Tag: books

Classroom Ideas, Main, News from Nat Geo

Appalachia and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

In the U.S., banned book history began when the Southern states banned Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Most post-Civil War challenges were over books that were considered “indecent,” even though no one could agree on what was indecent and what was not. In 1982, however, there was a renewal in efforts to ban books in schools and public libraries across the United States. Thus, Banned Book Week … Continue reading Appalachia and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

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Classroom Ideas, Main, News from Nat Geo

Powerful Picture Books & Graphic Novels (Possibly overlooked in the classroom but not by censors)

  When I was a new teacher, I often overlooked the power of picture books and graphic novels in my junior high classroom. I was afraid that if an administrator walked in and they saw me using a picture book or a graphic novel, they would think I was crazy and that I was babying my students. I fear that many new teachers miss out … Continue reading Powerful Picture Books & Graphic Novels (Possibly overlooked in the classroom but not by censors)

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Classroom Ideas, Current Event Connection, Main

Charlie from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Was Originally Written as a ‘Little Black Boy’

BOOKS Charlie Bucket, the hero of Roald Dahl’s famous book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, was originally written to be a “little black boy,” according to Felicity Dahl, the author’s widow. (NPR) Why does diversity in children’s literature make a difference? Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit, including great media literacy guides from our partners. Discussion Ideas … Continue reading Charlie from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Was Originally Written as a ‘Little Black Boy’

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Classroom Ideas, Current Event Connection, Main

Africa: A Reading List

Conakry, Guinea, is the World Book Capital for 2017. What better way to celebrate World Book Day this Saturday than with a great list of books from and about Africa? Scroll down to get some recommendations from Nat Geo staff and our great group of educators!   I love Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun, set in Nigeria during the Biafran War. She … Continue reading Africa: A Reading List

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Educator Spotlight, Main

Educator Spotlight: Experiencing a Fictional Character’s Perspective

Ali McMillan, this week’s Educator of the Week, has taught middle schoolers of multiple cultural backgrounds on three different continents. Inspired by her diverse teaching experiences, Ali encourages her students to consider multiple perspectives, points of view, and social stereotypes in order to reach a deeper understanding in and out of the classroom. Currently she is an English teacher at West Feliciana Middle School in … Continue reading Educator Spotlight: Experiencing a Fictional Character’s Perspective

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