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• Arthur - "The Election"
  "I, Muffy Crosswire, do solemnly swear to uphold the office of the President of the United ..." Actually, it's only a mock election in Mr. Ratburn's class, but Muffy takes it just as seriously. How far will she go to win?
• Reading Rainbow - "Ox-Cart Man"
  LeVar's feature book is about the day to day life of a New England family in early 19th Century America. Inspired by the story, LeVar visits Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts, a hands-on living museum where he discovers what life was like in the early 1800's. He learns about training oxen, blacksmithing, bartering, and early printing methods.

Do in Class

• America Responds: The American Flag - Learn the history of the American Flag.
• Arthur: Washington, D.C. - Make travel posters of Washington, DC.
• Berenstain Bears: Many Thanks Givings - Listen to a story about Thanksgiving, and talk about Thanksgiving and some of the things the students are thankful for. Create a Thankful Turkey or Thankful Pumpkin Patch. (Section 4)
• Clifford: Being Different is A-okay! - Introduce and discuss U.S. civil rights leaders.
• George Shrinks: I Have A Dream - Learn about modern day heroes, discuss students' wishes for a better world and illustrate with drawing and words one thing they will do to help make the world a better place. (Section 3)
• Scientific American Frontiers: A Feast at Plimoth Plantation - Learn more about this famous feast. (Advanced Activity)

Play Online

• The American Experience: Wayback - Goldrush - Read about this fascinating time in U.S. History. (Advanced Activity)
• The American Experience: Wayback - Stand Up For Your Rights - Learn about the struggle for civil rights. (Advanced Activity)

Read

• America: A Patriotic Primer
  By Lynne V. Chenney and Robin Preiss Glasser
  Published May 2002 by Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing
  This ABC book is packed with drawings and facts about the United States and famous Americans. U is for the United States and a map identifies attractions in all fifty. A notes section provides further information about topics raised in the main text. This primer will make a better resource or discussion starter than read aloud book.
• Dreaming of America: An Ellis Island Story
  By Eve Bunting and Ben F. Stahl
  Published January 2000 by Troll Assoc.
  This picture book for 4-8 year olds tells the true story of how Annie Moore sailed with her two younger brothers from Ireland and became the first immigrant to pass through the new Ellis Island processing center on January 1, 1892.

*As most PBS children's programs offer one year extended taping rights for teachers, please feel free to tape them now and save them for use in your classroom during the school year.