During the Middle Ages, tournaments and jousting were both an occasion for public festivities and a way of training knights. Describing various types of combat with the use of primary source material and magnificent illuminated manuscripts, this book provides a look into the jousts and tournaments that entertained the people and trained knights for war. Though considered mock combat, many knights lost their lives during these jousts and melees.

Developed to complement the Middle/High School teaching guides, these student study guides were created as reproducible support for extension and self-directed study of the books. Every chapter is covered by a lesson, which includes activities to reinforce the following areas: access, vocabulary, map skills, comprehension, critical thinking, working with primary sources and further writing. Each study guide contains reproducible maps and explanations of graphic organizers, as well as suggestions on how to do research and special projects.

Project yourself back in time with this exciting interactive fiction book. Your name is Thomas Benton. The time is October 1835. You are fourteen year-old and about to take part in one of the most exciting episodes in American History With only a long dirk knife and $4 in coins, you run away from your father's farm. Navigating your dugout canoe through alligator-infested waters, you make your way through Indian Territory to New Orleans. Your final destination: Texas. Your mission: to fight in the Texas Revolution. You are the star of the story. It is up to you to decide to join Davy Crockett at the Alamo, or to fight at the Siege of Bexar or one of the other exciting battlers in the Texas Revolution. Ambushes, firing squads, harsh winters, fearsome battles, and snipers await you. But you are the master of your fate; and your wit, daring, and bravery can lead you to a heroic victory.

The extraordinary story of Stefania Podgorska, a Polish teenager who chose bravery and humanity by hiding thirteen Jews in her attic during WWII, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sharon Cameron -- now a Reese's Book Club YA Pick! One knock at the door, and Stefania has a choice to make... It is 1943, and for four years, sixteen-year-old Stefania has been working for the Diamant family in their grocery store in Przemysl, Poland, singing her way into their lives and hearts. She has even made a promise to one of their sons, Izio -- a betrothal they must keep secret since she is Catholic and the Diamants are Jewish. But everything changes when the German army invades Przemysl. The Diamants are forced into the ghetto, and Stefania is alone in an occupied city, the only one left to care for Helena, her six-year-old sister. And then comes the knock at the door. Izio's brother Max has jumped from the train headed to a death camp. Stefania and Helena make the extraordinary decision to hide Max, and eventually twelve more Jews. Then they must wait, every day, for the next knock at the door, the one that will mean death. When the knock finally comes, it is two Nazi officers, requisitioning Stefania's house for the German army. With two Nazis below, thirteen hidden Jews above, and a little sister by her side, Stefania has one more excruciating choice to make. This remarkable tale of courage and humanity, based on a true story, is now a Reese's Book Club YA Pick!

This title focuses on the creation and impact of the Emancipation Proclamation, including its historical context and how it altered the course of the war. Critical thinking questions and two "Voices from the Past" special features help readers understand and analyze the various views people held at the time.

The story of D-Day - the Normandy beach landings which saw the start of the Allies' major offensive against German forces - specially written for readers of 9 and up. Published in association with the Imperial War Museums and full of photographs, maps and full-colour illustrations, this is a great introduction to the story of D-Day. Includes internet links to specially selected websites where children can access additional information and resources. Ideal for those who prefer history to fiction.

A clear and informative account of how the Second World War began, the infamous battles and the conclusion and aftermath of the war. Illustrated with maps, evocative archive photographs and illustrations. Includes descriptions of the most famous events including Pearl Harbor, Battle of Midway, D-Day and the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Part of series three of the Usborne Reading Programme for children whose reading ability and confidence allows them to tackle longer and more complex information. Produced in association with the Imperial War Museum, London.

World War II soldier Bill Wynne met Smoky while serving in New Guinea, where the dog, who was smaller than Wynne's army boot, was found trying to scratch her way out of a foxhole. After he adopted her, she served as the squadron mascot and is credited as being the first therapy dog for the emotional support she provided the soldiers. When they weren't fighting, Bill taught Smoky hundreds of tricks to entertain the troops. Smoky became a war hero herself at an airstrip in Luzon, the Philippines, where she helped save forty airplanes and hundreds of soldiers from imminent attack. After the war, Bill worked as a Hollywood animal trainer and then returned to his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. He and Smoky continued to perform their act, even getting their own TV show, How to Train Your Dog with Bill Wynne and Smoky. Nancy Roe Pimm presents Bill and Smoky's story to middle-grade readers in delightful prose coupled with rich archival illustrations. Children will love learning about World War II from an unusual perspective, witnessing the power of the bond between a soldier and his dog, and seeing how that bond continued through the exciting years following the war.

This book gives an exciting overview of the Green Berets, from when this special force first formed to its missions and members today, as well as their tasks, equipment, and training. Short paragraphs of easy-to-read text are paired with plenty of photos to make reading engaging and accessible. The book also includes a table of contents, fun facts, sidebars, comprehension questions, a glossary, an index, and a list of resources for further reading. Apex books have low reading levels (grades 2-3) but are designed for older students, with interest levels of grades 3-7.

Captain Wilm Hosenfeld was an ardent admirer of Adolf Hitler, but after witnessing Nazi brutality, he was moved to become a rescuer. Hosenfeld's heroism was not known outside Poland until The Pianist, a best-selling book later made into an Academy Award winning movie, revealed an amazing man whose compassion for Poles and Jews saved more than 80 people.

This book gives an exciting overview of the US Army, from when it first formed to its missions and members today, as well as their tasks, equipment, and training. Short paragraphs of easy-to-read text are paired with plenty of photos to make reading engaging and accessible. The book also includes a table of contents, fun facts, sidebars, comprehension questions, a glossary, an index, and a list of resources for further reading. Apex books have low reading levels (grades 2-3) but are designed for older students, with interest levels of grades 3-7.

This visual guide tells the story of the bloodiest war America ever fought through photos and easy-to-understand explanations. This book for children aged 9 - 12 ventures into the history of America's Civil War and familiarises children with American history and how it became the country it is today. Each chapter explores people, causes, and consequences of America's bloodiest conflict. Inside the pages of this children's civil war book, you'll discover: - Full-page profiles about key figures and battles - Civil War-era photography and illustration depicting important events and artefacts - Accurate historical information, faithful presentation of African American history in the context of the Civil War - Unusual and remarkable stories such as the Thanksgiving drummer boy's and accounts of the war through personal letters America spent five years fighting its most destructive war and one that showed a deeply divided country with union states on the one side and confederate states on the other. This civil war book shows what led up to the conflict and zooms into the most important events, battles, and leaders. This book further explores war memorabilia, eyewitness accounts and the abolition of slavery. Children will be excited to learn about famous figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee and gain insight into reasons for the war and the viewpoints of the opposing sides. This book also provides children with a fascinating history of how railways, the telegraph were used to fight the war and literature and music that this conflict produced. DK's Visual Encyclopedia series delves into the world's most intriguing historical events, people, natural phenomena and animals. These books will delight children with simple explanations and impactful photography that will provide hours of learning fun.

Born into aristocracy, Churchill cut his teeth as a young army officer in British India, the Sudan, and the Second Boer War. He rose in the ranks to First Lord of the Admiralty and was a staunch opponent of the encroaching German Nazis. Churchill served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. Widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century, Churchill was also a historian, a writer, and an artist. He is the only British Prime Minister to have won the Nobel Prize in Literature, and was the first person to be made an honorary citizen of the United States.

This title focuses on the Battle of Gettysburg and the Siege of Vicksburg, helping readers understand how these two events altered the course of the war. Critical thinking questions and two "Voices from the Past" special features help readers understand and analyze the various views people held at the time.