Welcome to this week’s edition of Nonfiction Monday! This is my first time as host for this round-up, and I’m excited you are here! Nonfiction Monday is simply a collection of links from around the blogosphere that highlight or recommend great nonfiction books for kids or other nonfiction posts of interest.

Please add the link to your blog/review for Nonfiction Monday using the Mr. Linky’s Magical Widget below my post. You should be added immediately, but if you have any problems, please leave a comment in the box about your post and I’ll get it added ASAP. Keep checking back throughout the day to discover more great books/posts for Nonfiction Monday!

Oh, Pioneers! Heading West

Fall is right around the corner, and it might just be the perfect time to pull out some great books or do unit studies about the pioneers or westward expansion in the United States.

Something about sitting around a campfire on a cool evening just makes me think of those brave men, women and children who left kith and kin to set out on a cross-country journey to find a better life or adventure thousands of miles away. The hardships were many, and danger was a daily companion, but the joy, excitement, and expectation of something better pushed them forward.

Children love to study this period of history, and the ideas for activities are countless. A great resource to use is Pat McCarthy’s book, Heading West: Life With the Pioneers, 21 Activities. Not only does it cover the life and daily activities of the pioneers; information about our country’s prominent leaders at the time, events that were happening in the nation, conflicts with Native Americans, etc. is also included.

According to information from the publisher, here is a synopsis:

“Tracing the vivid saga of Native American and pioneer men, women, and children, this guide covers the colonial beginnings of the westward expansion to the last of the homesteaders in the late 20th century. Dozens of firsthand accounts from journals and autobiographies of the era form a rich and detailed story that shows how life in the backwoods and on the prairie mirrors modern life in many ways–children attended school and had daily chores, parents worked hard to provide for their families, and communities gathered for church and social events. More than 20 activities are included in this engaging guide to life in the west, including learning to churn butter, making dip candles, tracking animals, playing Blind Man’s Bluff, and creating a homestead diorama.”

Ms. McCarthy has done the research and legwork to provide educators and homeschooling families with a resource that is interesting and practical. The activities are fun and do-able, and they don’t require materials that are hard to find. Students will enjoy the experience of doing ‘pioneer’ chores and learning what life was like for children on the trail and out West. They will find out that everyone had to pull together to survive, yet they still found time to have fun and fellowship.

So why not consider a study about pioneers and the westward movement soon? You can use Pat McCarthy’s book, Heading West: Life With the Pioneers, 21 Activities to help you ‘hit the trail.’

Now let’s hear from YOU!

Here is my post for today’s Nonfiction Monday round-up hosted by L.L. Owens. Be sure to head on over and check out more posts about nonfiction books for kids!

I’ve often said that children are fascinated by topics that have a high gross factor. And what is more gross than exhuming skeletons that have been buried for over four hundred years so that forensic scientists can learn more about life (and death) in the 1600s and 1700s?

Forensic Anthropology

This branch of science is called forensic anthropology and involves special archeological techniques that keep the digging from ruining the skeletons and preserve the site as much as possible to keep everything intact.

Interestingly, Dr. Douglas Owsley, a scientist with the Smithsonian Institute, teamed up with award-winning children’s writer, Sally M. Walker, so she could create a book called Written In Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland to chronicle just such an archeological/forensic adventure!

Dr. Owsley and his team of scientists excavated several graves at the site of the old James Fort in Jamestown, Virginia in 2005, with the “goal of better understanding the Europeans and Africans who lived in Jamestown and the Chesapeake Bay area during the 1600s and 1700s.” (From front flap of Written in Bone)

“Just as forensic scientists use their knowledge of human remains to help solve crimes, they use similar skills to solve the mysteries of the long ago past. From the skeletons, the burial practices, and remnants of objects found nearby, scientists can determine gender and ancestry, along with probable age, what the person ate, what lifestyle he or she lived, and the cause of death. In some cases, further research helps scientists speculate on who the dead were.” (From front flap of Written in Bone)

Colonial Lives and Deaths

The author, Sally Walker, was able to experience firsthand another dig in Talbot County, Maryland when Dr. Owsley and his crew excavated the unmarked graves of twelve colonial settlers. Therefore her book gives an absolutely fascinating peek at what this type of archeological project involves. Within the pages of Written in Bone, we learn about a teenage boy who probably lived a harsh life and died with an Indian arrow embedded in his thigh. We find about the ceremonial burial of a high ranking ship’s captain who was laid to rest with his leading staff by his side. We also learn about a family buried in lead coffins, another young boy who obviously died a violent death and was buried in a trash pit underneath a house, and an African slave girl.

Books/Resources

Forensic anthropology, and even forensics in general, is a very interesting subject to investigate further. Here are a few more suggestions:

The Bone Detectives: How Forensic Anthropologists Solve Crimes and Uncover Mysteries of the Dead by Donna M. Jackson and Charlie Fellenbaum

The Forensic Anthropologist (Crime Scene Investigations by Diane Yancey

Forensic Science (DK Eyewitness Books) by Christopher Cooper

You can also learn more about Written in Bone at www.writteninbone.si.edu

My Thoughts on Written in Bone:

I was enthralled with Ms. Walker’s book, and I stayed up late into the night reading the stories of the excavations and the theories surrounding each featured ‘skeleton.’ This non-fiction children’s book is a page-turner, and I learned a great deal about the science of forensic anthropology and the reason behind the study.

I was especially intrigued by the fact that scientists tried to retrieve an air sample from one of the sealed lead coffins so that they could analyze and compare it to modern air to discover how the atmosphere had changed over the centuries!

Written in Bone is an exceptional read, and children (and adults) who are really ‘into’ science will love it! As Ms. Walker said in closing, “…the graves and remains of colonial settlers carry a message to the people of today. They remind us not to forget their lives and accomplishments—and not to lose our connection to the past.”

Originally published at the National Writing for Children Center on 9-14-10.

Many parents and teachers would love to use more trade books in the classroom, either to replace or supplement textbooks. Many times, however, it seems to be too much trouble to find titles that accurately match up by grade level, historical period, or by geographical region. In addition, many educators want a short book summary or even warnings about potential inappropriate language or other questionable issues, in order to make appropriate selections.

In my own homeschool planning, I have found several excellent resources to help in my quest to find great books to use in my curriculum. These literature guides are the map to help me match up titles that go along with the topics, people, region, or time periods that were are studying—and they save me lots of time that is better spent teaching or reading with my children.

Books Children Love: A Guide to the Best Children’s Literature by Elizabeth Wilson

An author who advocates the Charlotte Mason approach to education wrote this book, and the titles do reflect Judeo-Christian values. It includes lists of books for many areas and subjects including: animals, art and architecture, bible/spiritual teaching, biography, crafts, hobbies, domestic arts, dance, drama, geography, history, horticulture, humor, language, literature, poetry, rhymes, math, misc. music, outdoor activities other than group games, physical education, reference, science, technology, and special days and seasons.

All Through The Ages: History Through Literature Guide by Christine Miller

According to material in the book’s introduction, this guide is a glorified list of books, commonly available from public libraries and homeschool catalogs, which are useful for learning history using literature—real books—rather than textbooks. Christine Miller has taken suggestions from many resources, catalogs, and other literature resource guides to create a comprehensive (and chronological) resource for all educators. Each section (historical era or geographical region) is subdivided by reading level.

Honey For A Child’s Heart: The Imaginative Use of Books in Family Life by Gladys Hunt

This resource includes an indexed list of the best children’s classics ever and an extensive annotated bibliography of books worth reading, arranged by their suitability for various ages. However, Mrs. Hunt also provides insightful articles and ideas for family reading, nurturing young readers, parenting, and what makes a good book. This resource is definitely based on Christian principles.

Let The Authors Speak: A Guide To Worthy Books Based on Historical Setting by Carolyn Hatcher

This guide is unique in that it can be referenced specifically by setting, author or title, as laid out in the table of contents and index. It is also arranged by reading/age level, which makes it very user friendly. As with the other resources, the author gives a brief summary of the book as well. There is also a great section about the use of ‘living books’ and how they are a superior way to educate children and teens.

Turning Back the Pages of Time: A Guide to American History Through Literature by Kathy Keller

This tiny resource packs a big punch! It is limited to American History, but the chronological list includes biographies, classics, historical fiction, and some non-fiction titles arranged by grade level. All titles have been screened from a Christian perspective and are historically accurate, although suggestions are included from both secular and Christian sources. Sections include: Early Explorers, Early Indians and Pilgrims, Colonial America, American Revolution, Westward Expansion, Civil War Era, Progressive Era, World War II, General US History, and Cookbooks.

Although there are probably many resources available that adequately give book suggestions, I have personally used these specific guides and have found them to be extremely helpful. The books are easy to use, and most of the titles are easy to find. I also like the summaries and suggestions by grade level. Most of all, I like the convenience of using these literature guides—the research and legwork has already been done for me, and I can do what I do best—TEACH!

*Originally posted at the National Writing for Children Center on September 29, 2010

P is For Peach: A Georgia Alphabet

Written by: Carol Crane

Illustrated by: Mark Braught

Published by: Sleeping Bear Press

• ISBN 13: 9781585360468
• ISBN 10: 1585360465

Sometimes you just find a book or series that makes your heart beat a bit faster, and you know you’ve hit a resource jackpot! That’s how I felt as I was browsing the non-fiction shelves in the juvenile section of our regional library last week. A picture book with a beautifully illustrated cover of a peach tree caught my eye, so I pulled it off the shelf for a closer look. I was so excited to find that it was P is for Peach: A Georgia Alphabet by Carol Crane, and I quickly started flipping through the pages. All I can say is WOW—a geography/history/alphabet book all in one! And of course, being a Georgia gal AND a history/geography buff, I put it in my ‘check out’ stack with a sigh of contentment and a feeling of anticipation!

Sleeping Bear Press has found a niche for educators, homeschoolers, elementary school students, and state history enthusiasts with their wonderful series, Discover America State By State. A few other book titles in the series include:

L is for Lonestar: A Texas Alphabet

S is for Sunshine: A Florida Alphabet

T is for Tar Heel: A North Carolina Alphabet

L is for Last Frontier: An Alaskan Alphabet

P is for Peach is the perfect book to introduce young children to the alphabet AND the wonders and natural splendors of Georgia, but it also contains thorough information appropriate for older children and adults as well—no fluff here! In fact, according to the Sleeping Bear Press/Gale website, here is a description of the book:

“As you travel through the Okefenokee Swamp, keep an eye out for Tiger Swallowtails and Brown Thrashers, and be sure to pick some Yellow Confederate Daisies before taking a nap under a Live Oak Tree. This is the Georgia that becomes a wondrous reality within the beautiful rhyming verses of Carol Crane and the colorful images of Mark Braught. At the same time the rhymes entertain and inform younger readers, Crane’s in-depth expository text will appeal to older ones, creating a two-tiered teaching tool for educators in the Peach State and across the country.”

Carol Crane has done an excellent job compiling information and fascinating facts about Georgia, and the illustrator, Mark Braught, adds much to the book with his gorgeous and vivid illustrations. Well done!  I like this picture book so much, that I plan to purchase a copy for my own state history bookshelf! And an extra bonus? There is a free teacher’s guide on the Sleeping Bear Press/Gage website to go along with this book and the others in the series as well. I plan on using the book and the teacher’s guide to add more interest and variation to our Georgia history studies.

For more information about P is for Peach, or any of the other Discover America State by State books, check out the website above. Highly recommended!

For more great Nonfiction Monday posts, head on over to Practically Paradise, (the host for today’s round-up).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) – Mar 24, 2011 – M E D I A R E L E A S E

CONTACT: Suzanne Lieurance
Email: suzannelieurance@hotmail.com
Website: http://writingforchildrencenter.com

Amy M. O’Quinn’s 6-day Virtual Homeschool Specialist Tour hosted by the National Writing for Children Center kicks off Fri, March 25

Homeschool Specialist Amy M. O’Quinn is being showcased the entire month of March at the National Writing for Children Center. Part of this showcase includes a 6-day virtual specialist tour. Join Suzanne Lieurance, founder and director of the National Writing for Children Center, and the virtual specialist tour hosts as they welcome Amy M. O’Quinn for her exclusive tour that starts Friday, March 25.

Amy M. O’Quinn is a pastor’s wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six. She is also a freelance writer who enjoys jotting down ideas around the fringes of family life. She specializes in non-fiction, and her work has been published or acquired by various magazines including Jack and Jill, US Kids, Guideposts for Kids, Learning Through History Magazine, Highlights, GEORGIA Magazine, Homeschooling Today, International Gymnast, etc.

Amy is a product/curriculum/book reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and a regular columnist for TEACH Magazine. In addition, she has done some educational product/website writing for a major school supply company. She was also the co-founder and president/newsletter editor of her local homeschool support group for seven years.

Intrigued? Want to learn more about O’Quinn? Follow along on her virtual specialist tour. Here’s the schedule:

Friday, March 25
“Meet the Homeschool Specialist”
Host: Irene Roth – http://rothsinspiringbooksandproducts.wordpress.com

Saturday, March 26
“The Homeschool Specialist’s Life”
Host: Donna McDine – http://donna-mcdine.blogspot.com

Sunday, March 27
“Homeschooling Research Tips for Parents”
Host: Nicole Weaver – http://melangeofcultures.wordpress.com

Monday, March 28
“Homeschooling Resources”
Host: Mayra Calvani – http://www.mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com

Tuesday, March 29
“On the Go”
Host: Nancy I. Sanders – http://nancyisanders.wordpress.com

Wednesday, March 30
“Become a Facebook Fan”
Host: Terri Forehand – http://terri-forehand.blogspot.com

Thank you for your interest, we look forward to your visit.

Authors interested in being showcased at the National Writing for Children Center can download an application www.writingforchildrencenter.com or email Donna McDine for more information at info@writingforchildrencenter.com.

Okay, children, today we are going to dissect this owl pellet and find out what the owl last ‘dined’ upon. Everybody ready?

Hmmmm…fur, fur, bones, bones. Make that teeny-tiny little bones!

More fur, more little bones….

John is very fascinated (or is that disgusted) with the whole activity!

More fur, more bones, and a teeny little skull, mandible, and obvious little rodent teeth! According to our chart, the owl had eaten a…..MOUSE! I know from the photo, the skull might resemble that of a bird. But if the thing was turned around, you would be able to see that the ‘pointy’ place is not a beak, but two long teeth. Plus, you can tell from the mandible that there are rows of tiny little teeth there as well. And of course, the fur is sort of a give away.

If YOU haven’t dissected an owl pellet, what are you waiting for? It was VERY interesting! We read several books about owls and also read an entry from the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. All in all a most delightful ‘extra’ science activity.

So there you have it…a snippet of science!

Doesn’t this children’s garden at the Deltaville Maritime Museum and Holly Point Nature Park in VA look fun? I am so inspired, but also VERY tired just thinking of all the work that would be involved! I’m just happy to have the grass cut and flowers planted in my window boxes. Oh well, it’s nice to dream, isn’t it?

As a homeschool wife/mom and a notorious ‘researcher’, I’ve had an interest in nutrition and a healthier lifestyle for quite some time. I know that I must have adequate energy and a positive attitude in order to keep up with all my responsibilities, and I enjoy reading about the topic and experimenting in the kitchen. But I remember when I first seriously started searching for nutritional answers for my family…

About fifteen years while browsing in a Christian bookstore, I stumbled upon the book The 15 Minute Meal Planner by Emilie Barnes and Sue Gregg. I already had many of Emilie’s organizational books and loved her writing, so I bought this book…and needless to say, a whole new world was opened up for me. I eagerly soaked up all the nutritional information and practical advice about incorporating a whole foods diet, and immediately I set out to revamp all of our eating habits. I hit the health food stores, bought all kinds of “healthy” ingredients, and began churning out “healthy” dishes. Let’s just say that all went over like a LEAD BALLOON! Learn from my mistakes. If you want to change the way you eat and encourage your family to embrace a whole foods lifestyle…do it S-L-O-W-L-Y…one step at a time.

So, I was back to square one. I may have been discouraged, but I wasn’t defeated. I was still determined to incorporate more whole foods into our diet, but I had learned a valuable lesson. I kept reading and learning, but this time I took baby steps. First of all, I started serving more fruits and vegetables and substituted brown rice for white rice. That worked out great. Later, I introduced store-bought whole wheat bread and whole wheat pasta…so far, so good. Very few complaints! When you are used to white bread and white pasta and rice, the heavier texture of whole grains takes some getting used to…but it comes…eventually…or at least it did in our home. I also started using meat as a compliment to our meal instead of the main focus, and I began substituting store-bought whole wheat flour for white flour, first 1/4 to 3/4, the 1/2 to 1/2, etc. But these changes were made over several months. Patience, patience!

During this ‘transition’ time, I purchased the set of Sue Gregg cookbooks. I wanted them right after I bought The 15 Minute Meal Planner, but I had to save up my birthday and Christmas money…it was a great investment. I learned so much from these cookbooks, and they are still a permanent fixture in my kitchen. I’ll admit that I don’t always use the recipes word for word, but I did learn a lot about the concept of whole foods cooking! Below this post, you will find one of our favorite recipes using lentils that comes from her ‘Main Dishes’ cookbook.

During this time, I also purchased Hearth and Home by Karey Swan. I’ll admit I bought this book on a whim while ordering some of my homeschool books from CBD, but it turned out to be one of the best books on homemaking and the whole foods lifestyle that I’ve ever read. I refer to it all the time. And because of Karey’s information about baking homemade bread and using freshly ground whole grains, I was inspired to try new whole grains and save up for a grain mill and a Bosch kitchen machine…but that came later. I was still learning (and I still am).

Fast forward a year or two. We moved to a new town where my husband began pastoring a new church. We joined a new homeschool group, and made new friends. New, new, new! And it just so happens that one of my new friends was an expert on grinding whole wheat flour and baking whole wheat bread. She invited me over for a bread making session and allowed me to try out her Whisper Mill, Bosch, and Vita-Mix. Now I was hooked for sure. I kept saving gift money, and my friend was able to get a great deal on a Whisper Mill and Bosch through one of her good friends who also happened to be a distributor of bread making supplies in Texas. I was in business! And somewhere along the way, I also added two other great cookbooks, More With Less and Whole Foods For the Whole Family. Both are great resources filled with wonderful recipes!

Fast forward to the year 2000. We moved back to the family farm where we now live. Many healthy habits were now in place, but with this move I lost easy access to my bread baking supplies and whole grains. But after doing some internet research, I found a co-op in a nearby town that uses Bread Becker’s delivery out of the Atlanta area. Eventually, a sweet lady in our church took over that co-op, moving it even closer to home, and she does an EXCELLENT job of running it, sending out a newsletter with recipes and information, and answering questions about using whole foods. So, every three months I can order buckets of whole grains, oats, baking supplies, etc. Very convenient!

Now, let me say this. We are by no means purists! I sometimes do use white flour and white sugar. And instead of a sweet ‘tooth’…everyone in my family has sweet ‘teeth’! And although my husband will eat homemade whole wheat bread, he actually still prefers Capt. John Derst bread. But my children would honestly rather go without bread than eat anything BUT homemade. They also prefer the whole oats that I buy through the co-op, and we do eat a lot of oatmeal. I sweeten it with Sucanat or honey, and add locally grown blueberries that we buy each year by the gallons and raw sunflower seeds that I purchase through the co-op as well. I did have an electric tortilla press and baker, and we used it a lot until I wore it out–now I need to get another one.  I cook black beans or pintos either in the pressure cooker or slow cooker, and we have homemade burritos for lunch.

Many nights I will bake whole wheat sour cream cornbread using freshly ground whole wheat flour and freshly ground cornmeal. I do try to make healthier substitutions in favorite recipes (and I know some of this is debatable)…for example, whole wheat flour for white, whole wheat angel hair pasta for white spaghetti noodles, Sucanat for brown sugar, honey for white sugar, olive oil for shortening, non-fat plain yogurt for sour cream, etc. We drink a lot of water, and my children love fruit! I’ve dabbled in buying organic meat, eggs, and milk (I love organic skim milk!), but that has been a bit cost prohibitive. We eat a lot of veggies, brown rice, barley, lentils, and other whole grains and legumes.I know we are not where I would like us to be, but we are so much further along the healthy eating path than we once were! And I admit that I make progress in spurts…then I fall off the healthy lifestyle wagon. I get up, brush myself off, and start again. It’s not a diet…it’s a lifestyle…and it’s one that takes time and effort. But it is SO worth it.

Oh, I almost forgot. There are two great websites that I visit often that have wonderful recipes and information on the whole foods lifestyle…Crystal Miller’s The Family Homestead and  Healthy Hillbilly Housewife. Check ‘em out!

Recipes Worth Trying:

Lentil Rice Casserole
From Sue Gregg’s ‘Main Dishes’ Cookbook

1. Blend all together in casserole dish except the cheese (wash lentils and rice, if needed).
3 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup uncooked lentils
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 cup intstant minced onion flakes or 1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup grated cheese, optional
*Note: sometimes I doctor this up a little more with salt and pepper or addtional spices…it’s your preference!

2. Bake covered at 300 degrees for 2 – 2 1/2 hours until tender and water is absorbed.

3. To serve, top hot casserole with the grated cheese and stir it in.
Makes 4 to 6 servings:

Many times we will put this mixture into tortillas and top with addtional cheese and sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, etc….sort of like a burrito. Delicious and economical!

Whole Wheat Sour Cream Cornbread

Baked Oatmeal

3 cups dry oatmeal
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter (yes, but it’s good!)
1 cup brown sugar (I use Sucanat)
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla (I make my own)
1/2 cup to 1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup nuts (we have pecan trees, but sometimes I use almonds or sunflower seeds instead of pecans)
2 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter; stir in sugar, vanilla and eggs. Add oats, nuts, and dry ingredients. Stir in milk. Fold in berries. Pour into an 8 inch greased dish. Bake 20-25 minutes or until firm in center.

*Note: This is another recipe that I always double. Also, I make mine a little soupier because my husband doesn’t really like it too dry. Chopped apple and maybe some nutmeg is also a delicious option. This is SO good!

Whatever stage of ‘nutrition re-assessment’ you are in, just learn as much as you and make the necessary baby steps to improve your diet. Take it slow, but be persistent and consistent. The dividends of a whole foods lifestyle are great!