Lighthouses seem to be one of those topics that end up being disproportionately featured here. But The Story of Our Lighthouses and Lightships by Adams makes the topic worth another visit!
This free eBook begins with the role lighthouses played in ancient history before moving on to the science behind how they work. In addition, the author spends some time detailing the lighthouses of England and Scotland, Ireland, France, and the United States. Finally, we learn what it is like to live in the lighthouse.
Highly illustrated and suitable to middle grades and up or as a read-aloud for all ages, this free eBook makes a great jumping-off point to lighthouse investigations!
Free eBook
Suggestions
Have your students do one or more of the following:
- Explain the differences between lighthouses, a sector light, and a light station. (See recommended video below for help.)
- Copy Longfellow’s poem, “The Lighthouse.”
- Build a model of a lighthouse.
- Experiment with Fresnel lenses.
- Draw a lighthouse.
- Provide a written narration of the part of the book you found the most interesting.
- Mark the most well-known remaining lighthouses on a map of the U.S. (or your country).
Additional Resources
How Lighthouses Work
How Does It Work? Lighthouses
Lesson plan from the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
Lighthouses {Free Unit Study}
For a more in-depth look.
Historically Famous Lighthouses
Coast Guard publication.
The Light Keepers
Historical fiction by James Otis. Also see The Life Savers {Free eBook & Activities} for more.
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