American Girl Unit Studies
8 printable Bingo cards with American Girl Historical, Beforever, and Girl of the Year names.
American Girl Historical/Beforever Quiz
Fill in the printable chart with the last names, years, and places of residence for the American Girls. Includes answer key.
Kirsten Larson was a pioneer girl that went on a long voyage in 1854 with her family from Sweden to America, and moved to Minnesota.
Language Arts: Read books about Kirsten. Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review of the books. Take the Quiz.
Kirsten Larson
Geography: Find Sweeden on a map of Europe. Learn about Sweeden. Find Minnesota on a map of the United States. Learn about Minnesota.
History: Learn about Pioneer America in the mid 1800s.
The book Welcome to Kirsten's World by American Girl has lots of information.
American pioneers were people who migrated west to join the settling and developing of new areas. There were two main pioneer migrations. The first migration was from the late 1700s to the early 1800s to the Mississippi Valley. It took in areas of what are now the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, and Illinois. The second migration, which continued into the 1850s, was to California, the Northwest, the Southwest and, the Great Plains. The pioneers mostly traveled by wagon.
Art: Do a craft from Kirsten's time.
Sari
Cooking: Make a recipe from Kirsten's time and culture.
The kitchen with its fireplace was probably the most important room in a pioneer's house. Pioneers usually provided food for themselves instead of going to stores. They hunted and trapped animals, caught fish in rivers and lakes, and gathered herbs, roots, and berries from the forest. The rest of their food came from their farms, fields, and gardens. They grew vegetables, fruits, and grains and raised chickens, cows, goats, pigs, and ducks.
Sweedish Meatballs
Ingredients:
10 frozen cooked meatballs, thawed
1 cup beef broth
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon salt and pepper
Directions:
Whisk together beef stock, sour cream, butter, flour, pepper, salt, and rosemary in a large saucepan until smooth. Cook and stir over low heat until thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in meatballs, and continue cooking about 5 more minutes until meatballs are heated through.
Free learning resources on Kirsten:
American Girl YouTube Channel: Meet Kirsten
Molly McIntire was a girl from 1944 during the World War II Era.
Language Arts: Read books about Molly. Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review of the books. Take the Quiz.
Molly McIntire
Geography: Molly lived in Illinois. Find Illinois on a map of the United States. Learn about Illinois. Emily Bennett was a girl from England sent to stay with her aunt in America, but she stayed with the McIntires instead because her aunt was sick. Molly's dad was away in England during the war working as an army doctor. Find England on a map. Learn about England.
History: Learn about World War II.
The book Welcome to Molly's World by American Girl has lots of information.
World War II started in Europe in 1939 when Germany invaded Poland. Great Britain and France declared war on Germany. The war spread throughout the world. Most of the fighting took place in Europe and the Pacific. The war was fought between the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) and the Allied Powers (Britain, United States, Soviet Union, and France). The war ended with Germany's surrender and then Japan's surrender in 1945.
Art: Do a craft from Molly's time.
Cooking: Make a recipe from Molly's time.
Directions:
Use a glass to cut a hole in the center of each bread slice. Then butter one side of each slice. Heat a skillet over low heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter evenly in the skillet. Put 2 slices of bread into the skillet, buttered side down. Crack an egg into the hole in each slice. Turn slices over with a spatula. Cook until bread is browned and eggs are cooked.
Toad-in-a-hole
Ingredients:
6 slices of bread
butter
6 eggs
Watch the movie Molly An American Girl on the Home Front.
Free learning resources on Molly:
American Girl YouTube Channel: Meet Molly
Kit Kittredge was a girl from 1934 during the Great Depression Era. Ruthie Smithens was Kit's friend.
Language Arts: Read books about Kit. Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review of the books.
Kit Kittredge
Geography: Kit lived in Ohio. Find Ohio on a United States map. Learn about Ohio.
History: Learn about the Great Depression.
The book Welcome to Kit's World by American Girl has lots of information.
The Great Depression was a time of economic crisis during the 1930s. It began in the United States with the crash of the stock market in 1929, but quickly spread throughout much of the world. During the Great Depression, many people were out of work, hungry, and homeless. In the city, people stood in long lines at soup kitchens to get food. In the country, farmers struggled in the Midwest from the drought. There were various causes for the Great Depression including drought, overproduction of goods, bank failures, stock speculation, and consumer debt.
Art: Do a craft from Kit's time.
People during the Great Depression had to recycle things and make do with what they had. Paint a wood or cardboard box and decorate it with buttons.
Cooking: Make a recipe from Kit's time.
Hoover Stew
Ingredients:
1 box of macaroni
6 hotdogs
2 cans of stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can corn, drained
Directions:
Boil macaroni in a pot on the stove. Slice hot dogs into round shapes. Drain the macaroni when it’s almost done, return to the pot, and add sliced hot dogs. Add tomatoes and corn to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.
Watch the movie Kit Kittredge An American Girl
Free learning resources on Kit:
American Girl Kit Kittredge play
American Girl YouTube Channel: Meet Kit
Kit Learning Guide by American Girl
American Girl Teacher's Guide Kit
Journalism with Kit by Scholastic
Samantha Parkington was a girl from 1904 who lived with her grandmother. Nellie O'Malley is Samantha's friend and becomes part of Samantha's family.
Language Arts: Read books about Samantha. Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review.
Samantha Parkington
Geography: Samantha lived in New York. Find New York on a United States map. Learn about New York.
History: Learn about the early 20th century.
The book Welcome to Samantha's World by American Girl has lots of information.
The United States had much industrial growth by the early 20th century. There were cars, steel production, assembly-line manufacturing, electrical power, and improvements in technology.
Children's lives at the turn of the 20th century
In Samantha's time, the woman suffrage or right to vote movement occurred. In 1920, the 19th Amendment granted American women the right to vote.
Art: Do an art or craft project from Samantha's time.
The automobile was an important advancement in the early 20th century. Draw a picture of or color a classic car.
Cooking: Make a recipe from Samantha's time.
Watch the movie Samantha An American Girl Holiday
Free learning resources on Samantha:
American Girl Samantha Parkington play
American Girl YouTube Channel: Meet Samantha
Directions:
Make 2 small round cakes according to the cake box's instructions. After the cakes have cooled, add strawberry jam between them and stack one on top of the other to form a sandwich. Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.
Victorian sandwich cake
Ingredients:
1 box of yellow cake mix
strawberry jam
powdered sugar
Felicity Merriman was a girl from 1774 during the Revolutionary War period.
Language Arts: Read books about Felicity. Also read the book called Very Funny Elizabeth which is about Felicity's friend Elizabeth Cole. Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review.
Felicity Merriman
Geography: Felicity lived in Williamsburg, Virginia. Find Virginia on a United States map. Find the 13 original colonies on the map. The oldest colony was Virginia. Learn about the Virginia Colony.
History: Learn about the time of the American Revolution.
The book Welcome to Felicity's World by American Girl has lots of information.
The American Revolution was a time when the British colonists in America rebelled against Great Britain' rule. Many battles were fought and the colonies gained their freedom and became the independent country of the United States. The American Revolutionary War took place from 1775 until 1783.
Art: Do an art or craft project from Felicity's time.
Cooking: Make a recipe from Felicity's time.
Apple butter
Ingredients:
3 pounds of tart apples
2 cups apple juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions:
Core and cut apples. Cook with apple juice in a saucepan until soft, about 30 minutes. Mash. Boil gently 30 minutes and stir often. Stir in sugar and spices. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Boil gently stirring about 1 hour. Serve on bread.
Watch the movie Felicity An American Girl Adventure
Free learning resources on Felicity:
American Girl YouTube Channel: Meet Felicity
Felicity Learning Guide by American Girl
Marie-Grace Gardner was a girl from 1853 who lived in New Orleans.
Language Arts: Read books about Marie-Grace and her friend Cecile Rey . Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review.
Marie-Grace Gardner
Geography: Find New Orleans, Louisiana on a United States map. Learn about Louisiana.
History: Learn about New Orleans history.
Art: Do an art or craft project from Marie-Grace's time.
Cooking: Make a Cajun or Creole inspired recipe from New Orleans.
Gumbo is a stew or thick soup that originated in Louisiana.
Gumbo
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound andouille or smoked sausage, sliced
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound ready to eat pre-cooked shrimp
1 green onion, sliced
Directions:
Add olive oil to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat. Stir in the bell pepper, onion, celery, garlic, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently until the onion is just tender, about 2 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top of the sausage and vegetables and stir until well coated. Cook until the flour coating on the vegetables has turned lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, water, and thyme and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and green onion and cook about 2 minutes.
Free learning resources on Marie-Grace:
American Girl YouTube Channel: Meet Marie-Grace Gardner and Cecile Rey
Caroline Abbott
Caroline Abbott was a girl from 1812 who lived in New York by Lake Ontario.
Language Arts: Read books about Caroline. Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review.
Geography: The Great Lakes are a group of freshwater lakes on the U.S. and Canadian border that consist of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. They touch Ontario in Canada and Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York in the U.S.
History: The War of 1812 was a conflict between the United States and England that started in 1812 and ended in 1814 . It is also known as the Second War for Independence. War was declared by President James Madison on June 18, 1812 and lasted for 2 years and 8 months and resulted in a military stalemate. Both countries signed the Treaty of Ghent.
Art: Do an art or craft project from Caroline's time.
Make a sailboat using a sponge, a straw, and paper cut in a triangle shape. Make a hole in the center of the sponge with scissors and put a straw through it. Fold the triangle in half, make 2 small cuts into it, and put the straw through them to make the sail.
Cooking: Make a recipe from Caroline's time.
Pear tart
Ingredients:
4 pears, pared & sliced
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons flour
1 tablespoon butter
frozen pie crust
Directions:
Mix pears with sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and flour. Place mixture into pie crust. Dot filling with butter. Bake at 375°F for 35 minutes.
Free learning resources on Caroline:
Caroline Learning Guide by American Girl
Kaya
Kaya was a Native American girl from 1764.
Language Arts: Read books about Kaya. Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review.
Geography: Different Native American tribes and cultures lived in different areas of America. In the middle of America lived the Plains Indians, including tribes such as the Comanche and Arapaho. In the Southeast area of America lived tribes such as the Cherokee and the Seminole.
History: Native Americans lived in America before European explorers came. There were hundreds of tribes throughout America when Columbus first arrived. The book Welcome to Kaya's World by American Girl has lots of information about Native Americans.
Art: Do a Native American art or craft project.
Cooking: Make a Native American recipe.
The most important Native American food crop was Indian corn or maize.
Corn cakes
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup water
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup flour
1 egg
1 tablespoons honey
Directions:
Mix all ingredients and form into patty cakes. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a pan. Cook until golden brown (flip sides occasionally).
Maryellen Larkin
Maryellen Larkin was a girl from 1954.
Language Arts: Read books about Maryellen. Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review.
Geography: Maryellen lived in Daytona Beach, Florida. Find Florida on a United States map. Learn about Florida.
History: Maryellen was from a big family. She had 5 siblings. The years after World War II produced the Baby Boom generation. In 1950 there were twenty-four million young children in America. By 1960 there were thirty-five million children. More families led to an increase in more houses. In 1950, about one and a half million new homes were built in America. Most of these new houses were located in suburbs which were areas outside cities. People liked having more space for their children to play in the suburbs compared to the cities. Maryellen had polio when she was young. During the polio epidemic in the early 1950s, thousands of children in America were infected by the polio disease.
Cooking: Make 1950s diner food like the Seaside Diner.
BLT
Ingredients:
3 slices of bacon
2 slices of bread
2 leaves of lettuce
2 slices of tomato
mayonnaise
Art: Diners were small fast food restaurants popular in America in the 1950s. They served American food such as hamburgers, fries, club sandwiches, milkshakes, and breakfast food like eggs and pancakes. The food is often grilled. Draw a diner sign.
Directions:
Cook bacon until crispy then drain on a paper towel. Toast bread. Spread mayonnaise on toast. Add bacon, lettuce, and tomato and make a sandwich.
Watch the movie Maryellen and the Brightest Star and the movie An American Girl Story - Maryellen 1955: Extraordinary Christmas
Free learning resources on Maryellen:
Josefina Montoya
Josefina Montoya was a girl from 1824 living in New Mexico.
Language Arts: Read books about Josefina. Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review.
Geography: Josefina lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Find New Mexico on a United States map. Learn about New Mexico.
History: The book Welcome to Joefina's World by American Girl has lots of information. Josefina was a Mexican girl living in New Mexico during the time it was under Mexican Rule. The Mexican-American War began in 1846 as a fight between the United States and Mexico mostly over the territory of Texas. The war ended in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The treaty added more territory to the United States including the land that makes up all or parts of present-day Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. In the treaty, Mexico also gave up all claims to Texas to the United States and recognized the Rio Grande as the United State’s southern boundary.
Art: Make a small pot out of clay.
Cooking: Make a Mexican recipe.
Rice and beans
Ingredients:
2 cups rice, cooked
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 cup shredded cheese
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 can pinto beans
Directions:
Cook rice in a pot according to package instructions. Mix in remaining ingredients and cook for 10 minutes more on low heat with occasional stirring.
Free learning resources on Josefina:
Josefina Learning Guide by American Girl
American Girl YouTube Channel: Meet Josefina
American Girl Josefina Montoya play
Julie Albright
Julie Albright was a girl from 1974.
Language Arts: Read books about Julie. Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review.
Geography: Julie lived in San Francisco, California. Find California on a United States map. Learn about California.
History: Julie is growing up in the 1970s, which was a decade famous for newer thinking, high inflation, women's rights, environmentalism, disco, lava lamps, daisies, happy faces, bright colored fashion, mood rings, and crystals.
Art: Pet rocks were popular in the 1970s. Paint a rock, glue on googly eyes, and add yarn or feathers for hair.
Cooking: Fondue was popular in the 1970s. People would often have a cheese, meat, or chocolate fondue.
Chocolate Fondue
Ingredients:
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
marshmallows
fruit (strawberries, bananas, and pineapple)
Directions:
Combine milk and chocolate chips in a small saucepan on the stove. Stir and cook over medium-low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Transfer chocolate to a serving bowl. Serve with marshmallows and fruit for dipping.
Watch the movie Ivy & Julie 1976: A Happy Balance
Free learning resources on Julie:
Julie Learning Guide by American Girl
American Girl YouTube Channel: Meet Julie
Rebecca Rubin
Rebecca Rubin was a girl from 1914.
Language Arts: Read books about Rebecca. Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review.
Geography: Rebecca lived in New York. She liked to go to Coney Island, a New York City neighborhood that has an amusement area with rides.
History: Rebecca's family was Jewish. They immigrated to the United States from Russia. Rebecca was from the early 20th century America during the second wave of European immigration. In the early 1900s, millions of immigrants entered the United States through the gateway of Ellis Island, a small island in New York Harbor.
Art: A menorah is a branched candelabra and symbol of Judaism. A menorah is used during Hanukkah. Make a menorah out of a paper plate, craft sticks, and tissue paper.
Cooking: A Coney Island Hot Dog is a hot dog in a bun topped with a meat sauce and sometimes other toppings like onions or cheese.
Coney Island hot dog
Ingredients:
hot dogs
hot dog buns
can of chili
shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
Cook hot dog for 30 seconds in a microwave. Warm chili in a bowl for about 1 minute in a microwave. Place hot dog in bun. Add some chili and cheese on top.
Free learning resources on Rebecca:
Nanea Mitchell
Nanae Mitchell was a girl from 1941 living during the time of World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor .
Language Arts: Read books about Nanea. Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review.
Geography: Nanea lived in Hawaii. Hawaii is a state made of islands located in the Pacific Ocean between California and Japan. Learn about Hawaii.
History: Nanea grew up in Hawaii during World War II. On December 7, 1941, there was a surprise attack on the US Navy in Pearl Harbor located in Hawaii on the island of O'ahu. Japanese fighter planes and bombers flew to Pearl Harbor and dropped bombs and torpedoes on the war ships in the water and on the US fighter planes on the ground. The next day, the US declared war on Japan and entered World War II. Today there is a memorial called the USS Arizona memorial to remember the US soldiers who lost their lives during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Art: A lei is a Hawaiian necklace of flowers. Giving a lei is a way to greet someone or to show friendship, love or to celebrate or honor someone. Make a lei. Cut out paper flowers, pieces of plastic straws, and hook them on yarn to make a necklace.
Cooking: Hawaii is famous for pineapple production. Spam became popular in Hawaii during World War II due to food rationing.
Baked spam and pineapple
Ingredients:
1 can Spam
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 can of pineapple chunks
Directions:
Cut spam in chunks. Place spam in a baking dish. Add brown sugar over spam and then pour pineapple with juices over spam. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes.
Addy Walker
Addy Walker was a girl from 1864 living during the time of the Civil War. She was born into slavery and escaped to freedom.
Language Arts: Read books about Addy. Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review.
Geography: Addy was born in North Carolina. She escaped with her mother from a plantation in North Carolina to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Find North Carolina and Pennsylvania on a map of the eastern United States.
History: The book Welcome to Addy's World by American Girl has lots of information. The Underground Railway was a system of safe houses and people who helped slaves run away from their owners usually from the South to the North. Use the Discovering the Underground Railroad Activity Booklet to learn more.
Art: Quilts are made of textiles and use different fabrics that are woven together. Quilts served many purposes during the Civil War. Some were used to keep soldiers warm in the field and some were used for families. Many women including some black women made quilts during the Civil War era. Color a quilt pattern on these quilt coloring sheets.
Cooking: Pumpkin bread was popular in the South because of the pumpkin crop.
Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions:
Combine the eggs and pumpkin in a bowl. Mix in the flour, sugar, and nutmeg. Place in a 9 x 5 inch greased loaf pan. Bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes.
Melody Ellison
Melody Ellison was a girl from 1964 living during the time of the Civil Rights Movement.
Language Arts: Read books about Melody. Make a list of vocabulary words from the story. Talk about the books or write a summary, book report, or book review.
Geography: Melody lived in Detroit, Michigan. Find the state Michigan and its largest city Detroit on a map of the United States.
History: Melody was faced with racial inequality. The Civil Rights Movement was a group of social movements including protests, sit-ins, and civil disobedience in the United States to gain equal rights for African-American people. These led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. There were many heroes during this period including the bus rider Rosa Parks, the lawyer Thurgood Marshall who later became the first African American Supreme Court Justice, and civil rights activist leader Martin Luther King, Jr., and groups like the NAACP and the National Urban League. The aim of civil rights was to give everybody equal rights regardless of skin color, gender, nationality, religion, disability, or age.
Art: Photography was important in advancing the civil rights movement by documenting acts of racial discrimination against African-Americans and the nonviolent response of the movement. There are photographs and information in this guide Civil Rights Movement Portfolio by the Addison Gallery of American Art.
Cooking: Soul food was an important part of the civil rights movement. Soul food is traditional southern African-American food. Soul food nourished the bodies and spirit of people during this time. Some popular soul foods were fried chicken, catfish, fried green tomatoes, collards, macaroni and cheese, pork chops, stuffed bell peppers, biscuits, and cornbread. Healthy Soul Food Recipes
Watch the movie Melody 1963: Love Has to Win
Free learning resources on Melody: