Are there any good resources for teaching accurate history?

[Guest cwm9]

After I read Lies my Teacher Told Me and realizing how messed up my own historical education was, I really don't want to subject my son to the, 'Squanto lived his whole life in America and helped the pilgrams out of the goodness of his heart' version of history -- aka, the What Your Preschooler Needs to Know version.

 

Are there any good resources for history I can use? I'm guessing short books writting about specific places and people are more likely to be accurate, but I have absolutely no idea where to start.

 

I saw History Oddessy has been mentioned a few times, but frankly I worry about a history text that was authored by a graduate from the "University in Florida in 1989 with a degree in occupational therapy."

[Rosie_0801]

There is no such thing as a perfect history text, but if you share your son's age, people will offer suggestions :)

[Guest cwm9]

He's a precocious 3.5. His favorite book so far has been, "The Day-Glo Brothers," a non-fiction biographical book about the creation of green, yellow, and orange paints by Bob and Joe Switzer. That's the kind of history I'm looking for -- non fiction story-ish books, but accurate.

[PachiSusan]

Reading with interest for my Rising 5th grader.

[SarahW]

He's a precocious 3.5. His favorite book so far has been, "The Day-Glo Brothers," a non-fiction biographical book about the creation of green, yellow, and orange paints by Bob and Joe Switzer. That's the kind of history I'm looking for -- non fiction story-ish books, but accurate.

 

3.5 yo?

 

Based on the book you mentioned, I'd rec the "biography" books by Kathryn Lasky or James Rumford. They also wrote some folktales and their own and, how to say, "cultural fiction" so you'll need to sort through what is actual history.

 

But for the whole of chronological history from start to finish? There was a book recommended here once, and now I can't find it again. It was a single-volume world history for kids, set up sort of like LHOW, but with full color illustrations and published about ten years ago. I thought it looked interesting, but too simple for my kid, and now I can't remember the name of it. Maybe someone else will.

[TarynB]

For older kids (middle school and up), I really like the looks of this free Stanford resource that was linked here recently:

 

http://forums.welltr...m/#entry4955089

 

Looks like it uses primary sources to analyze more than one side of the history lessons that many of us learned in school.

[Pen]

For a while you may be best off sticking with science related books like you are already using. And then move to history as he gets older and more able to emotionally handle history without the usual "lies my teacher told me" mentality.

 

I like SOTW for little children and maybe you could do the first volume as a read aloud early--but to me it still seems like 3.5 is terribly young. It is not the intellectual side so much as the emotional side that needs readiness.

 

Perhaps, you could stick with short history related to science where there is not so much violence and blood shed or about animals and plants. That seems more suited to the age.

[Lily_Grace]

Take a look at the book by the same author called "Teaching What Really Happened". There are many ideas in there on how to approach history as a living subject instead of relying on storytellers to tell you what they think happened.

 

We use a method here I call the pond method. Instead of looking at a timeline, we make a dot for an event (or draw a circle, depending on which way we're going). The older the kid, the more starting dots/circles. Then we slowly start making concentric rings as we add events that came from/caused the starting event. Older kids see the overlap, younger kids see the cause/effect of minor decisions. It's like throwing a stone into a pond, with all the ripples. And the more stones, the more ripples in history. It relies on the kid to answer and figure out WHY things happened as they're figuring out the puzzle.

[Mom in High Heels]

Take a look at the book by the same author called "Teaching What Really Happened". There are many ideas in there on how to approach history as a living subject instead of relying on storytellers to tell you what they think happened.

 

We use a method here I call the pond method. Instead of looking at a timeline, we make a dot for an event (or draw a circle, depending on which way we're going). The older the kid, the more starting dots/circles. Then we slowly start making concentric rings as we add events that came from/caused the starting event. Older kids see the overlap, younger kids see the cause/effect of minor decisions. It's like throwing a stone into a pond, with all the ripples. And the more stones, the more ripples in history. It relies on the kid to answer and figure out WHY things happened as they're figuring out the puzzle.

 

 

Do you have an example of this? I'd really like to see it.

 

 

OP, I have no words of wisdom, other than 3.5 is awfully young to be worrying about this. You can start with the "traditional" tales and when he's older, you can then delve into what 'actually' happened and question why the story was changed and what effect it may or may not have had on future generations.

[TraceyS/FL]

I'd like to also throw out that History Odyssey isn't a text, it is a schedule of other books and activities (might I suggest you download the sample?). And, Kate at Pandia did not write it, she had it written and publishes it.

 

Now there is a text/spine called Humon Odyssey that you might be confusing, that is published by K12.

 

 

Otherwise, I've got nothing other than you have more than a few years to sort it out!

[shawthorne44]

Take a look at the book by the same author called "Teaching What Really Happened". There are many ideas in there on how to approach history as a living subject instead of relying on storytellers to tell you what they think happened.

...

I'm in the same boat as the OP. I read the Lies book and found it disturbing. We aren't ready for history yet, so I hadn't looked into. But, I did jump into this thread when I saw the title.

I knew he'd made a textbook, but I hadn't realized he'd written another book. (Off to Amazon I go)

[j_thurm]

I too am looking for this exact thing!! I hope someone remembers the name!

 

 

3.5 yo?

 

Based on the book you mentioned, I'd rec the "biography" books by Kathryn Lasky or James Rumford. They also wrote some folktales and their own and, how to say, "cultural fiction" so you'll need to sort through what is actual history.

 

But for the whole of chronological history from start to finish? There was a book recommended here once, and now I can't find it again. It was a single-volume world history for kids, set up sort of like LHOW, but with full color illustrations and published about ten years ago. I thought it looked interesting, but too simple for my kid, and now I can't remember the name of it. Maybe someone else will.

[shawthorne44]

Amazon thanks you.

I also picked up his book on Historical sites and few other books that jumped into my cart.

[Hunter]

History is just a STORY. I no longer attempt to teach accuracy at ALL. I just read bits and pieces as STORIES, from all sorts of controversial sources. I'm looking for cultural literacy of the characters.

 

I'm tired and disillusioned with history and the people who write it. If I stop taking it too seriously it's better for me, I'm finding. I just read and read some more, and no longer give a poop if it's "right" or not. I'm even caring less and less if it's politically correct. I used to screen everything to be racially tolerant, but was barely giving lip service to sexism, which I believe to be a much bigger problem. Lately...I'm just...reading all sorts of stuff I wasn't reading before.

 

As long as they recognize some names and dates and events, then I've done my job. I'm done with trying to show cause and effect with history, and all that stuff that is supposed to be important. I've reached this big "Whatever!" with history and literature. Life is too short to keep maneuvering like I was.

 

Now, I make us each a cup of tea and just read, and don't care that much what I read.

[Alte Veste Academy]

But for the whole of chronological history from start to finish? There was a book recommended here once, and now I can't find it again. It was a single-volume world history for kids, set up sort of like LHOW, but with full color illustrations and published about ten years ago. I thought it looked interesting, but too simple for my kid, and now I can't remember the name of it. Maybe someone else will.

 

I too am looking for this exact thing!! I hope someone remembers the name!

 

From Then to Now? http://www.amazon.com/Then-Now-Short-History-World/dp/0887765408/ref=sr_1_63?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368941274&sr=1-63&keywords=World+history

[PachiSusan]

From Then to Now? http://www.amazon.co...s=World history

 

Someone recommended this in another thread. I took it out of the library and wasn't pulled into it. I'm not sure what it was, but I thought it would be more captivating than it was.

[Alte Veste Academy]

I wasn't recommending it (having never read or even seen it in person myself). I was just wondering if this was the one these posters were looking for.

[Guest cwm9]

I know everyone thinks 3.5 is awfully young, but really the train has already left the station and I'm just trying to make sure I'm on board.

 

My little one and I read Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories together. He asked me over and over and over again through the entire book, "is that what really happened?" He's obsessed with knowing what "really happened."

 

So now when we go to the library to get books, he always want to know if the book we are getting will tell him what really happened. I keep getting more fiction for him, and he keeps wanting non-fiction.

 

I'm perfectly happy to stick to small bites of history, and I'm sure he would be to. I certainly don't need to teach "world history" right now.

 

Having said that, I did take a look at the "From Then to Now: A Short History of the World" book and it looks like a wonderful age-reasonable text with copious pictures. Have people been saying that it is historically accurate?

 

We use a method here I call the pond method.

 

I love this! I tried to do a search for "pond method" on Google, but all I got was this thread. Regardless, I think this is an excellent idea. I'm going to do this right away and put on all of the historical books we've already read.

[Rosie_0801]

You might check the Charlie's Playhouse website for book reviews, if evolution takes his fancy.

[stripe]

Someone recommended this in another thread. I took it out of the library and wasn't pulled into it. I'm not sure what it was, but I thought it would be more captivating than it was.

Ha! I posted about it recently in another thread. Well, really, I just listed it, I didn't say anything else.

 

I think it is another good option for a single volume world history book, at least to consider, and is devoid of the bizarreness of the vintage volumes, and it does have color pictures, but the target audience, I am certain, is not three year olds.

 

I am not sure I would worry so much about a single volume chronological history book for small children. But you could take one, including an Usborne/DK type book, and find picture books yourself to read to him in order, and never show him the book you're consulting. I think there are quite a few interesting shorter books about different things that are much more age appropriate, especially if you have access to a good library.

[SarahW]

From Then to Now? http://www.amazon.co...s=World history

 

 

That's it. I think I did look it up from one of Stripe's posts.

 

I haven't gone through it all, but from what I've read it seems to be based on good, solid, recent research in history. I especially appreciate the line where he says that no one actually thought Columbus was in danger of falling off the edge of the world.

 

But it doesn't have much detail, that's for sure. I'm not sure why Amazon lists it at 10&up, other than that it has more than a dozen words per page. The language is pretty simple. For an interested 3.5 yo who can listen to a story without looking at pictures on every page, I think the level of detail is about right.

[MBG]

Start Story of the World if he seems interested & ready.

 

You will want to encourage him to continue asking, "is this what REALLY happened?" and who says" or How do we know? Begin exploring perspective. Even something as simple as a Sunday night dinner or a trip to the park could be retold. Each family member could describe the experience from their perspective and it would be different for each of you. You could discuss facts / opinions. You know, "it's hot outside" verses "it's 99 degrees F outside."

[Lily_Grace]

 

 

I love this! I tried to do a search for "pond method" on Google, but all I got was this thread. Regardless, I think this is an excellent idea. I'm going to do this right away and put on all of the historical books we've already read.

 

You might search for 'web method', but I don't know if that will come up the same. I got frustrated trying to get my kid to see the point of timelines several years ago, and I sat down and showed him with pen and paper how the world events were interrelated - why it was important to learn where in history they were. When all was said and done we had a puddle or pond. :) It opened my eyes both to how I thought about events (non-linear) and how he learns (visual/hands on) and how we could apply it to a standard lesson. We still do timelines, but I'm much less focused on exact dates and more on "what next?"

 

Our end-of-unit is coming up this week, so we'll be tying together a handful of major events: the Homestead Act, the Fugitive Slave Act (v.1850), pre-revolution China, and the California Gold Rush. I'll post the pics of beginning, during, and after. :)

[Pen]

 

... how the world events were interrelated - why it was important to learn where in history they were. ...

 

James Burke's Connections are good for interrelations also. And by accident at one point we found Liberty Kids movies at the library, but not in order and so it was an opportunity to think through which would be first, 2nd and so on.

[pitterpatter]

I would just hit the nonfiction picture books at the library and choose the ones that don't seem watered-down in that way. There are tons of great ones out there. Three-and-a-half is really young to remember details for the long term, but it's never too early to lay a foundation for learning. Maybe revolve your historical and cultural studies for now around the holidays and some fun age-appropriate US/World historical figures?

 

Have you dug into preschool curriculum/resource books? That might help if you're eager to jump start his education. I would maybe go with some theme studies...revolve puzzles, books, art, toys, snacks, etc. around certain themes.

[Shmead]

Another issue with history is that it can really be hard to decide when "simplified" becomes inaccurate, and really hard to resist filling in details about what happened when the truth is often that we just don't know. "Real" history isn't a narrative: it's a huge pile of primary sources. Any attempt to shape those into anything approaching a narrative will be inaccurate for some value of "inaccurate".

 

I mean, look at Squanto. It's not incorrect that a Native American named Squanto probably existed and was probably of great help to the Pilgrims in figuring out agriculture in the new world. However, any attempt to give Squanto a personality--to talk about his motives, to make it alive, is to put an interpretation on it and moves you away from "100% really happened, for sure" territory. Then there is the simplification issue: Is it "historically inaccurate" to just not mention his personal enslavement and the wiping out of his people by smallpox?

 

I think these are really big questions that any history teacher has to grapple with, and there aren't simple solutions to them. As kids age, we can help them see these dilemmas, but it's not really feasible to start with anything other than narrative history--which runs the risk that later they will feel lied to.

[shawthorne44]

Does anyone know of a website for the inaccuracies in SOTW? I think that would be very helpful. With maybe arguments for and against X being an inaccuracy.

 

For example, I know that one of the complaints is that it says that Alexander wasn't really Greek. People complain that he Yes, he was Greek. But the answer is really both Yes and No.

 

I still want to use SOTW, but I think that combined with a pro/con website would be ideal for learning facts and developing the proper Historical Thought Process. Plus other stuff, of course.

[Pen]

If you are still visiting, this thread is related: some of the internet source I posted as links have things for all ages, including young children.