Exploring America's Wrap-Up Presentation

I was SO BLESSED to be able to teach 18 1st-3rd graders some American History this semester.

Our home school organization, Northshore Home Educator's Association, has a home school "cooperative" each semester. Classes are held Tuesday afternoons from noon-4 p.m. The kids can go to one, two, three or all four hours of the afternoon.

The class I taught was called "Exploring America." We studied The Civil War and The Great Depression through (good and/or classic) children's literature. I had thirteen boys and five girls in my first-hour class, including Madalynn and Justis.

Planning for the class was fun, educational AND time-consuming for me. I called on my dad (a retired history teacher) MANY times during the semester to fact-check and "refresh" my memory.

One thing I will NEVER again take for granted is a child's capacity to learn! The material my 1st-3rd graders learned and retained about The Civil War and The Great Depression was impressive. We had laughter and tears reading books and learning about America's past.

My good friend Erin kindly recorded my class's final presentation. She did such a good job recording I mixed a little video to share with my students, their parents, and my friends and family. Enjoy!

To Maddie and Justis's family and friends who regularly read the blog. Justis overcame his anxiety over the inherited stutter he has when he gets nervous and BRAVELY did his little part. Miss Drama Queen Madalynn also had no problems at all (as usual) getting up and presenting!