Martin Luther King Jr. Day gives our nation time to reflect on the life and impact he had on our nation. It’s very important that students learn about this leader, which is why I’m suggesting three children’s books about Martin Luther King, Jr. These books describe the life and legacy of the Civil Rights leader. […]
Yasmin’s Hammer
Yasmin’s Hammer by Ann Malaspina is a story that reminds us of the value of education. Yasmin lives in Dhaka, Bangladesh but instead of going to school, she has to work to help make money for her family. Even though her parents would love to send her to school, they are unable to due to […]
Three Things Every Literacy Program Needs
The overall purpose for literacy instruction should be comprehension. Regardless of the purpose for reading, students should be reading for meaning and understanding. I recently read Sharon Taberski’s book Comprehension from the Ground Up in which she describes the essentials for an effective reading program in the early grades. Throughout the book she gives great […]
Brown Girl Dreaming
Three Ways to Use Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson in Your Class This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Use Brown Girl Dreaming as a Mentor Text Brown Girl Dreaming is an excellent book to use as a mentor text for teaching memoirs. In […]
Mirror and Window Texts in Your Classroom
Many teachers choose the texts they read in the classroom based on what skills they can teach with that book. That makes perfect sense! However, there are other factors we need to take into consideration. We also need a variety of mirror and window texts in our classroom. What are mirror texts? Mirror texts are […]
Children of Blood and Bone
A Quick Review of Children of Blood and Bone You should read Children of Blood and Bone. This is a fantasy novel that takes place in Western Africa. You will be taken through a journey to bring magic back to the land of Orisha. The main character, Zelie and her brother, Tzain, lost their mother […]
Day Trips from Quito, Ecuador
There are many great day trips from Quito, Ecuador. If your visiting Quito and want to get out of the city for a while, I would recommend the following places. Visit Mindo If you’re looking for a weekend trip from Quito, I recommend Mindo which is about two hours away. You can get as adventurous […]
Things to Do in Quito, Ecuador
I spent three weeks in Quito studying Spanish. I did a lot of sightseeing as I wanted to make the most of my time and see as much of Quito as possible. Here are a few things to do in Quito that I enjoyed a lot. If you’re considering visiting Quito, there’s plenty to do. […]
5 Writing Prompts for The Running Dream
The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The novel, The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen is a great book that will cause readers to reflect on important topics such as coping with life’s unexpected twists and turns. […]