Children's+Book+Review

= __** Children's Book Review **__

Ellen Lippy ** Children’s Trade Book Review  ** ** Title: **// The Declaration of Independence // ** Author: **Elaine Landau ** Publisher: **Children’s Press ** Copyright Date: **2008 ** Summary: **This book describes Great Britain’s government 250 years ago and why people traveled to the original colonies in present day America. Next, the book describes how Great Britain controlled the original colonies and what the people in the colonies did to fight back. Lastly, the book describes how the people in the American colonies create The Declaration of Independence to become free from Great Britain. The author did a great job of describing how the Declaration came about. She used a lot of detail and many vocabulary words that could be taught to students. There is a section in the book that shows a picture of The Declaration of Independence. Students can look at the picture and learn what each section says and means. In the book, there is also an easy to read time line of how the Declaration started. The author uses big, colorful words which makes the book easy and fun to read! ** Vocabulary: **The following words are terms found in the book. These words are in bold letters when they are used in the text. There is also a glossary in the back of the book where the terms are defined. Vocabulary List: colonies, colonists, indentured servants, parliament, imported, boycotted, merchants, militias, appointed, delegates, revolutionary war, declaration, plantation, traitors ** NCSS Themes:   **  1. Time, Continuity and Change: The book talks about the past, why the original colonies were first created, and how America has changed.  2. Individuals, Groups and Institutions: The book explains how and why the United States’ government was first created.  3. Power, authority, and Governance: This book describes Great Britain’s government 250 years ago and how they controlled the American colonies at the time. The book also describes how the United States separated from Great Britain and formed their own government. ** Standard: ** 8.3.3 B: Identify and describe** h **istorical documents, artifacts, and places critical to United States history ** Grade Level:   ** This book is appropriate for grade 4th-6th for independent reading because this book does have new terms that students may not be familiar with. This book is also separated into chapters and this will make it too complex for younger children to understand. This book could be an appropriate read aloud to classes ranging from 3rd- 5th grade. The teacher would have to explain the harder words to the students. ** Method for Using the Book:  ** I would use this book to help teach how the United States government first formed and about the Declaration of Independence. I would not read the entire book in one class period. I would read the sections that fit with the social studies topic for that day. This would make it easier for the students to understand because I would not be cramming all the information in the book into the students’ heads. After I am done using the book to teach, I would place it in the classroom library so the students can look at the pictures and read it. Teaching Schedule: __Week One__: Great Britain’s government 250 years ago, why people left to come to the original colonies in present day American, and how Great Britain controlled these original colonies (Pages: 7-14, 16, and 22) __Week Two__: How the American Colonists stood up the Great Britain and its king, the Revolutionary War, and first and second Continental Congress (Pages 13, 15, 17, 19-31) __Week Three__: The Declaration of Independence (Pages 31-42) =