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 Tolkien Week and HG Wells’ Birthday!

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Celebrating fantasy and science fiction in your classroom can be a win-win for you and your students! Science fiction and fantasy books provide fun and exciting ways to engage students in reading. There is no better time to bring these genres into your classroom than September—Tolkien week starts on September 19th, Hobbit Day is September 22nd, and HG Wells’ birthday is September 21st!  Fantasy books come in a … read more »

Back to School in Your Library!

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It’s August, which means most school librarians are back to school or gearing up to be back to school! No one yet knows what this school year will bring. The past two years have looked very different from normal. Planning can re-energize you and your school library! Whether you use a checklist to stay on … read more »

Classic Children’s Literature and Classroom Reading Lists

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Modernizing traditional reading lists for diverse learners is an issue that many educators are currently debating. This post is not intended to rehash the “choice versus canon” debate but to give you resources to inform your decision-making process in this area. Classics in the classroom have been a staple for many years. Rethinking reading lists … read more »

Engage with World Refugee Day 2021 in Your Classroom

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World Refugee Day is celebrated on June 20th. This year’s theme is “Together we heal, learn and, shine.” It was first celebrated in 2001 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and brings attention to the ongoing plight of refugees and what can be done to help … read more »

Celebrate International Museum Day!

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International Museum Day takes place on May 18th! This year’s theme is “The Future of Museums: Recover and Reimagine.” National and local museums are amazing educational resources. Museums provide access to primary sources, in-person and virtual tours, lesson plans, educational resources, topic experts, and more. Today’s museums are a window into our past and can … read more »

School Librarians and Digital Citizenship

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Teaching Digital Citizenship…..whose responsibility is it? School librarians today take on many roles in the digital world. They are leading the way in the conversation around teaching digital citizenship in their schools and districts. From compiling resources for their students to teaching digital citizenship to promoting digital citizenship, school librarians are at the forefront. Digital … read more »

Celebrate School Library Month!

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April is School Library Month! The first School Library Month took place in 1985 with the theme “Where Learning Never Ends: The School Library Media Center” and was spearheaded by Lucille Thomas, chair of the School Library Media Month Committee. This year, choose your own theme to celebrate School Library Month! The American Association of … read more »

Celebrate Freedom of Information Day 2021

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Freedom of Information Day takes place on March 16th- James Madison‘s birthday. It is commemorated on this day because Madison was a staunch proponent of a free press and flow of information to the public. The Freedom of Information Act was first enacted in 1966 and updated 50 years later in 2016 after a lengthy … read more »

Engage with Award-Winning Books in Your Classroom!

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The American Library Association recently announced the 2021 winners of the youth media award. In addition, many other book awards for K-12 books were recently announced. Award-winning books are always an excellent addition to school libraries and classrooms! It’s like having a ready-made, vetted buying list.  Every year, the American Library Association honors outstanding books, … read more »

Presidential Inaugurations Through A Primary Source Lens

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Presidential inaugurations are one of the United States of America’s oldest traditions. They are a founding ceremony of our democracy. Studying inaugurations through a primary source lens is an engaging and at times fascinating classroom activity.  General resources for inaugural primary sources abound. The Library of Congress contains a wealth of resources on every presidential … read more »