Losing is Democratic

Teachers, Librarians, Homeschoolers: enhance your comprehensive civics education resources with supplemental curriculum materials. Ten-year-old Fina Mendoza takes readers behind-the-scenes on Capitol Hill as she learns about American democracy, the electoral process, the U.S. legislative branch, and the events of January 6, 2021.

Losing is Democratic: How to Talk to Kids About January 6th features a Latina protagonist of spunk and smarts whose congressman father is on the House floor on January 6th.

Fina Mendoza, our amateur detective, is in the middle of an investigation to find out who stole the 5th grade's pizza. But all thoughts of detection go out the window as she, her older sister Gabby, and grandmother Abuelita watch on television as a mob breaks into the Capitol. Is Papa okay? Most of Fina's classmates have parents who work inside that building as well. Their teacher calms their fears and the next day, turns the event into a teaching opportunity, looking back at the bitter presidential election rivalry between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. The students discuss the importance of winning and losing, whether it's in a baseball game, a reading competition, or an election.

FREE DOWNLOADABLE CURRICULUM AVAILABLE:
Build reading skills while teaching integrated lessons in ELA, social studies, and history designed for grades 3-5 Common Core Standards, NCSS curriculum standards, C3 Social Studies Readiness, and California Public Schools' History-Social Science content standards. Promote deeper learning through active engagement, reading comprehension, content knowledge, and creative and analytical thinking. Designed for use by elementary school teachers, parents, homeschoolers, and community educators. Non-political presentation of the events of January 6th, appropriate for elementary age students. INTERACTIVE COMPONENTS AND MULTIMEDIA SOURCES: Helps address students' diverse learning needs and supports the use of technology in the classroom. The Fina Mendoza Mysteries FREE podcast is based on the books and current events. The "January 6th: Losing is Democratic" 2-part episode is the basis for the book, Losing is Democratic. The "Facts Behind the Fiction" blog offers historical context for both the books and podcast.
Introduce civics to your students with The Fina Mendoza Mysteries series!

THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES SERIES:
Book 1 – Welcome to Washington Fina Mendoza
Book 2 – State of the Union: A Fina Mendoza Mystery
Book 3 – Snake in the Grass (coming Fall 2024)

ALSO AVAILABLE IN SPANISH:
Book 1 – Bienvenida a Washington Fina Mendoza
Book 2 – Estado de la UniÓn (coming Summer 2024)
Book 3 – Serpiente en la Hierba (coming Spring 2025)

THE WEST WING MEETS NANCY DREW...

For fans of The Secret Lake, Greenglass House, The Mysterious Benedict Society and The National Park Mystery Series as well as classic children's detective series like Boxcar Children, Encyclopedia Brown, and Hardy Boys.