Who Was First? Discovering the Americas

Freedman, Russell. Who Was First? Discovering the Americas. Clarion Books, 2007. 88pp. Lexile 1310.

This is an excellent model for inquiry in terms of research and writing.  Freedman takes the title question, "Who Was First?" and starts with Columbus.  But then he moves back chronologically to consider the various claims about others who may have reached North or South America earlier than Columbus.  Some claims are from amateur historians, and Freedman lays out reasons to dismiss them.  But he also highlights an amateur who is believed to be right about an early Viking settlement in Newfoundland.  Freedman demonstrates how views of history change over time.  He shows how archaeology and newer research tools like DNA analysis and linguistic findings change historians' perspectives.  Artwork and maps add interest and information.  The author provides chapter-by-chapter bibliographic essays about his sources, followed by an index.

Reading Std #8: Delineate and evaluate argument and specific claims in a text, assessing reasoning & evidence.  This text repays careful study.  It uses reasoning and evidence to evaluate the topic. Have students lay out the argument and then,  just as Freedman applies analysis to his subject, have students apply it to Freedman's own writing to see if his conclusions are justified.

Mummies, Tombs and Treasure: Secrets of Ancient Egypt

Perl, Lila. Mummies, Tombs and Treasure: Secrets of Ancient Egypt. 1987. Available in paperback. 120pp. Lexile 1090.

This exemplary nonfiction title gives a fine overview of mummies in Ancient Egypt with details on why and how mummies were created, including information about religion, mythology, and the pharaohs.  Perl is especially good at drawing readers into the smooth narrative with questions and intriguing details, such as the use of human hair for artificial eyebrows on some mummies.  She covers mummified animals and tomb robbers, among many fascinating topics. Diagrams and maps clarify points as do excellent black-and-white drawings.  The photographs, while sometimes less than perfect, show mummies, artwork, and artifacts.  Supplement the photographs with a more recent book with color photos such as Shelley Tanaka’s 2005 Mummies: The Newest, Coolest and Creepiest.

Reading Std #9 for grades 6-8: Compare/contrast texts on similar themes or topics.  Although an excellent and still useful book, the Perl volume was published in 1987 and so lacks more recent information.  Have students do research in areas such as use of technology to study mummies and other artifacts; discoveries of Egyptian mummies since 1987 such as the 2010 unearthing of 57 tombs; political issues about ownership and control of antiquities; and the like.

Bodies from the Bog

Deem, James M. Bodies from the Bog. 1998.  Available in paperback. 48pp. Lexile 1100.

Most of us think of Egyptians when the topic of mummies arises, knowing they carefully mummified dead bodies.  But nature has also preserved a number of bodies in Western European waterlogged areas called bogs.  Outstanding photographs, some of which readers may find gruesome, offer many examples of the bog mummies.  Most bodies are shown in the sites where they were found; others are in museums or labs. The six chapters discuss why the bodies last, the role of bogs in preserving them, how they are discovered, how they died, and how scientists go about studying them.  One chapter focuses on cauldrons, jewelry, and other artifacts also found in the bogs.  An excellent combination of great topic, effective writing, and arresting photographs.

Fiction tie-in  For sophisticated readers, pair this with the excellent novel, Bog Child, by Siobhan Dowd about a teenage boy in 1981 Ireland whose uncle discovers a girl’s body in a peat bog, apparently killed by violence 2000 years earlier.  The compelling narrative about the boy and the effects of the Irish “Troubles” on his life alternates at points with a story about the dead girl’s life. Readers also learn about the process of excavating such a body when an archaeologist is called in.

Secrets of a Civil War Submarine: Solving the Mysteries of the H.L. Hunley

Walker, Sally M. Secrets of a Civil War Submarine: Solving the Mysteries of the H.L. Hunley. 2005. 112pp. Lexile 1060.

The Civil War submarine, The Hunley, was sunk in Charleston, SC, harbor in 1863.  Despite many attempts (including a $100,000 reward offered by P.T. Barnum), it wasn’t found again until 1994. In this exemplary nonfiction book, Walker combines the two fascinating stories: the historical information about the civil war submarine and the its excavation and reconstruction.  The history discusses how the sub was built and its role in the war.  The excavation, presented in ample detail, included forensic reconstruction of eight of the crew members and historical research into who they were, based in part on artifacts found.  This combination of history, engineering, archaeology, and forensics makes for excellent reading.  Walker presents questions for the reader to consider, some of which are answered and others still remaining.  The writing is excellent, the visuals add a lot, and the topic will appeal to many readers, even those not usually interested in history or engineering. Winner of the Sibert Award.

Reading Std #5: Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and/or larger portions of the text relate to each other and the whole.  Walker alternates discussion of the modern day excavation of the Hunley with how it was built and used during the Civil War.  Analyze how alternating the information contributes to the whole and the development of ideas.