Whether it be the arts, activism, politics, or the food industry, women have been making American history long before March was named Women’s History Month. Women have set records and won awards in nearly every industry. Therefore, March is the perfect time to look back and recognize the individual contributions women have made to our country’s historical accomplishments.
November is National Native American Heritage Month and in honor of this nation’s first peoples and their rich history, I curated a short title list featuring books by Indigenous authors.
April is national poetry month, a celebration of how this literary art reveals the precious truth with words. All of us have experienced hardships, joy, and challenges these past two years. We have seen glimpses into a kinder society that shows our desire to gain a better understanding of each other. I believe we are lucky to be educators during a time of turmoil in our government and communities. Books that provide windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors have helped us understand what others’ hopes and fears entail. And no other form of writing expresses emotions and creates imagery like poetry. Following are details about four of my favorite new poetry titles...
In my search for YA lit that shatters stereotypes of diverse female characters, I found four new titles that challenge readers’ conceptions about race and gender.
During a time when public libraries are closed and access to the school media center is limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, my senior has taken on a contact-free volunteer project to update and restock Little Free Libraries for his Community Involvement class.
Identifying untruthful information and avoiding sharing fake news is an essential 21-century skill. By tapping into students’ creativity and imagination, maker education can be a helpful tool in teaching how to recognize fake news.
This April 22 will be the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day, an annual event celebrated around the world that gives people an opportunity to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Not unlike the environmental scientists of 1970, the young self-starters of the Youth Climate Lawsuit are celebrating Earth Day every day. They are reminding the world that Government is required by our Constitution to protect the rights of young people and children, including their fundamental rights to life and liberty. There have been several new books published that ignite a call to action for change, encourage young people to be part of the change, and celebrate our Earth’s beauty. These three new books can help students celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and get inspired to be part of the fight for everyone’s future.
Fostering a love of reading is one of our goals as educators. All students benefit from having a variety of different types of texts available, especially reluctant readers. When building your collection, be sure to include a wide variety of titles in different formats to meet the diverse needs of all students.
[originally published on MackinCommunity.com] Having students engaged and motivated in reading is one of our goals as educators. Therefore, it is important to develop a positive and supportive reading culture throughout your school. In addition to the librarian being excited about reading, it is essential to have the commitment of the principal and staff to … Continue reading Talk About It: Three Important Steps in Creating Interesting Book Talks
[originally published on MackinCommunity.com] In a PBS NewsHour interview, Jason Reynolds, the award winning young adult literature author, shares his ideas on how poetry can get more young people interested in reading. And I couldn’t agree with him more. This year, several publishers are launching new stories in verse. These are some of my favorites: … Continue reading Stories in Verse
KATY TESSMAN 