Historical Writing Ideas

Giving children the opportunity to write stories or poems related to history can often enhance their understanding of times past. Here are a few examples.

Explorers

Margaret Wise Brown was the author of a book entitled The Important Book. If you are unfamiliar with this book, you might read it to better understand how the following poem is written.

After a research project or study of European explorers, have the children write a poem entitled “The Important Thing” using an explorer as assigned or of their choice. Important facts about the explorer can be listed. Here is an example:

The important thing about Sir Francis Drake is that he was an English explorer.

He was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the world.

He followed secret orders from Queen Elizabeth as a pirate who attacked Spanish ships and towns.

He later became Vice-Admiral of the English navy as commanded by the queen.

But, the most important thing about Sir Francis Drake is that he defeated the Spanish Armada and kept England safe.

Native American Legends

After reading (either orally to the class or as homework assignments) several Native American legends, have the children try writing one of their own! An excellent source of these legends is Keepers of the Earth, Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac published by Fulcrum, Inc., 350 Indiana Street, Suite 350, Golden, Colorado, 80401. The following legend was written by a fourth grader:

How the Ocean Came to be Bluish-Green

By Will

Once a long time ago, the ocean was yellow. In it was a great serpent that terrorized and ate all the fish. The fish finally called for a conference.

“We have to stop this serpent!” said the swordfish.

“Right, let’s kill it in a battle!” bellowed the shark.

“But it is too powerful,” replied the flounder, who was more timid. After having a lengthy discussion, all the fish agreed with flounder.

“But we have to do something!” protested the squid.

Then the wise old whale had a say. “The squid is right, however, it will not be easy to kill the serpent, for he has two hearts. One pumps green blood, and the other pumps blue blood. It can live without the green heart, for it only gives blood to an organ that provides venom to the tail barb, which is dangerous enough anyway. The blue heart, however, is vital to the creature’s survival, but it is hidden.”

So the creatures set about, planning jobs.

“I can jab the serpent with my pointy nose,” said the swordfish.

“And I can saw off its fins, “added the saw fish.

So they went along in a circle, and everyone said what they could do to fight the terrible monster. Then a small voice piped in, “What could I do to help?”

It was plankton. Everyone started laughing.

“Well, you could watch,” giggled an anemone. They all went off laughing.

By mid-afternoon the fish were all ready. They had no trouble locating the monster. They all attacked the serpent that had been asleep. It awoke in a grumpy rage and thrashed around madly. The swordfish jabbed bravely, but he could not hit the slippery serpent. Meanwhile, the plankton was hiding in the coral reef watching the battle. The flounder had been correct. The serpent was indeed powerful, with sharp spines filled with venom covering its head like a crown, another poisonous barb on the tip of its tail, and a total of twelve fins in all.

The plankton watched as a fish and crustaceans alike fought the wicked beast. The crabs attached anemones to their backs, and squid, octopi, and eels wrapped themselves around the serpent and dragged it to the ocean floor, where barnacles scratched it.

The swordfish was in a flurry, slicing this way and that, but he could only find the green heart.

“Where is the blue heart?” he yelled.

“None of us know,” said the whale, as he slapped his mighty tail at the serpent’s lower jaw, and connected solidly. A scuttle fish, that was busy squirting black ink in the serpent’s eye, broke in on the conversation.

“We need a small creature who can get inside the serpent to find the blue heart.”

That gave plankton an idea. Waiting for the right moment, the plankton swam quickly into the serpent’s mouth. The plankton searched for the blue heart, and he found it in the tip of the creature’s main dorsal fin. As quickly as he could, the plankton raced out of the horrible serpent’s mouth and straight to the wise old whale.

“I’ve found the blue heart,” he yelled. It’s in the main dorsal fin on the tip!”

The sawfish, who had heard the plankton, said, ”Allow me!”

With one quick slice, the serpent was stone dead. The blue and green blood colored the ocean water a blue-green just like it is today. And, no one has ever made fun of the plankton again.

Native American Name Poetry

Children choose a Native American name for themselves based on an interest or ideal. Here is an example followed by the pattern used.

Silver Wolf

Fierce, Strong

Hunting, Teaching, Guarding

Devotion, Strength, Character, Leadership

Fighter

Pattern:

Line one: Native American name

Line two: two descriptive adjectives

Line three: 3 descriptive “ing” words

Line four: 4 descriptive nouns

Line five: a synonym or word describing Native American name

Using a story starter: (coming to the New World as an indentured servant)

Fire Glow

Priscilla was a greedy, unreliable, prissy, nitpicking, haughty, and gossipy woman. More than once, she had caused major problems for the others traveling on the ship to the New World. Her sharp-edged comments had made her disliked by almost everyone on the ship. Many agreed one of the best things to look forward to when the ship reached the New England colony would be that they no longer would have to deal with Priscilla.

Eventually the ship arrived in Massachusetts, and the people on board were ready to be met by family, friends, or their new employers. Priscilla’s passage had been paid by a farmer in the New World on the condition that she would work as an indentured servant until her fare had been paid off. Priscilla would soon learn to change her ways in order to survive on the farm. It wasn’t long until her first lesson began.

Ending by Will

It all started when she first arrived in the New World as an indentured servant for Mr. James Grimeheimer. He was a short, plump man with glasses and sparse gray hair. When he saw her, he said, “Are yer Priscilla Noonbane?”

“What if I am?” said Priscilla. (in a very haughty voice)

“Then yer my slave,” he replied with an ugly grin.

Priscilla was repulsed by his rudeness and lack of concern for her feelings after the long journey.

“You are being very indignant and rude towards me, Mr. Grimeheimer,” said Priscilla. (in a very haughty voice)

“Well, if yer feel that way, it’s double work and half rations fer yer, SLAVE!”

Then he added, “By the way, yer kin call me MASTER Grimeheimer, slave!”

When they had reached his house after having taking a farm wagon (Mr. Grimeheimer had ridden in the wagon but forced Priscilla to walk beside it), Mr. Grimeheimer addressed her saying, ”I forgot to tell yer, yer sleepin’ in the barn!”

“Great, and I suppose you sleep in a luxurious castle!” exclaimed Priscilla. (in a very haughty voice)

The first night Priscilla couldn’t sleep. Even though she had already had experience sleeping in the dusty, crowded ship, she was still unaccustomed to the rotting barn.

The next morning, Mr. Grimeheimer made her work so hard that when she had finished all her tasks she felt as though she would never have the strength to lift a finger again. This process was repeated every day until it became a rhythm in Priscilla’s life: wake up, do work, eat, go to bed.

Then one day, after three years of strenuous work, it came time for Priscilla to live her own life. She no longer had to be an indentured servant.

As she walked freely away from Mr. Grimeheimer’s farm, she happened to pass one of the passengers that she had met on the voyage to the New World.

“Well, if it ain’t haughty Priscilla!” the man jeered.

To his amazement, she smiled at him, “Why yes sir, tis me. How are you today? It’s so nice to see you again,” she said. (in a very non-haughty voice)

Our Difficult Journey

(a personal narrative)

Have the children pretend that they are on an ocean voyage to the New World and respond to the following statements. Using the imagination is encouraged as well as expressing how they might have felt during this time. Fourth graders turned this assignment into a book, and some children enjoyed illustrating it.

We are so homesick. I don’t know many people on this ship except my family.

The ship is so crowded. We have to sleep three to a bunk.

We have not changed clothes or bathed for days. There is not enough fresh water.

The ship rocks and bobbles in the ocean. Everyone is getting seasick.

We have to eat dried food. There is no place for anyone to cook.

Walking on deck can be dangerous. We could lose our balance and fall overboard.

Water, water everywhere, will we ever see land again?

(When finished writing responses to these statements, children are encouraged to write their own ending!)

Pilgrim Riddles

Have children try writing riddles in language that the Pilgrims might have used. Here are some fourth graders’ riddles.

What do Pilgrims and daisies haveth in common? (They’re both May flowers.) (by Andrew Mac)

What changeth colors but does not changeth clothes? (a leaf) (By Aliza)

T’is little, round and tart. Thou can eat it in a sauce or whole. What is it? (cranberry) (By Amy)

George Washington’s Rules for Civility

The following URL will take you to a site that lists Washington’s 100 rules that he wrote at the age of 16. I gave students a list of about 25 of them and had them re-write 10 rules in today’s language. Don’t allow them to choose the easy ones!

http://www.foundationsmag.com/civility.html

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