Special Collections
District List: NYC Core Curriculum 7th - Social Studies
Description: The New York City Core Curriculum program aims to provide a high-quality curricula to NYC students through a seamless instructional program across grades and subjects. This list has been curated by #NYCDOE for 7th Grade Social Studies materials.
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The New York Colony
by Martin HintzAn introduction to the history, government, economy, resources, and people of the New York Colony.
The New England Colonies
by Michael Burgan and Christian Cornia and Barbie Heit and Brett KellyNIMAC-sourced textbook
George vs. George
by Rosalyn SchanzerThere are two sides to every story. Rosalyn Schanzer's engaging and wonderfully illustrated book brings to life both sides of the American Revolution. The narrative introduces anew the two enemies, both named George: George Washington, the man who freed the American colonies from the British, and George III, the British king who lost them. Two leaders on different sides of the Atlantic, yet with more in common than we sometimes acknowledge. We are lead through their story, and the story of their times, and see both sides of the arguments that divided the colonies from the Kingdom. Was King George a "Royal Brute" as American patriots claimed? Or was he, as others believed, "the father of the people?" Was George Washington a scurrilous traitor, as all the king's supporters claimed? Or should we remember and celebrate him as "the father of his country?" Who was right? History teaches us that there are two sides to every story. Rosalyn Schanzer's book is an accessible account of one the most vital periods in American history. It is also a timeless lesson in seeing history from different points of view. The author spent two years researching books, paintings, cartoons, and descriptions of Revolutionary times. She uses art, text, and first-hand accounts to illustrate how history should never be reduced to simplistic conflicts between the "good guys" and the "bad guys. " Her illustrations, and her engaging quote bubbles, bring the Revolution to life again, and allow the characters of the period to speak for themselves. Through its lively text, detailed illustrations, and fully authenticated quotes, George vs. George shines fresh light on both sides of the story of our country's formative years.
The American Revolution for Kids
by Janis HerbertHeroes, traitors, and great thinkers come to life in this activity book, and the concepts of freedom and democracy are celebrated in true accounts of the distinguished officers, wise delegates, rugged riflemen, and hardworking farm wives and children who created the new nation. This collection tells the story of the Revolution, from the hated Stamp Act and the Boston Tea Party to the British surrender at Yorktown and the creation of the United States Constitution. All American students are required to study the Revolution and the Constitution, and these 21 activities make it fun and memorable. Kids create a fringed hunting shirt and a tricorn hat and reenact the Battle of Cowpens. They will learn how to make their voices heard in "I Protest" and how Congress works in "There Ought to Be a Law." A final selection including the Declaration of Independence, a glossary, biographies, and pertinent Web sites makes this book a valuable resource for both students and teachers.
With Every Drop of Blood
by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher CollierFourteen-year-old Johnny promised his father, who was gravely wounded while fighting for the South, that he would take care of the family and not run off to fight. But when there's a request to take his mules and wagon on a bold mission to supply the Rebel troops, Johnny can't resist the chance for revenge as well as a good payday. Times are tough without his father on the farm, and food is scarce for everyone. But his plan goes awry when he's captured by Cush, a runaway slave. Johnny doesn't like taking orders from a black man, but he has no choice: He's heading for prison camp wondering what will become of his family and himself. Along the way, he learns some surprising views about the war, forms an unlikely bond with Cush, and finds his long-held feelings about the issues surrounding the Civil War brought into question. This critically acclaimed novel is geared for children Grades 5 and up.
Shaping the Constitution
by Gare ThompsonFind out about the ideas in the United States Constitution and the men who helped create it.
The New Nation
by Joy HakimBeginning with George Washington's inauguration and continuing into the nineteenth century, The New Nation tells the story of the remarkable challenges that the freshly formed United States faced. Thomas Jefferson's purchase of the Louisiana Territories (bought from France at a mere four cents an acre!), Lewis and Clark's daring expedition through this wilderness, the War of 1812 a.k.a. "Revolutionary War, Part II," Tecumseh's effort to form an Indian confederacy, the growth of Southern plantations, the beginning of the abolitionist movement,and the disgraceful Trail of Tears are just a few of the setbacks, sidetracks,and formidable tasks put in the new nation's path. Master storyteller Joy Hakim weaves these dramatic events and more into a seamless tale that's so exciting, how could it be true? But it is--it's A History of US. This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 4-5 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
From Colonies to Country
by Joy HakimHow did compliant colonials with strong ties to Europe get the notion to become an independent nation? Perhaps the seeds of liberty were planted in the 1735 historic courtroom battle for the freedom of the press. Or maybe the French and Indian War did it, when colonists were called "Americans" for the first time by the English, and the great English army proved itself not so formidable after all. But for sure when King George III started levying some heavy handed taxes on the colonies, the break from the motherland was imminent. With such enthralling characters as George Washington, Sam Adams, Patrick Henry, Eliza Pinckney, and Alexander Hamilton throughout, From Colonies to Country is an amazing story of a nation making transformation. [This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 4-5 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
Bull Run
by Paul FleischmanNortherners, Southerners, generals, couriers, dreaming boys, and worried sisters describe the glory, the horror, the thrill, and the disillusionment of the first battle of the Civil War.
Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
The Island at the Center of the World
by Russell ShortoBased on new documents just translated from C17th Dutch, this book tells the story of how a wilderness island populated by wolves, wild strawberries and native Indians, situated on a perfect natural harbour at the mouth of a great river leading into the centre of a new continent, became the crucial prize in a conflict between the Dutch and English about who would control the recently discovered American continent. This is the pageturning story of the early years of Manhattan under Dutch rule, with at its heart a battle between men who would be its leader, the autocratic despot Stuyvesant, and the liberal-minded lawyer Van den Donck. It is Russel Shorto's theory that the attitudes of the original Dutch settlers led to the free-trade, multi-cultural, upwardly-mobile 'melting pot' of New York, and that Van den Donck was the first to identify the principles of liberty and democracy that ended up underpinning the US contstitution.
The Underground Railroad
by Raymond BialBy ones, twos, and threes, in the years before the Civil War thousands of enslaved people slipped through the night on their way to freedom, riding the Underground Railroad. Hidden and hunted, the escape of southern slaves to the North remains a compelling event in American history. Within the pages of this book are documented, in prose and elegantly articulate photographs, examples of "stations" on the Railroad, along with images of the routes, lives, and hardships of both the "passengers" and "conductors."
The New York Colony
by Kevin CunninghamA True Book--The Thirteen Colonies Are you thrilled by true adventure stories? do you wonder how our founding fathers conquered the wilds of North America to create the United States? You'll experience it all in these books that tell the story of the brave men and women who escaped tyranny from across the ocean to forge a new world in 13 colonies that led to the birth of the United States of America.
Causes of the American Revolution, Bridges Edition
by Randi Reisfeld and Jackie Robb and Barbie Heit and Brett Kelly and Elaine EpsteinNIMAC-sourced textbook
To Be A Slave
by Julius LesterA compilation of reminiscences of slaves and ex-slaves about their lives, from those leaving Africa through the Civil War into the 20th century.
Newbery Medal Honor Book.
My Brother Sam Is Dead
by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher CollierThe classic story of one family torn apart by the Revolutionary War
All his life, Tim Meeker has looked up to his brother Sam. Sam's smart and brave -- and is now a part of the American Revolution. Not everyone in town wants to be a part of the rebellion. Most are supporters of the British -- including Tim and Sam's father.
With the war soon raging, Tim know he'll have to make a choice -- between the Revolutionaries and the Redcoats... and between his brother and his father.
Newbery Medal Honor book
Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Honor Book
Liberty for All?
by Joy HakimEarly nineteenth-century America could just about be summed up by Henry David Thoreau's words when he said, "Eastward I go only by force, but westward I go free." It was an exuberant time for the diverse citizens of the United States, who included a range of folk, from mountain men and railroad builders to whalers and farmers, as they pushed forward into the open frontier and all their hopes and fears are captured in Liberty for All? In addition to colorful accounts of the massive westward migration, the California Gold Rush, a war with Mexico, the Oregon boundary conflict, Texas and the Alamo, Liberty for All? takes a deep look at the issue that began to gnaw at the country's core: How, in the land where "all men are created equal," could there be slaves? This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 4-5 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
A History of US:
by Joy HakimRecommended by the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy as an exemplary informational text.
All kinds of people are coming to America. If you're European, you come in search of freedom or riches. If you're African, you come in chains. And what about the Indians, what is happening to them? Soon with the influx of so many people, thirteen unique colonies are born, each with its own story. Meet Pocahontas and John Smith in Jamestown. Join William Penn and the Quakers in Pennsylvania. Sit with the judges at the Salem witch trials. Hike over the mountains with Daniel Boone. And let Ben Franklin give you some salty advice in his Poor Richard's Almanac in this remarkable journey through the dynamic creation of what one day becomes the United States.
The Middle Colonies
by Michael Burgan and Christian Cornia and Barbie Heit and Brett KellyNIMAC-sourced textbook
War, Terrible War
by Joy HakimRiveting, moving, and impossible to put down, War, Terrible War takes us into the heart of the Civil War, from the battle of Manassas to the battle of Gettysburg and on to the South's surrender at Appomattox Court House. Follow the common soldiers in blue and gray as they endure long marches, freezing winter camps, and the bloodiest battles ever fought on American soil. Off the war fields, War, Terrible War captures the passion and commitment of abolitionists and slave-owners alike in their fiery debates throughout the land. With profiles of Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, John Brown, Harriet Tubman, Jefferson Davis, soldiers on both sides, slave owners, abolitionists, average citizens, and others, War, Terrible War is the compelling story of a people affected by the horrors of war during this tragic and dramatic period in A History of US. This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 4-5 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
Encounter
by Jane YolenWhen Christopher Columbus landed on the island of San Salvador in 1492, what he discovered were the Taino Indians. Told from a young Taino boy's point of view, this is a story of how the boy tried to warn his people against welcoming the strangers, who seemed more interested in golden ornaments than friendship. Years later the boy, now an old man, looks back at the destruction of his people and their culture by the colonizers.
The First Americans
by Joy HakimThousands of years-- way before Christopher Columbus set sail-- wandering tribes of hunters made their way from Asia across the Bering land bridge to North America. They didn't know it, but they had discovered a New World. The First Americans is a fascinating re-creation of pre-Columbian Native American life, and it's an adventure of a lifetime! Hunt seals with the Inuit; harvest corn on a cliff-top mesa; hunt the mighty buffalo; and set sail with Leif Erickson, Columbus, and all the early great explorers-- Cabot, Balboa, Ponce de Leon, Cortes, Henry the Navigator, and more-- in this brilliantly told story of America before it was America. [This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 4-5 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
Sixth Amendment
by Therese SheaOne of the hallmarks of the American criminal justice system is the right of all people accused of a crime to defend themselves in a speedy, public trial. According to the Sixth Amendment, individuals accused of crimes have a number of important rights, including: the right to a jury of their peers, the right to be informed of the charges against them, the right to an attorney and witnesses in their defense, and the right to face their accuser.
This book reviews the history of the Sixth Amendment, including the events that inspired it and the major Supreme Court cases related to it. In a concise and interesting way, the author explains the unalienable rights that are at the heart of our justice system.
Timeline Of The Civil War
by Charlie SamuelsPresents a timeline of the Civil War, including causes of the conflict, the life of soldiers on both sides, and the end of the war.
Liberty or Death
by Margaret Whitman BlairLiberty or Death is the little-known story of the American Revolution told from the perspectives of the African-American slaves who fought on the side of the British Royal Army in exchange for a promise of freedom. Motivated by the 1775 proclamation by Virginia’s Royal Governor that any slaves who took up arms on his behalf would be granted their freedom, these men fought bravely for a losing cause. Many of the volunteers succumbed to battle wounds or smallpox, which ran rampant on the British ships on which they were quartered. After the successful Revolution, they emigrated to Canada and, ultimately to West Africa. Liberty or Death is the inspiring story of the forgotten freedom fighters of America’s Revolutionary War.