Bayard Rustin

A  good title to keep in mind for next Black History Month is We Are One: the Story of Bayard Rustin. He was a civil rights activist who was largely responsible for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, August 28, 1963.

Here's a sample: "Bayard strolled over to the Washington Monument to see how the march was shaping up. Journalists and the security patrol greeted him, but there were only a handful of protesters."

I have a personal connection to Larry Dane Brimner, the author of this book.
 He was an instructor at the Writers Workshop at  Chautauqua the summer I attended and I benefitted from discussions with him.

Patience's Grand Adventure

You may have never heard of Patience Wright who created wax sculptures for important people in England. Born in Philadelphia, she also served as a spy for the American cause during the Revolution. Read all about her in
Patience Wright: America's First Sculptor and Revolutionary Spy by Pegi Deitz Shea.

Here is a sample: "London, England already had a thriving wax-sculpting industry in the late 1700s. So in 1772, American-born Patience Lovell Wright moved across the the Atlantic Ocean, and her sculpting business soared."

Activity:
This is a letter George Washington wrote to Patience. It  is a primary source: a letter written by George Washington himself. It's not only letters but also newspaper and magazine articles written during a person's lifetime.
Can you find a primary source from this year?

Visit The Nonfiction Detectives, today's hosts for Nonfiction Monday.

Have You Ever Visited Trinidad?

One day I plan on visiting Trinidad and Tobago, two islands in the West Indies that comprise one nation. Here is a sneak peak:  Kamal Goes to Trinidad by Malcolm Frederick.

This sample tells how the steelpan, the native instrument of Trinidad and Tobago is made: "First they take an old oil drum and cut it in half, then they bang the top of the drum to make a  big dent..."

The photographs greatly add to the enjoyment  of this book.

The Manatee -A Fascinating Mammal

A few years ago I visited a nature preserve in Florida where manatees live. I could only see a ripple underneath the water but I knew they were there.  Did you know that they live in other places besides Florida? Well they do: coastal West Africa and rivers in the Amazon basin.

 Read all about this in The Manatee Scientists: Saving Vulnerable Species by Peter Lourie.

 Here is a sample: "Manaus [Brazil] is one of the only places you can pet young Amazonian mantees...But you have to make a little noise in the water so they know someone is nearby."

Test your manatee knowledge:

Do manatees have eyelashes?
How long do they live?
How often do they surface for air?
Are they an endangered species?

(For the answers click on the link in the first paragraph.)

Only the Mountains Do Not Move

Readers, come along on a visit to the Maasai people of Kenya in Jan Reynolds' photo essay, Only the Mountains Do Not Move.
Visit with Noonkuta and her family, which includes her baby daughter, Ramati. After Noonkuta milks her cows and goats, her husband, Ole Kiyaa,
must keep an eye on his livestock while they graze out in the bush.

The beautiful photographs include one of  the family's hut, an enkaji. which is made from trees lashed together, Mud is used to seal the walls.

Teachers, Jan Reynolds provides this resource to use in the classroom.

She also includes proverbs from the Maasai people. Here is a sample:
"Nobody can say he is settled anywhere forever; it is only the mountains which do not move from their places."

Late to the party

March 7th was World Maths Day and I wanted to have titles to recommend on that day. Better late then never! So here are two titles of interest:


Flowers and Showers: A Spring Counting Book by Rebecca Fjelland Davis.
Here is a sample: "One colorful kite dances in the sky. Hold the string tight and watch it fly." 





  One Hundred Shoes : a Math Reader by Charles Ghigna.
  Here is a sample: "Centipede, Centipede, how do you choose? Where do you shop for one hundred shoes?"

 Teachers, I recommend a visit to Zoe's site for more book titles and an activity.

Black Hawk's War

Chief Black Hawk, a leader of the Sauk people, fought to prevent his people from confinement to a reservation. His efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. This week's curriculum tie in is Black Hawk's War by Georgene Poulakidas. Here is a sample: Black Hawk and his followers chose to stay at the Sauk village, Saukenuk, in Illinois."

This book is a good source for a discussion of primary source materials: books and materials written at the time of an event.  Here are some suggested activities:
1. A discussion of a passage from Chief Black Hawk's autobiography. How did the Sauk people live?
2.  Here are two different portraits of Chief Black Hawk:  an image in tribal dress and in western dress.
     Compare the two.