Teachtopia teaches historical fiction to teach social studies

Historical Fiction Book Guide

An understanding of Historical Fiction and our guide to teaching history through historical fiction novels.

Reading Historical Fiction with your class is an excellent way to teach social studies “beyond the textbook”.

Why use historical fiction?

• Historical fiction embeds historical content and facts (a history lesson) within an interesting story created for entertainment purposes and knowledge.

• Helps students distinguish fact from fiction.

• Teaches historical content during language arts instruction.  This is a  “double whammy” for reaching your instructional goals.

• Enables the students to further identify with the characters, setting, and time period.

• Allows students to study time periods that are not within the content standards, yet educationally sound. (Example: Number the Stars, Lois Lowry)

• Often reinforces content via literary devices such Personification Ben and Me, Robert Lawson. (main character is a mouse)

Some recommendations:

The Book Thief   Markus Zusak 

Ben and Me by Robert Lawson (American Inventor-Ben Franklin)

Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh (Native Americans, Colonial Settlement)

Letting Swift River Go by Jane Yolen (early America)

Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco (Civil War, African American Soldiers)

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder (early west settlers)

Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan (WW2, Europe)

Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis (the Depression, African American History)

For many more historical fiction recommendations visit the historical fiction section at Childrensbookradio.com