The weather is hot, the insects are out, the kids are ready to swim — it must be summer! Whether or not you’re formally homeschooling through the summer, it’s still a great time for children to keep learning. If you have younger students, you can create a unit study of the season using books found at your library. Some of the books you might want to use include:

Summer (Four Seasons Series) by Nuria Roca – This picture book is one of a four-volume series featuring the seasons. During the summer, children can play ball, ride their bikes, or go swimming.

It’s Summer! by Linda Glaser – Also one of a four-part series, this book follows a child observing animals, birds, insects, and plants on a summer’s day. It also includes a list of activities for summer.  This book features fun illustrations created with cut paper.

Mama, Is It Summer Yet? – After a long winter, a mother and child watch for signs of spring turning into summer: squirrels building nests, trees blossoming, the earth softening, and birds singing. The illustrations for this book were also beautifully done with cut paper.

One Hot Summer Day by Nina Cruz – What do you do on a very hot summer day? It’s too hot to play on the playground, but not quite hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk. Two grape popsicles and a rain shower finally bring some cooling relief.

Summer Stinks by Marty Kelly – Taking the reader through the alphabet, this rhyming picture book gives twenty-six reasons why summertime can be no fun. Ants eating snacks, the tide washing away sand castles, and ice cream melting are only a few of the woes faced by kids during the warmer months.

So whether it’s a hot day, a stormy day, or just a lazy day, find some good books about summer, and enjoy!

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Picture By: visual.dichotomy

The libraries are full of children’s books — some good, some not so good. It can sometimes be overwhelming to try to find the right books for your family. Unless you have time to peruse them all before you check out, you may (like me) find yourself at home with several books that just weren’t a good choice. But there is a better way to search for good literature, and with the Internet, anyone can do it: visit children’s book review sites online.

Here are a few sites to get you started:

ChildrensBookReview (www.thechildrensbookreview.com) – This site is straightforward and easy to navigate, with the books organized by age and category. It’s a great site to visit if you don’t have a specific title in mind.

LookingGlassReview (www.lookingglassreview.com) – This is one of my favorite children’s book review sites. The books are classified by ages and genres, with a special “Features” section highlighting biographies, historical books, and seasonal and holiday selections. You’ll also find links to author websites as well as publishers and literary organizations.

Books4YourKids (http://www.books4yourkids.com/)- This is another favorite review site of mine. The author of this site is a mother and bookseller of 14 years. You can find her reviews listed by book title, author, or reading level. The reviews are detailed and thoughtful — a great help when choosing a book for a child.

SpaghettiBookClub.org (www.spaghettibookclub.org) – This site is a children’s book review site with the reviews written by kids! You can look up reviews by book title, the name of the child who reviewed it, or the author of the book.

TheReadingTub (http://www.thereadingtub.com) – This site, by a non-profit organization, is dedicated to promoting reading and literacy. Click on the link for book reviews at the top of the home page, and you’ll find reviews categorized by the age of the reader. There are also reviews of books about adoptions, books for reluctant readers, and books for remedial readers.

Want to find a good read? Check out the reviews, then check out a great book!

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Picture By: Phing

No matter what your students are studying in history, consider using historical fiction as part of your curriculum. More than just dates and events, this genre of literature immerses readers in the time period, taking them on an adventure during the era they’ve just studied. If you want to supplement your curriculum for your middle grade readers (grades 5-9), here are some books you might want to look for:

The Ancients:

• The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
• The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

The Middle Ages

• A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
• The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman
• The Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angeli
• The Crispin: Cross of Lead by Avi
• Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Gray Vining

The 1500’s

• The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood

Colonial America

• Blood on the River: James Town, 1607 by Elisa Lynn Carbone
• The Serpent Never Sleeps by Scott O’Dell
• The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

The 1700’s and the Revolutionary War

• The Fighting Ground by Avi
• Give Me Liberty by Laura Elliot
• The Matchlock Gun by Walter Dumaux Edmonds
• Night Journeys by Avi
• Stowaway by Karen Hesse

The Civil War

• Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt
• Bull Run by Paul Fleischman
• Hear the Wind Blow by Mary Downing Hahn
• The Perilous Road by William O. Steele
• Shades of Gray by Carolyn Reeder
• Silent Thunder by Anrdrea Davis Pinkney
• Soldier’s Heart by Gary Paulsen

Westward Expansion

• The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Cushman
• The Borning Room by Paul Fleischman
• Boston Jane by Jennifer Holm
• Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
• Charlotte’s Rose by A. E. Cannon
• The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
• Trouble River by Betsy Byars

The 1800’s

• Bandit’s Moon by Sid Fleischman
• Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
• A Family Apart by Joan Lowery Nixon
• Lyddie by Katherine Patterson
• Rodzina by Karen Cushman
• The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox
• The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
• Victory by Susan Cooper

World War I

• All-of-a-kind-family Family by Sydney Taylor

1930’s & The Great Depression

• Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
• A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
• Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

World War II

• Journey to Topaz by Yoshiko Uchida
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
• On the Wings of Heroes by Richard Peck
• Year Of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi
• Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy

As you search for books, don’t forget about historical fiction series such as the American Girl series, the Dear America series, and the My America series. And be sure to read the books along with your child — you’ll find there’s more to study, more to discuss, and more to learn!

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Picture By: Pratham Books

“Historical Fiction” is the term given to books that mix fictional characters and action with historical figures, settings, and events. Supplementing your homeschool curriculum with historical fiction is a great way to make history come alive for students, as these books reinforce what the children have learned about a particular time period. Instead of rehashing facts and dates, they review the information by reading about it again in a new and interesting story.

Historical fiction is available for all ages and reading levels, even younger students who are just beginning to read on their own. These easy or early readers also work well for older students who might still be struggling with reading. You can find a number of these books at your local library, and the grade or reading level is usually indicated in an upper corner of the cover.

Most of the historical fiction for this age features American history. If your young readers are learning about the United States, you might consider:

American Revolution:

• George the Drummer Boy and Sam the Minuteman by Nathaniel Benchley
  Buttons for General Washington by Peter and Connie Roop
• George Washington and the General’s Dog by Frank Murphy
• The 18 Penny Goose by Sally M. Walker

Early Nineteeth Century:

• Thomas Jefferson’s Feast by Frank Murphy
• Lewis and Clark: A Prairie Dog for the President by Shirley-Raye Redmond

Native Americans:

• Little Runner of the Longhouse by Betty Baker
• Small Wolf by Nathaniel Benchley

Moving West:

• Wagon Wheels by Barbara Brenner
  Clouds of Terror by Catherine Welch
• Prairie Friends by Nancy Smiler Levinson
• The Josephina Story Quilt and Chang’s Paper Pony by Eleanor Coerr
• The Golly Sisters Ride Again by Betsy Cromer Byars
• The Long Way to a New Land and The Long Way Westward by Joan Sandlin

Civil War:

• The Drinking Gourd: A Story of the Underground Railroad by F.N. Monjo

The Great Depression:

• Dust for Dinner by Ann Turner

Even for young students, reading about another era can be more than just learning history — it can be an adventure!

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Picture By: San Jose Library

When we study history, I often supplement the lessons with reading books that correspond with the era we are learning about.  The children read age-appropriate biographies, or I read the books together with them. Another great resource, however, is historical fiction.

Historical fiction is the name given to the genre of literature that features stories set during a particular period of history but that contains fictional elements. For example, the main character is fictional, as well as the plot. The historical period, however, and the events that occurred during that time, must be accurate.

Rather than using historical fiction as a way to learn history, I’ve found it’s better to use it as a way to reinforce what my children have already learned. Without studying the facts first, it’s sometimes difficult to distinguish which parts of a book are fictional and which ones are true. But to a student who already has knowledge of a certain period, reading historical fiction set during that time is a great way to illuminate it.

Picture books in this genre can be enjoyed by the whole family, especially your youngest students. If you’re looking for some historical picture books, here are some you might want to try:

Colonial America:

Three Young Pilgrims by Cheryl Harness

American Revolution:

Katie’s Trunk by Ann Warren Turner

Redcoats and Petticoats by Katherine Kirkpatrick

The Scarlet Stockings Spy by Trinka Hakes Noble

Sleds on Boston Common by Louise Borden

Western Expansion:

Wagons West! by Roy Gerrard

A Place Called Freedom by Scott R. Sanders

Dandelions by Eve Bunting

Death of the Iron Horse by Paul Goble

Apples to Oregon by Deborah Hopkinson

Civil War:

Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson

Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine

The Blue and the Gray by Eve Bunting

Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad by Pamela Duncan Edwards

Immigration:

When Jessie Came Across the Sea by Amy Hest

Peppe the Lamplighter by Elisa Bartone

World War II:

Star of Fear, Star of Hope by Jo Hoestlandt

The Unbreakable Code by Sara Hoagland Hunter

The Yellow Star: The Legend of King Christian X of Denmark by Carmen Agra Deedy

The Greatest Skating Race by Louise Borden

Coming on Home Soon by Jacqueline Woodson

Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Picture By: apdk

From an early age, children learn that you need money in order to purchase something from the store. It’s so much fun to let a young child pick something out, give him the exact change, and allow him to pay the clerk. You’re child will have an even stronger sense of satisfaction, though, if he uses his own money that he has saved to buy the item. This is where the book Coin County by Innovative Kids (illustrated by Jim Talbot) comes in.

Designed for children ages 5-9 (though you could use it with younger or older children as well), this “Bank in a Book” helps children learn the value of the different coins while building math skills. Created in a board book format, each page of Coin County features slots in which to place the coins, marked with a “P” for penny, a “D” for dime, an “N” for nickel, or a “Q” for quarter. By the time your child has the first two pages filled in, he’s save $3.81; when the second two pages are completed, he’ll have $4.61. So the book continues until every slot is filled and your child has saved over $20.00!

You can use this book in several ways:

If your child is saving up for something in particular, show him how many pages have to be filled in order to buy it. You might mark that page with a bookmark or sticky note.

Use it strictly as a savings plan. After your child has filled up the book, take him to the bank and open up a savings account for him. Each time the book is completed, make another deposit.

Teach your child the different ways to use money. Once the book is full of coins, teach him how to set some aside for spending, some for saving, and some for giving.

However you use it, you’ll find that Coin County is a good introduction into money management, especially for the very young!

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Picture By: adam*b

Compiled by Cooper Edens, The Glorious American Songbook is a wonderful addition to any homeschooling library. Students of all grade levels will benefit from reading this book, especially if they are currently studying American history.

Some of the songs chosen for the book commemorate major events in American history, such as the Revolutionary War (Yankee Doodle) and the Gold Rush (Clementine), while others honor a few of the states (California, Here I Come; Tennessee Waltz; The Yellow Rose of Texas; and Georgia On My Mind.) All of the songs, however, express the rich, diverse, and original heritage that can only be attributed to America. From cowboy songs to gospel hymns, bluegrass to jazz, American music, like the country itself, is a blend of the traditions of many different cultures. The Glorious American Songbook highlights this uniqueness with songs that many children already know. Included among the 53 songs are:

• Oh Susanna!
• Buffalo Gals
• Red River Valley
• Skip to My Lou
• Take Me Out to the Ball Game
• You’re a Grand Old Flag
• Polly Wolly Doodle
• Ol’ Man River
• Turkey in the Straw
• America the Beautiful
• I’ve Been Working on the Railroad
• ‘Tis a Gift to Be Simple
• Amazing Grace
• This Land is Your Land
• Happy Trails
• The Mockingbird Song
• Over the River and Through the Wood
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat
• Summertime
• Camptown Races
• Sweet Betsy From Pike

What makes this book even more enjoyable are the illustrations used with each song. These include treasures from our history such as postcards, lithographs, posters, and fine art, all dated from 1778 to 1945. You’ll find works by John Gadsby Chapman, Edward Potthast, N.C. Wyeth, Edward Hopper, Peter Newell, and many others.

There are many ways you could incorporate The Glorious American Songbook into your curriculum. Each page includes background information about the song or composer, so it’s a good starting point for a unit study on a particular historical event, a songwriter, or an artist. Or you may just use it as a supplement to your current subject of study. However you use it, you’ll find it to be educational for the whole family!

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Picture by John-Morgan

Spring seems to be just around the corner, as this past week has brought warmer weather and sunny days. We’ve found daffodils growing in our yard, buds on the dogwood trees, and songbirds — lots of them — in the trees, in the grass, and all around the house.

If you have elementary students, consider doing a springtime unit study on the birds found in your backyard. Make some birdfeeders to hang in the trees and keep a record of the birds that visit. Then search your library for books with more information about those species. Below are some books we’re using.

What is a Bird? by Robert Snedden – This is a good book to use as you get started. It provides an overview of all the characteristics that make a bird a bird, covering topics such as feathers, wings and flying, beaks, songs and calls, and eggs.

Peterson Field Guides for Young Naturalists – Songbirds by Jonathan Latimer and Karen Nolting is designed for children to help them identify the songbirds they see. Twenty birds are included in this book, each one with color illustrations, a color photograph, and habitat, voice, and food information.

Blue Sky Bluebird by Rick Chrustowski – We’ve seen bluebirds around our house, and this book provided us with lots of information about them. Beginning with the birds building a nest in the nesting box, the author describes the life of a bluebird as it changes from a nestling to a fledgling to a contributing member of the family.

Swallows in the Birdhouse by Stephen R. Swinburne – Every summer we see baby swallows in their nests, so this book was a good choice for us. Like Blue Sky Bluebird, it follows the birds from nest to egg to fledgling to adult. The last few pages contain additional information, including facts about tree swallows, how to build a tree swallow birdhouse, and how to attract swallows to your birdhouse.

A Nest Full of Eggs by Priscilla Belz Jenkins is a Stage 1 reading book. This one describes the activities of robins with text that is written for younger children. If you have a preschooler or kindergartener, this book would be a good choice.

As you see more birds, search for the information about them together. Bird-watching and bird study is an activity the whole family can enjoy!

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Photo by Carly & Art

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

For the past few years, some of my youngest child’s favorite books have been the ones where he has to search for certain images within the picture. Usborne has created some of these fun books for children ages four to eight with their 1001 Things to Spot series and Great Search series.

Open one of these books, and you’ll find a scene that spans two pages. Around the edges of the full illustration are smaller pictures of the things the child will be searching for, along with a number clue as to how many there are to find. For example, in 1001 Things to Spot in the Sea, the page featuring creatures “Deep Down” in the ocean shows a small picture of a gulper eel with the number “5.” The child knows, then, that there are 5 gulper eels to find in the picture.

The 1001 Things to Spot series is geared more toward younger children; the illustrations are friendly and colorful. There are quite a few titles in this series, some titles even including Spanish editions. Some of the other titles are:

• 1001 Things to Spot on the Farm
• 1001 Things to Spot in Fairyland
• 1001 Things to Spot in the Town
• 1001 Things to Spot Long Ago
• 1001 Pirate Things to Spot
• 1001 Animals to Spot
• 1001 Things to Spot at Christmas
• 1001 Knights and Castle Things to Spot
• 1001 Bugs to Spot

The Great Search series is ideal for older children, as the illustrations are more realistic and the items harder to find. Beside each picture you’ll find information about the object or animal, and instead of the actual number written beside each picture, the number word is given. Titles in this series include:

• The Big Bug Search
• The Great Dinosaur Search
• The Great Planet Earth Search
• The Great Animal Search
• The Great Castle Search
• The Great Undersea Search
• The Great Wildlife Search
• The Great World Search
• The Great History Search

If your child likes puzzle books or finding items in a story, give these books a try. They’re great for car rides, long trips, quiet time, together time – or anytime!

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

If your children like spending time on the computer, you may find yourself searching the Internet for sites that are not only enjoyable for them to visit but educational as well. Storyline Online (www.storylineonline.net) is just such a site.

Created by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, this site features videos of well-known actors reading favorite picture books out loud. For example, the first story on the list is To Be a Drum by Evelyn Coleman, read by James Earl Jones. Just click on the image of the book, and then choose your Internet connection speed.  The story will load, and you’ll see the actor introduce the story. As he begins to read, the illustrations are displayed on the screen in a way that’s sure to capture a child’s attention.

There are a number of other books currently available on the site, including:

• Guji Guji by Chih Yuan Chen, read by Robert Guillaume
• Sebastian’s Roller Skates by Joan De Due Prats, read by Caitlin Wachs
• Sophie’s Masterpiece by Eileen Spinelli, read by CCH Pounder
• Stallaluna by Janell Cannon, read by Pamela Reed
• Wilfird Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox, read by Bradley Whitford
• No Mirrors in My Nana’s House by Ysaye M. Barnwell, read by Tia and Tamera Mowry
• The Night I Followed the Dog by Nina Laden, read by Amanda Bynes
• Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco, read by Jane Kaczmarek
• My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco, read by Melissa Gilbert
• Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, read by Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels
• Brave Irene by William Steig, read by Al Gore
• A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon, read by Sean Astin
• Private I. Guana by Nina Laden, read by Esai Morales
• Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli, read by Hector Elizondo
• The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg, read by Lou Diamond Phillips
• Me and My Cat by Satoshi Kitamura, read by Elijah Wood
• Dad, Are You the Tooth Fairy? by Jason Alexander, read by Jason Alexander
• When Pigasso Met Mootisse by Nina Laden, read by Eric Close
• Romeow and Drooliet by Nina Laden, red by Haylie Duff
• Enemy Pie by Derek Munson, read by Camryn Manheim

But that’s not all. You’ll find links for related activities you can do with your students after they hear the story. The Activity Guide is a downloadable PDF file that not only includes the activities, but also features lists of related Internet sites and books, as well as information about the author and the actor — helpful resources for homeschoolers who like to supplement their curriculum or create their own unit studies.

So if your little one is looking for something new to do on the computer, visit Storyline Online. Listen to the story and try some of the activities. You can also find the same book in your library and then read it aloud together. Either way, the reading adventure continues!

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids