Make Your Own Victory Banner

Make Your Own Victory Banner

During World War II, families made patriotic banners called victory banners or sons-in-service flags to show their support for their sons, fathers, and brothers battling far away on the front lines. Banners were hung from a window or door at the front of the house where everyone could see them. The banners were white rectangles with a red border, and featured a blue star for every family member who was serving on the battlefront. If a soldier was killed, families...
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A Monumental History

A Monumental History

From Reconstruction

Monuments designed to honor places, events, or people stand in public places across the United States. Some, such as the Lincoln Memorial and the Statue of Liberty, are classic icons. Others, such as the 2,000-pound African Killer Bee located in Hidalgo, Texas, are less than traditional. Monuments are often controversial. What is honorable to one person may be offensive to another. Also, the meanings of monuments change as the culture around them evolves. What do...

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Does Racial Inequality Exist in Your School?

Does Racial Inequality Exist in Your School?

From Changing Laws

It can sometimes be hard to recognize racial inequality when it doesn’t directly affect you. Take a look at the statistics relating to your own school and see if anything surprised you.

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Listen!

Listen!

From Singing for Equality

Music of the Civil Rights Era arose from several different styles of music, most notably gospel, folk, blues, and jazz. What did these different styles offer? How did they combine to form music that was completely new?

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Planning a Boycott

Planning a Boycott

From Boycotts, Strikes, and Marches

Segregated buses and trains were only one of the ways whites discriminated against African Americans in the Jim Crow South. A boycott is the act of refusing to buy, use, or participate in something as a form of protest. Why didn’t the African American community use boycotts more often in their fight against segregation?

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Reviews

Kiki Magazine
“. . . Brings history to life, giving you a glimpse of what it was like to live during WWII through projects and stories about real people.”

Children's Literature Review
“In straightforward, highly readable prose, it provides a thorough overview of the events . . .”

School Library Media Activities Monthly
“an excellent resource . . .”

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
“You get a feel for what it would have been like during the war . . . this is a great source.”

Cobblestone
“Includes great hands-on activities . . . is full of information about World War II from the front lines to the home front.”

Paula Spencer, Woman's Day Magazine's "Momfidence!" columnist and Parenting Magazine contributing editor
“Makes history come alive right at your kitchen table or at your child's desk! A Particular treat for young history buffs, homeschoolers, or teachers looking for a WWII resource full of innovative, hands-on ideas.”

Richard Koone, National Museum of the Pacific War, Fredericksburg, Texas
“A wonderful book that young people can learn from and have fun at the same time. The hands-on projects will stimulate their imaginations and add to their understanding of the sacrifices and inventiveness of that generation. It will make a valuable addition to any educator's toolkit.”

Jay P. Tennies, Director, Eldred World War II Museum and Learning Center
“An interactive approach to history that children (and adults) will enjoy. The service, sacrifice, and struggles of World War II are explained and explored with each creative project. This book provides a wonderful way to ‘do' history together.”

 

Detailed Book Description

From spy maps and victory banners to spotter planes and ration cakes, Great World War II Projects You Can Build Yourself brings one of the most defining periods of American and world history to life through hands-on building projects and activities. Detailed step-by-step instructions for creating each project combine with historical facts and anecdotes, biographies, and trivia about the real-life models. Together they give kids a first-hand look at daily life at home and on the front lines during America's war years.

Available In:
Paperback, $15.95
9780977129416
Includes: Table of Contents | Timeline | Maps | Glossary | Resources | Index
Specs: 8 x 10 size | black and white interior | 128 pages
Subject: Social Studies
Content Focus: U.S. History | World History

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Part 1: On the Home front
Living in Fear
Supporting the Troops
Food Rationing
WWII Fashions
War-Time Fun
Prisons of Discrimination

Part 2: On the Front lines
Spying for Secrets
Prisons of Hate
Code Breakers & Talkers
Lifting Morale
Proving Their Value
Women in the Danger Zone
Ingenious War Technology

Glossary
Resources
Index