Immigration: Let’s Get Personal

On October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was unveiled. This gift from France symbolizes the commitment of the two countries during the American Revolutionary War. Almost immediately, the statue became the symbol of America’s willingness to take in immigrants from around the world, and Ellis Island became the gateway for over 12 million people … read more »

All about Me and Other People, Using Biographies in Instruction

The start of the school years is a time to get to know our students. Perennial favorite activities other than “what I did on my summer vacation” essays are “all about me” assignments. As students take a look at their own lives, this is a perfect time to add biographies to your class lessons. Reading … read more »

Comic Approach to Reading: Graphic Novels

Comic books once were considered the worst things kids could read. Lots of irresistible issues were hidden under beds or between the covers of textbooks. Many comic books were banned because of their ephemeral nature, graphical format, and often mature and violent content. Think of those lurid covers featuring a scantily-clad, buxom girl in the … read more »

Going Beyond Fake News to Information Literacy

Fake news and stories about fake news are everywhere right now. In a recent blog post, I shared criteria for judging online resources, including news stories, using the CRAAP test. However, since this topic is of critical importance to our students, it merits another look. In fact, digitally literate teachers who teach their students to … read more »