Explorers Who Got Lost by Diane Sensevere-Dreher

Stories of explorers who got lost and sometimes found interesting places.
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Resource: chapter book
Time: 1419-1610
Place: Europe

Summary:
Written with engaging prose, this book tells the stories of the explorers who got lost and sometimes found unexpected people, places and things.  Rich in information on a variety of explorers including chapters on Bartalomeau Dias, Vasco Da Gama, Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, Ferdinand Magellan, Giovanni Da Verrazano, Jacques Cartier and Henry Hudson.  Some of the explorers did some very unpleasant things in the name of their kings, queens and God.  How they behaved continues to be an issue even today.  I think that this book deals with those issues fairly and without graphic detail.  In addition to the stories on each of the explorers there are side boxes with additional information on topics relating to each story. Examples include conquistadors, slavery and French Explorers.  There is an introduction and a little history to give some back story on Prince Henry the Navigator who got the whole era started.  The back of the book contains a detailed chronology and an excellent index.  Illustrated with black and white cartoons.

Potentially Objectionable Content:
none

Reading Level: grade 4 - 7
Lexile Measure: not available
Guided Reading Level: not available


Format Links
Book

Additional Resources:

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The Spanish Inquisition a 15 Minute History podcast

Questions answered about what really happened during the Spanish Inquisition.
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Resource: podcast
Running Time: 15 minutes


Time: 1480 - 1800s
Place: Spain

Summary:
Miraiam Bodian from the University of Texas explains how the Inquisition worked, its methods and its motivations. Easy to listen to and with interesting information.

Potentially Objectionable Content:
none


Website:
iTunes U
15 Minute History Website
Episode Page

Related Teaching Resources:


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Shakespeare: Original Pronunciation a video by Open University

What did Shakespeare really sound like?
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Resource: YouTube video
Running Time: 10:21 minutes


Time: 1600
Place: England

Summary:
What did Shakespeare's plays sound like when he preformed them on stage in 1600?  The language has gone through changes since then, but language expert David Crystal with his son Ben illuminate the viewer how it would have sounded. They also describe how they figured out how it was supposed to be pronounced.

Potentially Objectionable Content:
Some bawdy jokes are discovered, whore and hour rhyme.


Format Link:
YouTube Video

Related Teaching Resources:

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The Very First Thanksgiving Day by Rhonda Gowler Greene

A simple yet historical introductions to the history of Thanksgiving.
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Resource: picture book
Time: 1620s
Place: America

Summary:
This book uses simple rhymes to tell the story of the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving.  From England where the decision was make to journey to the new land, to the Mayflower, to meeting the Indians who taught the Pilgrims how to plant, to the actual feast where they "ate of the food, gathered and blessed, the corn and sweet berries, the wild turkey dressed". There are interesting author's and illustrator notes at the beginning of the book that talk among other things the author's choice to use the word Indian and the dress of the Pilgrims.  This book is illustrated in full color by Susan Gaber.

Potentially Objectionable Content:
none

Reading Level: grade K - 1
Lexile Measure: not available
Guided Reading Level: not available


Format Links
Book

Additional Resources:

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The West by Ken Burns episode 1 The People

The first episode in the epic mini-series documentary of the American West.
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Resource: Documentary
Running Time: 82 minutes
Rating: not rated

Time: pre-history, 1528 - 1805
Place: America

Summary:
With sweeping panoramas and scenic vistas interspersed with historical photographs, paintings and engravings a narrator begins the story of the American West.  The primary sources include not only the photos, but also journals and letters artfully read aloud.  There are also many authorities: writers, anthropologists and others, who help tell the various stories that are interwoven together to tell the greater story of the American West.  It begins with the story of the peoples who lived there since before history.  It also tells of the people who came from other lands to this one, with the focus kept on the viewpoint of the native peoples.  There are stories of many different people groups interacting one with the other.  Many conquistadors, priests, and finally the corps of discovery.

Potentially Objectionable Content:
Some nudity, some depicted violence.


Format Link:
DVD
Digital Download for this one episode 

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Starry Messenger by Peter Sis

Galileo was a man with stars in his eyes and on his mind.
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Resource: picture book, biography
Time: 1564 - 1642
Place: Italy

Summary:
Galileo Galilei was a curious boy who became a brilliant man.  He thought about the stars from a young age.  He studied mathematics and physics.  He became a professor as a young man.  He developed many theorems that are still in use today. He also invented many useful scientific instruments.  His star rose.  He made for himself a telescope and used it to make many observations.  From those observations he wrote and published a book called Starry Messenger.  He put forth the idea that the Sun is the center of the solar system, not the Earth. He was tried by the church, condemned and sentenced to house imprisonment for the rest of his life.  The church pardoned him in 1992. This book is extraordinarily illustrated by the author in full color. The pictures are the greater part of the tale.  I spent more time pouring over the detailed images than I did reading the text.

Potentially Objectionable Content:
none

Reading Level: grade 1 - 3
Lexile Measure: 830L
Guided Reading Level: P


Format Links
Kindle
Book

Additional Resources:

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Squanto's Journey by Joseph Bruchac

The story of the first Thanksgiving told from a Native American point of view.
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Resource: Historical Biography Picture Book
Time: 1614 - 1621
Place: America

Main Character: Man
Age: adult

Summary:
This is the story of Squanto told by a Native American from a Native American point of view.  The story starts years before the Pilgrims land at Plymouth Rock with the capture and transport of Squanto to Spain where he learns English and how comes to return to his homeland and how he ends up helping and teaching the new English settlers. The story is told with rich narration in the style of an oral storyteller.  It really begs to be read aloud.  It is illustrated with full color illustrations by Greg Shed.

Potentially Objectionable Content:
Violence - there is a short passage that tells of a group of Native Americans being shot down by white men.

Reading Level: grade 3 - 5
Lexile Measure: 560L

Format Links
Book

Crash Course: When is Thanksgiving

This is the second installment of the U.S. History Crash Course by John Green on YouTube.

Resource: YouTube Video
Time: 1607-1691

Summary:

In this short video John Green succinctly teaches us about the early American Colonies with a fair amount of wit and sarcasm. John uses paintings, vintage book illustrations and animation to help illustrate and inform. Topics include: Jamestown, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pilgrims and Puritans.  He also highlights the primary source sermon "A Model of Christian Charity" by John Winthrop. 

Possible Objectional Content:

Language

• There is a fair amount of snark and sarcasm throughout, ie "Pasty English People". 
• King James is captioned "I'm King James B*tch"
• Describes the structure of servitude in the Virginia colony as sounding dirty
• "Oh God" one time

YouTube Link: