My students need a class set of Margaret Peterson Haddix's novel "Torn" in order to imagine themselves in Henry Hudson's ship and properly understand European exploration of the New World.
I teach the best students in the world! I'm not just saying that; they really are quite incredible! Some of my students have overcome so much in their short lives already while others are just trying to figure this whole "school" thing out. I love my students--their personalities, their ambition, their humor, their endeavors, their stories, and their hearts.
These sweet kids will flourish when their needs are met.
They will begin to think outside of the box, make connections, and be empowered in all of their learning endeavors.
My Project
After teaching American history to fourth graders for the past three years, I have definitely caught on that European exploration is an extremely difficult concept for my students to grasp. Perhaps this is due to how long ago it occurred. Or, maybe it is because up to this point in their schooling, the only real explorer they have previous knowledge of is Christopher Columbus. Regardless of the reasoning behind it, exploring North America as a "New World" is a tricky subject to teach. But, wouldn't time traveling make understanding history so much easier?
Imagine becoming a kid time traveler that voyages through history and winds up on the decks of Henry Hudson's ship!
Wouldn't that make learning about exploration ten times more fun and exciting? Wouldn't it make it far easier to understand?
Margaret Peterson Haddix has written a novel that does just this! Her fictional account takes students on a wild ride through history where they must navigate a mutiny and learn how to survive the same situations that Hudson and his crew were challenged with back in the early 1600s. She relies heavily on fact and uses a thrilling adventure to be used as a fantastic teaching tool.
This set of novels will be highly beneficial to my students as it will provide them with a unique understanding and hopefully get them interested in the rest of the novel series as well. I hope that by linking reading and history, they will grow tremendously from this novel study.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Blanchard and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
