Will You Miss Us If We Go? - Great Book Review! :)

Our second children's book on endangered species has received another great review from a member of the KidLit exchange.  Thank you to RedCanoeReader (Instagram) This was so detailed that I thought I'd share her accolades!

PD Symbaloo for Tuesday!

Welcome to Strengthening You're Why!

It's my pleasure to be with you today to explore a number of different hot topics. 

I'm using this Symbaloo embedded below for URL simplicity.

DogZilla and the Common Core

Back in the 90's when I was an elementary librarian, the remake of King Kong was released, and so I thought we'd have a little fun with Dave Pilkey's Kat Kong and DogZilla.  I had to order multiple copies and couldn't keep them on the shelf!

Here we are almost 20 years later and the remake of Godzilla brings me Deja vu.   Blow the dust off your Dogzilla and order a few more copies.  The kids will go crazy for Kat Kong and Dogzilla, the "colossal canine" again!   Let's see how this literary wonder stacks up to the Common Core measuring stick:   

Rigor... 
 'Not a very tough read. Sorry.  It doesn't take focus or sustained attention to get to the end of this lame literary gem. The Lexile, readability measure, comes in at a 720.  That is just perfect for your third and fourth graders. However, with only a few sentences on a page, we really can't call it "rigorous."  The vocabulary is what saves this book, if you are needing justification. Just look at the richly woven vocabulary from merely a handful of pages of this literary wonder: irresistible, annual, canine, crater, depths, mysterious, residents, colossal, residents, terrifying, creature, ancient,  and more!  Vocabulary is so rich that is trumps the lack of rigor.  Let the kids read!  I would never use this book in a read aloud without an activity (task as in "reader and the task") which requires the kids to think.  Define the vocabulary words ahead of time and play a vocab game after the read.  Create a bookmark with your "Cool words to make you sound smart" on it and send it home inside their checkout book.  Let the parents see the words you tried to teach them that day.  Or, look at some of the suggestions below.  

Relevance ... 

It would be a far reaching claim to believe that we could use this text to solve a real-world problem, as the CCSS encourages us to have students do. Even though the reader is asked at the end of the book... how to save the town, this is not the type of problem that the CCSS expects our students to spend a great deal of time contemplating.   Genies, dragons, gargoyles, Neptune, megalodon, and other mythical beasts are just a few other terrifying creatures that have captured literary attention many times over, but don't qualify for "real world problems" that need to be solved.  However, we could use this book as a hook to have these third graders brainstorm what we are, or should be afraid of-- or need to solve.  

Reader and the task...
I would recommend this follow-up activity to justify the use of this book:

• Gather newspapers and place them on a table(s). (Newspapers are typically above a third grade reading level, so they would qualify for a "stretch" read.)   Working collaboratively in groups,  have the children read newspapers for "real" problems or issues and contribute those to a graffiti wall.  During this endeavor, you will likely be asked meanings of words they read and you could practice decoding and finding meaning by surrounding words.  You could practice "vocabulary flooding" (synonyms) when they ask you.   You could have another graffiti wall of "new words in the neighborhood" which they could fill up as they read. The reading endeavor will likely by a close reading activity as you have given them a "reason to read."    
• Have the third graders choose a topic from their real-world problem wall to investigate.  Tell them they will be investigators and will need to dig deeply to find out about an issue and make a "claim."  Their claim will be what to do about the issue.  High School students will have no problem with this.  However,  elementary students may need some guidance or some pre-chosen texts to examine.  In fact, you could even choose primary source texts from the 1800's (or another period they are studying)  and ask them to examine what the real problems were of the time.   
• This research endeavor could lead to non-fiction reading (CCSS objectives) and text-based answers (CCSS objectives).   

So whether you are doing this with a classroom, or during your "scheduled" library time,  you can teach withstyle!   You don't have to be a classroom teacher.  If you really try this wacky-world problems unit, you are embracing some of the shifts of the Common Core.   Your students are likely to know 20 more academic vocabulary words than they did prior to reading this book.  You can build a rubric which requires them to use those words in their "claim."   This can be part of their writing or language presentation.  You could have a discussion and debate over real world issues.  What problems deserve the governmental attention the most? Kids could rank the "issues" based upon the evidence that teams present.  Which problem should be solved first?   

The creative possibilities are endless--even within the Common Core instruction.  So don't think all is lost within our new standards.  Just get to know the building blocks and embrace them.  If you were observed during a lesson like this, the principal would likely see your students concentrating on: vocabulary, building an evidence-based-claim, researching to build and present knowledge, and closely reading.  That is what separates you from a granny reading a nice book.  Plan your pedagogy.  Engage those students in reading, research, and academic vocabulary building. 

And they thought you were just checking out books...  Silly them.   

Links for Fall Conferences and PD sessions: 

Handouts for Spring Conference Presentations!

I'm happy to have the opportunity to share this message with y'all in NY, Texas, and my virtual presentation friends!  Remember....the next generation will grow up and run the world!  Let's prepare them:  to think, to assess, to wonder, to solve problems, to be responsible and more.  You have a very important job!

We are blessed to be a blessing. Please ponder this library cause:

Please Help Build a Library in the World’s Poorest Nation: Burundi
Give up one pizza for one small piece of this library?

Burundi is one of the world’s most impoverished  countries. Annually it places at the bottom of the GDP list competing with Congo, Liberia and other a handful of other struggling countries. Burundi lies deep in the heart of Africa, just west of Tanzania and neighbors with Rwanda.  Tribal warfare (Hutu and the Tutsi)  and AIDS have left orphans and widows behind.

Along comes Freddy.  This man had a vision to “rescue” orphans, build an orphanage and also a “first world” school in this struggling country.  Ten years later, Freddy has raised hundreds of Hutu and Tutsi orphans, (together, so they don’t even know to which tribe they belonged), a medical clinic, and an English-speaking school.    He believed that in order to positively impact the future and economics in Burundi, kids needed to know English to compete in our global society. Freddy knew that love and education would supplant the hatred and dysfunction that defined Burundi’s culture.
 
2018 Video - Look @ ten years later!  

When I met Freddy, I was so compelled by his cause, and convicted by my “privileged position.”  I am an educator, librarian, author, and I  give to many worthy causes. But, I eat pizza and buy lattes too.  

Would you consider giving up one pizza towards this school’s Library Fund?  We librarians and educators could build them their “Great Gitiga Library” if there were 2000 librarians willing to give $20.00 – that’s just one pizza pie each!   They need $37,000 to cover the construction costs of this building and that would about cover it.  I thank you deeply for considering this.  (Imagine building a library for only $37K?! - I've seen the architectural plans and can share them if you'd like.) 

For those interested in larger tax-deductible donations, you may give through this 501-C3 link – Choose “Other” and note it for the LIBRARY  - You will receive an instant tax receipt. 

 Still not convinced? Watch this difficult video in which they give statistics about our US money spent on cosmetics and dog food.  It's humbling. 

They are also in need of new books, if your organization or company would have inventory needing a write-off.   

My brother and niece are involved in this work as well as the work of Hope International in Bujumbura, Burundi. That is how we found out about this and met Freddy Tuyizere.

CLICK HERE TO GIVE TO THE "GO FUND ME" PAGE - 

THANKS for your consideration!  

Join me for an SLC Webinar!

Power verbs for the new AASL Standards for School Librarians! 

I'll share some valuable insights and ideas to help you digest and embrace these new standards from AASL! 

Find the power to master those new standards! Register now for “PowerVerbs: A Tool for Tackling the New Standards” webinar with @INFOlit4U January 30, 1:00-2:00 Pacific Time. https://t.co/eVhi6pkC4D #tlchat pic.twitter.com/LhA4S09vhe

— SchLibraryConnection (@SLC_Online) January 10, 2018 

What's In A Name?

Harvey's Leaving A Legacy --What will yours' be? 

As we sit warmly in the Northeast watching devastating winds and water tumble homes and communities into a path of destruction, our compassion rises and we get frustrated that there's little we can do but contribute.  We applaud the schools all across America who are rising to the fundraising challenges. This shows Americans are truly generous and kind.  

As we daily view new Harvey devastation, and fear the impending Irma, I am reminded that these real life experiences should become a teachable moments. After the waters recede and communities are being restored, we can continue to weave these real-life connections into other assignments thereby elevating relevancy--all because our students know about them. The human brain puts more priority on material which is "real"or "connected to experience. 

Pulling on a previous blog posting, I'd like to share an example of how to weave Harvey and Irma into Ivan, Mitch, Sandy, Dean, and Katrina (who's remnants still cry out). These infamous names resonate destruction and fierce strength. 

In light of the recent Hurricanes, wouldn't it be nice Seize the Day! 

• We could build a biography unit challenging students to leave behind a living legacy of good--not evil. 
• We could Uncover and Discover who the wonderful aid workers are. 
• We could research and vet a list of recommended Disaster Relief Organizations.  Find out what they are all about and how much of their contributions really go directly to help--rather than administration. Communicate this list of "approved" organizations and how they help victims, communities, and recovery efforts. This is real-life.  

When a horribly huge storm leaves marks on a community, its' reputation is not good. We can turn right around and ask our students:  What's your legacy? What are you known for?
Essential Question: Why should we care about what legacy we are leaving behind?  

This essential question is a figurative way to examine a life (biography) in an introspective manner.  All too often, when school "cover" biography units, the focus is meaningless.   Kids have to report meaningless details of the Bio's life without any introspection or application.   The facts are easily recovered on a simple Google search for a website which enables the students to avoid reading the book. The Common Core calls for "relevance" and this simple re-wording of biography units can help mold character in our students. 

If biographies are repackaged we could find more meaningful constructivist assignments that ask the students to find the meaning in a life, rather than the birth-date and date of death. I don't know when Nelson Mandela's birthday is, and it doesn't matter.  I can tell you however, that he was imprisoned for principles that we all should embrace.  I can tell you that he stood for peace and equality in a sea of inequality and injustice.   I can tell you that Irene Gut Opdyke helped resist the Nazi's in Germany even though she risked her own life when she helped and hid the innocent, spied on the enemy, warned of Ghetto cleansings, and saw relatives die.  I can tell you that Condoleezza Rice arose from a humble home to a level of international ambassador. Now, those people have left footprints on the world that will never be forgotten.  


A biography unit like this could accompany any history unit where remarkable people are studied.  A research reaction to Martin Luther King could send kids out to find remarkable people with remarkable footprints. A reader and the task, reaction to Cesar Chavez study on migrant workers could lead to a footprint examination of others who have fought for a worthy cause.  This could also parallel a SS unit on a decade of change where students search for impactors (i.e. those making an impact).    They would need to persuade me as to why their choice was nominated for our "Hall of Fame Footprints!" 

When a horribly huge storm leaves marks on a community, its' reputation is not good. We can turn right around and ask our students:  What's your legacy? What are you known for?
Essential Question: Why should we care about what legacy we are leaving behind?  

Photo: http://www.state.gov/cms_images/newer2_8x10_500e.jpg

National Writing Day ...ideas for celebration!

I'm blogging for School Library Connection these days, but here's a short idea piece to lend ideas for celebrating National Writing Day...tomorrow!

Today is National Dictionary Day.  Who would have thought that we would have a day that would make Daniel Webster leap? Tomorrow is Writing Day.  Now that’s one day for which I will LEAP!  I’m a believer that the “pen is mightier than the sward.”  That’s my tool for passivism. 

Words are powerful, strong, long lasting, and able to change people and the world.  Thomas Paine held his mighty pen and proceeded to plant seeds of change (insurrection)?  Why not have your students hold pens tomorrow and celebrate this minor holiday. 

Here are a few quick ideas for elementary librarian to embrace with their classes tomorrow:

Write 6 word stories!  On Twitter the #NCTE is having a contest for 6 word stories.  Check it out!  Wouldn't this be a fun activity for kids to do collaboratively, or individually?  Here's the entry that I tweeted:   Fido whhhiimmmperred and died.  Mom Criiiiiieedd.  

·      Pen a Poem - Via a limerick  (rhyming pattern AABBA) have your students talk about “changes” they’d like to see in the world.  Here’s an example (‘Not too great, but you’ll get the point!)

Problem: Drought	Jot thoughts:  lack of water, waste, farms needing, twenty year low; wild fires raging;
A	We’re at a 20 year low
A	And have not enough water to grow
B	Think twice before you waste
B	That way they’ll be more moisture in this place
A	Farms, fires, and people too—need our water to flow!

·      “Model diplomacy” by writing letter to your Congressman, local official, etc..  Students should both commend and complain.  A commendation will make a complaint fall on receptive ears.  Most letters can be easily mailed via email—not even requiring a stamp.  

Years ago we did this with our 8^th graders, after they had watched the Superbowl and made notes of commercials that portrayed either females or males in good vs. garbage roles.  They wrote physical snail mail letters as well as emails to companies, and the responses were amazing.   Almost every letter was responded to and the students received freebies, coupons, and individual responses.  They were thrilled!

·      Storybird  - For those of you with the technology to support online writing, Storybird will give your students the tools to write and concentrate on the words, rather than the illustrations.  Illustrations are keyword searchable and you could teach the simple: Beginning, middle, end, rising action, falling action, etc., elements of a story.  Check it out at Storybird.com

Read Like a Wedding Crasher!

Please check out the School Library Connection blog, as I will be blogging for SLC on their site.  If you have enjoyed the content (searchable) here, I encourage you to follow this SLC blog also: 

http://blog.schoollibraryconnection.com 

The latest piece I wrote was posted there today -  Read Like a Wedding Crasher:  

http://blog.schoollibraryconnection.com/2016/06/17/read-like-a-wedding-crasher/ 

Begin with Purpose!

"Annnnd---We're off!"   That was one of my mother's favorite announcements.  Great were the preparations, and finally we would jump in the car and hit the road.  Going....wherever.  Daily, we heard that proclamation. It represented the difficult task of actually commencing whatever was planned.  Here we are with a new year.  A clean slate and another try. Dare I ask..."What are we contemplating, planning, or purposing to do differently this year?"   

Every year I worked, I would contemplate and set a goal.  Usually this happened in September, but September gets crowded out with tyranny of the new year and lost in the school year rush.  I found January was a better time to make educational resolutions. If your December life was so oppressed with "Holidayitis"  (or, hollerday-itis), may I offer up a few suggestions to freshen up your program? Listed below are a few ideas to infuse innovation and offer the unexpected to your colleagues.:

• Purpose in your heart to deliver end-of-year awards to faculty members (at an otherwise dull meeting) awards for: *Innovator Award for ...The Most Innovative New Research Unit; *Bravery Award-for working out-of-their-comfortzone; *Gallant Knight Award for a new untenured teacher who left the silo embracing a research endeavor; *Lighthouse Award given to the teacher who unexpectedly inspired reading in their students (gym teacher? art teacher?)  You get the picture.  These awards will give public Kudos to peers and perhaps spotlight strategic library partners. These will be awards that can go into "evidence binders" and demonstrate exemplary educational habits.  Why not try? 

• Take first step towards "Inquiry" with teachers who otherwise have flat fact-based "research" projects.  Getting teachers to recognize the value of asking an Essential Question, or an "Umbrella Question" which requires students to synthesize real meaning in their facts is the first step of evolving a flat-fact-based project into something that requires a conclusion based upon evidence (i.e. information) and this supports preparation for most standardized tests...BTW.  An example for baiting the hook would be our current hoopla over the growing El Nino.  EQ: How will our area be affected by the growing El Nino?
  
  Make and evidence-based-claim (EBC) and support your view with evidence.  Or, pick where you will live....and research from that area's perspective. Prepare to convince me with evidence. Present your conclusions in any media format (Green Screen Newscast? Scientific Chart mode?, etc.) With this approach, your students could even reflect on this in June to see of their predictions came true.  This is a great real-life alternative to "disaster reports".                                                                

Picture adapted from Jane Martellino's GreenScreen projects. click

Jane is the elementary librarian at Bethlehem Elementary in Bethlehem, Ct.  

See her other green screen projects at this link:  click 

• Reading Mix-up -  The brain is stimulated by change.  Why not surprise your students and mix up the locations of reading shelves, collection, or genres after a vacation?  On one superintendent's day, my principal asked whether I had anything for all the para-professionals to do while teachers were attending in-house training.  We jumped at the opportunity and resolved our entire fiction section in one day.  Now, you don't have to do something so big, but you could create a new "Spotlight Shelf."  Or, a "Page-Turner Shelf" something to inspire your readers.  You get the idea... brainstorm a change you can handle.  Down with the status-quo. 

As with any "resolution," the maker must resolve, or purpose, to succeed. An idea is great, but if not acted upon, or unaccompanied by commitment, it remains an idea.  Why not purpose, commit, plan, take steps, and succeed?  We can do it. You can make a difference.

12 Ideas to Inspire Reading!

12 Innovative Reading Ideas! New Ways to Inspire You & Your Students

Wednesday, December 9, 2015 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm EST 

Presented by Paige Jaeger, Curriculum Consultant and Instructional Focus Editor for School Library Connection
Sponsored by Libraries Unlimited and ABC-CLIO Solutions

REGISTER HERE

On Wednesday, December 9th, I'll host a free webinar via EdWeb.  This is sponsored by the Libraries Unlimited, and we invite you to join in the fun!  I  guarantee you that you'll exit with a few new ideas to incubate reading.  

HANDOUTS: (Sorry to send you elsewhere, but blogging platform doesn't allow .doc files)

• Marilyn Adams article here: click  
• Webinar handouts - click here

These handouts were either made by me or friendly librarians who tested and tweaked some of the ideas. Thanks to Lauren Abad of Greenfield Elementary School Library, Saratoga Springs, NY who tested some lesson ideas with second graders; and thanks to Sheila McIntyre of Milton Terrace Elementary School Library who tested some lessons with 5th graders.  

Listed below are a few links referred to, but time will not permit us to go out and "play" these reading commercials, sample knowledge products, and other cute ideas to test or tweak for your students! 

Idea # 4 --"Book Bubbles" -Embedded here is a short Teddy Roosevelt example created by CrazyTalk software available from Reallusion.com which brings stationary photos to life.  This was a variation of the biography example, simply to demonstrate the software. (May this disclaimer say that it doesn't capture the "Recipe for Success" recommended in the webinar idea as a "biography knowledge product" but reflects synthesis and thought none-the-less.

Links to Reading Commercials:  Idea #13 ... A Baker's Dozen! 

Thanks to Jane Martellino, award-winning Elementary Librarian, teaching at Bethlehem Elementary School in Bethlehem, CT:  Here are the links to her wonderful reading commercials made with/by her students.  She has spearheaded a "12 Days of Reading" campaign to reduce the vacation reading slide. It looks like a big success.  Here are a few of Jane's details she shares for her "reading and book commercials"  

• Link to MANY reading commercials on Smore: https://www.smore.com/p2nq6

• Here was another great project: fifth grade students gave up their lunch break (and rainy day recess) to create book commercials for picture books for the k-2 students. They read the book, create a short summary without giving away the ending, they grab an iPad, and using a cool app called Tellagami, they create a 30 second book commercial.   The link for their video clip is then encoded onto a qr code which is glued to the inside cover of the book. Next week, K-2 students will learn how to use the iPad app Qrafter to scan the code and listen to the commercials. Hopefully, the 5th graders were persuasive enough!  Our goal is to increase the range of books K-2 students choose from the "E" section of the library.  This project is a win-win situation for all involved. The older students are refining their skills in summarizing, fluency, appropriate use of technology, while providing a valuable service to our school community.  The images below show  what the video commercial would look like. However, to access a sampling of these commercials, either scan the QR code or click on the link! 
  
  
  https://tellagami.com/gami/6CYC0T/
  
  
  https://tellagami.com/gami/CQ77RC/

From Stony Evans - Great sample commercial for reading and the brain:  

• http://youtu.be/dxoodQ5FZOo  

Thanks Jane and Stony for sharing! 

Thanksgiving THINKING: "Got a real problem?"

EQ: Do we have an "attitude of gratitude?"   
EQ: Are we blessed, or distressed? 

EQ: How do our personal issues stack-up against issues in the news? Are these issues being addressed?

_____________________________________________________________________

Let's face it.  We live in a world of issues, problems, disease, distress and... blessings. 
Our students, children, and family often live in either a blessed-bubble or a world of trouble. I am amazed at how often students who are from "blessed" families, embrace an attitude of oppression, while others from less fortunate situations seem optimistic despite their struggles.  

Here's an Inquiry-based lesson to challenge students to overcome struggles or over-look slight "first world problems."  My former library aide used to tell students, "You need to get a real problem." Kids would laugh and get it. Sometimes we just have to call a spade a spade. 

Activate thinking:  

• Give each student 3 Post-it notes and ask them to write their three biggest problems--one on each note.
• Using a bulletin board or wall, ask students to post their "problems" anonymously under the appropriate heading: "Problems" or  "Perceived Problems" 

Connect to the real world: 

• Ask students to find articles in the newspapers of real-world issues...pictures, headlines, articles, and other items can serve as real-world connections.  
• Post the pictures, articles, and other fodder on the board next to their "problems." 

Discuss and question: 

• Discuss "perspective" 
• Brainstorm questions for research 
• Ask students to choose a "real-world issue" - Or, perhaps connect to their reading choices asking students to choose an "issue" that might be within the book.  

Research: 

• Taking the brainstormed-questions (wonder), students can look for evidence to support their thinking.
• Students should research their "issue" to make an Evidence-based Claim (EBC) as to why this is a problem needing to be addressed, seriously. 
• Ask students to open their "claim" with a juxtapose comment about their "issue" compared to a real one, or acknowledging that a problem they are dealing with is a real-world issue.    

Share Knowledge - and advocate: 

• Give the opportunity for students to "create" a poster, ePoster (Smore), technology communication product, or to create a campaign, advocate, raise money, etc... for a cause of their choice. 
• One goal of the new C3 standards is to compel students to civil action. Let's allow them to change the world. 

If you are a librarian and don't have scheduled classes, consider collaborating with an ELA teacher, or Social Studies teacher, embarking on this learning adventure before Thanksgiving.  Let's try to challenge our students to identify real-world issues or perceived -- First world problems vs. Third World problems. 

Image: Desktop snapshot from Google image search "homeless famine"  

Post an image of your "wall" below, if you do this lesson. Thanks!  

RESEARCH (!) will help improve your SAT Score!

Along with the announcement about content changes in the  SATs, comes a bit of unrest in the ELA community.  Culture has changed. Standards have changed.  Students have changed.  Why shouldn't the SAT's be allowed to change? Just because they've always done it that way, doesn't mean they should continue. With David Coleman (ELA contributor to the Common Core) at the helm of College Board (SAT company), it would have surprised me if they hadn't changed.  Be sure to read the following article from the NY Times, if you were unaware that the face of the SAT will look different.  

So according to Tamar Lewin in this NY Times article, (note my "evidence") the test has been "redesigned with an eye toward reinforcing the skills and evidence-based thinking that students should be learning in high school, and moving away from a need for test-taking tricks and strategies. Sometimes, students will be asked not just to select the right answer but to justify it by choosing the quotation from a text that provides the best supporting evidence for their answer...."  

Students will  now "receive a source document and be asked to analyze it for its use of evidence, reasoning and persuasive or stylistic technique."

Access the whole article here: CLICK 
Or, this one: Click 
Or, read this related article:  CLICK

So in conclusion, why not share with your teachers at a faculty meeting that: 

• Research is really an Evidence-based claim 
• Research prepares students for taking tests that require them to think, analyze, conclude, and support their conclusions with data, quotes, evidence, information and more.  
• Research is a CCSS anchor standard for College and Career Readiness

Therefore, RESEARCH will prepare our students for the SAT's, national testing, and equip them for rigorous work that stands juxtapose to their daily operation of... 

Got Primary Source "Sets" from LOC?

If you haven't visited the LOC site lately, check out how they have bundled Primary Sources for ease of access!  I have my favorites.  In fact, I love the idea of using this "Patriotic" set for lower grade levels and get them used to using historical artifacts from our past.  Why?

• The new C3 standards want us to create little "Historians" 
• These are creative and interesting --even to young second graders. 
• This is an easy way to meet C3 standards creatively.  

The LOC have developed teaching guides which are ... in general, good guides.  If I have one beef, it's that their questions are too often "concrete" - that is they are answered with simple facts.  I would encourage you to brainstorm better questions that get to the "moral of the story."  Why are these Primary Sources important?  How can they help use meet the standards.  Here's an example: 

The C3 standards call for us to teach "patriotism" at early grades.  You could print out sets of these documents and ask the students :

EQ: What does it mean to be patriotic?  How are you patriotic? How does being patriotic glue us together?   

Your task:  Create a Patriotic Guide for Americans.   

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/symbols-us/  

Or, challenge your students this November: 

EQ:  Does adversity incubate gratitude? 

EQ:  How does adversity promote thankfulness? 

EQ:  How does our gratitude measure up with the colonists? 

TASK:  Prepare for an Evidence-based discussion.  

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/thanksgiving/  

Happy thinking!  Join us at AASL for our pre conference workshop! 

We will be creating lessons together to get students...THINKING!  

http://national.aasl.org/precons