Author - Heidi Ciravola

Learn American History Through Literature: The Holocaust

Learn American History Through Literature

The Holocaust is a period of history that is difficult to cover in your homeschool lessons simply because of all the senseless killing. One of the great benefits of learning history through literature is that it can help you to process difficult subjects like the Holocaust.

The Holocaust killings were done primarily in Nazi Germany, but the atrocities spanned many countries and became one of the many complex reasons for the outbreak of World War II.

Because of the nature of this topic, be extra careful to screen any books or materials you use with your children. Of course use your own discretion as to when your children are ready to handle this subject matter.

Holocaust Book Suggestions

1. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

This book by John Boyne is a fictional tale of the unlikeliest of friends: the son of a Nazi commandant and a Jewish concentration camp inmate. It is told from the perspective of Bruno, a nine year old son of a Nazi commandant living on the periphery of Auschwitz.

2. Maus I & II

Art Spiegelman wrote these graphic novels out of his own conversations and memories of his father’s experiences in Auschwitz. These are beautifully illustrated and truly moving works of art. He uses cats to represent the Nazis, and mice to represent the Jews. This is truly a survivor’s tale done in a totally unique and engaging manner.

3. The Book Thief

This book by Markus Zusak is the newest of the books mentioned here. The story of Liesel Meminger is narrated by Death. We begin with Liesel at nine years of age, right after the death of her brother and at the separation from her mother. The story takes us on a journey through Nazi Germany, during the time of the Holocaust, from the perspective of a Liesel, a citizen in a fictional town called Molching.

Holocaust Resources

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Learn American History Through Literature: Chasing Lincoln’s Killer

Learn American History Through Literature: Chasing Lincoln's Killer • Bright Ideas Press, Christian homeschool curriculum

Historical fiction is my favorite way both to learn about history and to teach it to my children. With the book Chasing Lincoln’s Killer and some added resources, we studied the assassination of President Lincoln from the events leading up to the assassination all the way through the capture of John Wilkes Booth.

While Chasing Lincoln’s Killer is technically a non-fiction book, it was written to read like fiction and is one of my favorite reads from this past year. It brings to life a crazy twelve-day period in American history.

About Chasing Lincoln’s Killer

excerpt from Chasing Lincoln’s Killer by James Swanson

“This story is true. All the characters are real and were alive during the great manhunt of April 1865. Their words are authentic. In fact, all text appearing within quotation marks comes from original sources: letters, manuscripts, trial transcripts, newspapers, government reports, pamphlets, books, and other documents. What happened in Washington, D.C., in the spring of 1865, and in the swamps and rivers, forests and fields of Maryland and Virginia during the next twelve days, is far too incredible to have been made up.”

Brief Summary

Chasing Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson is is a fast-paced thriller about the pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth: a wild twelve-day chase through the streets of Washington, D.C., across the swamps of Maryland, and into the forests of Virginia.The book is based on rare archival material, obscure trial manuscripts, and interviews with relatives of the conspirators and the manhunters.

Chasing Lincoln’s Killer is the young adult (YA) version of Swanson’s bestselling book, Manhunt.  Divided into fourteen chapters and an epilogue, the sentences are shorter and chapters are condensed from the original, yet this YA account of Lincoln’s assassination and the twelve-day search for his killer reads like a historical thriller.

Every bit of dialogue is said to come from original sources, adding a chill to the already disturbing conspiracy that Swanson unfolds in detail as Booth persuades friends and sympathizers to join his plot and later, to give him shelter.

The author gives even the well-known murder scene at Ford’s Theatre enough dramatic flourish to make the subject seem fresh.

While Lincoln lies dying, Booth’s accomplices clumsily attempt to kill Secretary of State William H. Seward, and Booth talks his way past a guard meant to bar him from crossing a bridge into Maryland. In focusing on Booth, the author reveals the depth of divisions in the nation just after the war, the disorder within the government, and the challenges ahead. Abundant period photographs and documents enhance the book’s authentic feel.

Chasing Lincoln’s Killer Discussion Questions

  • Why is John Wilkes Booth so angry?
  • What happened at the home of Secretary of State William H. Seward? How was it more brutal than the plan?
  • Why do you think only one man tried to chase Booth in the theater? How did Booth escape?
  • What did Dr. Leale do to President Lincoln. What diagnosis did he give?
  • Why did Dr. Leale not want Lincoln to die in the theater?
  • Who was Edwin Stanton? Does he take his authority too far? Was his treatment of Mary Todd Lincoln cruel?
  • Who aided the conspirators to escape?
  • Why were Booth and Herold in no danger at the beginning of their escape? How did the news of the assassination spread?
  • Who is Thomas Jones? How does he support Booth and Herold?
  • Why would the army need to protect Booth if he was captured? Where would they take him?
  • Why was Booth surprised by the reactions to the assassination in the newspapers? How had the tide of opinion changed about the President?
  • How were the Garretts duped into helping Booth and Herold? How did they end up aiding the Union troops?
  • How might the sequence of events been changed if John Wilkes Booth had not broken his leg?
  • What happened to John Wilkes Booth in the end?
  • What were his last words?

Chasing Lincoln’s Killer Timeline

Create a timeline of all the major events listed throughout the course of the book. The timeline should have detailed descriptions accompanying each day. Include actions in Washington and of the manhunters as well as the actions of Booth and his co-conspirators.

Here is a FREE printable timeline I created for use with Chasing Lincoln’s Killer. Click to access the large image.

Chasing Lincoln's Killer Timeline Printable

Vocabulary

  1. inauguration
  2. adversary
  3. delirious
  4. proprietors
  5. harebrained
  6. provoked
  7. avenged
  8. henchmen
  9. agonized
  10. coagulated
  11. mortal
  12. secessionist
  13. grotesque
  14. catastrophic
  15. mayhem
  16. thicket
  17. interrogator
  18. tribunal
  19. jeopardize
  20. spectacle
  21. tarried
  22. treachery
  23. ultimatum
  24. comrades
  25. chiding
  26. egotistical
  27. autopsy
  28. inquest
  29. notoriety
  30. conviction

Virtual Tour

Beyond the fantastic original sources in the book, check out this Virtual Tour of Ford’s Theatre. It includes many photos and information pertaining to this historical theater as well as the events and players in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore via Compfight cc

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Learn American History Through Literature ~ Ghosts of the Titanic

Learn American History Through Literature ~ Ghosts of the Titanic • Bright Ideas Press homeschool curriculum
Historical fiction is a great way to bring history alive. While reading and getting a grasp of the facts from a textbook or other resource is an important part of learning, I have found that engaging in fact based stories has been a very enriching experience. In this second post of Learn American History Through Literature, I take a look at the sinking of the Titanic.

About Ghosts of the Titanic

Ghosts of the Titanic offers an unusual look at the sinking of the Titanic from the perspective of those sent out to clear the bodies from the water. This was an aspect I had never even thought of until reading the novel. I would recommend this book to the 12 and up group of readers. This is a great read for those that are fascinated with the Titanic as it offers food for thought on a less exposed side of the story.

I would like to note the obvious ghost storyline. This is done to show you the stories of two different people, Angus and Kevin. Angus was a crew member on a ship that was sent to recover bodies and offers us a firsthand look at the disaster, and Kevin is a boy who comes to live in Angus’ old house and becomes haunted by the ghost of a woman who died on the Titanic.

Ghosts of the Titanic

What is so special about Ghosts of the Titanic is the story it reveals about how Halifax played a role in the aftermath of the disaster. Canadian cable ships were charted by the White Star Line to go to the site of the Titanic disaster to recover victims’ bodies and take them to Halifax for identification and burial. The men on board these ships had to deal with the task of hauling bodies out of the water, the task of trying to identify them, and the daily trials of perserving and dealing with the piles of dead bodies they recovered.

Preview of Ghosts of the Titanic.

Activities for Ghosts of the Titanic

Questions

  1. Where does the bulk of this story take place?
  2. Why is Kevin in this place and how does he feel about it?
  3. How is Kevin’s relationship with his father?
  4. Do you think there are things Kevin and/or his father could do to change their relationship?
  5. Who is Angus Seaton?
  6. What is the Mackay Bennett?
  7. How does Kevin get an up close view of the events happening on the Titanic?
  8. What does the ghost want?
  9. What event in Angus’s life sets the stage for the story and becomes the problems that needs a resolution?
  10. Do you think the telling of the story using two different time periods enhances the story? Why or why not?

Extension Activities:

Photo Credit: Images of History via Compfight cc

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Learn American History Through Literature – Pedro’s Journal

Learn American History Through Literature: Pedro's Journal • Bright Ideas Press

I love using historical fiction alongside our history curriculum because it brings time periods, people, and stories to life both for myself and for my children.

During our studies of explorers, specifically Christopher Columbus, we came across many books and resources to extend our studies.  Pedro’s Journal: A Voyage with Christopher Columbus by Pam Conrad is a great extension of our history learning and a perfect jumping point for seeing Columbus’ journey on a more personal level.  It also encouraged the  learning of some new period related vocabulary.

About Pedro’s Journal

This story is based on Pam Conrad’s extensive research and is told through journal entries made by Pedro from August 3, 1492 through February 14, 1493. These journal entries offer a unique perspective on the events of Columbus’s famous journey.

Brief Summary

It is August 3, 1492, and Pedro de Salcedo has had little experience at sea or aboard a ship. But he can read and write — a rare skill for a boy of his times — and because of this, he is assigned as ship’s boy to a sailing vessel bound for India. The ship’s commander is a man who calls himself “Captain General of the Ocean Sea.” He is a man known for leading morning prayers and for his fiery temper. He is Christopher Columbus, and Pedro de Salcedo, along with the 40 other men aboard the Santa Maria, are riding with him into history.

Pedro’s Journal Comprehension Questions

  1. What is the date of Pedro’s first journal entry?
  2. Who is the captain of the ship?
  3. What was Pedro’s purpose on the ship?
  4. What country are the ships sailing from and where are they headed?
  5. What were some of Pedro’s duties on the ship?
  6. What did Columbus name the first land they stepped on?
  7. Who was steering the Santa Maria when it hit the barrier reef?
  8. Does Pedro make it home safe?

Pedro’s Journal Vocabulary

  • Voyage – a course of travel or passage, esp. a long journey by water to a distant place.
  • Compass – an instrument for determining directions, as by means of a freely rotating magnetized needle that indicates magnetic north.
  • Mariner – One who navigates or assists in navigating a ship.
  • Dinghy – any small boat designed as a tender or lifeboat, esp. a small ship’s boat, rowed, sailed, or driven by a motor.
  • Careening – To cause a ship to lean to one side; tilt.
  • Mutiny – an open rebellion against authority.
  • Betrayal – the breaking of a confidence or trust.
  • Uncharted – not shown or located on a map; unexplored; unknown, as a place or region
  • Anchor – any of various devices dropped by a chain, cable, or rope to the bottom of a body of water for preventing or restricting the motion of a ship.
  • Navigator – a person who conducts explorations by sea
  • Port – a place along a coast in which ships may take refuge from storms; harbor.
  • Plague – a contagious diseases characterized by fever and delirium.

A Ship Like Columbus Sailed

A Ship Like Columbus Sailed - Pedro's Journal

Ship Terms

  • mast – a large long pole placed nearly vertical on the center line of the ship
  • sail – a piece of material extended on the  mast to catch the wind and propel the ship
  • stern – the back end of the ship
  • hull – the main body of the ship
  • bow – the forward end of the ship (usually the pointed end)

Color and Label

Color and label the ship diagram that shows a ship like the one Pedro sailed on with Columbus.

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