Diversify Your Homeschool Plan with Vanishing Cultures
Diversify Your Homeschool Plan with Vanishing
Cultures
by Adrienne Furness
Most homeschooling parents will say that one of their favorite things about homeschooling is having the flexibility and freedom to explore topics with a richness and depth not possible in institutional schools. Whether they are using highly structured or eclectic curriculums, homeschoolers often look for materials to support and extend their studies. Parents know that one of the most important lessons a child can learn is the value of examining subjects from a variety of perspectives, which is why literature that reflects the diversity of our world should be a part of every family's homeschooling plan.
A Diverse Perspective
The Vanishing Cultures Series by Jan Reynolds focuses on seven
relatively unknown cultures and the unique landscapes in which they
live. The books provide myriad opportunities to explore different
cultures' stories and enrich any number of subjects. Each book in the
series is a photo-essay that follows a child of an indigenous culture,
giving a sense of the family's daily life and routine. The books are
written at a grade-school level easily understood by children as young
as five and can also be read independently by readers who can handle
basic chapter books. High-quality, illustrative photographs cover each
two-page spread, so the books make excellent browsing for prereaders and
reluctant readers. The engaging photographs also make the books ideal
for reading to a group. If you are homeschooling multiple children of
different ages, these are the kinds of books you can give older children
to read aloud to younger ones, thus providing an opportunity for shared
learning as some children practice reading skills, others practice
listening skills, and all are exposed to information that connects to
many areas of your curriculum.
Older children will also find more to explore in the front and back matter of the books. Maps show the region where each group of people lives, both from a global and more focused perspective. Children will also appreciate Reynolds's notes at the end of the books. They give personal accounts of her travels, including how she made contact with the people profiled in the book and how the time she spent with the families impacted and changed her view of herself and the world. These reflections can spur children to consider their own assumptions about the world and provide excellent springboards for discussions, projects, and further research and exploration.
Biomes
Most children wind up studying biomes at one point or another in their
elementary years. The Vanishing Cultures Series provides information
that easily enables you to include human life in the exploration of the
flora, fauna, and climate of different biotic regions. Take deserts as
an example. You could start by examining books that give the basics
about what makes a desert a desert, such as About Habitats: Deserts by
Cathryn and John Sill, The Dry Desert: A Web of Life by Philip
Johansson, and Looking Closely Across the Desert (from the Looking
Closely series) by Frank Serafini. Nonfiction books with a more personal
slant, including Jim Arnosky's Watching Desert Wildlife and Jan
Reynolds's Sahara (from Lee & Low's Vanishing
Cultures Series), give a sense of particulars. Arnosky records his
observations of wildlife in the American Southwest, while Reynolds
chronicles life among the Tuareg, a nomadic people who have survived in
one of the world's harshest climates for generations. Discussions could
center around how people, plants, and animals adapt to different
environments. Projects could include creating posters that illustrate
the animals and peoples who populate different deserts around the world,
creating a diorama of a particular desert, writing a story from a desert
animal's perspective, or writing an essay comparing a desert to other
biomes. This multidimensional approach could be applied to any of the
world's biomes, putting biomes in a social and geographic context that
will make studying science more engaging and memorable.
Ecological Studies
Many children are interested in and concerned about the environment,
but usually they study ecology through the lens of endangered wildlife.
Children often do not realize how changes to our environment also impact
people and cultures that have endured for centuries. In her author's
note in Amazon Basin, Reynolds points out that many
people are aware of the impact deforestation of the Amazon is having on
animal life and the global environment. However, few are talking about
the ways deforestation is changing life for people such as the Yanomama,
whose culture is heavily tied to the rain forest and all it provides.
The effect of environmental changes on people is addressed in all of
Reynolds's books but is particularly evident in the ways public
policies and infrastructure have changed life for nomadic groups such as
the Inuit in Frozen Land and the Mongolians in
Mongolia.
How Do You Tie It All Together?
If your children are interested in endangered wildlife, as so many are,
instead of focusing exclusively on animals, focus on ecology as a whole.
Pair Amazon Basin with books such as Rainforest Food Chains by Molly
Aloian and Bobbie Kalman, The Tropical Rain Forest: A Web of Life
(from the series A World of Biomes) by Philip Johansson, and Rain
Forests: A Nonfiction Companion to Afternoon on the Amazon (from the
series Magic Tree House Research Guides) by Will Osborne and Mary Pope
Osborne. Watch DVDs such as All About Food Chains (from the series
Animal Life for Children in the Schlessinger Science Library). Talk
about how interruptions in rain forest food chains have affected the
plants, animals, and people who live in rain forests. Activities could
include creating diagrams that demonstrate the relationships between
plants, animals, and people; looking for endangered rain forest animals
during a visit to the zoo; identifying ways your family can have an
impact on the rain forest (perhaps by finding ways to reduce paper
consumption in your home); and researching articles online to find out
how life has changed for the Yanomama since Amazon Basin was first
published. These types of activities and book pairings would work
equally well for any book in the Vanishing Cultures Series.
Looking for More?
Maintaining an open and diverse perspective has value in every area of
your curriculum. The suggestions above are just a few examples of how to
incorporate diverse children's literature into your family's studies.
Browse the Lee & Low website for more
titles that will tie into numerous subjects, including science, social
studies (history and geography), math, and the arts. Watch the video
Cultural Adventure with Jan Reynolds for a documentary perspective on
Reynolds's travels. Consult local libraries and librarians. To find
listings of books that address diversity, along with recommendations for
how to use these books effectively, explore books such as Across
Cultures: A Guide for Multicultural Literature for Children
(Children's and Young Adult Literature Reference Series) by Kathy Easy
and Rebecca L. Thomas and Understanding Diversity Through Novels and
Picture Books by Liz Knowles and Martha Smith.
Learning about the world's many peoples and cultures helps build awareness, tolerance, and understanding. The knowledge gained will also help children approach the world with curiosity and interest instead of mistrust and fear — a fine goal for all of us at any age.
Adrienne Furness is a writer and Children's Librarian at the Webster Public Library outside of Rochester, New York. She is the author of ALA Editions' Helping Homeschoolers in the Library and continues to explore the homeschooling world and help build good relationships between libraries and homeschooling families on her blog, Homeschooling and Libraries.
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