In school, we didn't learn alot of history, but memorized the facts (dates, names, etc.). We, as parents, tell kids to learn from their mistakes. How do we know what mistakes we might be repeating? I want to learn, and teach my kids, more about WHY things are, what lead to today, why major events in history occurred. Any suggestions? Reading, movies, etc.
Thanks!!
2006-06-24 18:22:20 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Teaching
Not movie, but documentary. Books are better, but there are SO many titles. Just looking for suggestions.
2006-06-24 18:51:20 · update #1
I don't know the age of your children...but there are many sites that could make learning history fun for kids. I just entered "learn about history" in search and found these.
2006-06-24 18:50:16 · answer #1 · answered by Vicky W 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Lies book is "Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong" by James W. Loewen.
You might also try "A Little Commonwealth" by John Demos. Parts of it can be dry, but it's chock-full of primary source material that tells what liveing in Plymouth colony was really like.
For fictional accounts, make sure you're choosing books that reflect history accurately and from different perspectives. Look at books that feature events from the perspective of women, people of color, and other religions. For example, Laurence Yep has books out that deal with historical events from a Chinese perspective, through the eyes of young narrators.
2006-06-30 19:21:52 · answer #2 · answered by Compulsive Reader 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I keep some short little trivia books around the house. They have neat little articles of information. When my kids were younger, the operative word there was little. They'd pick up one of the books and read one or two entries.
I like several different books: Short Guide to US HIstory; Texas History Trivia, Haunted Places (This one really is fascinating), etc. I also keep several books like that in my classroom (I'm a history teacher) for the kids to pick up when we have extra time.
Go to the bookstore and look around until something catches your eye. (I used to have Lies Your History Teacher Told You, but I can't find it anymore). The key is for YOU to be interested. If your kids see you reading, they will too.
History is not static. It is not a bunch of dead white guys who were looking for something to do. It's a continuing story of us. I wish everyone knew that.
2006-06-25 03:39:53 · answer #3 · answered by Cathe B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Reading, not movies! Wikipedia, online research. Ask some of your folks!
2006-06-24 18:36:44 · answer #4 · answered by Prince Charmant! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋