Titles by Richard Panchyk

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Titles Found: 13

American Folk Art for Kids (4 Formats) ›

By Richard Panchyk

Trade Paper Price 16.95

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Sep 2004

Drawing on the natural folk art tendencies of children, who love to collect buttons, bottle caps, shells, and Popsicle sticks to create beautiful, imperfect art, this activity guide teaches kids about the history of this organic art and offers inspiration for them to create their own masterpieces. The full breadth of American folk art is surveyed, including painting, sculpture, decorative arts, and textiles from the 17th century through today. Making bubblegum wrapper chains, rag dolls, bottle cap sculptures, decoupage boxes, and folk paintings are just a few of the activities designed to bring out the artist in every child. Along the way kids learn about the lives of Americans throughout history and their casual relationships to everyday art as they cut stencils, sew needlepoint samplers, draw calligraphy birds, and design quilts. Important folk artists such as the last surviving Shakers, the legendary Grandma Moses, and the Reverend Howard Finster are also explored in sidebars throughout the book.

Archaeology for Kids (3 Formats) ›

By Richard Panchyk

PDF Price 12.99

PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Oct 2001

This activity book features 25 projects such as making a surface survey of a site, building a screen for sifting dirt and debris at a dig, tracking soil age by color, and counting tree rings to date a find, teaches kids the techniques that unearthed Neanderthal caves, Tutankhamun’s tomb, the city of Pompeii, and Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec empire. Kids will delight in fashioning a stone-age tool, playing a seriation game with old photographs of cars, “reading” objects excavated in their own backyards, and using patent numbers to date modern artifacts as they gain an overview of human history and the science that brings it back to life.

Baseball History for Kids (4 Formats) ›

By Richard Panchyk

Trade Paper Price 16.95

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Mar 2016

Baseball History for Kids is a fascinating and unique journey through the modern history of America’s favorite pastime. Kids will discover how the game has changed over the years, reading about topics such as the Dead Ball Era, World War II, segregation and integration, Bonus Babies, the Reserve Clause and Free Agency, and the Designated Hitter. Along the way, they’ll enjoy firsthand quotes and stories from more than 175 former major leaguers who were eyewitnesses to and participants in baseball’s most incredible feats and biggest moments.

Readers will also get an intimate look at the game’s greatest legends, from Babe Ruth, Satchel Paige, and Ted Williams to Jackie Robinson, Mickey Mantle, and Willie Mays, including insightful and amusing anecdotes from former teammates and opponents. They will gain additional insight into the game through 19 interesting activities. Children will learn how to calculate a player’s batting average and ERA, throw a palmball, design a logo for their favorite team, cook a bowl of Cracker Jack, and more. The book also includes a time line and list of books, websites, and places to visit.

Boston History for Kids (4 Formats) ›

By Richard Panchyk, Foreword by Michael Dukakis

Trade Paper Price 18.99

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Apr 2018

Few American cities are as steeped in history as Boston. Starting with its Native American and Puritan roots, through its pivotal role in the Revolutionary War and its many contributions to art and literature, Boston has earned its reputation as a modern, cultural metropolis. This mix of old and new makes Boston a fascinating place to learn about and explore.

Boston History for Kids spans 400 years of history, covering many of the major events that have occurred, from witch hunts to an unexpected earthquake, from the Tea Party to the Great Fire, from the Civil War to the Boston Marathon attack. Author Richard Panchyk chronicles the lives of Bostonians both famous and infamous—and many colorful characters that readers may not yet know.

This lively history also includes a time line, a list of online resources, and 21 engaging hands-on activities to better appreciate this Massachusetts city. Kids will:

Take a tour along the Freedom Trail
Write a poem in the style of Ralph Waldo Emerson
Create a nautical chart like those of Boston Harbor
Bake a Boston cream pie
Design a museum display of historic items
Draw the facade of a Federal style mansion
And more!

Charting the World (4 Formats) ›

By Richard Panchyk

Trade Paper Price 19.99

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Aug 2011

As soon as early humans began to scratch images on cave walls, they began to create maps. And while these first drawings were used to find hunting grounds or avoid danger, they later developed into far more complex navigational tools. Charting the World tells the fascinating history of maps and mapmaking, navigators and explorers, and the ways that technology has enhanced our ability to understand the world around us. Richly illustrated with full-color maps and diagrams, it gives children an in-depth appreciation of geographical concepts and principles and shows them how to unlock the wealth of information maps contain. It also features 21 hands-on activities for readers to put their new skills to the test.

Children will: build a three-dimensional island model using a contour map, engrave a simple map on an aluminum “printing plate,” determine the elevation of hills in their neighborhood, draw a treasure map and have a friend search for the hidden stash, create a nautical chart of a small puddle, survey their backyard or local park, navigate a course using a compass, and much more.

Now more than ever, the study of geography is crucial to understanding our ever-changing planet, from political change and warfare to environmental conservation and population growth.

Engineering the City (4 Formats) ›

By Matthys Levy, By Richard Panchyk

Trade Paper Price 14.95

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Oct 2000

How does a city obtain water, gas, and electricity? Where do these services come from? How are they transported? The answer is infrastructure, or the inner, and sometimes invisible, workings of the city. Roads, railroads, bridges, telephone wires, and power lines are visible elements of the infrastructure; sewers, plumbing pipes, wires, tunnels, cables, and sometimes rails are usually buried underground or hidden behind walls. Engineering the City tells the fascinating story of infrastructure as it developed through history along with the growth of cities. Experiments, games, and construction diagrams show how these structures are built, how they work, and how they affect the environment of the city and the land outside it.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt for Kids (4 Formats) ›

By Richard Panchyk

Trade Paper Price 14.95

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Aug 2007

Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s enduring legacy upon the history, culture, politics, and economics of the United States is introduced to children in this engaging activity book. Kids will learn how FDR, a member of one of the founding families of the New World, led the nation through the darkest days of the Great Depression and World War II as 32nd U.S. President. This book examines the Roosevelt family—including famous cousin Teddy Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt—as well as FDR’s early political career and subsequent 12 years in office during some of the most fascinating and turbulent times in American history. Interspersed throughout are first-hand accounts from the people who knew FDR and remember him well. Children will also learn how his personal struggles with polio and his physical disability strengthened FDR's compassion and resolve. In addition, kids will explore Roosevelt's entire era through such hands-on activities as staging a fireside chat, designing a WPA-style mural, sending a double encoded message, hosting a swing dance party, and participating in a political debate.

Galileo for Kids (4 Formats) ›

By Richard Panchyk, Foreword by Buzz Aldrin

Trade Paper Price 19.99

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Jul 2005

Galileo, one of history's best-known scientists, is introduced in this illuminating activity book. Children will learn how Galileo's revolutionary discoveries and sometimes controversial theories changed his world and laid the groundwork for modern astronomy and physics. This book will inspire kids to be stargazers and future astronauts or scientists as they discover Galileo's life and work. Activities allow children to try some of his theories on their own, with experiments that include playing with gravity and motion, making a pendulum, observing the moon, and painting with light and shadow. Along with the scientific aspects of Galileo's life, his passion for music and art are discussed and exemplified by period engravings, maps, and prints. A time line, glossary, and listings of major science museums, planetariums, and web sites for further exploration complement this activity book.

Keys to American History (4 Formats) ›

By Richard Panchyk

Trade Paper Price 26.99

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Feb 2009

The past is brought to life in this fascinating new reference that highlights some of the most seminal documents in American history, including the Declaration of Independence, Washington’s Farewell Address, the Compromise of 1850, and the Emancipation Proclamation. Each key text is prefaced with a brief, dynamic introduction and then further illuminated by the inclusion of a special “What They Were Saying” feature that provides interesting and relevant quotes taken directly from the books, newspapers, and speeches of that time. The documents are often paired with photographs of the original parchments, offering kids a real look at the words that made history. An original approach to learning, this guided tour of American history blows clean the dust and cobwebs of the last 300 years, presenting students with an opportunity to engage the past in a way that is sure to stay with them long after the bells have rung.

New York City History for Kids (4 Formats) ›

By Richard Panchyk

Trade Paper Price 18.99

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Nov 2012

It started as New Amsterdam, a tiny 17th-century fur-trading post at the southern tip of Manhattan Island, but it grew to become New York City, a 21st-century metropolis of 8 million people. In this lively 400-year history, children will read about Peter Stuyvesant and the enterprising Dutch colonists, follow the spirited patriots as they rebel against the British during the American Revolution, learn about the crimes of the infamous Tweed Ring, journey through the notorious Five Points slum, and soar to new heights with the Empire State Building and the city’s other amazing skyscrapers. Along the way, they’ll stop at Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and many other prominent New York landmarks.

New York City History for Kids also includes 21 informative and fun activities to better understand the Big Apple’s culture, politics, and geography. Kids will build a replica of Fort Amsterdam, paint a Dutch fireplace tile, play a game of stickball, take walking tours of City Hall Park and Fifth Avenue, and more. This valuable resource also includes a time line of significant events and a list of historic sites to visit or explore online.

Our Supreme Court (4 Formats) ›

By Richard Panchyk, Foreword by Senator John Kerry, Afterword by James Baker, III, Introduction by Nadine Strossen

Trade Paper Price 18.95

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Oct 2006

This lively and comprehensive activity book teaches young readers everything they need to know about the nation's highest court. Organized around keystones of the Constitution—including free speech, freedom of religion, civil rights, criminal justice, and property rights—the book juxtaposes historical cases with similar current cases. Presented with opinions from both sides of the court cases, readers can make up their own minds on where they stand on the important issues that have evolved in the Court over the past 200 years. Interviews with prominent politicians, high-court lawyers, and those involved with landmark decisions—including Ralph Nader, Rudolph Giuliani, Mario Cuomo, and Arlen Specter—show the personal impact and far-reaching consequences of the decisions. Fourteen engaging classroom-oriented activities involving violations of civil rights, exercises of free speech, and selecting a classroom Supreme Court bring the issues and cases to life. The first 15 amendments to the Constitution and a glossary of legal terms are also included.

Washington, DC, History for Kids (4 Formats) ›

By Richard Panchyk

Trade Paper Price 16.99

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Jul 2016

Explore the history of the United States through the story of its capital city! This engaging guide takes kids on a journey through the history of Washington, D.C., from its early beginnings to its modern-day status as a world-class city.

Washington, DC, History for Kids brings the past to life with fascinating stories, historical photos, and 21 hands-on activities that encourage young readers to explore the city's rich heritage. Kids will learn about the planning and construction of the capital, the impact of the Civil War, the stories behind iconic landmarks, and the ongoing evolution of this dynamic city.

Perfect for ages 9 and up, this educational resource offers a unique blend of history and activities, making learning fun and interactive. Discover the story of Washington, D.C., and inspire a love of history in young minds!

World War II for Kids (4 Formats) ›

By Richard Panchyk, Foreword by Senator John McCain

Trade Paper Price 19.99

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Sep 2002

We must never forget the tragedies of World War II, and teaching kids about our country's efforts in this conflict is more important than ever.

This book is packed with information that kids will find fascinating—excerpts from actual wartime letters written to and by American and German troops, personal anecdotes from people who lived through the war in the United States, Germany, Britain, Russia, Hungary, and Japan, and gripping stories from Holocaust survivors—all adding a humanizing global perspective to the war.

These 21 activities show children how it felt to live through this monumental period in history. . Kids can:
• play a rationing game or try the butter extender recipe to understand the everyday sacrifices of rationing goods
• try their hands at military strategy in coastal defense, break a military code, and play a latitude-longitude tracking game
• interview a veteran to help preserve the memories of one of our country's greatest generations
And much more!

Whether learning how and why to grow a victory garden or staging an adventure radio program, kids will appreciate the hardships and joys experienced on the home front.