Laurie Halse Anderson, the New York Times-bestselling author who is known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity, was born on this day in 1961.

Students compare and contrast two views of the Holocaust from different authors. Students may also research stories of other survivors who may or may not be published and create a presentation on this survivor.

Students brainstorm a list of the ills of society, research a topic of their choosing, and then prepare an annotated bibliography of texts that address the topic.

Students write their own "Junie B." stories, based on the Junie B. Jones series, after brainstorming issues they've experienced during the school year.

Students use the Multigenre Mapper interactive to explore Macaulay's use of multiple genres by composing original multigenre texts.

Students explore their own roots by interviewing family members and use their family history to write a fictional account of their roots.

Students brainstorm a list of human rights issues, research their group's issue in depth, examine the way journalists cover a story, and create articles for a classroom newspaper.

Using one of Numeroff's books as a model, students use the circle plot structure as a culminating project for a unit of study completed in the classroom.

Students visit a quotation attributed to Emerson and identify the definition of success. Students then use the Postcard Creator to write a note to a person that they feel is successful.

Students read and respond to an essay by Baldwin, commenting on the contemporary resonance of his ideas.

Students review Scieszka's tips for encouraging young people to read and then create their own, sharing ideas with adults in their community through a letter.