Cartoons and Comics Aren’t Just for Newspapers Anymore

Did you know the first cartoon appeared in a U.S. newspaper way back in 1754? Benjamin Franklin’s Pennsylvania Gazette featured the political cartoon “Join or Die” on May 9, 1754. The picture showed the American colonies as a snake divided into eight pieces and presented the political point of view that the colonies should unite. … read more »

Being Resourceful Part Five, Invisible Web of U.S. Government Information

Several months back we began discussing research. Now, let’s take a look at the best resources that students and teachers can use to meet their information requirements. The research process begins with a motivation, either personal or external, such as a class assignment. The best class assignments are authentic tasks,  problems the learner must solve doing real-life activities … read more »

Being Resourceful Part Four: Invisible Web of Educational Materials

The invisible web is a world of resources not available using conventional search engines. Last month we looked at databases of information found behind paywalls, but often accessible with a library card. Now let’s investigate some sites that are freely available, but take some knowledge and instruction to use. A great place to start is … read more »

Being Resourceful Part Three: Finding the Best

Way back in the twentieth century, your high school English teacher probably decreed that you needed ten sources for your research paper. You probably moaned about how hard it would be to find that many. If you were savvy, you headed to your school or public library to find the resources you needed. If you … read more »