Please forgive this late posting but I've been dealing with the loss of both my assistants, one at the Middle School and one at the Intermediate School. No, they were not cut but one retired and the other left for a position that pays 4 times what she was making here.  Good for her.  Then I've been sick for the last two and a half weeks but didn't feel comfortable enough with my one new assistant and the substitutes they have had in for the other in order to be able to take some sick days to recover.  This hurricane has been a blessing for me, time to recover (no school) and put my thoughts in to words.
   
     Being a librarian / media specialist, I had a hard time creating just one Treasure box.  I wanted to concentrate on the constitution and I came up with multiple sources.  But, in doing so, I kept finding enough other sources that I could use to create a second Treasure box on the Declaration of Independence.  I plan to use one or both at the conclusion of our 6th grade library unit in April as extended research. 

     Books
1.  The Constitution by Alan Pierce    ** I found this to be one of my best book sources.  It is detailed, yet simple enough for 6th graders to understand the process of writing the constitution.  It includes a web link to the publisher to find even more up to date sites.
2.  The Constitution by Hal Marcovitz  **Another easy to understand book on the constitution.  Includes a nice timeline which includes amendments up to the present day.  Also includes website links.
3.  The Articles of Confederation by Barbara Feinberg
4.  The U.S. Constitution by Donald Ritchie  **These last two are for the more advanced reader.
5.  Creating the Constitution 1787 by Christopher Collier and James Collier  **This would probably be my third choice of the five books for interest level, use of color photos etc.

I have other books in my two libraries that could also be included in my Treasure box but I chose to limit the books to these five.

     From the National Archives digital vaults I found and printed many links with photos of original documents.  Some of the ones I plan on using are
1.  Stanton and Anthony write to Congress.
2.  Regardless of Race, Color, or Previous Condition of Servitude
3.  Convited for Voting
4.  Article of Confederation
5.  A Founding Father in Uniform
6.  The Bill of Rights
7.  The Constitution of the United States
8.  Covering Expenses
9.  Extending the Right to Vote

I want to use these and other links to provide a treasure hunt from the Treasure Box.  Student working in small groups can use one or more of these links to gather information on that portion of the Constitution.

From the Franklin Institute website, there is a great article with links to further research on Ben Franklin as being the only person to have signed and helped write major documents that contributed to the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. 

From the Library of Congress website, the sources that can be included are extensive.  In addition there are educational lesson plans available to boost your efforts.

     The sources here are even more varied
1.  Washington's letter presenting the constitution (1787).
2.  Jefferson's notes on the constitution (1788).
3.  A word find on words used in the constitution.

Any or all of these and more will be used in the Treasure Box.  I view this as an evolving project.  Items will be added to the box as needed and some will be discarded.  I also would like to work on a Treasure Box for local Mifflinburg history.  All of our students make the trip to the Buggy Museum when they are in the Elementary school and a historical walk when in the Intermediate school.  I think a Treasure Box in the Middle school would continue the local history interest and education.

Autobiography of Ben Franklin

     I've always been a fan of Ben Franklin.  Growing up just outside of Philadelphia, Ben was mentioned all the time in our history and even science classes. 
     The style of writing and the translation of some of the language was, at first, a little daunting.  I found that not obsessing over some of the words was the key.  The main idea still came through if you continued reading.  I found myself putting purple stars throughout the book (something a librarian should have his hand smacked for doing) just so I could go back and use some of the points with my students.
     Ben, essentially a vegetarian  for a time...who would have thought.  Another segment noted that he was chastised for wanting to always win an argument and having the last word.  Ben didn't want to be remembered like that.  Would anyone today make that big an effort to change their behavior enough to have it noticed by their peers?  
     I also found it interesting that Ben traced his family back to the 1500's.  I never really imagined that anyone was interested in genealogy back then.  Research wasn't done by the click of a computer key back then.  Most were hand written records.
     Of all the inventions credited to Ben Franklin, the library has to be my favorite.  So few readers at the time, limited money......why not charge a fee?  Purchase new books, add donations that attract even more readers.  It was a win---win proposition credited to Franklin and his Junto friends.
     Truth, sincerity and integrity were most important to Ben in dealing with others. Call me jaded but, can that be said of any of our leaders or potential leaders today?? In fact, can you compare Ben Franklin to anyone today??
     In comparing this to The Shoemaker and the Tea Party, I find it wise to investigate the facts from sources other than autobiographies.  The autobiography can be self serving and often downplays the negative.  So historians are charged with finding a balance.  I found it interesting to note that the Boston Tea Party wasn't labeled as such until much later in history.  Both books presented how a common man can raise his own status by simply becoming involved in everyday events.  Perhaps we should take a lesson in that today.
     Looking back at what I just wrote.....seems like a bunch of random observations but the books lend themselves to doing just that.

I confess I read this weeks ago and never had a chance to sit down and post an entry.  I chose to read about events leading up to the first battle of the Revolution ... specifically Paul Revere's ride which in my mind has been sensationalized by history.  Just about every student has heard about it but only the glamorized version with very little facts.  Gordon Wood's book is good for presenting the facts but the readability is more difficult....even for adults.  Hakim's book presents the facts like a novel, easy to follow with many side notes to "fill in" the history behind the event.  How many of our students know that there were 3 men  riding out with the warning??  And how many know that Paul Revere never made the complete trip because he was stopped by a British patrol?  Wood's book mentioned that he rode with scouts but no mention was made of his being stopped.  Hakim's book really "paints" a better picture in your mind.

Hakim's style

Joy Hakim's style of learning / writing is infectious.  It begs you to read more....much like a good novel does.  Being a left brain person, you must show me the details.  I scour a movie looking for missed details but reading history the way Hakim presents it, is similar to a college professor I once had.  Everyone loved his lectures.  He spoke the way Hakim writes.  The only problem way his tests came straight from the textbook.  Loved the class, got lousy grades!  I imagine some of my students face a similar conflict. 

Today in our school (and many others as well) we are faced with preparing and dare I say, teaching to the standardized tests.  Back when I was in college (eons ago) it was pounded in to us NOT to teach to the test.  But we are doing more of that today than ever before.  Am I alone in thinking the tests favor the logical left brain thinker??

Do any of you enjoy Gary Paulsen's books?  One of his newer ones is Woods Runner.  It is written in the same style as Joy Hakim's book.  It is historical fiction but every chapter or so Paulsen inserts a page of facts to back up his story. 

I found myself taking notes on Hakim's book just so I could refer back to certain passages or points of interest that I might want to include in a future research unit for my students.  Also, love the maps in the back of the book.  Geography is a lost subject these days.  These maps or making these maps with your students to reinforce the subject would be great.

Reading Reflections

Right brain, left brain....Of course we all tend to focus on putting ourselves or one of our "favorite" students in to these categories.  The left brain in me wants everything to be organized, logical and just so. For me that works well at school.  After all, being a Librarian, I must be right and give out correct information.  The trouble is, I was like that long before I became a Librarian.  Take one look at my office and you would think the left brain hijacked my right brain.  I have a sign that says "A messy office is a sign of character.  You should see the character that works here!  Creatively I appreciate and can visualize what I want or need but often I can't be the artist.  I see a lot of that in my students.  Since I cover a wide age range (grades 4 through 8) I see different kids make the connections between right and left brain learning at different times.  It's fun to watch as the kids tend to let their guard down aroung me as I'm not their "official teacher".  What an opportunity that gives me to help nudge them towards one or the other!!

The current 6th grade library unit that Sherri Conard and I rewrote this past year as a product of last year's Keystone's of  the Federation Class is addressing  historical literacy for the first time.  We are actually doing much of what the article  on historical literacy discusses.  The results are mixed so far. Final project is due late May.  The other 6th grade Communications teachers we have involved in this are excited with the project.  Now we have to find a way to involve the Social Studies teachers as well. Our library curriculum is taught through the Communications block of time.

Only the beginning

This is a test....a definite test of my patience.  Out of my comfort zone and in to the blogasphere.  Like anything, I'm sure I'll look back on this and say "What were you complaining about?"
Now let's see if this worked.
Keith