Animated Hero Classics, Biographies for Kids

Updated 3/24/2020.

This is an animated biography series for kids that can be used for teaching history and character training. They can be hard to find online, though sometimes you can google for them and find them. Many libraries carry them and I highly recommend looking for them. The series focuses on the lives of 20 historical figures and their contributions to history. Here is more from the distributor's website:

"The Animated Hero Classic Series consists of 20 inspiring and educational stories of heroic men and women, with the emphasis placed on their accomplishments in world history and social sciences. The series focuses on the role in which they contributed to developing social, economic and political structures as well as in establishing and spreading ideas that helped to transform the world forever."

The best part is they each have a great activity guide! You can get them here.

1. Abraham Lincoln - Teaches Honesty, Friendship, Love, Peacemaking, Faith, Patriotism, Judgment, Wisdom, Fortitude, and Dedication.
2. Alexander Graham Bell - Teaches Kindness, Dedication, Idealism, Concentration, Endurance
3. Beethoven - Teaches Persistence, Dedication, Courage, Diligence, and Overcoming Obstacles.
4. Benjamin Franklin - Teaches Curiosity, Duty, Frugality, Patience, Industry, Discipline, Humility
5. Christopher Columbus - Teaches Courage, Humility, Persistence, Faith, Leadership, Optimism
6. Florence Nightingale - Teaches Sacrifice, Compassion, Charity, Goodness, Courage, Kindness, Persistence, Empathy, Justice
7. Galileo - Teaches Integrity, Confidence, Education, Patience, Humility, Endurance, Wisdom
8. George Washington - Teaches Integrity, Commitment, Love, Peacemaking, Faith, Humility, Courage
9. Harriet Tubman - Teaches Indomitable Spirit, Faith, Courage, Trust, Love, Sacrifice, Loyalty, Hope, Compassion, Confidence
10. Helen Keller - Generosity, Patience, Love, Kindness, Discipline, Dedication, Perseverance
11. Joan of Arc - Teaches Humility, Kindness, Love, Wisdom, Virtue, Generosity, Observation, Work, Persistence, Dedication, Commitment
12. Leonardo da Vinci - Teaches Humility, Kindness, Love, Wisdom, Virtue, Generosity, Observation, Work, Persistence, Dedication, Commitment
13. Louis Pasteur - Teaches Sacrifice, Work, Compassion, Initiative, Observation, Concentration, Diligence
14. Maccabees: The Story of Hanukkah - Teaches Courage, Patriotism, Integrity, Faith, Obedience
15. Marco Polo - Teaches Trust, Faithfulness, Obedience, Courage, Honesty
16. Marie Curie - Teaches Selflessness, Sacrifice, Love, Kindness, Generosity, Work, Education, Enthusiasm
17. Pocahontas - Teaches Peacemaking, Love, Sharing, Kindness, Loyalty, Unselfishness
18. Thomas Edison - Teaches Persistence, Industry, Inventiveness, Leadership, Hope, Faith, Patience, Enthusiasm, Work, Optimism
19. William Bradford, The Father of Thanksgiving - Teaches Sharing, Gratitude, Faith, Leadership
20. The Wright Brothers - Teaches Persistence, Work, Inventiveness, Faith, Ambition

A No-Fuss, No-Cutting Timeline for Mystery of History

Updated 3/24/2020.

In 2015, I started using Mystery of History and I thought it was great. I like the approach of mixing Bible events and other historical events into the same timeline so you can see when they were in relation to each other. But to be honest I was a little intimidated by the extras the texts calls for by way of flash cards, and timeline and timeline figures, even though I think they add a lot to the topic. So, I decided to make it easy on myself and bought the flash cards and timeline figures offered. Totally worth the little bit of extra money, in my opinion. That just left the timeline. Again I was intimidated. (Can you tell I am not always enthused about getting crafty?) So, I did a little hunting around and I feel like I came up with a usable and easy alternative to the lovely timeline suggested by the author.

I bought a BIG tri-fold poster board and some bulletin board borders and voilà, timeline! Here's what I got:

1 Elmer's Premium Tri-Fold Foam Display Board, 36 x 48 Inches, Black (These come in white, too.)
https://amzn.to/2vJKW3o

1 package Carson Dellosa White Borders (These come in lots of colors.) These fit perfectly on the Elmer's board without cutting! http://amzn.to/2b7vQcO


And that's it! I glued the borders to the board with a little Elmer's glue and after letting them dry under some heavy books, it was ready to go. Here is a picture of my board with some figures on it. I fold it flat and store it under the sofa when not in use.

So good luck and enjoy!

TIME Magazine's 100 Best Children's Books of All Time

Updated 3/24/2020.

From TIME Magazine:

"To honor the best books for young adults and children, TIME compiled this survey in consultation with respected peers such as U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt, children’s-book historian Leonard Marcus, the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, the Young Readers Center at the Library of Congress, the Every Child a Reader literacy foundation and 10 independent booksellers."

The list is on this page, however it is a slideshow article interspersed with ads. 

I have the list here too with convenient Amazon links. I like using Amazon because I'm a Prime member and get free shipping on many things. I have marked the ones I have read with @ and the ones I have read AND like with *. Some of these books are favorites. I marked those with #.

#Where the Wild Things Are - "In the forty years since Max first cried "Let the wild rumpus start," Maurice Sendak's classic picture book has become one of the most highly acclaimed and best-loved children's books of all time. Now, in celebration of this special anniversary, introduce a new generation to Max's imaginative journey to Where the Wild Things Are."

The Snowy Day - No book has captured the magic and sense of possibility of the first snowfall better than The Snowy Day. Universal in its appeal, the story has become a favorite of millions, as it reveals a child's wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that wonder forever.
The adventures of a little boy in the city on a very snowy day.

*Goodnight Moon - In a great green room, tucked away in bed, is a little bunny. "Goodnight room, goodnight moon." And to all the familiar things in the softly lit room—to the picture of the three little bears sitting in chairs, to the clocks and his socks, to the mittens and the kittens, to everything one by one—he says goodnight. In this classic of modern children's literature, beloved by generations of readers and listeners, the quiet poetry of the words and the gentle, lulling illustrations combine to make a perfect book for the end of the day.

Blueberries for Sal - What happens when Sal and her mother meet a mother bear and her cub? A beloved classic is born! Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk! Sal and her mother a picking blueberries to can for the winter. But when Sal wanders to the other side of Blueberry Hill, she discovers a mama bear preparing for her own long winter.  Meanwhile Sal's mother is being followed by a small bear with a big appetite for berries! Will each mother go home with the right little one?

*Little Bear Series - Meet Little Bear, a friend to millions of children. And meet Mother Bear, who is there whenever Little Bear needs her. When it is cold and snowy outside, she finds just the right outfit for Little Bear to play in. When he goes to the moon, she has a hot lunch waiting for him on his return. And, of course, she never forgets his birthday. This classic from Else Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak was written in 1957 and remains as beloved today as it was then. An ALA Notable Children's Book, this Level One I Can Read is full of warm and lovingly playful stories that are perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.

Owl Moon - "As expansive as the broad sweep of the great owl's wings and as close and comforting as a small hand held on a wintry night . . . The visual images have a sense of depth and seem to invite readers into this special nighttime world."--School Library Journal, starred review. Full color. 1988 Caldecott Medal Book.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Resources

"At the White House Rose Garden on November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill, proposed by Representative Katie Hall of Indiana, creating a federal holiday to honor King. It was observed for the first time on January 20, 1986."

Reference: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLK_Day

We celebrate the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. on the third Monday in January. Here are some resources to help you create a study of Dr. King.

• This is the Martin Luther King, Jr. book in the Who Was book series.

• Here is a video of Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech. And here is the text of the speech.

• This 26-miunte video about Dr. King is free to Amazon Prime members and so is this 19-minute video about freedom in America which includes a segment about the US civil rights movement. 

• This page from Ferris Tate University shines a light on the racist Jim Crow laws and this page talks about where the name Jim Crow comes from.

• Here is a repository of MLK activity sheets.

• The History Channel has it's own resource page with video clips, pictures, and interviews. Be aware though, it had a number of pop-up video ads.

Updated 3/24/2020.