by Brian Fitzgerald
Mater Amabilis™ ™suggests two different books on the Korean War for Level 4 history, neither of which my library had. Since this book would be read in only a week, I didn't want to purchase anything. I checked out all the books our library had that I thought might be reasonable and skimmed through them, mainly for length and reading level.
I selected the book last summer but only read it this week as I prepared for the week's lessons. Fitzgerald's book presents a fair and balanced description of the events of the war, from North Korea's invasion to the armistice in 1953. He connects the events in Korea with the end of World War II. Powerful quotes bring the hardships and fears of the war into focus, like the freezing cold weather:
Our vehicles wouldn't start. Batteries gave out. The grease on our rifles turned to glue and they wouldn't fire. Our rations would freeze solid. Men would carry cans of food around inside their clothes, under their armpits, trying to thaw them a little so they could be eaten.Sidebars throughout the book give additional information on the United Nations, important people, and other events. Photographs appear on nearly every page depicting important political figures, American soldiers and South Korean soldiers and citizens, as well as North Korean and Chinese soldiers and medics.
The Korean War may not be as well-known as other struggles, but the sacrifices made by the men and women who fought and served in the war are certainly no less. They gave their lives to protect people they did not know in a land many of them had never heard of.There's an extensive timeline at the end of the book, along with a glossary, source notes, a bibliography, and recommendations for further reading.
I can't claim this is the best book written on the Korean War for an eighth grade student to read, but I thought it was exactly the kind of book I wanted.
Like the biography of Gandhi First Son read for India, this book is short enough to be scheduled over just two days, leaving a third for other research on the Korean War or a look at the developments in the time since the war. First Son is going to read just one article, but hopefully by the time First Daughter is in eighth grade (three years from now), there will be dramatic developments from recent years for her to investigate.
Updated plans (original plans here):
Lesson 1
MapTrek Modern World Map 41: The Korean War – review this map in your binder from earlier this year
Kingfisher History Encyclopedia p 444-445 – Narrate.
The Korean War (library) p 8-55 - Narrate.
Lesson 2
The Korean War (library) p 56-85.
Written narration on the Korean War, at least 3 paragraphs.
Lesson 3
Watch a video of President Kim of North Korea greeted by President Moon of South Korea in April 2018.Add an event to your Book of Centuries.
I'd like to find additional sources for Lesson 3, but will look for something more substantial when planning for First Daughter in fall 2020. If I find something, it would be narrated.
I checked this book out of the library. Links to Amazon are affiliate links. The opinions in this post are my own.
I checked this book out of the library. Links to Amazon are affiliate links. The opinions in this post are my own.
