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Ideas
for teachers using the novel My Brother Sam is Dead in the
classroom.
Thank
you to all who have purchased or borrowed my e-book! It is
currently #4 on Amazon Kindle's Best
Sellers in Education History List.
Online, Self-Grading My
Brother Sam is Dead Quizzes
Students can take these online quizzes to test
their understanding of the topics woven into the novel. If
they enter an email address at the beginning of the test,
the test results will be sent directly to that address after
the test is complete.
The E-Books
for My Brother Sam is Dead are ready and you can get
them at Amazon. *You can borrow them
for free if you have a Kindle Reader and are a Prime Member.
Download a My
Brother Sam is Dead Parent Letter a 5th grade Teacher
sends out to parents each year.
Using
Historical Fiction in the Classroom. Most students
like a good story, a story with excitement, adventure and
challenge; if a historical novel is well written, it includes
these elements and more. The “more” is historical accuracy
in detail and theme, the necessary elements of a meaningful
historical exploration through fiction. The conflicts of men
and women in history become real to the student because these
men and women can be presented in their human dimension. Includes
links to online materials!
Places
you can visit related to My Brother Sam is Dead.
Students, especially Fairfield County students, can see many
places in the novel. A driving tour/field trip can be a very
educational and fun way to bring the novel to life for students.
Read
some testimonials from actual students.
Google
Map of Redding with information about My Brother Sam is Dead
added. This is a map I made to show Redding locations
where events in the book take place. I'll be adding photos
very soon.
Using
Historical Fiction in the Classroom Teaching Programs.
This Spring/Summer I will be hosting a number of My Brother
Sam is Dead Teaching Programs in Southwestern Connecticut.
In these programs I will be providing information about the
topics and issues My Brother Sam is Dead explores and how
both teachers and students can benefit from its usage in the
classroom. CD's containing all my material, maps and photos
will be available at these events.
Using
Primary Source Materials. Use of primary source documents
can enhance student understanding of a historical time period.
Primary sources provide windows into the daily lives of individuals
living in the past. An analysis of documents can reinforce
the themes and content learned from the textbook or in class
discussion.
Exploring
The Topics in the Novel. This
activity is more of a learning exercise with the teacher pointing
out the topics in each chapter and then discussing these topics
with the students as they are reading the book.
Taking
a closer look at the topics
My Brother Sam is Dead explores can be very helpful to
teachers who wish to present Revolutionary War history in
a unique way. (free)
Exploring
What's True and What's False in the Novel. The novel
My Brother Sam is Dead is historical fiction, the authors
have woven a story using topics and situations that occurred
during the war to give us a better understanding of the war
and its impact on towns, churches, families and individuals.
Some information in My Brother Sam is Dead is factual and
some is fiction, this
activity asks the students to take a closer look at the
topics the novel explores and make an attempt to find facts
associated with these topics. (free)
Exploring
Your Town's Part in the Revolutionary War. This provides
the students with a better understanding and appreciation
of where they live while teaching them research skills they
can use in the future. A complete explaination of this novel
study example is found here. (free)
Who
Were the Loyalists? Loyalists or Tories are portrayed
as villians in many Revolutionary War novels but in reality
they were not villians at all. This
novel study example provides classrooms discussions and
activities that will help students better understand Loyalists
and their position in the war. (free)
Exploring
Period Vocabulary & Slang. List
of words and slang words in use during the Revolutionary War
period. (free)
Exploring
Conflicting Opinions. This was a key element in the
novel My Brother Sam is Dead. By examining examples of conflicting
opinions within their own school, social groups, families,
etc... students are made aware of how people's opinions can
complicate situations. (free)
Resources
Available at the History of Redding Website:
Resources Available
Online:
- Connecticut
Colonial Records
- Revolutionary
War Research mostly Connecticut information but an excellent
resource
- Connecticut
American Revolution Sites Connecticut Society of the
Sons of the American Revolution (SAR)
- Why
the Revolution Occurred- a very good timeline of events
that led to the colonist revolt, what happenned during it
and how our nation was formed.
- Battles
of the Revolutionary War- Awesome resource showing you
dates, locations and winners and losers.
- Uniforms
of the Revolutionary War
- Revolutionary
War Finances
- Paper
Money and Inflation
- Life
and Death Aboard British Prison Ships
- Names
of Prisoners who died on British Prison Ships
- Washington,
George, 1732-1799. The writings of George Washington
from the original manuscript sources: Volume 13 Electronic
Text Center, University of Virginia Library
- The
Complete General Orders of George Washington October
2, 1778 to 1780
- Religion
and the Revolution The Revolution split some denominations,
notably the Church of England, whose ministers were bound
by oath to support the King, and the Quakers, who were traditionally
pacifists.
- Additional Photos
of Soldiers & Muskets.
Connecticut
5th Regiment's Flickr Collection
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