“Say It Ain’t So, Joe,” Using Quotations from the Internet

We all love to use the perfect apropos aphorism to punctuate our writing. Quotations by famous people to prove a writer’s point fill social media posts. How many choice memes are graced by just the right epigram? It just may be too easy find an appropriate quotation online as we have seen by the proliferation … 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 »

Summertime and the Reading Is Easy

“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” Henry James. Ah, summertime and the reading is easy. Finally, time for teachers to read something just for fun. Nothing is more enjoyable than sitting under a tree with a cool drink and a good book written … read more »

5 Sites for Teaching About Memorial Day with Primary Sources

Memorial Day, formerly known as Decoration Day, is the time when Americans honor and recognize people who died while serving our country in the armed forces. Although historians dispute the birthplace of Memorial Day we know it began after the Civil War. This tradition continues to be held the last Monday of each May as communities … read more »