One highlight of the International Reading Association's Annual Convention in May was the presentation of the IRA Presidential Awards for Reading and Technology. This annual program, which is sponsored by The Learning Company, honors educators who have made an outstanding contribution to the field of reading education through the use of technology. Throughout the year, Reading Today will spotlight the winners of the awards. This article is adapted from Huschak's project report.
Some students view history as a dry, lifeless subject.
But imagine having the opportunity to become the main character in a story about the past. Irene Huschak and students at Altoona Area High School used this approach to make the city's sesquicentennial come alive for elementary students. The high school students spent an entire year researching, writing, and publishing stories about their city's rich past. To begin, about 75 high school English students talked with local historians to learn more about the history of area sites and attractions. Students each chose an area of interest to write about, focusing on events that would be relevant to fourth and fifth graders.