By the end of June I typically have the courses and curriculum planned, ordered and ready to go for the upcoming homeschool year. That said, I still keep an eye and ear out for quality items to supplement our coursework, tuck away for future years, and/or recommend to friends and here on The Pioneer Woman’s Homeschooling blog.
A book I recently received for review, Frederick Douglass for Kids: His Life and Times with 21 Activities by author Nancy I. Sanders, is an excellent addition to any Civil War unit.
From his birth as a slave, pursuit of literacy, to a life passionately driven in pursuit of freedom for his fellow man, Frederick Douglass certainly distinguished himself as a great man.
As Sanders so eloquently states in her Afterword, “Frederick Douglass was a man of decisions…a man of principle…[and] a man of action…his life was a testimony to the power and purpose one individual can pursue to change the world.”
Written for children ages nine and up to easily read and understand, Frederick Douglass is both well-researched and succinct all at once.
Because all the content is neatly divided into seven chapters with an average of 20 pages per chapter, the text makes for a rich, but simple educational tool to compliment nearly any course of study on Slavery, Slave Trade, the effects and repercussions of prejudice (even within free states), Black Abolitionists, the Civil War, Black Suffrage, and so many more topics.
Even if you do not already have a curriculum on this topic, Frederick Douglass can easily stand alone as a point of study because of its strong chronologically and thematically related topic(s).
It is obvious that the author has a good deal of experience writing for children as she intuitively breaks up the text with numerous sidebar captions, quotes, poems, factoids and historical photographs to keep kids from losing interest.
Also included are related hands-on activities or crafts to seamlessly weave understanding of all the information presented.
» In Chapter 1 readers are encouraged to practice public speaking by forming a debate club.
» In Chapter 2, a recipe is shared that Anna Murray (the woman who helped Douglass prepare for his escape) could have used “To Take Off Spots Of Any Sort, From Any Kind Of Cloth” as she worked as a maid for families living in Baltimore.
» There are directions to make a Tarpaulin Hat like the one that Douglass wore during his dangerous escape when he disguised himself as a sailor.
» Chapter 5 invites students to make a Civil War Haversack which could hold “…about three days of rations, or food supplies” for a soldier.
And there are many more activities like the above for tangible learning opportunities.
Frederick Douglass for Kids: His Life and Times with 21 Activities is an absolutely valuable resource for all the reasons already stated, but also for the Resources section at the tail end. There Sanders’ lists websites to explore, places to visit, and books to read for additional study.
Another added bonus is found at Nancy I. Sanders’ Teacherzone. On her website are free downloadable files with reproducibles and more activity ideas for this book as well as her other publications.
Frederick Douglass for Kids: His Life and Times with 21 Activities | Also available as an e-book.
Reading Level: Ages 9 and up
Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Chicago Review Press (June 1, 2012)
About the Author: A faith blogger and homeschooling parent, Heather Sanders is recognized for coining the term faithsizing to define her journey to find peace and contentment through Christ while embracing a simpler lifestyle.
Visit her blog or follower her on Instagram.