American History For Children

Do you know what all of the Latin phrases on the back of that dollar bill in your pocket or purse mean? Don't even pretend you do. There's a lot more than just "e pluribus unum" written on your basic Washington buck, as younger viewers will discover in United States Constitution, one of 12 videos in the ambitious new series American History for Children which aims to offer a balanced portrait of our nation's history to grades K-4. Narrated by Irene Bedard (the voice of Disney's Pocahontas), each episode is divided into bite-size segments focusing on a particular person, place, or event in American history. The United States Constitution tells the story of how the Constitution came about, explains The Great Seal found on our one dollar bill, and offers portraits of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin (who was known to take power naps during some of the more long-winded sessions during the framing of the Constitution). Using clever iconographic animation, cute sound effects, and live-action portrayals of famous personages (such as Washington and Franklin), the program maintains younger students' visual interest while imparting a solid introduction to American history. Other titles in the series include: Native American Life, Early Settlers, American Independence, African American Life, Equal Rights For All, United States Flag, Immigration to the U.S., and U.S. Songs and Poems. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)