BOOK LIST (to print) -- GERMANY
PODCASTS:
I hope the connection between the study of Germany and the study of World War I is obvious. One important distinction that needs to be painted clearly in your children's minds is that the German people were not all evil. Corrupt leaders can do a lot of harm and cause a lot of suffering. There are many lessons for us in Germany's aggression including the difference between nationalism and patriotism. I would suggest not starting with Germany's wars but rather in her contributions to the world. Highlight the life of Beethoven or Bach and their masterpieces. You can find several interesting stories in Stories of Great Musicians. Spend time with Grimm's fairy tales. Many of the original Grimm's tales can be rather . . .grim. Here are some stories appropriate for children. In this month's Opera volume I included stories from Wagner's operas that are beautiful stories to tell. Here are two different versions to choose from: A Reader for Primary Grades and Wagner Opera Stories, a good read aloud version. Your little girls may especially like hearing the story of Lohengrin, the opera from which the famous wedding march comes from (Here Comes the Bride). And there's Our Little German Cousin for your younger children. If you have a Middle Schooler or older who is into epic heroes, check out James Baldwin's Story of Siegfried.
For your older children, hearing the stories of the Holocaust and Nazi Germany is sobering. This may be the month to introduce them to The Diary of Anne Frank. Or check out The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier, The Borrowed House by Hilda von Stockum or The Ark by Margot Benary-Isbert for a glimpse of life under and after Nazi Germany. These books are out of print, but see if you can find a copy through an interlibrary loan. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Book is also an inspirational read. A movie was made out of her story.
For your older children, hearing the stories of the Holocaust and Nazi Germany is sobering. This may be the month to introduce them to The Diary of Anne Frank. Or check out The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier, The Borrowed House by Hilda von Stockum or The Ark by Margot Benary-Isbert for a glimpse of life under and after Nazi Germany. These books are out of print, but see if you can find a copy through an interlibrary loan. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Book is also an inspirational read. A movie was made out of her story.
Art credit: Balduinstein on the Lahn by Clarkson Stanfield (Art Renewal Center)