November is National Native American Heritage Month

 

November is National Native American Heritage Month. During this time, we examine the history and culture of our nation's Indigenous Peoples. In addition to print titles, the CML has hundreds of relevant K-8 fiction and non-fiction e-books related to Native American history and culture.

Through our subscription to TeachingBooks, you can find teaching ideas and materials for hundreds of books by scanning the QR codes in the library or visiting the resources here. Please visit these sites for even more teaching resources for this month.

Banned Books Week is October 1-7

 

While efforts to remove or restrict access to books have risen dramatically in recent years, this is not a new phenomena. Banned Books Week was initiated in 1982 in response to similar efforts. This year, we note Banned Books Week from October 1-7, 2023. Resources for educators can be found here.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

 

We've curated materials for you to help you plan your instruction. Check out this collection of resources, as well as our display in the CML!

We're Highlighting These Resources for June

You can search for print and ebook resources for Caribbean American Heritage Month, Juneteenth and Pride Month in the CML and find lesson ideas below.

Caribbean American Heritage Month

US Department of the Interior Resources

Teachingbooks Caribbean American Resources

Caribbean American Heritage Month Booklist

Juneteenth

Teachingbooks Juneteenth Resources

Teaching Juneteenth and the Meaning of Freedom

NMAAHC Kids Understanding and Celebrating Juneteenth 

Top 8 Children’s Books to Celebrate Juneteenth

On the Historical Legacy of Juneteenth

PBS Classroom Resources

Teach Students About Juneteenth

Pride Month

LGTBQ Toolkit

Teachingbooks Pride Month Resources

30 Fun Pride Month Activities To Promote Love and Acceptance

ADL LGBTQ+ Pride Month Resources

Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of R.B.G. Vs. Inequality by Jonah Winter details the obstacles Ginsburg faced on her journey to becoming the first female Jewish justice to sit on the US Supreme Court. You can find this book and many other print and ebooks in the CML as we note Jewish American Heritage Month.  

Teachingbooks offers a collection of resources and more lesson ideas can be found below.

Nine Ideas for Teaching Jewish American Heritage Month

Jewish American Heritage Month Lesson Plans

Jewish American Heritage Month -- Resources for Educators

Beyond Tradition: Recent Jewish-themed Books Show Diversity of Characters and Genres

 

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

 May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The CML collection includes many books that celebrate stories by and about Asian and Pacific Islanders, some of which are on display in the library.

More e-book titles can be found here, and many other resources can be found here and in the list below.

Common Sense Education Resources

Teaching Asian and Pacific Island Heritage

18 Student Activities for AAPI Heritage Month

Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

9 Ideas for Teaching Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Teaching with Videos

Rhode Island Department of Education Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders Studies Resources

"Poetry has never been the language of barriers, it's always been the language of bridges." -- Amanda Gorman

Take a moment to check out the selection of poetry books  on display on the CML shelves (including this one on Amanda Gorman ) and don't forget to scan the QR codes for Teachingbooks materials and lesson ideas. In addition to our print titles, here's a partial list of our ebook poetry titles.

Some other sites to consider:

Poetry in America

30 Ways to Celebrate National Poetry Month in the Classroom

40 Inspiring Poetry Games and Activities for the Classroom

The Poetry Foundation's Children's Page

Poets.org Poems for Kids and Materials for Teachers

Three Ways to Introduce Poetry to Elementary Students

Let Poetry Flow: Inspiring Student Expression and more April teaching ideas. 

March is Women's History Month

 

 

Women's History Month gives us an opportunity to celebrate the role women have played in our nation's history. In addition to many titles in the juvenile literature area of the CML, consider using any of our ebooks profiling notable women. TeachingBooks has lesson ideas here, and the sites below offer additional resources.

30 Women’s History Month Activities for Students of All Ages
Women's History Month Lesson Plans and Activities
March is National Women's History Month
Celebrate Women's History
For Teachers -- Women's History Month
National Women's History Museum Digital Classroom Resources

PBS Learning Media Women's History Month Lessons

We Have Resources for Celebrating Black History Month

We've compiled some teaching ideas to help you celebrate Black History Month in your classroom. As always, we have many print and ebooks available, and more lesson ideas at TeachingBooks.

Black History Month Lessons and Resources

Resources on African American History

Celebrating and Learning About Black History and Culture

Classroom Resources for Black History Month

Black History Month

For Teachers --- Black History Month

Black History Month STEM Ideas

February 1 is World Read-Aloud Day

 

World Read-Aloud Day is celebrated on the first Wednesday in February. Oral storytelling predates the written word and has helped to preserve and share knowledge throughout history. Today is an opportunity to honor this tradition and also encourage reading. You'll find some read-aloud ideas below.

20 of the Best Read-Aloud Books for Kids

100 Best Read-Aloud Books

World Read-Aloud Day Book Lists

Martin Luther King Day Resources

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As we help students celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr with the holiday on January 16, 2023, here are CML books to use in lesson planning and discussions, and some suggestions from TeachingBooks.

Print

A Picture Book of Martin Luther King Jr. by  David A. Adler

I Have a Dream: The Story of Martin Luther King by Margaret Davidson

Happy Birthday, Dr. King! by Kathryn D. Jones

If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King by Ellen Levine

Singing for Doctor King by Angela Shelf Medearis

As Good as Anybody: Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel's Amazing March Toward Freedom by Richard Michelson

Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don't You Grow Weary by Elizabeth Partridge

Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Doreen Rappaport

Take a Walk in Their Shoes by Glennette Tilley Turner

and these E-books (available through the EBSCO Ebook Subscription K-8 Collection)

Get Ready to Welcome the Lunar New Year!

Lunar New Year begins on January 22, 2023. Many East Asian countries celebrate this 15-day holiday, which features gifts, fireworks, dragon and lion dances and a lantern festival. The CML has print and ebooks to help you discover more about this holiday. TeachingBooks has teaching ideas here, or consult  the resources below.

Learning About Lunar New Year
Our Favorite Lunar New Year Books and Activities
7 Chinese New Year Classroom Activities
Lunar New Year Teaching Resources
The Lunar New Year: Rituals and Legends