Second Grade Travels Back in Time: Historical Fiction Exploration

This January, second grade students are reading historical fiction in school and at home. First students explored the structure of historical fiction. In December, the reading of biographies set the stage for this study as many biographies focus on people from a time period in the past. As we discussed the contributions made by these people, we also focused on how the time period in which they lived affected their lives and helps to explain the importance of their work.

The entire grade is reading the historical fiction book Wagon Wheels and learning the story of the Muldie boys and their father as they travel from Kentucky to Nicodemus, Kansas in 1878. The Muldies were a real family who along with thousands of African American pioneers left the South after the Civil War to settle in the West. They first settled in the town of Nicodemus. This site has become an historical site managed by the National Park Service. The following link will take you to the section of the site that will allow you to learn about the history.  https://www.nps.gov/features/nicodemus/nonflash.htm
We shared relevant information from this site with the second grade students in preparation for the reading of this book in small book groups.

We will read about the courage of the boys as they live in a dugout while their father searches for land that will enable them to have a better life, and then of their journey of one hundred and fifty miles to connect with their father.

Students will be selecting historical fiction books of interest to read at home with their families and then talk, write and draw about their particular book.  We will also be reading an assortment in class of historical fiction books as well both individually and in small groups.