News from the Curriculum Resource Center

With finals week nearly finished, your friends in the CRC want to wish you a happy summer!

Maybe you are looking forward to some vacation time, a summer job, or even summer classes. Whatever you’ll be doing, here’s hoping that you enjoy the season and feel renewed.

Remember that the CRC will be open during the summer. Our hours will vary, depending on whether classes are in session. Check out the web site for the latest updates.

 It’s almost finals week. Good luck to all of our students as you prepare for the end of spring semester!

If you need a break from your studying, remember that the CRC is your source for great novels for your leisure reading.

This light-hearted holiday has been celebrated in numerous countries for more than 200 years. There are various theories about how the observance began, but nobody knows for certain how it started. Some theories have to do with the beginning of spring; others with changing from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar.

Regardless of its origin, April Fool’s Day has long been known for tricks and hoaxes, from the French children’s “April Fish” tradition to elaborate hoaxes published by magazines as jokes.

Be careful what you believe today!

    Now here is a celebration for the numbers nerds lurking in all of us:  Pi Day!  May I suggest some delicious books about the wonders of pi including:  Easy as Pi : The Countless Ways We Use Numbers Every Day, Birthday Pi, and Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi : A Math Adventure.

  A search for Pi day will lead you to many great sites for ideas for teachers.  As far as I am concerned the best way to celebrate is with PIE.

   Spring break is early this year, and many of us can’t afford to get anywhere near a warm climate.  The next best thing is wrapping up in a quilt, kicking the cat off the sunbeam, and devouring a book just for fun.  Here are my … Continue Reading

  Presidents Day was originally Washington’s Birthday, celebrated on our first president’s birthday, February 22. The federal government still refers to this day as Washington’s Birthday, although the holiday is now celebrated on the third Monday in February. Most people now refer to the holiday as “Presidents Day” and see it as a day to celebrate all of our presidents and the office itself.

The CRC has many biographies, as well as other books and teaching aids, about the presidents. We can help you with your Presidents Day resource needs.

                                  … Continue Reading

February is African American History Month, also known as Black History Month. Here in the CRC, we have numerous biographies of African Americans, as well as history books, literature, and primary source materials for this topic.

               Of course, you can also find good resources on the web. One helpful site, hosted by the Library of Congress, is http://www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov/. This site contains a section, “For Teachers,” with links to lesson plans, research aids, and other educational resources.