The folktale book, The People Could Fly provides the readers with actual tales the African Americans told. It is a way of preserving their culture. Informational books including Welcome to Addy s World and Daily Life on a Southern Plantation-1853 describe what life was like during the Civil War. Actual photographs and artifacts are shown, giving the audience a taste of what went on, what was used, how things worked, etc. during that time. They are very interesting to look through, providing factual information that readers will be sure to remember.
Most children find history dull and boring, always memorizing important names and dates.
With a literature-based unit such as this one, students will be sure to remember the information they learn. They will experience the cruelty the slaves went through or fight in the Civil War. In addition, many supplemental activities can be done in the classroom. Slavery is a very important issue and topic to be discussed in the classroom, and there are many activities and books that can assist a teacher in her instruction. A sample integrated unit for fifth-grade history students.