Interest-led history lessons can benefit the learner and the teacher. Ask you kids what they would like to learn about, it may surprise you.
Although we'd planned to have Jaden study the Middle Ages this year, we've changed our mind (one of the benefits of homeschooling).
Last month we asked Jaden to write down a list of topics he'd like to learn more about. We'll be taking those topics and Jaden and his dad will come up with a plan of study for each one. There will be daily reading assignments and they'd discuss the week's work each Friday.
This is list Jaden came up with. (The list isn't complete, but it gives us a start for the year):
- Jewish history
- African history
- World War I & II
- Catholicism
Jeff and Jaden decided to start with Jewish history, which would then segue into WWII. We're still in the midst of this topics, but here are the resources we've used so far.
- Exploring the World of the Jew
by John Phillips. This excellent book was one of my husband's college textbooks, so we had it readily available on our bookshelf.
- Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State, a PBS documentary. We watched this six-part series through our Netflix subscription.
- Number the Stars
by Lois Lowry. This Newbery award-winning book recounts the amazing escape of Jews from Denmark during WWII.
- The Yellow Star – The Moving Narrative Of A Boy Who Survived Auscwitz And Buchenwald
, by Simcha Bunem Unsdorfer. This autobiography of the son of a well-know Czechoslovakian rabbi was also on our bookshelf already.
Here are some resources that we haven't used yet, but are planning to (at least most of them).
- Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow
by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. I checked this book out of the library several years ago and was very moved by the writing. The author interviews a large number of of adults who were children in the Hitler Youth during the war, and it changed my entire understanding of that horrible program.
- World War II: The Rest of the Story and How It Affects You Today, 1930 to September 11, 2001 by Richard J. Maybury. We've been reading through (and enjoying immensely) Maybury's Uncle Eric series, so this seemed like another excellent reference for Jaden to read in his study of WWII.
- The Hiding Place
by Corrie ten Boom. This is the true story of a non-Jewish family who is arrested and sent to concentration camps because they were hiding Jews in their home. A powerful story I read as a teenager.
- Schindler's List, the movie
- Ken Burns: The War. A documentary about WWII, available through Netflix.
- Time of Fear. A documentary about the Japanese-American interment camps in the U.S. during WWII. Available through Netflix.
- Civilization and the Jews by the History Channel. We'll be watching this thorugh Netflix.
- The Jewish People: A Story of Survival, a documentary by PBS, again planning to watch through Netflix.
- A Life Apart: Hasidism in America, another documentary we'll watch through Netflix.
- Into the Arms of Strangers, a documentary about the Kindertransport that saved thousands of Jewish children during WWII. Again, watching through Netflix.
- Nazi Medicine & The Cross and the Star. Both documentaries are offered through Netflix.
As you can see the interest-led history lessons will be great with a lot of resources to use from books to movies to docuentaries.
Do you have other suggestions for resources about Jewish history, WWI or WWII, African history, or Catholicism?
Oh my you hit my field of study. Off the top of my head I would recommend,
Treblinka by Jean-Francois Steiner
Maus I & II-Spiegelman
I never saw another butterfly-Children's Drawings and Poems from Terezin Concentration Camp
Children in the Holocaust and World War II, Their Secret diaries- Holliday
I Have Lived A Thousand Years: Growing Up In The Holocaust -Livia Bitton Jackson
Anything by Elie Wiesel
For and interesting view of Jewish history in regards to their relationship with God I would recommend The Gifts of the Jews by Thomas Cahill but I would strongly suggest previewing this one.
@Jessica, Wow, thanks so much for the suggestions! I've only heard of one that you mentioned—The Gifts of the Jews, which we actually own already. My husband, however, knew exactly what you were talking about when you mentioned Maus I & II 🙂
Once again I have to let you know how much I appreciate your blog. Thank you for taking the time to let us in on all this good stuff!!!
Sounds great! Thanks for the resources!
When I did Jewish history w/ my oldest, I just had him read living books: Number the Stars, The Hiding Place, Story of the VonTrapp Family Singers, and something by Ray Comfort on how to share the gospel w/ Jews. (World Religions in a Nutshell possibly.)
"The Upstairs Room" by Johanna Reiss. Is he too young for Anne Frank's diary?
Joy,
Jessica mentioned anything by Elie Wiesel. I would highly reccommend his book Night. I read this book in a U.S. history class in college and it would be age appropriate for your son. Here is a good website that even has a free study guide to the book:
http://www.facinghistory.org/resources/publications/night?_kk=night%20by%20elie%20wiesel&_kt=cf456f7d-07e1-4af3-b6fe-86f51a2bc9ff&gclid=CNHu4eizg6QCFQtN5wod2T5cGw
Good luck with your studies and thank you for your wonderful site.
I never saw another Butterfly is amazing. But there is so much more to Judaism than just the Holocaust!
@Becca, I would totally agree! Any specific suggestions for non-holocaust resources? 🙂
I work at a religious school…this should be easy for me. Are there particular topics you want to cover? The books that come to mind that we have are life cycle, holidays, Jewish bible stories….I'd be happy to send you a few at book rate 🙂
I'm not as well read as I'd like to be about the history of Catholicism, however I could point you toward a few things to look for. A biography or documentary of John Paul the second would be a great resource for looking at the modern Catholic Church. He was well respected among other church and world leaders and was considered a major player in bringing down communism in Eastern Europe. He also worked to bring more unity to the church world wide, and in his writings and travels he seemed to try to bring this ancient, huge church forward in time, and he consistently preached about the love of Christ. He is a huge influence on many Catholics of my generation.
A timeline outlining the history of Christianity/ Catholicism would be give you events to look for like the Council of Nicea, which took place in the 300's after Christianity became legal, and the council of Trent in the 1500's etc.
Amy Wellborn's Book of Saints for kids is very accessible reading and tells the stories of many of the early Christian and more modern Catholic saints, which provides some history and insight into Catholicism. There is also Butler's Lives of Saints but it can be rather dry and pious. I like the stories of the saints because they are so frequently referenced throughout art, lit, naming of geographical places, etc, and it is a reminder to me that many people died to pass on the faith that we have today.
A New American Version Catholic Study bible provides a lot of info about the who, what, where, when,why, as well as why we have a few books in the old testament that were thrown out of Protestant bibles and other Church history.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the definitive source for info on Catholic theology.
Thomas Aquinas, Catherine of Sienna, Thomas More, Francis of Assisi, and St Benedict all have some interesting history with the Church, and the spiritual life.
I will keep on thinking and ask around for more specific resources for you. Please feel free to email with any questions. I'm no expert or apologist, however my husband taught Catholic school for a number of years and worked in young adult ministry as well, and learning more about our history and faith is something we have consistently tried to do through out our adult lives.
Best wishes
Looks good. Have you ever seen the movie "The boy in the striped pajamas's" it might be a good movie to go with this topic. It is not based on a real person but it does show how family members deal with the issue in different ways. Anyway just a thought. Great topic and so good your husband can help:)
We recently read Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy, which is the true story about a GIRL that survives the Lodz ghetto. So I think you might be able to imagine my surprise when you said The Yellow Star was the biography of a BOY surviving the holocaust. Yellow Star is written in "almost poetic prose" which was a perfect choice for the subject matter. I highly recommend this book.
"Mrs Katz and Tush" is a good easy picture book (meatier than most picture books) explaining about some Jewish culture. (Mrs. Katz is Jewish.)
A Hallmark movie that we have enjoyed which talks about Jewish culture, and reasons for doing some things, is "Loving Leah". (It is somewhat of a "chick-flick.")
Of course reading about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Exodus would be good too. Maybe the feasts too.
Just my 2¢.
I would HIGHLY recommend 'Address Unknown' by Kressmann Taylor. It's a really powerful short story written before WW2 (that will shock you once you read it, because it makes it crystal clear that people did indeed know about the way Hitler was going with the Jews). It is based in Germany and the States. I came across it when I heard it as a play on the radio here in the UK. I missed part of it and HAD to get the book.
Sarah (who found your blog through TheHomeSchoolMom just today and is about to put you into her google reader)
@Sarah, I've never heard of that book before, but it sounds like something we'd really like to read. I started reading aloud Hitler Youth to the kids today, and it was interesting to try to understand the kids' perspective of Hitler prior to the war itself. I'll add Address Unknown to my Amazon wishlist!
Hi!
I see many of you are familiar with documentaries on Jews and I'd like to ask you for help. I'm looking for the title of the movie where Jews in Auschwitz symbolicly take God to trial. There is an accuser and a defender and they bring up their pro- and contra- arguments and by the end of the movie, God is beeing sentenced for breaking the vow from the Testament.
A friend of mine watched it on The History Channel and doesn't remember the title. If anyone knows what film I'm talking about, please please help!
@Mary, I think the movie you're referring to is God on Trial
@Joy,
Thank you Joy, that's it! 🙂