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August 2011

The Body Shop

Submitted by Joann on Mon, 2011-08-29 11:30


A new book aimed at six-to-twelve year olds will hit the shelves in October, and it’s already generating a lot of comment in the press and from nutritionists. The book is entitled Maggie Goes on a Diet, and it tells the story of an overweight and insecure girl who diets and exercises her way to becoming a soccer star.

Resources mentioned in this post: 
Healthy Body Image: Teaching Kids to Eat and Love Their Bodies Too!
Gender Stereotypes and Body Image
Eating Disorder Facts and Myths Lesson Plan

The Social Network

Submitted by Joann on Sat, 2011-08-20 15:29


I have a love/hate relationship with social media. It can be a great way to keep current with certain events and individuals, but it can also become yet another demand on one’s time. There has been a flurry of news articles lately on how many social media users feel obligated to stay online; indeed, many feel compelled to constantly tweet or update their Facebook statuses, even while on vacation or during the night.

Adolescents and teens are the heaviest users of social media – a 2009 Pew report found that 73% of kids aged 12-17 used social media regularly. It’s no wonder, then, that some teachers have decided to shake up traditional lesson plans a bit by incorporating social media in their classrooms.

Resources mentioned in this post: 
SKYPE PALS Project Share NC
Less is More: Using Social Media to Inspire Concise Writing
Social Media: An Introduction

Holding Out for a Hero

Submitted by Joann on Sat, 2011-08-20 15:03


The past six months has seen a renaissance of superheroes, particularly in feature films such as The Green Lantern, Captain America, and Thor.  The final installment of the Harry Potter movies, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, however, does not feature a superhero, but instead a hero in the classic sense – one who completes his quest and hence concludes his archetypal heroic journey. In completing his quest, Harry joins the pantheon of archetypal heroes such as Gilgamesh, Odysseus, Huckleberry Finn, Luke Skywalker, and many others.

Resources mentioned in this post: 
Identifying Supporting Evidence from a Text - What is a Hero?
A Story of Epic Proportions: What Makes a Poem an Epic?

A House Divided

Submitted by Joann on Thu, 2011-08-11 02:51


The American Civil War remains one of the saddest chapters in U.S. history. It lasted for four years, divided a nation and some families, and forever shaped the American psyche. For many people, it was a war of horrible necessity – a last resort when political and cultural ideologies clashed, and all hopes for a peaceful resolution faded. While the vast majority of battles were fought in southern and mid-Atlantic states, it was also a war that saw conflicts around the country in places like Vermont, New Mexico, and Florida.

Resources mentioned in this post: 
Map The Civil War Lesson Plan
The Battle of Honey Springs: The Civil War Comes to the Indian Territory
On the Eve of War: North vs. South