Students write a brief summary of one of Andersen's stories, and then read the original story and compare the two versions of the tale with the Venn Diagram tool.
Hans Christian Andersen was born on this date in 1805.
On this day in 1935, Elvis Presley was born.
Students visit the National Archives to read a letter written by Elvis Presley to President Nixon. The Letter Generator is used to write a letter to a current artist suggesting a meeting with the President.
It's Winter in the Northern Hemisphere!
Students brainstorm words or images that they associate with winter, select and read a picture book about winter, and compare the two using the interactive Venn Diagram.
A Christmas Carol was the first book transmitted over radio!
Students write a script for A Christmas Carol on a level that primary students can read and perform. Older students record the performance and create a website to showcase photographs.
The Wright brothers made their phenomenal flight!
Students celebrate the Wright brothers' flight in 1903 by having a classroom celebration that includes a multimedia timeline and comparisons of the Wright Flyer to the planes we have today.
The Boston Tea Party took place in 1773.
Students create a political cartoon for the Boston Tea Party and use the interactive Comic Creator to publish them.
Dr. Christian Barnard performed the first human heart transplant.
Students talk about the causes of heart disease and the role that diet and exercise play. Then, students find healthy dessert recipes and vote on one dessert to make in class.
Author Eve Bunting was born in Ireland in 1928.
Students listen to a news article about the LA race riots and then read Smoky Night to discuss how a younger observer might be affected by these events and their perceptions.
On this day in 1918, the United States passed the U.S. Standard Time Act.
A video conference with a class from a different country or time zone is planned. Students brainstorm questions to ask and figure out how many time zones they would have to travel through to have the conference.
In 1847, Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula was born.
Students brainstorm the superstitions they know and small groups research one of the superstitions to determine its origin and meaning or purpose. Students can write about the superstition using the Mystery Cube interactive.
Celebrate Halloween!
Students research information on Halloween, create masks or costumes from a text they are reading, or write a narrative essay describing their best Halloween ever.
Ursula K. LeGuin was born on this day in 1929.
Students examine realistic and non-realistic elements of a familiar fantasy story of their choice.
Thurgood Marshall was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1967.
After discussing a statement made by Thurgood Marshall, students consider each piece of the comment and create a K-W-L chart to begin an investigation with other resources.
The Post 9/11 Landscape
Hear how graphic novels place the events of 9/11 in historical context, how war stories put a human face on the costs of military conflict, and how YA novels imagine roles that teens can play in working for a better world.
Making Sense of Series Books in Young Adult Literature
This episode offers insight into different kinds of series books followed by recommendations of truly memorable series and companion books that will hook teen readers and stand the test of time.
Books Worth Owning
In this episode, you'll hear about those qualities along with a wide range of great new titles including adventure books, historical fiction, coming of age books, and story collections.
A Conversation with John Green
Tune in to hear John discuss why he writes for teens, what he believes readers can gain from their English classes, and some of the thinking behind his newest book, Paper Towns.
Celebrating the NCTE African American Read-In
Tune in for recommendations of both old and new titles by distinguished African American authors who write for teens.
A Guide to Teen Book Awards
This episode will introduce you to the newest winning titles as well as to ways of thinking about book awards as tools for navigating the world of books for teens.
A Conversation with Laurie Halse Anderson
In this episode, Laurie Halse Anderson talks about her newest book, Wintergirls.