Time For Kids Awesome America Curriculum Guide

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AWESOME
AMERICA
978-1-61893-149-8
Everything You Ever

Wanted to Know About
the History, People,
and Culture
explores America
from sea to shining sea!
ISCOVER WHAT MAKES AMERICA UNIQUE in this comprehensive timeline and photographic
overview of American historypre-Columbus through the presenthighlighting the milestone
events and important people that have made America awesome.
Perfect for both dip-in reference and longer-form reading,Awesome Americais organized into thematic
sections, each comprised of bite-sized articles, engaging sidebars, colorful charts, and graphics to help
make learning about American history interesting and fun! From Americas early history all the way to
the present day, students will learn about what it was like to grow up in the 1700s, 1800s, 1900s, and earlier
this century and discover the inventions, innovations, and social movements that great Americans have
created over the years.
2016 Time Inc. Books. TIME FOR KIDS is a trademark of Time Inc. All rights reserved.
The Common Core State Standards addressed by the discussion questions, activities, and worksheets in this
guide are noted throughout. For more information on the Common Core, visit corestandards.org.
Getting acquainted with Awesome America

As a class, explore each section of the book. Use the starred questions below to
frame the discussion with your students.
Read through the table of contents on page 3.
How is this book structured?

How is it organized differently from other history books and textbooks youve seen?
What do the Find Out, Learn, and Take a Closer Look elements of each chapter listing tell you?
Which Find Out question is most intriguing to you?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.5; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.5; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.5; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.5
Point out the glossary on pages 202203.
Are these terms familiar?

Encourage students to use the glossary for help in defining challenging words they may come across
as they work with Awesome America.
Look at the Explore Some More! section on pages 204205.
Are you familiar with these government organizations?

What type of helpful information is given in this section?
Has anyone visited one or more of the museums listed here?
Have each student pick a website to explore and report their findings to the class.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.7; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.7; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.7; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.7
Examine the index on page 208.
Discuss the rubric at the top of the first page and point out the features of the index.
Invite students to work in pairs on a scavenger hunt through Awesome America (worksheet
follows). At the end of the exercise, go over the answers as a class and invite each pair to
share their most interesting discovery in Awesome America.
The discussion questions, activities, and worksheets in this guide were created by Leigh Courtney, Ph.D. She teaches in the
Global Education program at a public elementary school in San Diego, California. She holds both masters and doctoral degrees in
education, with an emphasis on curriculum and instruction.
TIME for Kids AWESOME AMERICA Curriculum Guide Copyright 2016 Time Inc. Books. All rights reserved. This page may be photocopied for free distribution.
A Scavenger Hunt through

AWESOME AMERICA
Directions: Work as partners to locate information in Awesome America.
Record what you find as you hunt through the book.
PARTNERS NAMES:
_______________________________
_______________________________
1. What topic in U.S. history is covered in chapter 8?

____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is the definition of emancipate found in the glossary?

____________________________________________________________________________________________
3. In which chapter would you find information about notable immigrants?

____________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Using the index, what topic is featured on page 125?

____________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Looking at the table of contents, what will you find out and learn in chapter 4?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Using the Explore Some More! section, what can be found at Chicagos Field Museum?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Using the Explore Some More! section, on which government website can you find information
about the National Park Service?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Use the timeline in chapter 14 to discover when the city of Boston was founded.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
9. Using the timeline in chapter 14, find the year in which Jesse Owens won four gold medals in track
and field at the Olympics.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
10. What is the definition of amendment found in the glossary?

____________________________________________________________________________________________
Scavenger Hunt
page 2
11. Using the index, what topic is featured on page 109?

____________________________________________________________________________________________
12. Using the glossary, find the word that matches this definition: to refuse to buy
something or participate in something as a form of protest.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
13. Using the timeline in chapter 14, what important event was held in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
14. Looking at information about our countrys Founding Fathers, what happened to
Thomas Jefferson in 1790?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
15. Using the Explore Some More! section, what information could you find on the U.S. Geological
Survey website?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
16. Look at the photo of Lady Justice on page 33. What do the sword and the scales represent?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
17. Using the timeline in chapter 14, when was the White House built?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
18. On which page can you find information about Yellowstone National Park?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
19. Looking at the opening pages of chapter 3, who was our 32nd president
and how long did he serve?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
20. Find the different names Americans have for peanuts on page 91. List the
names and the states where each term is used.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Activities and Discussion Points

Use the following activities and discussion ideas to enhance exploration of Awesome
America with your students. Activities and ideas are divided by chapter. You can read the
book in order with your students, or dip into chapters thematically as they pertain to your
curriculum or current events. Worksheets applicable to activities immediately follow the
chapter in which they are introduced.
CHAPTER 1: OUR BEGINNING

Who really discovered America? Many Americans recognize
Christopher Columbus as the person responsible for the
discovery and our government created a national holiday
on October 12 in his honor. Others recognize Indigenous
Peoples Day on October 12 out of respect to those who lived
in what is now America before Columbus arrived. Discuss
this controversy with your students. While the idea of who
discovered America may be in question, there is no dispute
that many words in Englishsuch as raccoon, moose, skunk,
and Missouricame from American Indian languages.
Have students research other words in English that came
from American Indians and add them to a list that includes
the above-listed words. These may be annotated with the
language names for an extra research element.
The earliest settlers in Jamestown braved great hardship to establish a new life in what would
become America. One of the most prominent settlers was William Bradford. He was quoted as
saying, All great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and both must be
enterprised and overcome with answerable courage. President John F. Kennedy used this quote
from Bradford when he argued that American astronauts needed to travel to the moon. Discuss
what current situations in our nation this quote could pertain to today.
Colonial clothing was distinctly different from clothing worn today. Have students look carefully
at the diagram of colonial clothing on page 15. Invite them to draw a contemporary mans clothing
and label the drawing or annotate a picture of a contemporary man from a magazine. Have students
write a paragraph comparing the two styles of clothing. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7; CCSS.ELALITERACY.RI.5.6; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.6; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.6; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.6
Our nations earliest history was recorded in several key documents. Have students look at the
Really Important Pieces of Paper on pages 1819. Have students complete the Venn diagram
worksheet that follows.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1
NAME: ____________________________
CHAPTER 1
Comparing two key documents
from early American history
Select two of the Really Important Pieces of Paper found on pages 1819
and fill out the Venn diagram below noting the similarities and differences
between the two documents.
NAME OF DOCUMENT
NAME OF DOCUMENT

CHAPTER 2: OUR GOVERNMENT
The Founding Fathers created a government of checks and balances. Discuss how the three branches
of government are designed to work together.
Our nations government was designed to be of the people, by the people, and for the people.
President Obama has created a website where Americans can submit petitions so that their opinions
can be heard. The White House promises to respond to any petition that gets 100,000 signatures in
thirty days. As a class, what opinions would you like to share through a petition to the White House?
CHAPTER 3: OUR PRESIDENTS

The role of President of the United States is important not only in our country but also for the rest of
the world. Invite students to carefully read pages 4041 to gather some important facts about what
it takes to be President of the United States (POTUS). Discuss the qualities that are important for our
nations leader to have. What experience is beneficial to this job? If its a presidential election year,
discuss the current candidates. Have students fill out the job application worksheet that follows.
After reading pages 42 and 43, discuss how the role of First Lady has changed over the years.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.1
NAME: ____________________________
CHAPTER 3 Our Presidents

President of the United States is one of the most important and
unique jobs a person can have in our country. After reading about the
requirements to be the president on pages 4041, create a job description.
Do you have what it takes to be president? Fill out the application below.
JOB DESCRIPTION (what the applicant will be required to do as part of the job) ____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
JOB APPLICATION FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

NAME __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
BIRTHDATE ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
ARE YOU A U.S. CITIZEN? ___________________________________________
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND ________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
______________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
PERSONALITY TRAITS THAT SUIT YOU FOR THE JOB
_______________________________________________________________
LIST REFERENCES
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

CHAPTER 4: ALL THE 50 STATES AND MORE
Point out how the regions of the United States are explored in this chapter. Assign a region to pairs of
students and invite each team to create a travel brochure highlighting the history of their assigned
region and significant sights to see and places to visit. Have each team include illustrations and
important facts about each region. Display the completed brochures around a map of the U.S. that is
broken down by region.
CHAPTER 5: THE LAND
America is a country with many different landscapes and unique features. Invite students to explore
them and think about what makes each special enough to be highlighted in Awesome America by
completing the chapter 5 worksheet chart.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.1
Have students study pages 7477 to gather facts about animals in a selected region of the United
States. You can assign students the same regions they explored in the travel brochure exercise in
chapter 4, or mix it up and have them select a different area of the country. Have them work in groups
to write a script for a nature show about their selected region that incorporates some of the facts they
gathered from pages 7477. Each group should select a host for their nature show who will interview
naturalists about wildlife in each state of the region profiled. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7
CHAPTER 6: COMING TO AMERICA
Have students read pages 8083 and familiarize themselves with the different features of the Statue
of Liberty. Discuss the significance of Annie Moore and her two brothers. Discuss how Annie Moore
and the Statue of Liberty serve as symbols of Americas relationship with the rest of the world.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7
Have students study the bar graph about immigration on page 85. Why do they think that immigration
to the United States has increased and decreased over the years? CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7
Invite students to research the life of one of the notable immigrants to America featured on pages
8687. Create a class presentation where students come dressed as one of the notable immigrants
and share facts about his or her life and accomplishments. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.7
CHAPTER 7: MOMENTS THAT CHANGED AMERICA
Significant moments in our countrys history are featured in chapter 7. Given all of the powerful
changes and events that have shaped our young nation, why do students think that each of these
moments was selected to be a part of Awesome America? Discuss why each event was significant. How
did each shape our country? Complete the chapter 7 worksheet chart to highlight the reasons why
each event was a standout in the timeline of our countrys history. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6
NAME: ____________________________
CHAPTER 5 THE LAND

After studying the information in this chapter about important features and
locations in our country, think about why each was unique enough to be
included in Awesome America. List your opinions in the chart.
LAND/LOCATION
WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE
Mount McKinley/Denali
Death Valley
The Great Lakes
The Mississippi River
Muir Woods
The Great Plains
The Grand Canyon
Kilauea, Hawaii
NAME: ____________________________
CHAPTER 7
MOMENTS THAT CHANGED AMERICA
The history of our country is chock full of important events and people. Why
do you think the following moments in American history were chosen to be
included in Awesome America? How did each event shape the story of our country?
MOMENT IN OUR HISTORY
ITS SIGNIFICANCE
Louisiana Purchase
California Gold Rush
Gettysburg Address
Completion of the
transcontinental railroad
The Wright Brothers flight
Introduction of
Henry Fords Model T
NAME: ____________________________
CHAPTER 7
MOMENTS THAT CHANGED AMERICA
page 2
MOMENT IN OUR HISTORY
ITS SIGNIFICANCE
World War I
Atomic bomb
Brown v. Board
of Education
Apollo 11 moon landing
Invention of the
World Wide Web
9/11 Attacks

CHAPTER 8: CIVIL RIGHTS
Study the information presented on pages 110111. Discuss what the designs of the Union and the
Confederate flags reveal about the positions of the two opposing sides in the Civil War.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3
Our country was founded on the belief that its citizens were entitled to certain rights. As our nation
has grown, the nature of these rights and to whom they belong has been shaped by discussion,
activism, and legislation. Read about the Civil Rights movement and the plight of the American
Indian on pages 112115. Compare and contrast the Civil Rights movement and the struggle for
American Indian rights. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3
Read the profiles of important figures in the womens rights movement on page 117. Discuss their
efforts and the important steps on the long road to secure voting rights for women in 1920.
Cesar Chavez was quoted as saying, Preservation of ones own culture does not require contempt
or disrespect for other cultures. How does Chavezs quote still ring true in the light of current
events and politics in our nation? CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6
CHAPTER 9: GREAT AMERICANS
Have students pretend that they are reporters assigned to interview one of the Great Americans
profiled in chapter 9. Have each generate a list of interview questions and create a transcript of the
mock interview that includes the reporters questions and the Great Americans answers.
As a class, discuss who could be nominated as a Great American today. Why would this nominee
merit recognition as a Great American? Have students fill out the worksheet for this chapter to
nominate their Great American. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1; CCSS.ELALITERACY.RI.6.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.1
CHAPTER 10: GROWING UP IN AMERICA
For each student, measure a length of adding machine tape that has one
foot for every year of his or her life. A 9-year-old, for example, would get
a nine-foot length of tape. Instruct students to think of the milestones
that occurred in each year of their lives. When did they begin to walk?
Where did they go to preschool? When did they lose their first tooth? Have
students use drawings, photos, and captions to document the timeline
of their life. Share the life timelines with the class and compare the
milestones recorded on student timelines with the milestones highlighted
on the timelines on page 138. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7
Pages 142145 feature depictions of life in America in the 1700s through the 2000s. Each painting
or photograph has captions detailing facts about life in the various time periods. Invite students to
pick one element of daily life described in all of the depictions across time (food, clothing, work, etc.).
Have them study this one element in all of the depictions and write a paragraph comparing how
their selected element changed over time in our country. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7
CHAPTER 11: AMERICAS ROLE IN THE WORLD
The United States is a global leader that leads with might and humanity. Discuss the role of our
military and our humanitarian efforts in the world. Why is it important to have a multifaceted
approach to world leadership?
CHAPTER 12: AMERICAS HOME-GROWN GIFTS TO THE WORLD
America has much to offer the world due its abundance of resources, ingenuity, and creativity.
Invite your students to design a gift box containing pictures of American gifts to the rest of the
globe. In addition to cars, sports, and entertainment, what other elements of American life could
be considered a gift to the world? Include pictures of these items as well.
Each state in our country has its own type of popular cuisine. Whats a famous food or drink in your
area? Invite students to explore how America eats with the worksheet for chapter 12.
CHAPTER 13: ONE-OF-A-KIND
Have students create an American Expressions Dictionary using phrases and definitions from
page 177. Have them add five more American expressions of their choice. Remind them to list their
expressions in alphabetical order. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.4; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.4
America is a tourist destination for approximately 75 million visitors every year. Have students
study the top sights to see and the bar graph on pages 180181 to complete the tourism worksheet for
chapter 13. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7
CHAPTER 14: YEAR-BY-YEAR
Chapter 14 is a timeline detailing milestones in the

growth of the United States of America. Discuss
the key events on the timeline. What significant
events would your students add to the timeline
between 2008 and the present day?
NAME: ____________________________
CHAPTER 9 GREAT AMERICANS

From Alexander Graham Bell to Cesar Chavez, many great Americans have
defined our countrys progress with their intelligence and ingenuity. Who
would you nominate as a Great American of today? Complete the nomination
form for your candidate.
I would like to nominate

_________________________________________________________________
as a Great American.
My nominees special talents and achievements are: __________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My nominee has helped our country grow in the following ways: _________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NAME: ____________________________
CHAPTER 12
AMERICAS HOME-GROWN GIFTS
TO THE WORLD
America boasts a diverse population with a wide variety of traditions and
food. Study the America Eats map on pages 174175. Use the information from
the map to help you plan what you would eat in different regions of the United States:
What would you eat for breakfast if you visited Alabama or Mississippi?
What would you eat for lunch in Illinois?
What would you have to drink in Washington state?
What would you eat for dinner in North Carolina?
What would you have for dessert if you visited Vermont?
If you could visit any state to sample its most famous food or drink,
which state would be first on your list and why?
If your state food isnt included on pages

174175, or if theres another famous food or
drink in your state, fill out the chart below:
STATE:
Location:
Food:
Fact:
NAME: ____________________________
CHAPTER 13 ONE-OF-A-KIND
About 75 million people from around the world visit the United States each
year. Using information found on pages 180181, answer these questions
about tourism and our countrys most popular sights:
1. From which foreign

country do the
most tourists
to the U.S. come?
2. How many visitors

from the United
Kingdom visit the
U.S. each year?
3. How many Canadian

visitors come to the
U.S. annually?
5. How many people

visit Hawaii annually?
4. Which famous
bridge has been open
to cars since 1937?
6. Which presidents
are featured on
Mount Rushmore?
8. How many
bathrooms are in the
White House?
9. What theme park is
the size of
San Francisco?
7. How tall is the

Gateway Arch?
10. How long is the

Las Vegas Strip?
Scavenger Hunt through Awesome America

Answer Key
1. Civil Rights
2. To free someone from another persons control or influence
3. Chapter 6: Coming to America
4. Amelia Earhart
5. Each states claim to fame; the nickname of every state.
6. Sue the T.rex fossils
7. nps.gov
8. Boston was founded in 1630.
9. 1936
10. A change made to a document or law. To amend something means to alter it, often for the better.
11. Underground Railroad
12. Boycott
13. The first womens rights convention
14. Jefferson was appointed the first Secretary of State in 1790.
15. Information about Americas water and landeverything from volcano alerts to gold mine maps.
16. The scales represent the weighing of all sides of an argument. The sword stands for the power of justice.
17. 1792
18. Page 184
19. Franklin D. Roosevelt; president for 12 years
20. Georgia: goober; South Carolina: ground nut; Alabama: ground pea; Illinois: goober pea;

Florida: pinder

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How is the book Awesome America structured and organized?

How is the book Awesome America structured and organized?

What information can be found in the glossary and 'Explore Some More!' section of the book?

What information can be found in the glossary and 'Explore Some More!' section of the book?

E

Everything You Ever

Getting acquainted with Awesome America

How is this book structured?

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.5; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.5; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.5; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.5

Point out the glossary on pages 202203.

Are these terms familiar?

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.4; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.4; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.4

Look at the Explore Some More! section on pages 204205.

Are you familiar with these government organizations?

Examine the index on page 208.

A Scavenger Hunt through

1. What topic in U.S. history is covered in chapter 8?

2. What is the definition of emancipate found in the glossary?

3. In which chapter would you find information about notable immigrants?

4. Using the index, what topic is featured on page 125?

10. What is the definition of amendment found in the glossary?

11. Using the index, what topic is featured on page 109?

Activities and Discussion Points

CHAPTER 1: OUR BEGINNING

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.4; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.4; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1

Activities and Discussion Points

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.1

CHAPTER 3: OUR PRESIDENTS

CHAPTER 3 Our Presidents

JOB APPLICATION FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

Activities and Discussion Points

CHAPTER 5: THE LAND

CHAPTER 6: COMING TO AMERICA

CHAPTER 7: MOMENTS THAT CHANGED AMERICA

CHAPTER 5 THE LAND

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE

The Great Lakes

The Mississippi River

The Great Plains

The Grand Canyon

MOMENT IN OUR HISTORY

California Gold Rush

The Wright Brothers flight

MOMENT IN OUR HISTORY

Apollo 11 moon landing

Activities and Discussion Points

CHAPTER 9: GREAT AMERICANS

CHAPTER 10: GROWING UP IN AMERICA

Activities and Discussion Points

CHAPTER 11: AMERICAS ROLE IN THE WORLD

CHAPTER 12: AMERICAS HOME-GROWN GIFTS TO THE WORLD

CHAPTER 13: ONE-OF-A-KIND

CHAPTER 14: YEAR-BY-YEAR

Chapter 14 is a timeline detailing milestones in the

CHAPTER 9 GREAT AMERICANS

I would like to nominate

What would you eat for lunch in Illinois?

What would you have to drink in Washington state?