Aesthetics is a set of principles that inform the outcome of a work of art. Aesthetics taps into that part of our being that connects with beauty. Last spring, after reading The Mozart Season,  knew the section of the story…

Try Douglas Florian. Winner of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award and recipient of an ALA Notable Children’s Book Award, Douglas Florian is the author and illustrator of many children’s books. He believes there is only one rule when it…

Each and every Literature + Writing Discovery Journal (the core of our language arts offering) sets aside a week to create and celebrate. Don’t wait until week 5 to begin thinking about your Section 5 idea! Why not start imagining…

The first day of Spring is right around the corner. Celebrate spring with your students! Blackbird and Company’s Early Bird Spring Stories Thematic Unit will help do just that! You’ll have 5 weeks of great reading and writing and projects at your…

One of the things I love about teaching the Pages classes is the opportunity to read and learn right alongside my students. I am endlessly amazed at their insights. There is never a class when they don’t point out something…

Writing with a pencil by hand is a foundational skill. But it’s also a beautiful endeavor. I have fond memories of learning to form the ABCs. This work was quiet, slow, and mysterious. Yes, mysterious. My grandmother, who raised me,…

The Iron Giant.  Naima.  Hollis Woods.  Juan de Pareja. We readers know they are people who don’t exist but we get involved anyway. Why? It’s complicated. And yet it’s simple. Characters inspire. They inspire is to try. They inspire us…

A wordsmith recognizes the plasticity of language and delights in the potential of a word. Words are like Play-Doh, moldable, colorful, and brimming with potential. Learning to spell should be like breaking off a piece of brightly colored Doh, rolling…

I recently sent out a text to a handful of my adult friends who are life-long readers asking them if they have a favorite fictional character, and if they do, why? I was blasted with immediate responses and, frankly amazed…

Welcome to Blackbird & Company! If you’re looking for a fun and inspirational language arts program, we have everything you need. Whether you are in a classroom, a homeschool, or an independent study program, we want to empower you, encourage…