?

William Shakespeare ultimately helped to shape the English language. Because of him, we now have such phrases as ‘in a pickle,’ ‘all’s well that ends well,’ ‘love is blind’, ‘wild goose chase’, and countless others. In fact, Shakespeare is credited with coining or creating close to 2000 words and phrases that are now part of our daily usage. In addition, his language is challenging, with tight and concise sentences. Vocabularies are sure to be increased when reading Shakespearean plays or poetry. And most of all, Shakespeare was a master of plot and a great storyteller of history. He knew the Bible and mythology, and drew from both, and it is evident that his writing was definitely influenced by Christianity. I’ve often heard that if a person is familiar with the Bible, mythology, and Shakespeare, he will always have a greater understanding of any literature as well as human nature. Ideas of greed, love, hatred, self-loathing, pity, generosity, courage, and even misunderstandings are ageless.

Why Start Young?

If a child is introduced to Shakespeare early, he will not be apprehensive about studying the plays when he is in high school. When he is young he will certainly not understand all the twists, turns, and nuances that Shakespeare employs, but he can most definitely read simplified versions and keep track of the basic plot and characters and learn the ‘stories’ behind the plays. When he is older, he will already have a basic understanding of Shakespeare’s work and be able to build upon that foundation with a deeper understanding of the plots and the moral and historical significances. He will recognize within the characters a mixture of sinfulness and goodness—just as we all are in real life. He will see weaknesses and strengths in the players within the layers of each story.

Beginning:

Children around the age of six might enjoy Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare for Children by E. Nesbit, author of the Railway Children. Ms. Nesbit retold twenty of Shakespeare’s dramas in story form to make them more accessible to a younger audience, which is the perfect introduction to the bard for children.

The next step up might be Tales From Shakespeare by the brother/sister team of Charles and Mary Lamb. Published in 1807, this book includes all of Shakespeare’s most famous comedies and tragedies. The tales are retold in a clear and exceptional literary style, and the Lambs even borrowed vocabulary and phrases from the actual plays.

Other Resources for Younger Students:

-Starting with Shakespeare: Successfully Introducing Shakespeare to Children by Todd Daubert

-Shakespeare for Kids: His Life and Times, 21 Activities (For Kids series) by Colleen Aagesen and Margie Blumberg

-Shakespeare Can Be Fun series by Lois Burdett

-Shakespeare Stories by Leon Garfield

-Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare by Diane Stanley

-www.squidoo.com/shakespeareforchildren

- www.pbs.org/shakespeare/educators/resources.html

As a child grows older, the actual plays will become more accessible to him. Because he is already acquainted with the language and characters, Shakespeare’s dramas will seem like old friends that become more enjoyable and appreciated through the years. William Shakespeare had the talent of revealing things that man needs to see in himself—whether good or bad. And as another actor wrote of him, “He was not of an age but for all time.”

Karen Andreola states in her book, A Charlotte Mason Companion, that Shakespeare’s plays provide us “with thoughtful entertainment, a look at human nature, the beauty of the English language, animated scenes from history, and even a good laugh.” Young children can enjoy the same!

Originally published at The National Writing For Children Center.

Classical music. Art Appreciation. Nature Study. Poetry and Shakespeare. These areas of study may sound like complicated courses that are best left alone until the high school or college years, but young children can certainly benefit from an acquaintance with the fine arts as well. As parents, we all want our children to be well rounded and educated to the best of our abilities. We expect teachers (or ourselves if we homeschool) to cover the basics such as reading, writing, and arithmetic, but there is also something so satisfying about recognizing a Monet or a Cezanne, or hearing and identifying music composed by Mozart or Tchaikovsky.

There is joy in taking a walk, finding a special leaf to sketch in a nature journal, and later discovering in a field guide that it belongs to an aspen tree. And who hasn’t heard or read a common phrase (such as green-eyed monster) that can be traced back to the pen of William Shakespeare?

Why Study Fine Arts?

Charlotte Mason, a 19th century British educator, believed that exposing children to great ideas and beauty in all areas inspired them to greatness as well. She theorized that by letting them become familiar with the best artists, composers, and writers, they would be less willing to settle for mediocrity in themselves. As Elizabeth Gutman said in her book, The Story of Art, part of The Bookshelf for Boys and Girls series:
“The magic power of art can arouse all kinds of emotions in us, from simple joy to much deeper feelings. And artists are great people whose works can gladden our eyes, enrich our thoughts, and deepen our feelings.”

I think these words can apply to ALL areas of the fine arts. And with today’s norm of following the crowd or being happy with the status quo, we should want our children to be inspired and motivated to strive for more—to reach for excellence instead of being content with the marginal.

In my monthly contribution to the “Parenting and Teaching Tip” column over the next few weeks, I’d like to explore some of these areas in more depth. But for this particular column, I will focus on “picture study”, which is one facet of art appreciation.

Picture Study

Introducing a new artist or a specific piece of art is very easy to do. Many websites have lists of suggested artist rotations, but it’s better to choose one artist’s work to study at a time so the child can become familiar with the style and at least four of his/her pieces of artwork. My twelve-year-old son recently studied the work of Mary Cassatt, and he can now easily recognize her paintings.

We began our study of Mary Cassatt by reading more about her life in a biography. Then I had him focus only on her painting, Children On the Beach (1884). I let him study the picture for several minutes, then I turned it over and asked him to describe what he remembered about the painting, even the little details. Afterwards, we turned the picture back over to see how well he’d seen it all in his ‘mind’s eye.’ We talked about the medium used, the colors, the subjects, etc. We did this for several days, and each time he remembered more and more about the painting. On another occasion, I had him try to re-create the painting himself from memory. Although not a natural artist, he did quite well! We went on to study three more of her paintings before moving on to a new artist.

On another note, I had a large framed poster of Children On the Beach hanging in my children’s bathroom. When my little ones (ages 2 and 4) took a bath, we would look at the painting and talk about it. It’s amazing how much they learned about Mary Cassatt’s work in just a few minutes each night! They remembered almost as much as their older brother, and it was just that simple.

Some people choose to make artists timelines, create portfolios of artists studied, or collect books of paintings by each artist that are purely for enjoyment. But no matter what path you choose, the whole family (and especially children) will benefit from picture study.

There are many picture study resources:

Websites:

www.abcgallery.com

www.amblesideonline.org/ArtSch.shtml

www.doverdirect.com (This site has ‘classical art’ coloring books and postcard sized reproductions of various artists/paintings).

www.livingbookscurriculum.com/assets-lbc/pj-archives/pj-April5.pdf

www.nga.gov/kids/kids.htm (National Gallery of Art)

Books:

Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Kim Solga

Great American Artists for Kids: Hands-On Art Experiences in the Styles of Great American Masters by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Kim Solga

Let’s Meet Famous Artists by Harriet Kinghorn, Jacqueline Badman, and Lisa Lewis-Spicer Smart About Art series by True Kelley

Anholt’s Artists Books for Children series by Laurence Anholt

Getting To Know the World’s Greatest Artists series by Mike Venezia

13 Artists Children Should Know by Angela Wenzel

NARRATION: THE ART OF RE-TELLING

Picture this cozy scene. You are sitting on the sofa with your little boy tucked closely beside you enjoying a wonderful picture book or an exciting read-aloud. Your son listens with delight and begs for more. So, of course you continue, talking about the pictures or what’s happening as you go along.

Later, when Daddy comes home, your little boy runs up to him and excitedly begins to retell (in his own words) the whole story in great detail. You know without a doubt that he has absorbed and comprehended what you read earlier in the day. Moreover, a month later, he retells the same story to Grandma, again remembering small details that you yourself have forgotten. Your child has naturally utilized one of the greatest learning tools there is, and one that will certainly help him in his educational endeavors as he grows older. It’s called narration.

WHAT IS NARRATION:

Narration is simply the art of “telling back”, and it’s a technique often used by classical educators and those who employ the teaching methods of Charlotte Mason (a 19^th century British educator). However, on a broader scale, it’s much more than that, and it can be used by anyone of any age to facilitate concentration, vocabulary, comprehension, memorization, language skills, and even writing skills.

WHY USE NARRATION:

One of the easiest ways to explain the importance of narration is to borrow from Miss Mason herself. In some of her writings, she used the illustration of a sick patient in the hospital. The person was suffering from intense pain and the doctor had written the remedy on a piece of paper. He told her this would alleviate the pain, however, he would only let her look at the card for a few minutes. Then the card would be destroyed permanently, and the doctor wouldn’t write it again. Can you imagine the intense concentration the patient would put forth to remember what was written?

Although a small child naturally “tells back” what he hears, it’s a skill that should be encouraged and developed when he is very young. Because just think of the benefits when the child is older and needs to remember certain information. If he knows that he will be asked to ‘retell’ after a reading, he will definitely pay more attention to the material at hand so that his narration will be accurate. What he can tell—he knows! He has to think, sift through the information, and choose the important parts to narrate. He has to assimilate the material, make it his, and put it into his own words. With this concentrated effort, he WILL remember!

Charlotte Mason said, “What a child digs for becomes his own possession.” In addition, oral narration is only one step before written narration, which is basically composition! So technically, oral narration is a forerunner to processing one’s thoughts and putting words on paper in a way that makes sense. It’s a skill that’s invaluable.

NARRATION AND YOUNG CHILDREN:

The art of narration begins very early, even before a child can read. As mentioned above, children love to “tell back” the stories they hear. And have you ever noticed a little one who will pick up a beloved picture book, turn the pages slowly, and perhaps ‘read’ it aloud to a younger sibling or even a favorite stuffed animal or doll? This is beginning narration, and the continuing pattern is a natural progression—if the child is encouraged and the skill is fostered. Too often, this desire to “tell” is schooled out of the child as he grows older. But language expression is so important, and the ability to organize and demonstrate the knowledge he gains from books is priceless.

IDEAS FOR USING NARRATION:

We have established the fact that narration is a valuable learning tool, so let’s look at some practical ways to use it with young children. And because we want our little ones to retain their natural curiosity and desire to “tell back”, we don’t want to overwhelm them with heavy ‘educational’ language. Instead, a gentle approach is best; plus this early discovery stage is so much fun and a joy to witness. Many parents probably already do many of these things without realizing they are creating a solid foundation for future learning.

• Use high quality ‘living’ books. Even young children can appreciate well-written literature, and they will understand far more than we give them credit for.
• Do some pre-reading activities. Let the child look at pictures and guess what will happen in the story.
• When reading the story, use different voices, inflection, sound effects, and even suspenseful pauses before turning pages. If your child asks questions, answer them. It’s easy to become a bit frustrated when we want to read and they want to talk about what’s happening.
• Turnabout is fair play. Ask your child questions about the story or what he thinks will happen next.
• After you are finished reading, ask the child to retell the story in his own words…you’ll be surprised at the detail.

OTHER IDEAS:

• Record your child’s narration on cassette or CD.
• Let them draw a picture to ‘tell’ about the story.
• Let them dramatize or act out the story, use a flannel board, or how about a puppet show?

The possibilities are endless, and no matter how you choose to foster your child’s narrative ability, encouraging them to talk about or retell what they’ve heard or read is extremely important. Narration is a skill that will pay great dividends farther along the educational road.

Below is a list of all the articles I’ve had published on the National Writing for Children website. Some are for the Parenting/Teaching Tips column and some are about writing:

A Look At Lady Liberty

Our Awesome America: Historic Symbols

Nature At Night: Learning After Dark

Kids in the Kitchen: Fun AND Learning

Creating Learning Guides and Instructional Activities for Trade Books

Teaching Character Point of View: The Big Bad Wolf versus The Three Little Pigs

Picture Book Pleasures: Delicious Picks for Fall

Celebrating Through The Year: Seasonal Tableaus and Displays

Making Family History Come Alive

Newspapers in Education: Not Just for News

Helping With Your Child’s Homework May Boost Your Writing Career

Autumn Fun: Learning With Leaves

Family Night: Make It A Tradition

Family Mealtimes Are Important

Teaching Personification With Picture Books