American History Arts & Crafts

Readers learn how to make their own cowboy hats, gold nugget pouches, and woven baskets as they explore the history of the American West! These crafts and more are shown to readers through step-by-step instructions and helpful photographs of the process and the finished product. The included crafts are meant to enhance the lessons readers learn about the settlement of the West, including the history of Texas and the journeys taken on the Oregon Trail. Sidebars and fact boxes provide additional information, and historical images place readers in the middle of life on the frontier.

The history of the civil rights movement in America is filled with stories of challenges and courage. Readers discover the people and events that shaped the fight for equal rights for all Americans-regardless of their race. Informative text, sidebars, and fact boxes introduce readers to people like Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The facts readers learn are made more accessible through historical photographs and several hands-on art projects. Readers learn to make their own civil rights posters and peace beads, along with other projects inspired by this time period.

Life in colonial America differed greatly depending on where you lived. Colonists in New England were often close to cities and centers of trade. Many colonists in the South lived on or around plantations. Readers learn about these different ways of life as they make crafts influenced by different facets of colonial life, including candles and bonnets, all explained through step-by-step instructions. Readers discover facts about life in the colonies through accessible text, as well as informative sidebars and fact boxes. Historical images are included throughout to show readers what colonial America was like.

World War I and World War II both had a huge impact on the modern world. Readers explore the history of these wars in a very creative way-through making crafts inspired by these events in American history. Readers learn about different styles of warfare as they make their own periscopes, and they learn about the role the United States played in each conflict as they make their own war posters. These projects are accompanied by enlightening text, including helpful sidebars and fact boxes. Photographs from this period in history engage readers with each turn of the page.