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This article provides an interesting look at the concept of reading workshops and various degrees of student choice when picking literature books to read compared to more strictly selected books. It provids a solid background explaining some of the educators who have really pushed for the reading workshop technique.

In reading this last chapter of Takaki, I couldn't help but draw comparisons to my personal favorite from this genre of "alternative" interpretations of U.S. History, Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States." His chapter on the history of Reconstruction is very insightful and I remember being utterly shocked the first time I read it. In searching for lesson plans based around his text, I found this website. You simply have to sign up for membership (it's free) and you have access to resources and lesson plans based around each of the chapters in his seminal work. This website is co-produced by Howard Zinn himself.

In reading this last chapter of Takaki, I couldn't help but draw comparisons to my personal favorite from this genre of "alternative" interpretations of U.S. History, Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States." His chapter on the history of Reconstruction is very insightful, and in searching for lesson plans based around his text, I found this website. You simply have to sign up for membership (it's free) and you have access to resources and lesson plans based around each of the chapters in his seminal work. This website is co-produced by Howard Zinn himself.

Lists of best sellers, publisher book-sale data, and online booksellers can tell you which books are purchased most often, but they do not know, like we do, which books students actually open and read, cover to cover. It is never a bad idea to know what kids are reading in order to connect in the classroom.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute created this site on letters written during war. You can view copies of original letters written by soldiers, generals, presidents, and family members during conflicts from the Revolution to the Persian Gulf War. But wait, there's more: actors read the letters aloud while you read along. They have organized the letters by five different themes: Enlisting, Comforts of Home, Love, Combat, and The End of War. Each theme includes letters from all different eras of US history.

Great books for different grade levels

SO RAD! A New York Times publication for teens. SWEET! From the website: "The New York Times Upfront is published by Scholastic in partnership with The New York Times."

"Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high, Take a look, it's in a book - Reading Rainbow ..." I will be singing this all day long in my head! This made such an impact in my childhood.

I was frustrated by my inability to find primary source documents on my last mini-lesson for the Conscription Act; however I was happy to stumble upon these in regards to this week's Takaki reading. PBS already provides a great wealth of resources to teachers - including lesson plans - and I couldn't resist posting this one. The rest of the site includes other primary source documents as well as images, all broken down over periods that correlate to episodes from their "The West" series.

Tricks for engaging students in SS while reading.

This site is RAD! Current and Recent Events resource From the website: "Students can read the day's top stories using Knowledge Tools, take a news quiz about today's world, and play special crossword puzzles. . . . Teachers can access a daily lesson plan for grades 6-12, written in partnership with The Bank Street College of Education in New York City. Each lesson plan and the article it references can be printed out for classroom use. Previous lessons are available in the archive and in thematic lesson plan units. . . The site additionally provides teachers with the latest education news from the newspaper. "

This site provides history teachers with information for helping with their classes. This part of the site includes lesson plans with this one specifically on "Watergate and the Constitution." 

Reading about "geographic thinking" brought back horrible repressed memories of teaching World Geography last semester. There are no DCPS geography standards and, as you may have noticed, it is difficult to define what exactly it means to think/teach geographically (beyond memorizing the locations of countries on maps). I struggled a lot with this concept, but the best guidance I was able to find was from the Indiana World Geography Standards.

Just in case you don't have your book with you, you can access this website to read the necessary chapter online.

This is a lesson I used in order to teach students how perception often determines how maps are made. This activity is especially good for students that struggle with reading/writing since there isn't much involved with the activity.

I wish I had found this page when I was teaching Economics my first year! It is rich with resources (readings, etc). You are able to choose the grade-level, the type of media, and the standard/topic you wish cover.

Another list of rubrics. More digital projects + reading & presentation rubrics. 

Marty Hittelman offers one of the most comprehensive, well rounded opinions on the current policy reforms being enacted. It covers everything, which might be something I think because I agree with it all, but just read it. It's pretty good.

Defining citizenship eduction in a global society is an increasingly relevant and important education issue today. This site has really great resources for exploring global citizenship. In particular, I liked the global citizenship chart, it is easy to read and it defines key elements by age level. There is also an entire page of related links that could provide further explanation.

Dude this is rad. I hadn't seen this before but just searched for citizenship and it came up. Thanks for posting!