Through the Looking Glass Book Reviews: classrooms

Welcome!

Dear Book Lovers, Welcome! I am delighted that you have found The Through the Looking Glass blog. For over twenty years I reviewed children's literature titles for my online journal, which came out six times a year. Every book review written for that publication can be found on the Through the Looking Glass website (the link is below). I am now moving in a different direction, though the columns that I write are still book-centric. Instead of writing reviews, I'm offering you columns on topics that have been inspired by wonderful books that I have read. I tell you about the books in question, and describe how they have have impacted me. This may sound peculiar to some of you, but the books that I tend to choose are ones that resonate with me on some level. Therefore, when I read the last page and close the covers, I am not quite the same person that I was when first I started reading the book. The shift in my perspective might be miniscule, but it is still there. The books I am looking are both about adult and children's titles. Some of the children's titles will appeal to adults, while others will not. Some of the adult titles will appeal to younger readers, particularly those who are eager to expand their horizons.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Watching for Signs of Spring

Though spring is some way off for many of us in the United States, if we look carefully we might see signs that it is coming. I recently came across a website that I think children, their families, and their school communities would love. It is called Journey North and it is "a free, Internet-based program that explores the interrelated aspects of seasonal change. Through interrelated investigations, students discover that sunlight drives all living systems and they learn about the dynamic ecosystem that surrounds and connects them." On the site children can learn about about seasonal changes in nature. They can even go to the website and make a notation online to tell visitors to the site that they have seen the first robin of spring. Or the first migrating whale, or the first signs of spring leaf out.

This site is a fantastic tool for teachers, parents, and homeschoolers. There are maps to look at, projects to try, and much more.

Thank you Annenberg Media for bringing us this terrific website

Monday, December 8, 2008

Young people - Have a taste of the Peace Corps experience

In the 1960's Senator John F. Kennedy challenged young people to make a difference in the world. The Peace Corps grew out of his challenge and since then "more than 195,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in 139 host countries to work on issues ranging from AIDS education to information technology and environmental preservation."

To give young people a taste for what it is like to be a Peace Corps volunteer the Peace Corps has set up a Peace Corps Challenge website where children can get a feel for what it is like to volunteer in a village in a foreign country. This online game is both entertaining and highly educational. Players will have to deal with water, health, infrastructure, and education problems. Teachers might like to use this invaluable tool in their classrooms to show their students that it is vital that we all do what we can to help people who are less fortunate than we are. Online classroom materials are available to teachers who want to participate.