Planet Word is an immersive museum in Washington, DC, devoted to words, reading, and language: the way we learn, use, and manipulate the words and grammar that define us. In the first gallery, a video montage shows young children trying out their first words; in the second gallery, an interactive display with a 20-foot “wall of words” traces the complexity of the linguistic roots of English. Another large interactive space explores the diversity of the world’s languages, with native speakers explaining how differences in grammar and linguistic richness can create fundamentally different conceptual understandings of the world and time. Smaller galleries explore rhetoric, humor, and the use of language to sell things and manipulate emotions. The exhibition targets children who are on the cusp of adolescence—developing the social cognitive ability and the empathy to care about what people think, and to know about the world, other people, and other cultures.
Cash-strapped teachers know that grants can bring much-needed monies into the classroom to enhance learning experiences and engage students. But teachers often lack the time to prepare and write grant applications. Incorporating the grant application process into your classroom is a viable solution.
Each year we publish blogs and newsletters full of digital learning, funding, professional growth, social media, and STEM resources. Below are items from our blogs and newsletters that educators turned to the most in 2020.
In response to requests for recommendations of antibias children’s books, Social Justice Books has launched the Freedom Reads: Anti-Bias Book Talk video series. Each episode walks viewers through a synopsis of the book, relevant resources, and four to five key points from an antibias, critical literacy perspective.