Using Historical Fiction in the Classroom
Teaching Programs
This FalI I will be hosting a number of My Brother
Sam is Dead Teaching Programs in Southwestern Connecticut.
In these programs I will be providing information about the
topics and issues My Brother Sam is Dead explores and how
both teachers and students can benefit from its usage in the
classroom.
Everything You Wanted to Know About
the Novel
My Brother Sam is Dead
Talks focus on:
1. What was occurring locally between April 1775 and February
1779.
2. The topics and issues woven into the story line.
3. How local educators and parents can use this novel to their
advantage.
4. Towns and cultural resources connected to this novel.
Testimonials
6th graders from Nathan Hale School in New Haven
had a great time on November's "Tour of My Brother Sam is
Dead" field trip.
Here are quotes from letters the 6th graders
forwarded after the field trip:
"That was the [best] field trip I ever had about
History…"
"I would never think that Connecticut would
have that much interesting history! Thank you so much for
taking us through Redding, showing us the great locations
from My Brother Sam is Dead and answering our questions."
"One of my favorite parts of the trip to Redding
was when we got to hear of what happened and where in the
book."
"That was the best field trip I had this year!
The parts I liked the best were when you showed us where the
tavern was, where the Meeker family's graves were, and the
field where Sam ran across after he took the Brown Bess. I
wish I could run across that field just like Sam did."
"I had so much fun, especially when you showed
us the graves at Redding Ridge. I never knew Tim and Sam were
fictional. It's so surprising that I never knew how involved
Danbury was [in the Revolution], yet I lived there for so
long."
"Thank you for making the history come alive,
I had a great time. Hope you do more fun things with other
kids, I bet they will have a great time."
Resources Available
Online:
- Connecticut
Colonial Records
- Revolutionary
War Research mostly Connecticut information but an excellent
resource
- Connecticut
American Revolution Sites Connecticut Society of the
Sons of the American Revolution (SAR)
- Why
the Revolution Occurred- a very good timeline of events
that led to the colonist revolt, what happenned during it
and how our nation was formed.
- Battles
of the Revolutionary War- Awesome resource showing you
dates, locations and winners and losers.
- Uniforms
of the Revolutionary War
- Revolutionary
War Finances
- Paper
Money and Inflation
- Life
and Death Aboard British Prison Ships
- Names
of Prisoners who died on British Prison Ships
- Washington,
George, 1732-1799. The writings of George Washington
from the original manuscript sources: Volume 13 Electronic
Text Center, University of Virginia Library
- The
Complete General Orders of George Washington October
2, 1778 to 1780
- Religion
and the Revolution The Revolution split some denominations,
notably the Church of England, whose ministers were bound
by oath to support the King, and the Quakers, who were traditionally
pacifists.
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