North America Unit Study • ⛵️Pilgrims & 🏹American Indians

While up until now, we have been studying 🌍geography in general, from 🌌solar system to our 🌎Earth, to the world's continent, 🌊oceans, and biome, now, we will begin to focus on one continent per month to be able to explore 🙌🏻hands-on its maps, ecosystem, native animals, people and their customs. 

This month we are focusing on North America. 

Materials and books we are using:

• National Geographic Our World Atlas is the beginner Atlas book we have been reading and referring to since Adrian was two years old.
• National Geographic Kids Beginner's World Atlas is the next stage atlas (I would suggest for children 3-6 yo).
• National Geographic Student World Atlas is a comprehensive edition for children 7 y+.
• We will also be using American Indian Crafts Kids Can Do! book.
• Lastly, we have aminals that are exclusive to North America like an alligator, a black bear, and a North America black panther. 

This lesson is more an introductory history lesson on how pilgrims have moved on and began the widespread of Europeans throughout the North American Continent. 

Materials and books we are using (left to right):

• Pilgrims of Plymouth book is a National Geographic book that will explain to a young reader what was it like to be a pilgrim child in 17th-century Massachusetts. For example, you will learn that pilgrim children didn't go to school. Instead, they helped their parents with chores and played games such as marbles. There were no convenient grocery stores either. Pilgrims had to hunt and gather food, then cook their meals on an open fire or in an outdoor oven.
• The Very First Americans book (bottom-left with a picture of a Tepee) is a great resource to show a young reader that long before Columbus landed in America, hundreds of groups of people ~ known as the very first Americans had already made their homes here. The Sioux, Hopi, and Seminole. Where did they live? What did they eat? How did they have fun? And where are they today?
• Maps book is amazing!  This big book of maps is a visual feast for readers of all ages, with lavishly drawn illustrations from the incomparable Mizielinskis. It features not only borders, cities, rivers, and peaks, but also places of historical and cultural interest, eminent personalities, iconic animals and plants, cultural events, and many more fascinating facts associated with every region of our planet. The book also comes with a companion  Maps Activity Book bursting with fascinating facts and puzzles from around the world. Informative and inspiring, the myriad activities in this book challenge the reader to discover something new and explore their imagination to draw, decorate and design on every pull-out page.
• The Story of the Pilgrims (bottom-right) books tells a story of the dangerous voyage across the Atlantic, to the first harsh winter, to the delicious Thanksgiving feast. All the excitement and wonder of the Pilgrims’ first year in America is captured in this vivid retelling that is perfect for the youngest historians.
• Mayflower 1620: A New Look at a Pilgrim Voyage (top right) ~ Plimoth Plantation and the National Geographic Society come together to tell the true story behind the legendary voyage of the Mayflower with vibrant photography of a rare reenactment using the Mayflower II.

We talked about how originally, long before any humans lived in North America, animals had moved to the North American continent from Asia, and hunters had followed. So, I set yellow marbles representing a land passage then existing. We are using a Montessori World Map puzzle and these figurines.

Pilgrims of Plymouth book explains through vivid photographs how Indians showed Pilgrims the best places to fish. Indians also taught Pilgrims how to grow corn and the trick they use to assure better crop by placing fish in the soil where the corn is to be planted. 

We are using air dry clay to make corn. This very soft smooth clay does not stick to your hands and is super stretchy. When it dries, it hardens and the clay stays lightweight. This is the most amazing clay we have played with so far.


 We also talked about American Bisons and how important they were for American Indians. Bison, which are also known as buffalos, are extremely strong, compact wild cattle from North America. (Reading Maps book.)

I only share the books and materials we absolutely love, so I hope you will find some of our materials useful. Stay tuned for more on North America study.