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 ›
history
Picture Books and Primary Sources: Manhattan: Mapping the Story of an Island by Jennifer Thermes
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 ›
If You Give a Librarian a Costume…
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?
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 ›
An Opportunity to Get Teens Excited about Historical Fiction
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 ›
School Librarians as Citizen Archivists
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 ›
Pairing Picture Books and Primary Sources: When Washington Crossed the Delaware by Lynne Cheney and Peter M. Fiore
Last month I helped to give a workshop in Lexington, Kentucky, through a grant called Project CHARGE (Civics History through Advanced Research and Geography Education). Over five days, elementary and middle school teachers focused on mid-17th-century history through the adoption… Read More ›
Picture Books and Primary Sources: Stonewall: A Building. An Uprising. A Revolution. By Rob Sanders and Jamey Christoph
I am always glad when an anniversary of an event coincides with a historically based picture book. It adds a greater purpose to bring that book and event into student learning. This is the case with the upcoming 50th anniversary… Read More ›
HERStory – Celebrate Women’s History Month
The 2019 theme for Women’s History Month is “Visionary Women: Champions of Peace and Nonviolence.” As we move through the month of March it is only fitting that we turn everyone’s attention to the significant role women have played in… Read More ›
Pairing Picture Books and Primary Sources: What Do You Do with a Voice Like That? The Story of Extraordinary Congresswoman Barbara Jordan
There are picture books that take a moment in history that I have a basic understanding of and expand it to the point that I realize that I know very little about that moment. That was the case with What… Read More ›