Exemplar Texts on a Topic
Across Grades
K
1 2–3 4–5
Principles of Democracy
To be able to read and understand
the Declaration of Independence,
the Preamble to the Constitution,
or King’s “I Have a Dream” speech,
literate adults must have a firm
grasp of both the language and
historical context of these texts.
Building this foundation starts in
the early elementary grades. All
American history topics are relevant
in some way to the formation of the
United States and to the understanding
of how the principles of American
democracy came about. This listing
represents a grade-appropriate mini-
sequence of American history topics
that directly relate to the ideas and
freedoms embodied in the Declaration
of Independence and the Constitution.
Study of American history and
geography can begin in grades K-2
with a brief overview of major events
and figures, from the earliest days to
recent times. (The term “American”
here generally refers to the lands that
became the United States.) A more in-
depth, chronological study of American
history can then begin again in grade 3
and continue onward.
Reference the rest of this listing for
more detail about specific age-appro-
priate subtopics as well as additional
titles.
Early Exploration and Settlement
• The Voyage of Columbus in 1492
• The Pilgrims
A Picture Book of Christopher
Columbus by David A. Adler
(1991)
Christopher Columbus by Mary
Dodson Wade (2003)
The Pilgrims’ First Thanksgiving
by Anne McGovern (1973)
Pilgrims of Plymouth by Susan E.
Goodman (1999)
§ The Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving from
A-Z by Laura Crawford (2005)
Presidents and American Symbols
• Introduction to famous presidents
– George Washington
– Thomas Jefferson
– Abraham Lincoln
– Theodore Roosevelt
– Current United States
president
• American Symbols and Figures
My Teacher for President by Kay
Winters (2004)
George Washington by Philip
Abraham (2002)
A Picture Book of Thomas Jefferson
by David A. Adler (1990)
Abe Lincoln’s Hat by Martha
Brenner (1994)
I pledge allegiance by Bill Martin
Jr. and Michael Sampson (2002)
The Birth of Our Nation
• Introduction to the American
Revolution (emphasizing the story
of how we went from colonies to
an independent nation)
• American Symbols and Figures
The 4
th
of July Story by Alice
Dalgliesh (1995)
American Revolution (Research
Guide) by Mary Pope
Osborne (2004)
Boston Tea Party by Pamela
Duncan Edwards (2001)
A Picture Book of Paul Revere by
David A. Adler (1995)
Red, White, and Blue: The Story
of the American Flag by John
Herman (1998)
The Thirteen Colonies
Life before the Revolution
Life in a Colonial Town by Sally Senzell
Isaacs (2000)
Colonial Life by Brendan January
(2000)
If You Lived in Williamsburg In Colonial
Days by Barbara Brenner (2000)
Immigration and Citizenship
Coming to America by Betsy Maestro
(1996)
Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel by Leslie
Connor (2004)
Watch the Stars Come Out by Riki
Levinson (1985)
We the Kids by David Catrow (2002)
The Story of the Statue of Liberty by
Betsy and Giulio Maestro (1986)
Reformers
A Picture Book of Eleanor Roosevelt by
David A. Adler (1991)
A Picture Book of Martin Luther King,
J r. by David A. Adler (1989)
Teammates by Peter Golenbock (1990)
Susan B. Anthony: Fighter for Freedom
and Equality by Suzanne Slade
(2007)
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar
Chavez by Kathleen Krull (2003)
The Civil War
If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War
by Kay Moore (1994)
A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman by
David A. Adler (1992)
Nettie’s Trip South by Ann Turner
(1987)
A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln by
David A. Adler (1989)
Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln: The
Story of the Gettysburg Address by
Jean Fritz (1993)
The American Revolution
Undertake a more detailed study.
Events Leading to the American Revolution
by Linda R. Wade (2001)
The Revolutionary War by Brendan
January (2000)
Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow (1990)
The Battles of Lexington and Concord by Judith
Peacock (2002)
Can’t You Make Them Behave, King George?
by Jean Fritz (1977)
Making a Constitutional Government
A More Perfect Union: The Story of our
Constitution by Betsy and Giulio Maestro
(1987)
The Constitution by Warren Colman (1987)
The United States Constitution by Karen Price
Hossell (2004)
If You Were There When They Signed the
Constitution by Elizabeth Levy (1987)
Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean
Fritz (1987)
Reformers
Dorothea Dix: Social Reformer by Barbara
Witteman (2003)
The Abolitionist Movement by Elaine Landau
(2004)
If You Lived When Women Won Their Rights
by Anne Kamma (2006)
Created Equal by Ann Rossi (2005)
Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner
Truth by Anne Rockwell (2000)
The Civil War: Causes, Conflicts, Consequences
Undertake a more detailed study.
A Slave Family by Bobbie Kalman (2003)
Sisters Against Slavery: A Story about Sarah
and Angelina Grimke by Stephanie
Sammartino McPherson (1999)
Abe Lincoln Goes to Washington by Cheryl
Harness (1997)
The Emancipation Proclamation by Ann
Heinrichs (2002)
The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln
(1995)
KINDERGARTEN
Domain: Early Exploration and Settlement
The Voyage of Columbus in 1492
• Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain
• The Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria
• Columbus’s mistaken identification of “Indies” and “Indians”
• The idea of what was, for Europeans, a “New World”
The Pilgrims
• The Mayflower
• Plymouth Rock
• Thanksgiving Day celebration
July 4, “Independence Day”
• The “birthday” of our nation
• Democracy (rule of the people): Americans wanted to rule themselves instead of being
ruled by a faraway king.
• Some people were not free: slavery in early America
• A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus by David A. Adler (1991)
• Christopher Columbus by Mary Dodson Wade (2003)
• Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher Columbus by Peter Sis (1991)
• The Pilgrims’ First Thanksgiving by Anne McGovern (1973)
• Pilgrims of Plymouth by Susan E. Goodman (1999)
• The Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving from A-Z by Laura Crawford (2005)
• Sarah Morton’s Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl by Kate Waters (1989)
Domain: Presidents and American Symbols
Introduction to famous presidents (as well as a discussion at a basic level of questions such as:
What is the president? How does a person become president? Who are some of our most
famous presidents, and why?)
• George Washington
The “Father of Our Country”
Legend of George Washington and the cherry tree
• Thomas Jefferson, author of Declaration of Independence
• Abraham Lincoln
Humble origins
“Honest Abe”
• Theodore Roosevelt
• Current United States president
American Symbols and Figures
• Recognize and become familiar with the significance of
American flag
Statue of Liberty
Mount Rushmore
The White House
• My Teacher for President by Kay Winters (2004)
• George Washington by Philip Abraham (2002)
• A Picture Book of Thomas Jefferson by David A. Adler (1990)
• Abe Lincoln’s Hat by Martha Brenner (1994)
• I pledge allegiance by Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson (2002)
• The White House by Lloyd G. Douglas (2003)
• Woodrow, the White House Mouse by Peter W. Barnes and Cheryl Shaw Barnes (1998)
• The Star-Spangled Banner illustrated by Peter Spier (1973)
• The Legend of the Teddy Bear by Frank Murphy (2001)
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