Usually, I write about historically based narrative nonfiction picture books. There was a book that didn’t fit into that category that I saw recently. However, I knew it would fit perfectly into a primary source-focused learning experience with some of… Read More ›
Historically based picture books, while often having some type of connection to our own lives, may not always seem timely. That certainly wasn’t the case with Linda Elovitz Marshall’s new book, The Polio Pioneer. The book explores Dr. Salk’s life… Read More ›
What interesting times we are living in. Teaching and learning within a set of unprecedented challenges that includes: a pandemic that keeps students at home most, if not all, of the school day learning from online courses, Zoom meetings, and… Read More ›
There are some fascinating historically based picture books that focus on a largely unknown moment of a well-known person’s life. The best of those highlights an aspect of that person’s character that helps the reader look at that individual differently… Read More ›
As I write this blog post, the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police has led to eight days of protests across the United States as demonstrators demand police reform as well as justice for Mr. Floyd…. Read More ›
Occasionally there is a picture book that I know will work well with a certain format of primary sources before I even open it. That was the case with Jennifer Thermes book Manhattan: Mapping the Story of an Island. There… Read More ›
At our elementary school, we do a lot of dressing up in costumes. As someone who attends Ren Faires, Fairy Festivals, and Comic Cons in full costume, I love it. Even better is when I come up with a lesson… Read More ›
Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples Day? Does your state, city, or school celebrate Columbus Day, or do you celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day? Many students have learned a poem that starts off, “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” It goes… Read More ›
Author Ruta Sepetys has a new book, her fourth, coming out on Oct. 1. Set in Spain during the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, The Fountains of Silence is a heart-wrenching story of love, war, and secrets. It’s a title… Read More ›
As a librarian, records, research, and historical events fascinate me. I also enjoy tagging information that I find, write, or include in articles, blog posts, or tweets. It would come as no surprise that when I attended a session given… Read More ›