The American Revolution gave birth to a new country, but now, more than 200 years later, so many stories of this incredible time in history are yet untold. Most of us know about Paul Revere, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and perhaps even Molly Pitcher, but what of the smaller, yet equally important roles played by American Patriots?
The books I'm about to share are great for any time of the year, and certainly need not be limited to Black History Month. Be sure to also check out Part One of this post for more great ideas!
The inspiration for this post is Artie Bennett's new picture book, The Butt Book. It's a funny and informative look at one of our least celebrated body parts (read more about it below). But its very subject matter may be a turn-off to some who might ask, "Why share a picture book about the human bottom?"
Ask most people what they know about women's professional baseball and they're apt to sheepishly mutter that they once saw A League of Their Own. A good movie; no complaints there. But women created a much richer legacy in the history of baseball that deserves exploration.
Once you've checked out the summaries of the books below, refer back to the Extra Innings post for themes, questions, cross-curricular extensions, and some pretty cool websites. I've included just a few extra resources below to enhance your use of these titles.
Once you've checked out the summaries of the books below, refer back to the Extra Innings post for themes, questions, cross-curricular extensions, and some pretty cool websites. I've included just a few extra resources below to enhance your use of these titles.
A workshop attendee caught me after one of my sessions, and her comment was all too familiar: "I love picture books and I use them all the time, but I can't convince my school or district to switch over to real literature." My response? "Stop calling them picture books. "You and I both know how awesome picture books can be when used effectively, but when others hear 'picture books' they immediately think Clifford the Big Red Dog and Goodnight Moon. There's nothing wrong with those books, but in the upper grades we're talking about another whole realm of books, so we simply have to change our language."
In an earlier post I shared how students used biography picture books to practice summarizing, recognizing opposing viewpoints, and citing textual evidence. Using the four-step process modeled there, students cut to the chase to tell what was "most needed to know" about their famous man or woman from history. So what's next?
Below I've shared some of the biography extensions and report options which students have completed over the years in my classroom. I'm sure you'll find a new one to try out!
Below I've shared some of the biography extensions and report options which students have completed over the years in my classroom. I'm sure you'll find a new one to try out!
Recently my sixth graders began researching ancient civilizations, and one topic which seemed to excite them was the inventions created thousands of years ago that we still use today. That's not surprising; children, after all, are born creators. So what better way to end the school year than by giving students opportunities to be artists and inventors?
Baseball is America's great pastime. But baseball is also history, science, biography, statistics, and story. Here I discuss just a few of the dozens of titles available for exploring this beloved (and to many, sacred) sport.
Being a niche blogger, I love to explore books from niche children's publishers. Like my blog, they choose to focus their efforts on a single purpose. I've blogged about Lee and Low in the past, and that publishing house absolutely fits this description. But now let me introduce you to Shen's Books.
A growing number of teachers and parents who have attended my workshops or visited my sites have asked about picture books for teaching the Holocaust. Many teachers, for example, express interest in using picture books to establish historical background for novels such as The Devil's Arithmetic, Number the Stars, The Diary of a Young Girl, and Milkweed.
Some teachers have asked, "How can picture books address a serious topic such as the Holocaust, an historic event filled with equal parts tragedy and heroism, horror and courage? Don't picture books denigrate and disrespect the memories of those who perished and those who survived?" I would challenge those teachers to examine the excellent picture books I've collected here. I think you'll agree that each of these texts will provide a concise, emotionally powerful account of this important human story that dignifies and honors all who were involved.