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This post is about the Christian liturgical calendar.
The church calendar divides the 12-month calendar into two large parts. Each part has smaller divisions. What are the two parts of the liturgical calendar? Each tradition may have slight variations on how they divide the church-year calendar. Below is a general overview from Lutheran and Catholic sources. The Festive Half of the church year includes Christmas and Easter. This is the first half of the liturgical calendar. The Non-Festive half of the church year starts after Easter and runs through the end of November. Much of these months is Ordinary Time, or a time without a special church holiday. What are the smaller divisions of the liturgical year? These are the Catholic liturgical seasons. Other Christian traditions follow a similar calendar. Search for “liturgical calendar” or “liturgical year” and you can easily find charts online that will have more precise divisions. December: Advent and Christmas January: Christmas, Epiphany, Ordinary Time February: Ordinary Time March: Lent April-May: Easter, Pentecost June-November: Ordinary Time
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This post is about the Christian liturgical calendar.
Each season of the church calendar has one or more colors associated with it. These colors are used in vestments, altar cloths, and similar items. What colors are used for the church calendar? The colors listed here are a summary of what Catholics use throughout the church year. The colors and their precise day of use may vary depending on the Christian tradition. Advent: Violet/Purple, Pink Christmas: White, Gold Epiphany: White, Gold Lent: Violet/Purple, Pink Easter: White, Red Pentecost: Red Ordinary Time: Green What do the liturgical colors mean? Green: Hope White, Gold: Purity, Innocence, Glory Red: Fire, Charity, Love Violet/Purple: Penance, Atonement Pink: Rejoicing This post is about the Christian liturgical calendar.
What is the liturgical calendar? The liturgical calendar is part of the Christian religion. It is also called a church-year calendar. The Christian liturgical calendar divides the 12-month calendar year into sections that guide scripture readings, prayers, songs, and other parts of Christian worship and life. Do all liturgical Christians follow the same church-year calendar? There may be some variation in which days are observed or how they are observed. Also, some church traditions that don’t consider themselves liturgical have formed a type of church-year calendar. This church calendar is more often formed by cultural or church events than from a desire to help Christians focus each day on Jesus Christ. These non-liturgical church calendars tend to revolve around things like vacation Bible school, Christmas and Easter (part of the liturgical calendar), the start of school, and church-specific events like dedicating a month to giving to missionaries. 1. The Christian liturgical calendar dates to the 4th century.
Christian holidays were observed long before the 4th century, but by this time, things were becoming standardized, at least within certain regions. 2. The Christian liturgical year is also called the church calendar. This makes sense since the liturgical year guides the celebrations and focus of a church. 3. The Christian liturgical year allows for a range of emotions. Throughout the church year, there are days or weeks dedicated to reflection, remembering, anticipation, commemoration, sorrow, discipline, and celebration. 4. The Christian liturgical calendar commemorates the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some church traditions also commemorate saints and other people or times that were important in Christian history. 5. The Christian liturgical calendar has changed over the centuries. The overall concept and primary holidays are consistent, but there have been changes throughout the centuries and across Christian traditions. 6. Christianity isn’t the only religion with a liturgical calendar. A liturgical calendar is simply a set series of religious observances throughout the year. Any religion that has specific days dedicated to certain observances can be said to have a liturgical calendar. Each day we say, thank you.
But for what and to whom Give we our praise anew? Thanksgiving Day, it grew From lives surviving doom. Each day we say, thank you. Day by day, the years flew. Still for thanks we give room. Give we our praise anew. Other stories we knew - Recall, do not assume. Each day we say, thank you. The past gives us a clue. Now we see life in bloom. Give we our praise anew. Even when feeling blue, Know Life came from the tomb. Each day we say thank you. Give we our praise anew. The Thanksgiving holiday is most often associated with the United States and Canada, but other countries also celebrate Thanksgiving or a similar holiday.
Australia may celebrate Thanksgiving in some places, but it is not a public holiday. Canada celebrates Thanksgiving in October. Thanksgiving is not a statutory holiday in all provinces. Like the U.S. Thanksgiving, there are different understandings of when the first Canadian Thanksgiving was held and the reason for the holiday has changed over the centuries. Grenada celebrates Thanksgiving. Unlike the Canadian and U.S. origins of Thanksgiving, there is no religious history to the Thanksgiving in Granada. Instead, the holiday commemorates a military event in 1983. Germany may celebrate Thanksgiving, but it is not a national holiday. Not all Germans celebrate Thanksgiving. In Germany, Thanksgiving is usually related to the harvest and is observed in September or October. Japan has a public holiday called Labor Thanksgiving Day. Japan does have a history of a day to give thanks for a good harvest, but in modern times, November 23 is typically reserved for giving thanks to laborers and municipal workers. It is closer in purpose and observance to the U.S. Labor Day than the U.S. Thanksgiving. Liberia celebrates Thanksgiving on the first Thursday in November. It is a more religious holiday than in the U.S. Food and family gatherings are also important parts of the observance. The Netherlands may celebrate a U.S.-like Thanksgiving, but it is not an official public holiday. Even if you grew up being taught the typical U.S. Thanksgiving story of Pilgrims in Massachusetts, you may not have heard about the history connecting the Pilgrims and The Netherlands. Saint Lucia celebrates Thanksgiving on the first Monday in October. It appears to be a low-key holiday that is observed by families similarly to how families in the U.S. observe Memorial or Labor Day weekend. There are likely other countries that have autumn (or spring) harvest festivals. Even so, it seems that Thanksgiving as a national holiday dedicated to gathering with friends and family to eat too much as a sign of gratitude for all that is needed for life is primarily a practice in the U.S. and Canada. What are traditional Thanksgiving foods? For this post, “traditional” means things that show up in U.S. commercials, Hallmark movies, and the like. In other words, “traditional” for this post means the things people would likely say on Family Feud if asked to name a Thanksgiving food. Even so, keep in mind that the U.S. is made up of people from many cultures. This diversity will be reflected in the foods traditionally eaten at holidays, even if they aren’t listed in traditional Thanksgiving menus. Breads Dinner rolls are traditionally served at Thanksgiving dinner in the U.S. Some families prefer Pillsbury Crescents. Other yeast breads and rolls may be served at Thanksgiving, but in the US, the traditional Thanksgiving dinner rolls will always be made with white flour and yeast. Cornbread may also be served at Thanksgiving, but it is not as common on a traditional menu as yeast dinner rolls. Sometimes cornbread is made into a casserole or pudding. Dressing, or stuffing, made from stale white bread cubes and seasoned with sage and celery is essential for many Thanksgiving tables. Bread dressing, or stuffing, is served as a savory side dish. Dressing, or stuffing, may also be made with cornbread. Vegetables Other Than Potatoes Green beans, carrots, and corn are often served as Thanksgiving side dishes. Exactly how they are prepared varies. Only one or two of the three vegetables may be served. Other vegetables may also be included in the menu. Green bean casserole, often topped with McCormick’s Crispy Fried Onions, is nearly as synonymous with Thanksgiving dinner as turkey is. Green bean casserole is either comfort food or an acquired taste. Broccoli casserole is an alternative to green bean casserole. Like green bean casserole, there are many variations to broccoli casserole. Brussels sprouts are less common than green beans, but they still show up on many Thanksgiving menus. Often, Brussels sprouts are roasted. Carrots, usually glazed in a sweet sauce, are another brightly colored vegetable that shows up on Thanksgiving tables. It is possible to find recipes for savory carrots, but the more traditional preparations use honey or brown sugar. Corn kernels may be served boiled and topped with butter, salt, and pepper. They may also be creamed or made into corn pudding. Corn pudding, like green bean casserole, is either comfort food or an acquired taste. Corn pudding also straddles the line between side dish and dessert, like sweet potatoes with marshmallows does. Curiously, seasonal vegetables like acorn squash are not part of traditional Thanksgiving dinner menus. Meat Turkey is the most well-known protein that is served on Thanksgiving Day. Some families in the U.S. serve other meat instead. Examples include ham, roast beef, goose, or seafood. Today there are vegetarian protein options to replace the meat course, but these would not be considered traditional Thanksgiving foods. Potatoes and Other Starches Mashed potatoes, often with brown gravy made from the turkey drippings, are a traditional Thanksgiving side dish. Sweet potatoes are another common Thanksgiving side dish. You can decide if sweet potato casserole with mini marshmallows is a side dish or a dessert. Other preparations of white or Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams are also traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. Relishes Cranberry sauce is the traditional relish for turkey. Cranberry sauce can be jellied and smooth or have whole cranberries. Whole-berry cranberry sauce is easy to make and there are many variations. Desserts
Pies are the dessert of choice for a traditional US Thanksgiving dinner. Pumpkin pie is most associated with Thanksgiving. Apple pie is a close second. Sweet potato pie is an alternate choice to pumpkin pie. Some people will argue over whether pumpkin or sweet potato pie is best. Personally, I like a slice of each. Other desserts are served at Thanksgiving, but pie wins in popularity for traditional menus. Usually, multiple types of pie are served. Beverages To my knowledge, there are no traditional Thanksgiving beverages or drinks that are culturally associated with the holiday. My vote is to serve apple cider, since that is culturally associated with autumn and Thanksgiving is a fall holiday. What are classic Thanksgiving events? For this post, “classic” means things that show up in U.S. commercials, Hallmark movies, and the like. In other words, “classic” for this post means the things people would likely say on Family Feud if asked to name something about Thanksgiving. Football The first football game that was played on Thanksgiving took place in the late 1800s. Sources available on the free internet report different dates. 1869 and 1876 are the most frequently used dates. When football became a staple of Thanksgiving is also under debate. Some sites list 1920. Others say 1934. Hunting This Thanksgiving tradition may be going out of favor in some parts of the U.S. I list it here because growing up, I remember a man who is now in his 70s, waxing nostalgic about going hunting on Thanksgiving morning while the women prepared the Thanksgiving meal. An internet search for “hunting Thanksgiving” shows that there are people who still enjoy a Thanksgiving-morning hunt. I won’t link to one because some of the photos can be disturbing. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade This parade started in 1924 as a Christmas parade to encourage people to buy more from Macy’s. Today, the Christmas theme remains, with Santa Claus ending the parade. Despite focusing on popular characters, pop icons, sports stars, and Christmas, the parade became known as the Thanksgiving Day parade since it happens on Thanksgiving morning. Turkey Trot Starting in 1896, running a 5-mile (or 8K) race on Thanksgiving is a tradition over 100 years old. The first Turkey Trot took place in Buffalo, NY. Now, there are many races across the US that go by this name. Distances may vary and may include various events. Other Thanksgiving-Day Activities
Some Thanksgiving events are smaller and many families may not think about them. These Thanksgiving Day activities might include telling each other what they are thankful for, religious observances like prayers and Bible readings, or setting up and decorating a Christmas tree. 1. The first Thanksgiving as a November national holiday was in 1863.
Throughout the history of the colonization of North America, settlers had held days of thanksgiving. The day in 1863 is remembered because it started the annual November event, rather than being merely a day set aside for thanksgiving. 2. Early days of thanksgiving by colonists in the Americas were often held to rejoice over surviving difficulties. Having food despite a drought, surviving a cold winter, or experiencing a military victory were all reasons to hold a day of thanksgiving. 3. Fasting may have been part of thanksgiving celebrations. It’s unclear from what’s available on the free internet if fasting was part of days of thanksgiving, if there was a day of fasting followed by a day of feasting, or if days of fasting and days of thanksgiving were common, but separate, occurrences for European colonists. 4. Thomas Jefferson didn’t declare a day of thanksgiving. When Jefferson was president, there was no annual national Thanksgiving holiday. Each president had to issue a proclamation if they wanted there to be a Thanksgiving holiday. Because Thanksgiving was closely tied to religious observances, Jefferson didn’t think the government should have any say in if or when a day of thanksgiving was held. 5. Sarah J. Hale wanted Thanksgiving to be a national holiday. Sarah Hale thought a Thanksgiving holiday would connect families who were separated by distance. She may have also thought that a national Thanksgiving holiday would help the nation heal from the Civil War. 6. Turkey for Thanksgiving has more to do with economics than anything else. Turkeys, even wild turkeys, tend to be larger and have more meat than most other fowl used for food. That means that a turkey can feed a lot of people, but other forms of avian protein may need several birds. Turkey eggs are seldom used for food, either. So, eating a turkey won’t prevent future food from being accessible in the way that eating a goose or chicken would. Since a turkey will feed many people with the loss of only one animal and eating a turkey has little impact on future food production, turkeys are an economical choice for feeding many people. 1. Peonies are an alternate birth flower for November.
Not everyone likes chrysanthemums, so it’s nice to have an alternate birth-month flower. Peonies and mums both have showy blooms with many petals. Perhaps there is an attraction to a bit of extravagance during a season when trees are losing their leaves. 2. Peony plants can grow between 2 and 10 feet tall, depending on the type. Tree peonies are shrubs. Because of their thick wood stems, they can grow taller than herbaceous peonies that have soft stems. 3. Peonies need cold winters. Peonies need to get cold before they can bloom in the summer. This means that they can survive in most of the northern hemisphere, but peonies might not bloom as abundantly in lower latitudes. 4. Peonies take three years to produce their first blooms. This is fairly normal for many flowering plants. The first year or two might get a few blooms, but it’s the third year when the plant starts producing the amount of flowers gardeners look forward to seeing. 5. A peony plant can live for 100 years. Of course, the growing conditions need to be favorable. A lot of factors go into a plant’s longevity. Still, it’s awe-inspiring to think that your great-grandchild could be picking flowers from the plant you enjoy today. 6. There are at least 33 species of peonies. Different sites had different numbers, but 33 showed up multiple times. Even if the exact number isn’t accurate, the big picture is that there are dozens of species of peonies. That means you can find one that you like the look of and that works for your growing site. 1. Chrysanthemums are one of November’s birth flowers.
Chrysanthemums, often called “mums,” are the primary birth flower for November. Mums bloom later than many other flowers in the Northern Hemisphere. Chrysanthemums are tolerant of harsher conditions than many other flowers. Because mums bloom in November, they make a natural flower to symbolize the month. 2. Chrysanthemums come in colors from white to the yellow-orange spectrum to the red-pink-purple range. Researching more, you can learn that mums have been bred to have all types of colors, including lime green, brown, and bicolors. 3. Chrysanthemums flower when the days get shorter. Since flowers are one way a plant survives, or at least, reproduces, it makes sense, in a way, that less light would trigger a survival response. 4. Chrysanthemums can mildew if they stay wet for too long. It’s curious to think about a living plant in the ground outside getting too wet. I have visions of someone holding an umbrella over their mums during extended rainy seasons. But really, sufficient air circulation and drainage will allow the mums to dry out naturally. 5. Chrysanthemums can be perennials or annuals. Hardy (garden) mums are perennials. Florist (pot) mums are annuals. Florist mums are often more showy than hardy mums, but they can’t survive in the cold. 6. Chrysanthemums make good cut flowers. Mums last a long time as cut flowers. Even though there may be few varieties available to buy at grocery stores and the like, there exist many types of mums that make great cut flowers. 1. Citrine is an alternate birthstone for November. Topaz is the traditional November birthstone, but citrine can be similar in appearance to yellow topaz. Topaz and citrine are often listed as the birthstone for November. 2. Citrine is a form of quartz. Natural citrine is rare. Most citrine used in jewelry is another quartz, such as amethyst, that is heat treated to produce the desired yellow color. 3. The yellow color of natural citrine comes from iron in the quartz. The iron oxidizes to produce a color. 4. Citrine is found on most continents.
I was able to find multiple websites that listed citrine as naturally occurring in North America, South America, Europe, Russia, and Africa. What everyone seems to agree on is that if there is amethyst, it is possible for citrine to form. 5. Ametrine is a gem that has both amethyst and citrine. Ametrine rarely, if ever, occurs naturally. Most ametrine is produced in Bolivia. 6. Yellow citrine is an affordable gemstone. Compared to gems like sapphires and opals, citrine is one of the more affordable gemstones. 1. Topaz is one of November’s birthstones. Yellow hues are the traditional topaz for November. 2. Topaz comes in many colors. Topaz can be clear, light blue, brown, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and red. 3. Topaz is found on five continents.
Topaz is naturally occurring in North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. 4. Blue topaz colors are the cheapest and most popular. Many blue topaz get their color from a heat, chemical, or other treatment. 5. Topaz forms in igneous rock. I wasn’t able to determine if topaz will form in other rock types, too. Igneous rock was mentioned on multiple websites as the place that topaz gems form. 6. Legend says topaz has physical healing properties. Some ancient cultures thought topaz could cure insomnia or stop bleeding. I didn’t find anything online that suggested modern cultures think topaz can heal physical ailments, but like anything else, some people attribute psychological or spiritual benefits to topaz. In the US, people assign flowers and stones to different months. People will give someone gifts inspired by these monthly symbols. For a variety of reasons, including cost and availability, alternate or secondary symbols have been assigned. November Birth Flowers Chrysanthemums bloom in autumn when most other plants are going dormant. They also are tolerant of growing conditions in much of Europe and North America. This makes mums an easy choice for a November birth flower. Peonies typically don’t bloom in the fall, but they do have large, showy flowers. Peonies are also good cut flowers and hold up well in arrangements. Perhaps that is why they are an alternate November birth flower. November Birthstones
Topaz and citrine are thought of as yellow gemstones. That makes yellow the color for November. In the Northern Hemisphere, that makes sense. Many leaves turn yellow by November. More than any other time of the year, there is a lot of yellow in nature. It’s interesting to know what symbols are attached to the month of your birth, but if you dislike the symbol, it can be hard to convince people to give you presents without it. Then again, not everyone cares about birthstones and birth flowers. For some, these assignments are old-fashioned and best used as a curiosity. This week, there will be 6 Facts posts for topaz, citrine, chrysanthemums (mums), and peonies. Fun to smash, heavy to carry
When served for dinner, we seldom tarry. Green to bright, orange is very Popular tonight, but never hairy. Best pureed, tricking the wary Breads and pies sweetly nutrients ferry. How do you grow a pumpkin? 1. Preparing the Pumpkin Patch Before you plant your first pumpkin, you’ll need to pick a spot where the vines can spread out. Garden Beast recommends giving 4-10 feet between pumpkin plants, depending on the variety. I’ve seen other sites say that some varieties can sprawl up to 17 feet! Next, you’ll need to work on the soil. Pumpkins like loamy soil, so if your garden patch is mostly clay or sand, you’ll have some work to do. Of course, it is possible to plant pumpkins in any type of soil, but they might not grow well. The plants might be smaller than the package advertises. You might end up with plants that have a lot of leaves but don’t produce fruit. The pumpkin plants might have other problems or simply fail to thrive. Dirt Connections explains what loam soil is and how to achieve it in your garden. It’s a years-long process, so be patient and persistent! 2. Selecting Pumpkin Varieties When you’re ready to plant, select a pumpkin variety that you like and is suited to your space. These are some questions to help you pick the best pumpkin for your garden.
The answers to these questions will narrow down the type of pumpkins for you to pick from. 3. Planting and Growing Pumpkins
Pumpkins are best planted in late spring or early summer - pumpkins like warm weather and lots of sun. The variety you pick will recommend a planting time for where you live. You can plant pumpkin seeds directly in your garden or start seeds indoors and transplant the seedlings when it gets warm enough. Pumpkins will grow best with at least 6 hours of sunlight each day, a weekly deep watering, and a fertilizer feed every week or two. Once fruit begins to form, you may want to put it on a brick or something similar to keep it off the ground. This can help the mature fruit to look prettier. You may also choose to cut away any leaves shading the developing fruit so that it gets enough sun to grow to its full potential. Gardeners’ World has tips on growing pumpkins and storing mature fruit. Pumpkins are a squash species. Many varieties of pumpkins can be eaten. Most people in the United States know about pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread, but how else can you eat pumpkins? Savory Ways to Eat Pumpkins Baked There are plenty of recipes online, but the basic concept is this:
Curry If you grew up in the US, you might not immediately associate pumpkin with curry, but the firm flesh and adaptable flavor make it a good choice for adding another colorful vegetable to your plate. This recipe from Thai Table looks good. Stew The firm and colorful flesh of pumpkins make them a good addition to stews. You can use chunks of pumpkin instead of potatoes in just about any hearty stew. Or, like this recipe on An Italian in My Kitchen, you can use potatoes and pumpkins together. Sweet Ways to Eat Pumpkins
This is the easy one. Recipes for using pumpkins in sweet dishes are all over the internet. Here are some categories to get you started looking.
How can pumpkins be used for decorating?
Whole pumpkins can be used to decorate
And any place else you can put a gourd! How can you decorate with small pumpkins? Small pumpkins, like Jack Be Little, are best for tablescapes and grouping in baskets. Pick one variety in the same color for a monochromatic look or mix it up with different colors and shapes. Find a container and pile in the gourds! If your container is a plastic storage tub, wrap a wide ribbon around it or drape fabric over the sides so that the arrangement looks intentional. A plastic tub with things piled in it might look like sloppy storage, but thoughtfully staging the container will make it look like an intentional decorating choice. Don’t limit yourself to baskets and bowls. If the pumpkin will fit in it, try it out as decoration! Consider using glass jars, decorative glass lanterns, milk crates, terrariums, cloches (bell jars), wagons, children’s rideable cars or bikes, wheelbarrows, or anything else you have on hand. How can you decorate with medium-sized pumpkins? Medium pumpkins, like Casper pumpkins, are good for doorsteps or pairing with hay bales for a fall party. For a small stoop, put a single medium pumpkin on a step and a chrysanthemum on a step above or below it. For a larger porch, you might want a pumpkin on each step or grouped on the porch. You could have a size or color gradation moving down the steps. Start with the smallest pumpkin at the top and have the largest one on the bottom step. Or put a pale green pumpkin on the bottom step and slowly brighten to a full orange pumpkin on the top stop. Your options are only limited by your imagination. Don’t be afraid of doing it “wrong.” Play around with arrangements and when you like what you see, show it off with confidence! To use pumpkins for a reception or other large party, you could use different color or style pumpkins to mark different areas. For example, the smooth orange pumpkins could indicate the food area, the warty green and orange pumpkins could line the dance floor, and the green pumpkins could mark off the smoking zone. How can you decorate with large pumpkins? Large pumpkins, like Big Moon, can grow up to several hundred pounds and may be more challenging to use in home decorating than smaller varieties. I suppose if you had a large field or room and the machinery to move the pumpkins, they could make whimsical path markers or those benches that you lean against without sitting. How do you prepare pumpkins for decorating? For short term decorating, most store-bought pumpkins are fine to be used as they are. If you want to use pumpkins longer, you’ll need to remove bacteria and cure the gourd. Here is one way of helping to slow down a pumpkin’s decay. 1. There may be hundreds of varieties of pumpkins.
I couldn’t find a precise number that was repeated on different sites, but I did find a number over 100 more than once. This Master Gardener claims there are over 300 pumpkin varieties. Master Gardeners tend to care about getting their facts right, so I’ll believe her. 2. Pumpkins come in five main colors. Most pumpkins are a variation or combination of one of these five colors:
3. Illinois produces most of the pumpkins sold in the U.S. Most of the pumpkins in Illinois are grown for commercial uses like making canned pumpkin. 4. The US prefers its pumpkins in sweet baked goods. An internet search for pumpkin recipes was overwhelmingly sweet foods, mostly of the pie, muffin, or cookie variety. 5. Pumpkins can be healthy to eat. Pumpkins contain vitamins A, C, E, potassium, fiber, and other good-for-you things. 6. Pumpkins are related to cucumbers, watermelon, and zucchini. That’s because all these fruits are gourds. Thinking We know what’s what, We fail to learn the truth, Overlooking lives now living Unseen. This poem is a reflection on my K-12 education about Native Americans and the attitudes and ideas I have experienced from non-Native adults.
Why are stories important for learning facts?
Often, stories teach us more than essays do. That is, the ideas we find in fiction can stay with us and influence our thoughts as much as, or more than, the ideas we read in non-fiction. Why are children’s books good for learning about social topics? When it comes to books that have been traditionally published, often books that are written for youth have different goals than those written for adults. Middle grade (ages 8-12) and YA books will be more likely to have themes that most humans can relate to. Pleasure reading for adults tends to be written more to represent an idealized world. In other words, kids’ novels tend to focus on what actually happens and fiction for adults tend to focus on escapism. Why should we read fiction written by authors from the culture the book represents? People who grow up in a culture understand the nuances better than someone who studies the culture or experiences it as an outsider. Things that to an outsider might be a mere curiosity could hold significant meaning for those inside the culture. Things that a student or observer might overlook could tell an entire story to someone from that culture. When authors write characters from a culture that the author is not part of, the author risks misrepresenting a group of people. Authors who write about their own culture can more accurately represent themselves and those like them to others. They know what is a regional belief or practice and what is true across groups within their culture. They understand better than outsiders how to write characters that are true to how things actually are, not a generalization based on ideals or partial understandings. Who are some Native American children’s book authors? Here are 10 Native American authors to get you started. A book title is in parentheses after the author’s name.
Bonus: We Need Diverse Books is a great starting place for discovering books and authors from many backgrounds. How did European colonization affect Native Americans?
Native Americans owned land, but the colonizers wanted it. Even though the Europeans were coming to someone else’s land, ultimately, it was the British government that made the rules for how sales were to be transacted in the areas that became the British colonies. This did not turn out so well for the native peoples. The Salem Historical Society has a page of links to many resources about and by Native Americans. Learning about a people group from that group themselves has a value that a generalized lesson plan cannot give. If you are teaching or studying native peoples for November, make an effort to find sources directly from the people you are learning about. Is Native American culture the same today as it was in the 1600s? Native Americans in the 1600 and 1700s had cultures as complex and diverse as any in Europe. That diversity continues today. Being aware of this diversity in cultural practices, it is important to study the history and culture of each tribe with as much respect for their differences between tribes as one gives when studying the history and culture of, for example, Norway compared to Italy. It is also important to remember that the way a culture was in the 1800s is not the same as it is today. A full education should include historical and contemporary studies. |
ESL PostsSome Beyond the Beginner videos are from The Variety Page posts that were edited for ESL listeners. Find those Read-Along transcripts here. Hire a WriterDo you need a content writer who writes without using AI? I have experience with shorter posts and longer articles. Learn more here. PhotosAll photo credits go to Jill Hames, unless otherwise noted. Categories
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Jill Hames is a writer, musician, biblical studies teacher, and ESL tutor who finds life too interesting to pick a niche. She has a B.A. in Music and Spanish, a Masters in Library and Information Science, is TEFL.org 168-hour certified to teach English as a second language, and is working towards a Master of Divinity. Jill is a member of Delta Omicron and the International Women's Writing Guild.
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Copyright 2025
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Copyright 2025