Museums · 12-21-2014
I recently attended a curator’s tour of the exhibition, King of the Comics, at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum. The exhibit examines William Randolph Hearst's role in the birth of newspaper comics and traces the 100-year history of King Features Syndicate, the company he founded. King creations in the exhibition included: The Katzenjammer Kids, Happy Hooligan, Little Jimmy, Bringing Up Father, Krazy Kat, Polly and Her Pals, Tillie the Toiler, Popeye, Blondie, Barney Google and...
Activities · 12-10-2014
By combining origami skills and geometric thinking, sixth and seventh grade students created octagons that transform into pinwheels. Mathematical vocabulary described the folds and shapes, and geometric thinking enabled students to determine interior angle measures (without using a protractor). The activity also reinforced plenty of collaboration, cooperation, and color theory. My source was Illuminations: Resources for Teaching Math, which is a project designed by the National Council of...
Books · 12-06-2014
While everyone knows books are great gifts, it can often be difficult to select a book for someone – especially if you don’t know his/her interests. Over the past few months, I’ve read quite a few excellent books for readers in grades 2-6. Download fifteen of my fiction suggestions (along with their annotations, written at a 4th-6th grade level). Also consider titles suggested by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). Each year, the ALSC Notable Books Committee selects...