Words in Context
To LIBERATE is to be free from a state or situation that limits freedom. The Liberation of Gabriel King is a beautiful story about the power of friendship and the ability of two children who face their fears in…
Read Aloud Recommendation
Happy Birthday Dick King Smith! Born in Gloucestershire, England on this day back in 1922, Dick King-Smith was a soldier during WWII, after that he was a farmer, and later a teacher. But he will go down in history as…
Phrasing Verbs Well
“… I just finished reading a wonderful little novel translated from Korean to English. Along the way I discovered several little jeweled takeaways about life and language. The protagonist, Yeongju, abandons the corporate world to follow her dream of opening…
One True Sentence
“Before I discovered the miracles of science, magic ruled the world.” In a single sentence, the first sentence of chapter one, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, William KamKwamba draws us in to the world of his small farming village…
Let’s Talk Just Right Readers
Books for primary readers are categorized into levels of difficulty—Just Right Readers. Some of these books are categorized by grade level (GRL), some by a developmental readiness assessment (DRA), and others still are categorized by a Lexile measure. The purpose…
Remember to Read Aloud!
Kenneth Grahame, author of The Wind in the Willows, was born on this day in 1859. I remember taking my four children to Barnes and Noble Story Hour back in the day to listen to this wonderful book being read…
Get Published!
Writing is an art form that is meant to be read by a reader! Blackbird & Company Educational Press is proud to announce a call for submissions to student writers, Kindergarten through 12th grade, who courageously write their ideas using…
The Section 5 Project is a CORE Literacy
Aesthetics is a set of principles that inform the outcome of a work of art. It taps into that part of our being that connects with beauty. At the heart of this concept is imagination, and imagination is where ideas…
Getting to the HEART of Literacy
What is meant by Core & Application? Our English Language Arts program is built around a simple structure of Core and Application materials. When it comes to literacy, integrating the act of reading and the art of writing gets…
Around the Campfire: Get Published
We are proud to announce our first annual call for entries to Reveal, a published journal of student work—sentences, paragraphs, poems, essays, and research accomplished utilizing our ELA curriculum. Artwork inspired by famous artists plus writing inspired by composers during…