Children Learn Through Story
Imagine learning about the period of Westward Expansion in the United States. Here are a few activities you might do:
- Calculate the price per acre of the Louisianna Purchase
- Map the route taken by Lewis and Clark to the Pacific Ocean
- List reasons for moving west, such as gold, religious freedom, and free land
- Play the Oregon Trail software game
- Imagine the plight of the Native Americans who are losing their land
If you are using Beyond the Page, you will also read a book called The Ballad of Lucy Whipple. This is the story of a girl who moves to California during the Gold Rush. What starts as an exciting adventure quickly turns into a daily struggle for survival as the reality of her situation sinks in. Over time, Lucy discovers the importance of friendship, acceptance, and resilience.
Fast-Forward a Year or Two
What is your child likely to remember about Westward Expansion? (Besides the laughable graphics from the Oregon Trail game.)
Your child is likely to remember more about the story of Lucy Whipple than all of the facts, maps, charts, and dates learned. Because he learned those facts at the same time as the story, however, he is also more likely to remember this other relevant learning as well.
It is easy to imagine how Lucy's story will bring to mind
- the false allure of the gold rush,
- the difficult life of the migrants in California,
- the struggles encountered traveling over land on a stagecoach,
- the exploration of Lewis and Clark,
- the religious freedom sought by the Mormons, and
- the daily struggle with disease and illness.
Storytelling prepares our brains for learning and gives us something to attach our memories to. When we hear stories, our brains "light up" with electrical impulses. When we learn new information simultaneously, our brains are triggered to remember more of the new information.
Literature-Based Curriculum
Moving Beyond the Page is the only curriculum that integrates literature throughout science, social studies, and language arts from preschool through middle school. The description given above is only one three-week example from our Age 9-11 level that shows how we tie subjects together with a literature-based curriculum. In this level, students work through 12 different three-week unit studies that are all integrated in the same way.
Children learn through story.
Related Products:
Age 9-11 Full Year Package - S, SS, LA, M
Age 9-11 Full Year Social Studies Package
Age 9-11 Full Year Language Arts Package
