This page contains the books and materials (plus reviews) used in our American history curriculum topic 22. In this topic of our history curriculum you will learn about the Cherokees and the Trail of Tears, Andrew Jackson, pioneers and more.

Books and Materials for Topic 22

Icon Key and Explanations

A Pioneer Sampler (by Barbara Greenwood)

I love this book! It has a story, but woven throughout are crafts, recipes and other activities. It is also heavily illustrated so you get a great idea what the story is talking about (which can be important when you have no idea what a Betty lamp is or what a drop spindle looks like)!

Projects from A Pioneer Sampler:

Sap Experiment *sugar, 2 plastic cups, marker (science)

Pioneer measuring (math)

Grow a potato plant (science)

Honey-butter *honey and butter, make your own butter *whipping cream, jar (cooking)

Make your own cream cheese *cheesecloth, plain yogurt, string, salt, optional dried herbs (cooking)

Finger spinning *cotton, like from the top of a pill bottle

Dye project *onion, alum, washing soda, cotton cloth

Punched tin picture *aluminum pie plate, nail, hammer

Pioneer water carrier

Balance scale *2 small yogurt containers, nail, string, coat hanger, pennies (math)

Homemade ink *walnut shells, vinegar, salt, candle (for lampblack) Rollers/levers/ramps (science)

Drying apples *apples (cooking)

Shadow shapes and puppets *flashlight, white cloth, wooden frame, cardboard, Popsicle sticks (or skewers), lamp

Stenciling *cardboard, utility knife (PARENT), paint

Jumping jack *cardboard, nail, brass paper fasteners, string

*Note: We actually ended up skipping the story part and read all of the "extras" and did some of the projects.

Topics 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 (*You can start this book in topic 26, if you want to use both activity books. A Pioneer Sampler is my first and favorite choice).

OR

American Kids in History Pioneer Days (by David C. King)
Another King book full of activities, recipes, crafts and more.

Projects & activities include: sponge-ware clay pot, air dried flowers, hasty pudding, johnnycakes, finding direction, cricket thermometer, knots, patchwork picture, jumping jack, thaumatrope, switchel, lemonade, strawberry shrub, homemade soda pop, African trade beads, woven mat, marbles, kachina doll, apache scroll, sand painting, apple butter, spoon bread, roasted pumpkin seeds, cornhusk doll, tortillas, magic wallet, wood choppers, whirligig, pinecone angel, salt dough ornaments, Ojo de Dios, silhouette portrait, picture frame, Seminole patchwork, leaf print wrapping paper, tangram, checkerboard, beanbag target game.

Topics 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

If You Lived With The Cherokees (by Peter Roop)
My son didn't want to read anymore about "Indians" so we skipped this title.

Topic 22

OR

Only the Names Remain: The Cherokees and the Trail of Tears (by Alex W. Bealer)

Topic 22

The Cherokee [videorecording] / produced and directed by InVision Communications ; executive producer, Andrew Schlessinger.Bala Cynwyd, Pa. Schlessinger Video Productions, c1993. 

Topic 22

This Country of Ours Selections
*This is an optional read-aloud from a free online text.
72. ADAMS–THE TARIFF OF ABOMINATIONS
73. JACKSON–"LIBERTY AND UNION, NOW AND FOREVER"–VAN BUREN–HARD TIMES

Trail of Tears (Step-Into-Reading, Step 5) (by Joseph Bruchac)
This is an easy to understand book about the Trail of Tears. After listening to me read it, my son was quite upset with Andrew Jackson and other Americans who had the Cherokees leave their land.

Topic 22

 Who Let Muddy Boots Into the White House?: A Story of Andrew Jackson (by Robert Quackenbush) After reading this book you will get a good idea of the positive traits Andrew Jackson had. It's a fun and easy read that my son enjoyed. We read it BEFORE touching the Trail of Tears issue.
This book ignores Jackson's role in the Trail of Tears, etc. It opens up some good discussion about how books can be biased or leave out a chunk of a story and still be accurate without giving the "whole picture". People are complicated. History is complicated. Sometimes our heroes have a dark side to them. You also can use this book a spring board to a discussion about how we may make judgement calls without being fully informed. Compare how your child feels about Andrew Jackson after reading this book and then again after finding out "more" of the story after some of the other titles.

Topic 22

PLUS

American Adventures True Stories From America’s Past 1770-1870

The Story of the U.S.A Book 2: A Young Nation Solves Its Problems

History Pockets: Moving West

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