Books with author Marianne Tucker

Here's an exciting, hands-on collection of ideas and activities designed to introduce students to the life of the ancient Mayans and Aztecs. Ancient history will come to life for students as they write number glyphs using the code of the Maya, design their own battle uniforms using ideas from the Aztecs and learn about the diet, work, entertainment, worship and warfare of these people who were the forerunners of modern Mexico. They'll discover the fierce side of both cultures and their preoccupation with blood and death. Students will begin to understand why the Mayans and Aztecs lived as they did and how a European desire to discover gold in the new world brought an end to their vibrant civilizations. A variety of creative activities are included to involve students in exploring these ancient peoples for themselves.

Ancient history will come to life for students as they write number glyphs using the code of the Maya, design their own battle uniforms using ideas from the Aztecs and learn about the diet, work, entertainment, worship and warfare of these people who were the forerunners of modern Mexico. They'll discover the fierce side of both cultures and their preoccupation with blood and death. Students will begin to understand why the Mayans and Aztecs lived as they did and how a European desire to discover gold in the new world brought an end to their vibrant civilizations.

When your students watch commercial airliners flying high in the sky, do they realize how much it took for that common sight to become a reality? When they see military jets blasting through the clouds, do they know how far flight has come in the last 100 years? Creative activities, games, action rhymes, songs, a skit and more involve students in discovering for themselves how the Wright Brothers dreamed of man in flight and worked diligently to bring their dreams to life. They'll learn about the almost ridiculous fragility of the first airplanes, the crazed and driven men who risked their lives trying to be the first to successfully fly and the success of two brothers who refused to give up.

This exciting new series is designed not only to bring history to life for your students, these activities actually bring history into your classroom! Washington Crossing the Delaware—it's one of the most famous paintings of the Revolutionary War. But is it accurate? Do your students understand what was happening in the picture? Do they have any inkling of the pain and effort and courage involved in that event? Through a variety of creative activities in this book, students will discover the truths behind the picture—not only what happened that night, but what led up to it and what happened as a result of it. Poetry, discussion, role play, games and other activities will bring the Revolutionary War into your classroom! Students will learn that war causes pain and hardship for everyone, even those at home. They'll put themselves in the place of the soldier—hungry, cold, lonely, underpaid and afraid. They'll discover the horrors of medical treatment in the 1700s and learn about the weapons of war. Understanding the sacrifices made by Revolutionary War soldiers such as those who crossed the Delaware with Washington will make students more appreciative of those in the armed forces today who are keeping America free.

It's hard for kids today to understand the importance of good long-distance communication. All their lives they've been able to reach people far away, even in foreign countries, instantly by phone, fax and e-mail. It's almost inconceivable to them that they would have to wait a month or even 10 days for news. But that's the way it was in the middle of the 19th century in America. The United States weren't really united at all. Then along came a man named Samuel Morse who invented the telegraph and a code to go with it. It wasn't long before telegraph lines were strung from the Mississippi River to California and news was being tapped out in dots and dashes faster than anyone could have dreamed. Students will enjoy learning how it all happened, and they'll practice tapping out their own messages in Morse code as well as experimenting with other methods of long-distance communication. Just a few years after Morse's timely invention Alexander Graham Bell, while experimenting on ways to improve the telegraph, invented the telephone. That was just the beginning. Telecommunications today is like a tornado, sweeping everyone up in it and dropping us back to Earth with multifunctional office phones, cell phones, fax machines, radio, TV, e-mail and more. Students will discover through creative activities how it all began. They'll get involved in discussion, drama, creative writing, art, music, a fun rap, skits and more. After this study, your students will appreciate their modern tools of communication as they never have before!