In 2010, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were adopted by most states in the US. The authors of these standards called for a shift from previous standards by recommending that young children experience a 50-50 balance between informational and literary reading. For this mixed-methods study, researchers examined the contents of 23 first-grade…

In this study, science trade books from the libraries of 10 elementary schools across the United States were evaluated using a science trade book evaluation rubric for their overall quality pertaining to science content, literacy, and critical literacy criteria. Findings indicate that 62% of the books met the overall science content criterion, 99%…

Building a classroom library while infusing multicultural (MC) content and multiple perspectives into the learning environment is an important job for teachers. Students need to have direct access to meaningful and relevant texts, and the classroom library is the optimal location. Teacher educators should strive to assist teacher candidates in…

Aging covers and those that miss their mark and lead to sluggish sales are often targeted for makeovers, many times with good results. Up to 75 percent of Viking's books get redesigned, says Assistant Art Director Jim Hoover, because the publisher sees it as a chance to reintroduce a book to the market. Makeovers are considered the fountain of…

Just 10 years ago the Academy of American Poets initiated the observance of National Poetry Month to celebrate poetry and its place in American culture. Since then, the movement has continued to gain momentum with the emergence of Young People's Poetry Week in 1999, a focus on poetry slams as the centerpiece for Teen Read Week in 2003, and the…

When it comes to selecting science trade books, there are plenty of lists and guides that identify good books; however, when it is time to create a unit or add to the classroom library, selecting appropriate books can still be a challenge. Recommended books may not be available in the school or local libraries, and budget constraints may prohibit…

The importance of reading in the lives of children demands that teachers, librarians, and parents give careful attention to the selection of books from which children may make their choices. The purpose of this bibliography is to acquaint adults and children with the wide range of interesting subjects and readable styles of literature which are…

Visual instruction--the use of interesting or clarifying objective illustrations such as specimens, maps, pictures, and the like--are as old as formal instruction or what is now thought of as organized education. In recent years, however, new visual mediums or aids have been introduced into instructional practices, many of which have a special…

The 2012 edition of the "Digest of Education Statistics" is the 48th in a series of publications initiated in 1962. The "Digest" has been issued annually except for combined editions for the years 1977-78, 1983-84, and 1985-86. Its primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field…

The 2011 edition of the "Digest of Education Statistics" is the 47th in a series of publications initiated in 1962. The "Digest" has been issued annually except for combined editions for the years 1977-78, 1983-84, and 1985-86. Its primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field…