Dolly's family including her parents, Avie Lee and Lee Parton and her eleven brothers and sisters. Image: Dolly Parton Front Porch series 

This is the newer version of Coat of Many Colors by Dolly and illustrated by Brooke Boynton-Hughes.  An earlier version of the book is also available.  I use this book in my classroom as a mentor text for personal narrative.  Several themes in the book, including the love and support of a family and being mistreated by classmates, are easily related to by most students.  The book also demonstrates how a story can be inspired by a personal object.  If you are unfamiliar with the song, the book or even the new movie, I highly encourage you to to take a closer look.

In closing, I would like to share Dolly reading this book at the Library of Congress as part of her Imagination Library program.  

Yet one more reason to love Dolly, like I needed one!

 Engaging students in stories through different perspectives is a key element when teaching history.  It is important to help students understand that humans experience an event through different eyes and walks of life.  I like to extend this teaching to photography and primary sources.  

Most commonly, the images of MLK's "I Have A Dream" speech are focusing on him as he is standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  I like the image above as it encourages a different perspective.  I am curious to see if my students can identify the location of the image based upon the Washington Monument in the background.  Secondly, this view encourages a discussion around the overwhelming number of people gathered on this particular day.  Why are they there?  What event could draw such a large crowd?

Several years ago, I taught with a woman who is one of those little specks of a human in that overwhelming crowd. Her father had taken her and her brother on a bus from Philadelphia to see MLK's speech that day.  She was very young and doesn't remember all that much aside from the large crowds.  She does know that they were standing to MLK's left.  I like to look at this photograph and think of my friend standing in this huge crowd witnessing this life altering speech.  

Perspective is important, both for the stories and the images.

Moffat was fortunate enough to view the painting of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC.

In 1814, James Madison was the president of the United States and the US was once again at war with the British during the War of 1812. President Madison left the White House to visit troops, advising his wife, Dolley, to be ready to leave the White House at a moments notice. On August 23, when she received word for evacuation, she ordered the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington to be saved.  The frame was broken (it was bolted to the wall) and the canvas was rolled and evacuated before the British troops occupied and burned the White House. Due to the damage, the Madisons were never able to reoccupy the White House again.

American Eagle Federation Information

It is rather challenging (no pun intended) to photograph Moffat with a real bald eagle, so when I came across this beauty in Franklin Square in Philadelphia, I was very excited! Today is National American Eagle Day, a day to remember the importance of one of our national symbols and raise awareness to continue to care for the once close to extinct species.  The bald eagle was chosen by our Founding Fathers during the Second Continental Congress on June 20, 1782 to be our national emblem.

Today, the bald eagle represents freedom and democracy.  Young learners can study more about bald eagles in the children's book "Challenger" by Margot Theis Raven. Challenger is cared for by the American Eagle Federation that has its headquarters at Dollywood in Tennessee (Dolly is one of my own personal heroes).  

If you would like to learn more about General WIlliam Jackson Palmer's Glen Eyrie, click the link below.

MASHABLE, one of my favorite websites, has AMAZING primary source images for the building of the Golden Gate Bridge.  These images really encourage discussion and awe with the students and are an integral part of my lesson!  YOU HAVE TO CHECK IT OUT!

Year after year, my teammate and I look forward to reading Pop's Bridge by Eve Bunting to our classes.  You can't go wrong with an Eve Bunting story.  She tells of the excitement (and sometimes fear) of two boys living in San Francisco watching their fathers work on the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge.  One father is a "skywalker" and the other is a painter.  Both fathers are equally important to the success of the bridge's construction.  Upon completion of the story, the kids can't wait to paint their own Golden Gate Bridges!

History Calendar for Elementary Classroom on TPT (Nellie is featured in May)

Happy birthday to Nellie Bly, female journalist and role model!  Nellie lived during a period in American history when women were not allowed to vote and one of the only true "suitable" jobs for a woman was that of a teacher (not that that is a bad profession). Instead, Nellie went on to do undercover reporting and eventually went on to break Jules Verne's fictitious "Around The World In 80 Days" calculation. She completed the journey in a record breaking 72 days!   She did not like to take "no" for an answer.  Nellie's  own motto being "Energy rightly applied and directed will accomplish anything." It is such a simple motto, but one that I truly admire and strive for daily.  Happy birthday Nellie!  You are an inspiration!

Google Doodles has done it yet again!  It ALWAYS thrills me to see one of these pop up while researching.  I admire the individuals that possess such creative abilities and appreciate the fun historical information.

Nellie Bly Resource Website

Tonight marks the 150th anniversary of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.  We were fortunate enough to visit the theater/National Park last month during our visit to Washington DC.

As a first grade teacher, Lincoln's death is a touchy subject as I naturally want to shield my students from the tragedy  and sadness of the event.  However, years of experience have taught me that they know "Lincoln was shot," and it is best to discuss the incident rather than gloss over it.  Much like discussing 9/11, I feel that young students need to understand that there are individuals who have chosen to use actions instead of words to show their hatred and frustration.  I believe that it is a good lesson for young learners about how things could have been handled differently.

To the right is the non-fiction book I purchase for my students every year on Abe's birthday as a learning tool.  I highly recommend it!