For Kids
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Verdi For Kids
His Life and Music with 21 Activities
by Helen Bauer
Part of the For Kids series
Giuseppe Verdi dominated Italian opera for 50 years, and his operas are performed throughout the world today. Verdi for Kids offers young readers an accessible, behind-the-scenes peek into the exciting world of opera and traces Verdi's path to fame, delving into the great composer's childhood, musical training, family tragedies, and professional setbacks and successes. Kids also learn about the Italians passion for opera and Italy's tumultuous past, key political figures, and cultural pastimes. Aspiring sopranos, baritones, musicians, conductors, and stage directors will learn about opera jobs and production, what happens at rehearsal, and music terms and vocabulary, gaining an understanding of operas rich tradition. Offering a time line, glossary, and list of additional resources, Verdi for Kids is an engaging resource for students, parents, and teachers. Fun hands-on activities illuminate both the music concepts introduced and the times in which Verdi lived.
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Beyond The Solar System
Exploring Galaxies, Black Holes, Alien Planets, and More; A History with 21 Activities
by Mary Kay Carson
Part of the For Kids series
Tracing the evolution of humankind's pursuit of astronomical knowledge, this resource looks deep into the furthest reaches of space. Children will follow along as the realization that the Earth is not at the center of the universe leads all the way up to recent telescopic proof of planets orbiting stars outside the solar system. In addition to its engaging history, this book contains 21 hands-on projects to further explore the subjects discussed. Readers will build a three-dimensional representation of the constellation Orion, see how the universe expands using an inflating balloon, and construct a reflecting telescope out of a makeup mirror and a magnifying glass. It also includes small biographies of famous astronomers, a time line of major scientific discoveries, a glossary of technical terms, and dozens of full-color images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory.
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Christopher Columbus And The Age Of Exploration For Kids
With 21 Activities
by Ronald A. Reis
Part of the For Kids series
Taking a comprehensive, nuanced, and inclusive approach to Christopher Columbus, this illuminating biography with activities for young readers places him in the context of the explorations that came before, during, and after his lifetime. It portrays the Admiral of the Ocean Seas neither as hero nor heel, but as a flawed and complex man whose significance is undeniably monumental. Providing kids, parents, and teachers with a fuller picture of the seafaring life and the dangers and thrills of exploration, author Ronald Reis details all four of Columbus's voyages to the New World, not just his first, and describes the year that Columbus spent stranded on the island of Jamaica without hope of rescue. A full chapter is devoted to painting a more complete and complex portrait of the indigenous peoples of the New World and another to the consequences of Columbus's voyages the exchange of diseases, ideas, crops, and populations between the New World and the Old. Engaging cross-curricular activities, such as taking nautical measurements, simulating a hurricane, making an ancient globe, and conducting silent trade, elucidate nautical concepts introduced and the times in which Columbus lived.
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Zoology for Kids
Understanding and Working with Animals, with 21 Activities
by Josh Hestermann
Part of the For Kids series
An interactive introduction to working with animals Zoology for Kids invites the next generation of zoologists to discover the animal kingdom through clear, entertaining information and anecdotes, lush color photos, hands-on activities, and peer-reviewed research. Young minds are introduced to zoology as a science by discussing animals forms, functions, and behaviors as well as the history behind zoos and aquariums. Related activities include baking edible animal cells, playing a dolphin-echolocation game, and practicing designing an exhibit. Young readers can peek into the world of zookeepers and aquarists, veterinarians, wildlife researchers, and conservationists as they train their friends, mold a tigers jawbone, and perform field research in their own backyard. This engaging resource provides readers with new knowledge, a healthy respect for the animal kingdom, and the idea that they can pursue animal-related careers and make a difference to preserve and protect the natural world.
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Frank Lloyd Wright For Kids
His Life and Ideas
by Kathleen Thorne-Thomsen
Part of the For Kids series
An engaging, kid-friendly exploration of Americas leading architect and his work, this revised and updated edition of a longstanding classic, Frank Lloyd Wright for Kids, details the life, times, and work of the celebrated architect. Through simple, kid-friendly prose and anecdotes, author Kathleen Thorne-Thomsen describes the influences of Wrights Wisconsin childhood filled with nature, music, and close family ties; his struggles to find work as a young architect; the unique style that led him to the top of his profession; and masterpieces such as the Robie House, Hollyhock House, Fallingwater, the Guggenheim, and many others. Also discussed are Wrights sometimes-controversial private and public life and the people and times that influenced him and vice-versa, with new sidebars on topics such as the Chicago and Bauhaus schools of architecture, Friedrich Froebel and his toy blocks that enchanted Wright as a child, and the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Budding architects will delve into architectural and design concepts while having fun through 21 hands-on projects, such as creating an edible model of Fallingwater, making a miniature Japanese kite, reading an architectural plan, and much more. A time line, glossary, bibliography, and list of houses to visit are also included.
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World War I For Kids
A History with 21 Activities
by R. Kent Rasmussen
Part of the For Kids series
An educational and interactive children's guide to the Great War In time for the 2014 centennial of the start of the Great War, this activity book provides an intriguing and comprehensive look at World War I, which involved all of the world's superpowers during a time of great technological and societal change. Emphasizing connections among events as well as the wars influence on later historical developments, it leads young readers to fully understand the most important aspects of the war, including how the war came about, how changing military technology caused the western front to bog down into a long stalemate, how the war fostered an era of rapid technological advances, and how the entry of the United States helped end the war. The book explores topics of particular interest to kids, such as turn-of-the-20th-century weaponry, air and naval warfare, and the important roles animals played in the war. Relevant cross curricular activities expand on concepts introduced and illuminate the era of the early 1900s, including making a periscope, teaching a dog to carry messages, making a parachute, learning a popular World War I song, and more.
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Frederick Douglass For Kids
His Life and Times, with 21 Activities
by Nancy I. Sanders
Part of the For Kids series
Few Americans have had as much impact on this nation as Frederick Douglass. Born on a plantation, he later escaped slavery and helped others to freedom via the Underground Railroad. In time, he became a bestselling author, an outspoken newspaper editor, a brilliant orator, a tireless abolitionist, and a brave civil rights leader. He was famous on both sides of the Atlantic in the years leading up to the Civil War, and when war broke out, Abraham Lincoln invited him to the White House for counsel and advice. Frederick Douglass for Kids follows the footsteps of this American hero, from his birth into slavery to his becoming a friend and confidant of presidents and the leading African American of his day. In addition, to better appreciate Frederick Douglass and his times, readers will form a debating club, cook a meal similar to the one Douglass shared with John Brown, make a civil war haversack, participate in a micro lending program, and more. This valuable resource also includes a time line of significant events, a list of historic sites to visit or explore online, and Web resources for further study.
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Darwin And Evolution For Kids
His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities
by Kristan Lawson
Part of the For Kids series
Darwin and Evolution for Kids traces the transformation of a privileged and somewhat scatterbrained youth into the great thinker who proposed the revolutionary theory of evolution. Through 21 hands-on activities, young scientists learn about Darwin's life and work and assess current evidence of evolution. Activities include going on a botanical treasure hunt, keeping field notes as a backyard naturalist, and tying knots for ship sails like those on the HMS Beagle. Children also learn how fossils are created, trace genetic traits through their family trees, and discover if acquired traits are passed along to future generations. By encouraging children, parents, and teachers to define the differences between theories and beliefs, facts and opinions, Darwin and Evolution for Kids does not shy away from a theory that continues to spark heated public debate more than a century after it was first proposed.
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Friends Of The Earth
A History of American Environmentalism with 21 Activities
by Pat McCarthy
Part of the For Kids series
The history of American environmentalism is the history of men and women who dedicated their lives to protecting the nation's natural heritage. Almost singlehandedly, John James Audubon introduced the study of birds in North America. John Muir pushed a president and a nation into setting aside vast preserves, including Yosemite, Sequoia, Mt. Rainier, and the Grand Canyon. Marjory Stoneman Douglas did the same for the Florida Everglades, as did Mardy Murie with the Grand Tetons and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Cordelia Stanwood, and later Roger Peterson, revolutionized and popularized bird watching. Rachel Carson opened the world's eyes to the dangers of pesticides, and Julia Butterfly Hill saved a 1,000-year-old redwood while bringing to light the devastation of our old growth forests. Together, these environmentalists' inspiring life stories tell the story of American environmentalism, from its inception to the present day. In Friends of Our Earth, readers will also learn how to put their concerns into action. Author Pat McCarthy gives step-by-step instructions on how to build a birdfeeder, conduct a water quality survey, start a compost pile, study the Greenhouse Effect, make plaster casts of animals tracks, create their own recycled paper, test for acid rain, and more. It includes a time line of historic milestones, popular outdoor parks, and sites to visit or explore online, and Web resources for further study.
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Rightfully Ours
How Women Won the Vote, 21 Activities
by Kerrie Logan Hollihan
Part of the For Kids series
Though the Declaration of Independence stated that all men are created equal, married women and girls in the early days of the United States had few rights. For better or worse, their lives were controlled by their husbands and fathers. Married women could not own property, and few girls were educated beyond reading and simple math. Women could not work as doctors, lawyers, or in the ministry. Not one woman could vote, but that would change with the tireless efforts of Lucretia Mott, Lucy Stone, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt, Jeannette Rankin, Alice Paul, and thousands of women across the nation. Rightfully Ours tells of the century-long struggle for woman suffrage in the United States, a movement that began alongside the abolitionist cause and continued through the ratification of the 19th amendment. In addition to its lively narrative, this history includes a time line, online resources, and hands-on activities that will give readers a sense of everyday lives of the suffragists. Children will create a banner for suffrage, host a Victorian tea, feel what it was like to wear a corset, and more. In addition, through it all, readers will gain a richer appreciation for women who secured the right to participate fully in American democracy and why they must never take that right for granted.
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The White House For Kids
A History of a Home, Office, and National Symbol, with 21 Activities
by Katherine L. House
Part of the For Kids series
An intriguing, in-depth look at the most famous home in the United States, this kid-friendly activity book educates young readers on the White House. Blending facts from numerous primary sources with engaging anecdotes from learning that George Washington never actually slept in the White House and Abraham Lincoln never slept in the Lincoln Bedroom to how Gerald Ford's daughter Susan held her high school prom in the White House this book provides the complete story of the presidents home. Details on the many changes, updates, renovations, and redecorations that have occurred over the years are featured as well as a look at the daily lives of the White House's inhabitants, including past presidents and their families along with the enormous staff that makes the White House run smoothly. This rich history is packed with an assortment of cross-curricular activities that allow readers to walk in the footsteps of presidents they can play key passages of Hail to the Chief, practice signing a bill into law, make a White House punch, and re-create an aerobic game designed for President Hoover making it a perfect book for any young mind with an interest in the White House or American history.
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Nikola Tesla for Kids
His Life, Ideas, and Inventions, with 21 Activities
by Amy M. O'Quinn
Part of the For Kids series
Nikola Tesla was a physicist, scientist, electrical engineer, and world-renowned inventor whose accomplishments faded into oblivion after his death in 1943. Tesla was undeniably eccentric and compulsive; some considered him to be somewhat of a "mad" scientist. But in reality, he was a visionary. Many of his ideas and inventions that were deemed impossible during his lifetime have since become reality. He was the first to successfully use rotating magnetic fields to create an AC (alternating current) electrical power supply system and induction motor. He is now acknowledged to have invented the radio ahead of Marconi. Among other things, he developed the Tesla coil, an oscillator, generators, fluorescent tubes, neon lights, and a small remote-controlled boat. He helped design the world's first hydroelectric plant at Niagara Falls. Nikola Tesla for Kids is the story of Nikola Tesla's life and ideas, complete with a time line, 21 hands-on activities, and additional resources to better understand his many accomplishments.
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The Apollo Missions for Kids
The People and Engineering Behind the Race to the Moon, with 21 Activities
by Jerome Pohlen
Part of the For Kids series
In 1961 President Kennedy issued a challenge to land a person on the moon and return safely to Earth before the end of the 1960s, a bold proclamation at the time, given that only one US astronaut had been to space, for just 15 minutes. The race to the moon was part of the larger Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, a race where the Russians appeared far ahead of the Americans. Apollo was a complicated, dangerous and expensive adventure involving 400,000 people across the nation. Before it was over, NASA had made 11 Apollo flights, six of which landed on the moon, and eight astronauts had lost their lives. But it was also fun, and the crews never missed a chance to enjoy the trip or pull off a prank 240,000 miles from home. The Apollo Missions for Kids tells the story from the perspective of those who lived it-the astronauts and their families, the controllers and engineers, the technicians and politicians who made the impossible possible.
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George Washington Carver for Kids
His Life and Ideas, with 21 Activities
by Peggy Thomas
Part of the For Kids series
George Washington Carver was born into the violent era of slavery, yet he had big ideas. The first was to get an education. That meant leaving his Missouri home at a young age, washing people's clothes to pay for school, moving from town to town, and fleeing a lynch mob. Carver's second big idea was to serve others. After becoming the first black graduate from Iowa Agricultural College, Carver took a teaching position at the Tuskegee Institute founded by Booker T. Washington. There he witnessed the miserable conditions of the poor Southern farmer. That's when his ideas began to flow. Carver taught farmers how to nourish the soil, conserve waste, and feed their families. He developed hundreds of new products from the sweet potato, peanut, and other crops, and his discoveries gained him a place in the national spotlight. Throughout the Jim Crow era, Carver toured America speaking about agriculture, but most people went away with a more important message: that every citizen has hidden potential that, like a seed, just needs nurturing to bloom. Many of Carver's ideas took a long time to develop, but today his concepts of conservation, zero waste, and plant-based products are on the cutting edge of science. George Washington Carver tells the inspiring story of this remarkable American scientist. It includes a time line, resources for further research, and 21 hands-on activities to better appreciate Carver's genius.
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Gay & Lesbian History for Kids
The Century-Long Struggle for LGBT Rights, with 21 Activities
by Jerome Pohlen
Part of the For Kids series
Part of the popular For Kids series, this book puts the historic struggle for LGBT equality into perspective Given today's news, it would be easy to get the impression that the campaign for LGBT equality is a recent development, but it is only the final act in a struggle that started more than a century ago. This timely resource helps put recent events into context for kids ages nine and up. After a brief history up to 1900, each chapter discusses an era in the struggle for LGBT civil rights from the 1920s to today. The history is told through personal stories and firsthand accounts of the movement's key events like the 1950s "Lavender Scare," the Stonewall Inn uprising, and the AIDS crisis. Readers will learn about civil rights mavericks, like Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, founder of the first gay rights organization; Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, who turned the Daughters of Bilitis from a lesbian social club into a powerhouse for LGBT freedom; and Harvey Milk, the first out candidate to win a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Also chronicled are the historic contributions of famous LGBT individuals, and 21 activities enliven the history. Kids can write a free verse poem like Walt Whitman, learn the Madison line dance, design an AIDS quilt panel, and write a song parody to learn about the spirited ways in which the LGBT community has pushed for positive social change.
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Galileo For Kids
His Life and Ideas, 25 Activities
by Richard Panchyk
Part of the For Kids series
Galileo, one of history's best-known scientists, is introduced in this illuminating activity book. Children will learn how Galileo's revolutionary discoveries and sometimes-controversial theories changed his world and laid the groundwork for modern astronomy and physics. This book will inspire kids to be stargazers and future astronauts or scientists as they discover Galileo's life and work. Activities allow children to try some of his theories on their own, with experiments that include playing with gravity and motion, making a pendulum, observing the moon, and painting with light and shadow. Along with the scientific aspects of Galileo's life, his passion for music and art are discussed and exemplified by period engravings, maps, and prints. A time line, glossary, and listings of major science museums, planetariums, and web sites for further exploration complement this activity book.
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Marine Science for Kids
Exploring and Protecting Our Watery World, Includes Cool Careers and 21 Activities
by Bethanie Hestermann
Part of the For Kids series
Do you ever dream of being a marine explorer or adventurer? Are you a fan of cool, cute, or creepy creatures? Then here's some good news: some of the coolest, cutest, and creepiest creatures live in Earth's oceans and other watery places. Marine Science for Kids is a colorful, fun, photo-filled guide to exploring our underwater world. In these pages, you'll delve deep into the science of aquatic study, including geology, chemistry, and biology in both salt- and freshwater environments, and gain insight into the real-world practice of aquatic science. You'll discover how and why oceans move, and learn the answers to questions such as "Why is the ocean blue?" You'll meet cool creatures, including sharks and rays, penguins and other seabirds, whales and dolphins, squids and octopuses, and many more. You'll uncover some of the most pressing challenges facing marine environments and find out how you can use your talents to make a difference. Real-life marine scientists share what inspires them every day and provide insights into their exciting careers. Hands-on activities in each chapter make learning fun. Kids can: make an edible coral reef; explore marine camouflage; construct a water-propelled squid; test methods of cleaning up an oil spill; experiment with ocean acidification; and much more.
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Nikola Tesla for Kids
His Life, Ideas, And Inventions, With 21 Activities
by Amy M. O'Quinn
Part of the For Kids series
Finalist for the 2020 AAAS / Subaru SB&F Excellence in Science Book exemplify outstanding and engaging science writing and illustration for young readers
Nikola Tesla was a physicist, electrical engineer, and world-renowned inventor whose accomplishments faded into oblivion after his death in 1943. Some considered this eccentric visionary to be a "mad" scientist, but many of his ideas and inventions that were deemed impossible during his lifetime have since become reality. He is now acknowledged to have invented the radio ahead of Marconi. Tesla was undeniably eccentric and compulsive. Among other things, Tesla developed generators, fluorescent tubes, neon lights, and a small remote-controlled boat. He also helped design the world's first hydroelectric plant at Niagara Falls.
Nikola Tesla for Kids is the story of Nikola Tesla's life and ideas, complete with a time line, 21 hands-on activities, and additional resources to better understand his many accomplishments.Kids will:
• Construct an electric circuit
• Explore Tesla's birthplace online
• Investigate the nature of electromagnetic waves
• Mix up batch of fluorescent slime
• "Visit" the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition
• Build a soda bottle submarine
• And more!
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The Industrial Revolution for Kids
The People and Technology That Changed the World, with 21 Activities
by Cheryl Mullenbach
Part of the For Kids series
This blend of authoritative historic overview and human interest stories recounts one of the most important eras in American history This educational activity book introduces young readers to the Industrial Revolution through the people, places, and inventions of the time, from the incredibly wealthy Rockefellers and Carnegies and the dingy and dangerous factories of the day to the creation of new forms of transportation and communication. By recounting this fascinating period in American history through the eyes of everyday workers, kids, sports figures, and social activists whose names never appeared in history booksincluding Hannah Montague, who revolutionized the clothing industry with her highly popular detachable collars and cuffs and Clementine Lamadrid, who either helped save starving New Yorkers or scammed the public into contributing to her one-cent coffee standsthis book helps tell the human stories of the Industrial Revolution. Twenty-one engaging and fun crosscurricular activities bring the times and technologies to life and allow for readers to make an assembly line sandwich, analyze the interchangeable parts of a common household fixture, weave a placemat, tell a story through photographs, and much more. Additional resources featured include books to read, places to visit, and websites to explore.
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American Folk Art For Kids
With 21 Activities
by Richard Panchyk
Part of the For Kids series
Drawing on the natural folk art tendencies of children, who love to collect buttons, bottle caps, shells, and Popsicle sticks to create beautiful, imperfect art, this activity guide teaches kids about the history of this organic art and offers inspiration for them to create their own masterpieces. The full breadth of American folk art is surveyed, including painting, sculpture, decorative arts, and textiles from the 17th century through today. Making bubblegum wrapper chains, rag dolls, bottle cap sculptures, decoupage boxes, and folk paintings are just a few of the activities designed to bring out the artist in every child. Along the way, kids learn about the lives of Americans throughout history and their casual relationships to everyday art as they cut stencils, sew needlepoint samplers, draw calligraphy birds, and design quilts. Important folk artists such as the last surviving Shakers, the legendary Grandma Moses, and the Reverend Howard Finster are also explored in sidebars throughout the book.
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Marie Curie for Kids
Her Life and Scientific Discoveries, with 21 Activities and Experiments
by Amy M. O'Quinn
Part of the For Kids series
Marie Curie, renowned for her work on radioactivity, was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person to win in two fields (chemistry and physics), and the first woman to hold a chair position at the Sorbonne. Marie Curie for Kids details Curie's remarkable life, from her childhood under a repressive czar in Poland to her tireless work supporting herself through college to meeting her ideal match in scientist Pierre Curie to her revolutionary research. Kids learn how Curie quietly flouted societal norms, working in full partnership with her husband while also teaching and raising two daughters. Scientific concepts are presented in a clear, accessible way, and a range of activities - from making Polish pierogies to exploring magnetism to using electrolysis to split water- allow for exploration of Curie's life, times, and work.
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Alexander Graham Bell for Kids
His Life and Inventions, with 21 Activities
by Mary Kay Carson
Part of the For Kids series
Alexander Graham Bell led a fascinating life. He was an immigrant, an inventor, a pioneering speech teacher, and a champion of educating the hearing impaired. Bell was raised by a mother who had nearly no hearing, married a deaf woman, and was lifelong friends with Helen Keller. Few people realize that Bell considered his work with the deaf the most important of his life. Quite a statement, considering Bell's inventions ranged from telephony and phonographs to airplanes and hydrofoil boats! Few remember that Bell was called to the bedside of fatally shot President Garfield in 1881 to use his newly-invented "telephonic probe" metal detector in the search for the embedded bullet. Nor do most know he was part of the Curtiss group of airplane inventors competing against the Wright brothers. The life of Alexander Graham Bell paralleled many of the most important discoveries and inventions of that era. This exciting biography includes science and history background on Bell's era, as well as sidebars and biographies of inventors and scientists who influenced-and competed with-him. Readers will build telegraphs, liquid transmitters, intercoms, metal detectors, and tetrahedral kites as they explore the science behind Bell's wide-ranging inventions.
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The Wright Brothers For Kids
How They Invented the Airplane, 21 Activities Exploring the Science and History of Flight
by Mary Kay Carson
Part of the For Kids series
This activity book tells the amazing true story of how two bicycle-making brothers from Ohio, with no more than high-school educations, accomplished a feat that forever changed the world. At a time when most people still had not ridden in an automobile, Wilbur and Orville Wright built the first powered, heavier-than-air flying machine. Woven throughout the heartwarming story of the two brothers are activities that highlight their ingenuity and problem-solving abilities as they overcame many obstacles to achieve controlled flight. The four forces of flight lift, thrust, gravity, and drag and how the Wright brothers mastered them are explained in clear, simple text. Activities include making a Chinese flying top, building a kite, bird watching, and designing a paper glider, and culminate with an activity in which readers build a rubber-band-powered flyer. Included are photographs just released from the Wright brother's personal collection, along with diagrams and illustrations. The history of human flight and its pioneers, a time line, and a complete resource section for students are also provided.
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Abraham Lincoln For Kids
His Life and Times with 21 Activities
by Janis Herbert
Part of the For Kids series
Providing a fresh perspective on one of the most beloved presidents of all time, this illuminating activity book tells the rich story of Abraham Lincoln's life and details the events of his era. Highlighting Lincoln's warm, generous spirit and impressive intellect, the guide teaches children about his fascinating life story, his struggles at the onset of the Civil War, and his relevance in today's world. Activities include delivering a speech, holding a debate, drawing political cartoons, and making a stovepipe hat or miniature Mississippi River flatboat. Lively sidebars, abundant photographs and illustrations, and fun projects help to kick the dust off old Honest Abe. Also included are selections from some of Lincolns most famous speeches and documents, as well as a resource section of Web sites to explore and sites to visit, making this a comprehensive Lincoln biography for young readers.
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George Washington For Kids
His Life and Times with 21 Activities
by Brandon Marie Miller
Part of the For Kids series
George Washington comes alive in a fascinating activity book that introduces the leader to whom citizens turned again and again to lead them through eight long years of war, to guide them as they wrote a new Constitution, and to act as the new nations first executive leader. Children will learn how, shortly after his death in 1799, people began transforming George Washington from a man into a myth. However, Washington was a complex individual who, like everyone, had hopes and fears, successes and failures. In his early 20s, for instance, Washington's actions helped plunge Great Britain and France into war. He later fought for liberty and independence, yet owned slaves himself (eventually freeing them in his will). This book weaves a rich tapestry of Washington's life, allowing kids to connect with his story in 21 hands-on projects based on his experiences and the times in which he lived. Children will learn how to tie a cravat, write with a quill pen, follow animal tracks, sew a lady's cap, plant a garden, roll a beeswax candle, play a game of Quoits, and make a replica of Washington's commander-in-chief flag. The text includes a time line, glossary, websites, travel resources, and a reading list for further study.
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Our Supreme Court
A History with 14 Activities
by Richard Panchyk
Part of the For Kids series
This lively and comprehensive activity book teaches young readers everything they need to know about the nation's highest court. Organized around keystones of the Constitution including free speech, freedom of religion, civil rights, criminal justice, and property rights the book juxtaposes historical cases with similar current cases. Presented with opinions from both sides of the court cases, readers can make up their own minds on where they stand on the important issues that have evolved in the Court over the past 200 years. Interviews with prominent politicians, high-court lawyers, and those involved with landmark decisions including Ralph Nader, Rudolph Giuliani, Mario Cuomo, and Arlen Specter show the personal impact and far-reaching consequences of the decisions. Fourteen engaging classroom-oriented activities involving violations of civil rights, exercises of free speech, and selecting a classroom Supreme Court bring the issues and cases to life. The first 15 amendments to the Constitution and a glossary of legal terms are also included.
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The Underground Railroad For Kids
From Slavery to Freedom with 21 Activities
by Mary Kay Carson
Part of the For Kids series
The heroic struggles of the thousands of slaves who sought freedom through the Underground Railroad are vividly portrayed in this powerful activity book, as are the abolitionists, free blacks, and former slaves who helped them along the way. The text includes 80 compelling firsthand narratives from escaped slaves and abolitionists and 30 biographies of "passengers," "conductors," and "stationmasters," such as Harriet Tubman, William Still, and Levi and Catherine Coffin. Interactive activities that teach readers how to navigate by the North Star, write and decode a secret message, and build a simple lantern bring the period to life. A time line, reading list, glossary, and listing of web sites for further exploration complete this activity book. The Underground Railroad for Kids is an inspiring story of brave people compelled to act in the face of injustice, risking their livelihoods, their families, and their lives in the name of freedom.
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Isaac Newton and Physics for Kids
His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities
by Kerrie Logan Hollihan
Part of the For Kids series
Featuring 21 hands-on projects that explore the scientific concepts Isaac Newton developed; this illuminating guide paints a rich portrait of the brilliant and complex man and provides young readers with a hands-on understanding of astronomy, physics, and mathematics. The activity-packed resource allows children to experiment with swinging pendulums, build a simple waterwheel, create a 17th-century plague mask, track the phases of the moon, bake an apple pie in a coffin, and test Newton's three laws of motion using coins, a skateboard, and a model boat they construct themselves. A time line, excerpts from Newton's own writings, online resources, and a reading list for further exploration ensure that kids will gravitate to this unique activity book.
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Frida Kahlo And Diego Rivera
Their Lives and Ideas, 24 Activities
by Carol Sabbeth
Part of the For Kids series
Children will find artistic inspiration as they learn about iconic artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera in these imaginative and colorful activities. The art and ideas of Kahlo and Rivera are explored through projects that include painting a self-portrait Kahlo-style, creating a mural with a social message like Rivera, making a Day of the Dead ofrenda, and crafting an Olmec head carving. Vibrant illustrations throughout the book include Rivera's murals and paintings, Kahlo's dreamscapes and self-portraits, pre-Columbian art and Mexican folk art, as well as many photographs of the two artists. Children will learn that art is more than just pretty pictures; it can be a way to express the artist's innermost feelings, a source of everyday joy and fun, an outlet for political ideas, and an expression of hope for a better world. Sidebars will introduce children to other Mexican artists and other notable female artists. A time line, listings of art museums and places where Kahlo and Rivera's art can be viewed, and a list of relevant websites complete this cross-cultural art experience.
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Harry Houdini For Kids
His Life and Adventures with 21 Magic Tricks and Illusions
by Laurie Carlson
Part of the For Kids series
From his impoverished childhood to his feat of becoming one of the most successful entertainers of all time, this fascinating biography presents a memorable portrait of magician and escape artist Harry Houdini. Guidelines for 21 fun magic tricks are also provided, including how to stick a needle into a balloon without popping it, how to step through a note card, and how to make a coin vanish. Illustrating the science and logic behind many of Houdini's most notable acts, the magic-based activities also explain his famous Milk Can Escape through an accessible water displacement experiment and demonstrate simple mathematics with his Odd Number Trick. Touching on his time as an actor, an aviator, and possibly even a spy for the U.S. government, this thoroughly entertaining biography also features a time line, curriculum links for educators, and books and websites for further exploration.
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Mark Twain For Kids
His Life & Times, 21 Activities
by R. Kent Rasmussen
Part of the For Kids series
Nineteenth-century America and the world of Samuel L. Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, come to life as children journey back in time with this history- and literature-laden activity book. The comprehensive biographical information explores Mark Twain as a multi-talented man of his times, from his childhood in the rough-and-tumble West of Missouri to his many careers as a steamboat pilot, printer, miner, inventor, world traveler, businessman, lecturer, newspaper reporter, and most important, author and how these experiences influenced his writing. Twain-inspired activities include making printers type, building a model paddlewheel boat, unmasking a hoax, inventing new words, cooking cornpone, planning a newspaper, observing people, and writing maxims. An extensive resource section offers information on Twains classics, such as Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, as well as a listing of recommended web sites to explore.
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Nellie Bly and Investigative Journalism for Kids
Mighty Muckrakers from the Golden Age to Today, with 21 Activities
by Ellen Mahoney
Part of the For Kids series
An interactive activity book that details the muckraking era Nellie Bly and Investigative Journalism for Kids brings to light the evolving world of American journalism, from the late 1800s to today. Focusing on the bold, audacious investigative reporter Nellie Bly, one of the most famous women in the world in her day, the book presents journalism in a fun, inventive, and exciting way. Budding reporters learn how Bly, who so desired to work in the male-dominated world of reporting, willingly feigned her own insanity to be committed to a mental asylum so she could go undercover and write about it. Providing a comprehensive look at early social reform writers and reporters who helped transform journalism, the book also introduces young readers to four famous American muckrakers-Jacob Riis, Ida Tarbell, Ida B. Wells, and Upton Sinclair-and concludes with a look at some of the modern era's most exciting and accomplished journalists. Twenty-one creative activities encourage a new generation to carry on the muckraking tradition as kids learn how to make and keep a reporter's notebook, write a letter to the editor, craft a "great ideas" box, and much more. Packed with compelling photos and interesting sidebars, Nelly Bly and Investigative Journalism for Kids will get young readers excited about the world of journalism and especially about writing.
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Salvador Dalí And The Surrealists
Their Lives and Ideas, 21 Activities
by Michael Elsohn Ross
Part of the For Kids series
The bizarre and often humorous creations of Ren Magritte, Joan Mir, Salvador Dali, and other surrealists are showcased in this activity guide for young artists. Foremost among the surrealists, Salvador Dali was a painter, filmmaker, designer, performance artist, and eccentric self-promoter. His famous icons, including the melting watches, double images, and everyday objects set in odd contexts, helped to define the way people view reality and encourage children to view the world in new ways. Dali controversial life is explored while children trace the roots of some familiar modern images. These wild and wonderful activities include making Man Ray inspired solar prints, filming a Dali-esque dreamscape video, writing surrealist poetry, making collages, and assembling art with found objects.
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Heading West
Life with the Pioneers, 21 Activities
by Pat McCarthy
Part of the For Kids series
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.
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Duke Ellington
His Life in Jazz with 21 Activities
by Stephanie Stein Crease
Part of the For Kids series
Celebrating one of the most influential figures in jazz, this comprehensive biography incorporates the legendary Duke Ellington's talents into engaging activities for children. Enlisting the musician's gifts as a pianist, composer, and bandleader, this interdisciplinary approach shows how to create a ragtime rhythm, make washtub bass, write song lyrics, dance the Lindy Hop, and even design an album cover. Exploring Ellington's life and career, this activity guide includes information on additional topics such as the Harlem Renaissance, the musical evolution of jazz, and how technology has changed over the years from piano rolls and record albums to CDs, television, and portable music devices. A time line, glossary, selected bibliography, and extensive resources including Ellington's greatest recordings, related websites, and recommendations for further study are also included.
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The Civil War For Kids
A History with 21 Activities
by Janis Herbert
Part of the For Kids series
History explodes in this activity guide spanning the turmoil preceding secession, the first shots fired at Fort Sumter, the fierce battles on land and sea, and finally the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. Making butternut dye for a Rebel uniform, learning drills and signals with flags, decoding wigwag, baking hardtack, reenacting battles, and making a medicine kit bring this pivotal period in our nations history to life. Fascinating sidebars tell of slaves escaping on the Underground Railroad, the adventures of nine-year-old drummer boy Johnny Clem, animal mascots who traveled with the troops and friendships between enemies. The resource section includes short biographies of important figures from both sides of the war, listings of Civil War sites across the country, pertinent websites, glossary, and an index.
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Ellis Island and Immigration for Kids
A History with 21 Activities
by Jean Daigneau
Part of the For Kids series
Ellis Island and Immigration for Kids explores all angles of immigration and its history in the United States.
Readers will learn about the establishment of Ellis Island and its forerunner, Castle Garden, as well as the western immigration station, Angel Island. Along with activities to further enrich kids' knowledge of immigration, this book gives its readers a thorough understanding of its impact on the United States from the earliest arrivals to today.
Activities include instructions on writing a letter home after a journey in steerage to graphing and comparing immigrant populations since the first US census in 1790. This book will help kids gain an appreciation of immigration's impact on the United States, as well as challenge them to reflect on their own feelings about this important issue.
Readers will broaden their understanding of issues that center on immigration with cross-curriculum activities, such as poetry and letter writing, graphing, and other math analyses.
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Archaeology For Kids
Uncovering the Mysteries of Our Past, 25 Activities
by Richard Panchyk
Part of the For Kids series
This activity book features 25 projects such as making a surface survey of a site, building a screen for sifting dirt and debris at a dig, tracking soil age by color, and counting tree rings to date a find, teaches kids the techniques that unearthed Neanderthal caves, Tutankhamun's tomb, the city of Pompeii, and Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec empire. Kids will delight in fashioning a stone-age tool, playing a seriation game with old photographs of cars, reading objects excavated in their own backyards, and using patent numbers to date modern artifacts as they gain an overview of human history and the science that brings it back to life.
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California History For Kids
Missions, Miners, and Moviemakers in the Golden State, Includes 21 Activities
by Katy S. Duffield
Part of the For Kids series
The rich story of the men and women who settled and built the Golden State is told in this engaging chronicle, from the first native inhabitants that arrived 9,000 years ago and the Spanish in the 1700s to the followers of the Gold Rush in 1848 and the Hollywood and Silicon Valley newcomers. They faced many struggles including earthquakes, economic hardships, and the forced internment of Japanese citizens yet they persevered. To get a better idea of the scope of California history and the lives of the state's residents, children will create a Chumash rock painting, play the Miwok game of Hoop and Pole, bake and eat hardtack like a gold miner, design a cattle brand, assemble an earthquake preparedness kit, and more. This valuable resource also includes a time line of significant events, a list of historic sites to visit or explore online, and Web resources for further study.
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Polar Explorers for Kids
Historic Expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic with 21 Activities
by Maxine Snowden
Part of the For Kids series
Heroism and horror abound in these true stories of 16 great explorers who journeyed to the Arctic and Antarctic regions, two exquisite and unique ice wildernesses. Recounted are the exciting North Pole adventures of Erik the Red in 982 and the elusive searches for the Northwest Passage and Farthest North of Henry Hudson, Fridtj of Nansen, Fredrick Cook, and Robert Peary. Coverage of the South Pole begins with Captain Cook in 1772; continues through the era of land grabbing and the race to reach the Pole with James Clark Ross, Roald Amundsen, Robert Scott, and Ernest Shackleton; and ends with an examination of the scientists at work there today. Astounding photographs and journal entries, sidebars on the Inuit and polar animals, and engaging activities bring the harrowing expeditions to life. Activities include making a Viking compass, building a model igloo, making a cross staff to measure latitude, creating a barometer, making pemmican, and writing a newspaper like William Parry's Winter Chronicle. The North and South Poles become exciting routes to learning about science, geography, and history.
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Lighthouses For Kids
History, Science, and Lore with 21 Activities
by Katherine L. House
Part of the For Kids series
Bringing to life an era when rivers, lakes, and oceans were the nation's highways and lighthouses served as traffic signals and maps, this comprehensive reference provides children with an in-depth history of lighthouses and firsthand stories of the challenges faced by lighthouse keepers. Filled with engaging activities such as learning how to tie a bowline knot and building a model lighthouse, this unique book also includes a field guide to U.S. lighthouses, places to visit, a time line, glossary, websites to explore, and a reading list for further study.
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Texas History for Kids
Lone Star Lives and Legends, with 21 Activities
by Karen Bush Gibson
Part of the For Kids series
The larger-than-life story of the Lone Star State, encapsulating the 500-year saga of the one-of-a-kind state of Texas, this interactive book takes readers from the founding of the Spanish Missions and the victory at San Jacinto to the Great Storm that destroyed Galveston and the establishment of NASA's Mission Control in Houston while covering everything in between. Texas History for Kids includes 21 informative and fun activities to help readers better understand the states culture, politics, and geography. Kids will recreate one of the six national flags that have flown over the state, make castings of local wildlife tracks, design a ranchs branding iron, celebrate Juneteenth by reciting General Order Number 3, build a miniature Battle of Flowers float, and more. This valuable resource also includes a timeline of significant events, a list of historic sites to visit or explore online, and web resources for further study.
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John Audubon and the World of Birds for Kids
His Life and Works, with 21 Activities
by Michael Elsohn Ross
Part of the For Kids series
John James Audubon's passion for birds inspired a national movement to protect birds and their habitats.
As a child, John would often skip school to roam the countryside. He collected bird nests, unique stones, bits of moss, and other items of interest and developed his talent for creating dramatic bird portraits and skills for observing them in the wild.
Using his abilities as an acute observer, skilled writer, and exceptional artist, Audubon wrote and illustrated a book, Birds of America. Cataloging all these creatures took enormous time and effort-but even more difficult was finding a way to publish it. To make his book a reality he had to persuade wealthy investors to support his dream. The stories of his adventures pursuing the unique birds of the America captured the imagination of audiences.
Audubon became a larger-than-life figure and dubbed himself "the American Woodsman." Years after his death his artwork is still considered a major accomplishment that inspired a greater interest in American birdlife.
John Audubon and the World of Birds for Kids includes 21 hands-on activities and valuable resources for budding ornithologists hiking in his footsteps.
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Thomas Jefferson for Kids
His Life and Times with 21 Activities
by Brandon Marie Miller
Part of the For Kids series
Drawing heavily from the original letters and papers of Thomas Jefferson and his contemporaries, this resource chronicles the world of the Founding Father who wrote the Declaration of Independence. From his early critiques of the colonial policies of Great Britain and King George III to his governmental roles as the first secretary of state, the minister to France, and the third president of the United States, Jefferson's groundbreaking achievements are described in historical context. The contradictions in Jefferson's character most notably the fact that he owned 600 slaves in his lifetime despite penning the immortal phrase "all men are created equal" are also explored, giving kids a full picture of this skilled politician. Creative activities that invite children to experience Jefferson's colonial America include designing a Palladian window, building a simple microscope, painting a buffalo robe, and dancing a reel.
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Marine Science for Kids
Exploring and Protecting Our Watery World, Includes Cool Careers and 21 Activities
by Josh Hestermann
Part of the For Kids series
While including all the ocean animals kids love, Marine Science for Kids delves much deeper into the complete science of aquatic study, including geology, chemistry and biology in both salt- and freshwater environments-more accurately reflecting the real-world study and practice of aquatic science. Real-life marine scientists share what inspires them every day so kids can learn more about these exciting careers. Hands-on, cross-curricular activities in each chapter-including science experiments, arts and crafts, edible projects and group games-make learning fun.
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Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt for Kids
Her Life and World, with 21 Activities
by Simonetta Carr
Part of the For Kids series
She has been called intelligent and scheming, ambitious and ruthless, sensual and indulgent. Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt for Kids captures the excitement of Cleopatra's story, including portions of her life that have been largely neglected, such as her interest in literature and science and her role as a mother, and leads readers to draw their own conclusions. Included throughout are many aspects of history and daily life in Ancient Egypt, helping readers to explore that fascinating and powerful civilization through Cleopatra's eyes. Photos, maps, charts, sidebars, and a time line enrich the book, while 21 hands-on, interdisciplinary activities allow kids to step back in time and try their hand at Egyptian art and poetry and to experience how Egyptians freshened their breath, transported heavy obelisks, and irrigated fields, how Cleopatra might have made a pearl disappear, and much more.
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Chicago History For Kids
Triumphs and Tragedies of the Windy City Includes 21 Activities
by Owen Hurd
Part of the For Kids series
From the Native Americans who lived in the Chicago area for thousands of years, to the first European explorers Marquette and Jolliet, to the 2005 Chicago White Sox World Series win, parents, teachers, and kids will love this comprehensive and exciting history of how Chicago became the third largest city in the U.S. Chicago's spectacular and impressive history comes alive through activities such as building a model of the original Ferris Wheel, taking architectural walking tours of the first skyscrapers and Chicago's oldest landmarks, and making a Chicago-style hotdog. Serving as a guide to kids, their parents, and an engaging tool for teachers, this book details the first Chicagoan Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, the Fort Dearborn Massacre, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the building of the world's first skyscraper, and the hosting of two Worlds Fairs. In addition to uncovering Windy City treasures such as the birth of the vibrant jazz era of Louis Armstrong and the work of Chicago poets, novelists, and songwriters, kids will also learn about Chicago's triumphant and tortured sports history.
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Native American History for Kids
With 21 Activities
by Karen Bush Gibson
Part of the For Kids series
As the first Americans, hundreds of indigenous bands and nations already lived in North America when European explorers first set out to conquer an inhabited land. This book captures the early history of these complex societies and their 500-year struggle to survive against all odds from war, displacement, broken treaties, and boarding schools. Not only a history of tribal nations, Native American History for Kids also includes profiles of famous Native Americans and their many contributions, from early leaders to superstar athlete Jim Thorpe, dancer Maria Tallchief, astronaut John Herrington, author Sherman Alexie, actor Wes Studi, and more. Readers will also learn about Indian culture through hands-on activities, such as planting a Three Sisters garden (corn, squash, and beans), making beef jerky in a low-temperature oven, weaving a basket out of folded newspaper strips, deciphering a World War II Navajo Code Talker message, and playing Ball-and-Triangle, a game popular with Penobscot children. And before they are finished, readers will be inspired to know that the history of the Native American people is the history of all Americans.