Author: Darshell Silva

Darshell Silva is a school librarian in Providence, RI, and a per-course faculty member at the University of Rhode Island. Darshell is passionate about maker education. She began working with the K-12 team at The Source for Learning in 2018.

Celebrate the Signing of the Civil Rights Act

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On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act that banned discrimination in public places, provided for integrating schools and other public facilities, and made employment discrimination illegal. It was the most comprehensive civil rights legislation since Reconstruction. Teach your students about the Civil Rights Act! The Civil Rights Movement is a … read more »

Teach Your Students to be Global Digital Citizens!

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What is a Global digital citizen? According to Lee Watanabe-Crockett, “A Global Digital Citizen is a responsible, ethical citizen, leveraging technology to foster community on a global scale through connection and compassion.” Global digital citizenship embodies 5 tenets: personal responsibility, global citizenship, digital citizenship, altruistic service, and environmental stewardship. The internet has amazing potential to … read more »

68th Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education

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This year marks the 68th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court case Brown vs. Board of Education, in which the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the separate but equal doctrine in American public schools. It is important to remember that many actions predicated this ruling, starting with the first school desegregation suit in 1848. Teaching Brown … read more »

Tips for Navigating Book Challenges

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The challenging of books based on their content has a long history, but they have been a major news story this school year. The challenges are coming from a variety of sources—parents, school committees, politicians, community groups, and others. There are a variety of reasons for the discussion, but what do you do when books … read more »

Celebrate Women’s History Month!

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March is Women’s History Month! The 2022 theme is “Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.” Women’s History Month is a time to celebrate women and their role in history and the world. Quality resources for teaching Women’s History Month are plentiful! Reading a book is a great way to learn more about women’s history! There are … read more »

Celebrate National Engineers Week with Design Thinking!

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National Engineers Week is February 20–26, 2022! What better time to engage in engineering and design thinking activities in your classroom?! Engineering and design thinking can open up a whole new world of innovation and creativity for students.  National Engineers Week offers many opportunities to introduce your students to the world of engineering. Introduce them … read more »

Keep the Spirit of Invention Alive in Your Classroom

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This week we celebrated Kid Inventors Day! As we experienced, Kid Inventors Day activities bring creativity, problem-solving, and fun into your classroom. So let’s keep the momentum going. If you have been looking for a low-barrier entry point to bring STEAM and Maker Education into your classroom, kid inventor activities are for you! What can … read more »

Reading and Winter Break

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Winter break, a time for rest, relaxation, and reading! Students may not think of reading as their favorite use of time over break, but you can change that. Helping students formulate a plan and get excited about their reading choices will go a long way. Student reading choice is an important factor in encouraging students … read more »

Powerful Collaboration: Library and Art

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In honor of Georgia O’Keeffe’s birthday, let’s talk about the many ways school librarians and art teachers can collaborate. Librarian and teacher collaboration is a must for school librarians! Collaboration provides teachers, librarians, and students with new opportunities, resources, and ideas. It’s a win-win for everyone involved. Start small! Collaborate by helping the art teacher … read more »

Curation in the Classroom

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Curation in the classroom is not something new to educators; we curate content all the time for lessons, project resources, future ideas, and more. However, curation is also a valuable tool for students! It is a skill they can use in their classes, personal life, and future careers. Getting started with content curation in the … read more »