What Your Child is Learning in Unit 7: "Finding America's Future"

In the next few weeks, your child will learn how America changed after the Civil War as people moved from the farms to large cities. He or she will study the growth of railroads and the steel industry and examine their impact on the lives of workers. Your child will also examine the effects of settling the Great Plains, and the arrival of millions of immigrants.

Activities You Can Do at Home to Support Your Child's Learning

Chapter 19 Life in a Changing America

• Your child will learn how changes, such as the growth of factories, brought both progress and problems. Discuss with him or her the benefits and problems associated with using many everyday items. For example, wrapping food in plastic can keep it fresh, but after the plastic is discarded, it becomes a waste disposal problem. Work to come up with three such items, and talk about the pros and cons of each.

• Help your child understand the rich diversity brought to our country by eastern and southern European immigrants. Ask him or her to point out foods in the grocery store, such as pirogi or spaghetti, or feta cheese, that come from these countries.

Chapter 20 Keeping America's Promise

• Help your child understand the struggles of different groups for civil rights. Discuss how laws and attitudes can discriminate against a group and how people can change that. Point out how one group, African Americans, worked together to overturn laws that discriminated against them.

• Discuss with your child how citizenship brings both rights and responsibilities. Together, create a chart that shows different aspects of citizenship. Rights might include freedom of speech and religion. Responsibilities might include obeying laws and for adults, voting in elections.