Juneteenth has never been a celebration of victory or an acceptance of the way things are. It’s a celebration of progress. It’s an affirmation that despite the most painful parts of our history, change is possible—and there is still so much work to do. Barack Obama As educators, you have the honor of imparting knowledge … read more »
Reflecting on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday, I’ve wondered what we as a society have learned and how those lessons can help our students today. Listening to some of the youngest participants in the march – children at the time – reminds me that our children need to see that they can “drive the change … read more »
Winter break is coming soon. It is a wonderful time to enjoy the holidays with family, clear the mind, and take stock of the upcoming new year. Most adults appreciate the opportunity to take some time off, but often we hear from our children that they are bored. Here are some family-friendly, low-stress suggestions to … read more »
August 14th was National Navajo Code Talkers day! Celebrate the Navajo Code Talkers in your classroom this month or prepare lessons ahead of Native American Heritage Month in November. The Navajo Code Talkers are an interesting and engaging topic for students of all ages. Books and primary sources are a great way to hook students … read more »
This year marks the 68th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court case Brown vs. Board of Education, in which the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the separate but equal doctrine in American public schools. It is important to remember that many actions predicated this ruling, starting with the first school desegregation suit in 1848. Teaching Brown … read more »
In Part 1 of this blog, we introduced you to GoNoodle and discussed the application of both the SAMR Model and the Triple E Framework in using GoNoodle in your instruction. Today’s post offers detailed instructions for using this tool and shares classroom use ideas. GoNoodle: GoNoodle does not require teachers to register, but signing up for a … read more »
March is Women’s History Month! The 2022 theme is “Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.” Women’s History Month is a time to celebrate women and their role in history and the world. Quality resources for teaching Women’s History Month are plentiful! Reading a book is a great way to learn more about women’s history! There are … read more »
Each November, Americans celebrate Native American Heritage Month. It is a time to celebrate the culture and heritage along with the contributions of Native people. In addition, it is an opportunity to raise awareness of the real stories of Native Americans, not caricatures and stereotypes. A quick search of the TeachersFirst blog page finds many … read more »
One method for engaging reluctant readers is to provide books and activities that connect to their interests and passions. Making this connection is especially helpful when introducing nonfiction reading materials to students. Matching the appropriate books and articles to individual students takes time but provides long-term rewards, such as increased interest in reading. Many students … read more »
Presidential inaugurations are one of the United States of America’s oldest traditions. They are a founding ceremony of our democracy. Studying inaugurations through a primary source lens is an engaging and at times fascinating classroom activity. General resources for inaugural primary sources abound. The Library of Congress contains a wealth of resources on every presidential … read more »