LIVE
THE LINCOLN LEGACY READ
Diane Maletta
Purdue University North Central
President-Elect, Indiana State Reading Association
We are in the midst of the Bicentennial celebration of one of our greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln. At the same time, hundreds of teachers, librarians, parents, and administrators all over the state of Indiana are preparing to join in on the Lincoln Bicentennial celebration at the 2009 Indiana State Reading Association (ISRA) Conference in Indianapolis on March 14-17. See www.indianareads.org for details about this exciting event that promotes reading and offers outstanding professional development in all areas of reading. The conference theme is a timely one – Live the Lincoln Legacy – READ. Abraham Lincoln was a reader and as such, he encouraged reading for all people, young and old, just as the ISRA mission promotes lifelong reading.
As Middle grade teachers throughout the state of Indiana, let’s remind our students at the start of this school year of Abraham Lincoln and all he did for our country, particularly promoting the value of reading. Numerous authors for all reading levels have written about our sixteenth president. Many picture books help introduce young readers to Lincoln, and chapter books offer even greater detail about his life. Middle grade readers benefit from both kinds of books, although students’ reading levels may help to determine the preferred books for their reading tastes.
The following list of Abraham Lincoln books, found at http://www.nps.gov/archive/liho/children.htm, may be used throughout this bicentennial year of Abraham Lincoln’s birth as students and teachers celebrate this magnificent president in many ways. Reading these books aloud to students in middle grades is still so important for their vocabulary and comprehension enrichment. Extending the text through drama, music, and movement is increasing students’ understanding of what they’re reading about Lincoln. Any text-to-text, text-to-world, and text-to-self connections students make, reflect on, and discuss in classrooms will only bring Abraham Lincoln more alive to the students. His values regarding reading just may plant a seed in each of our students to encourage them to be lifelong readers as well. Happy reading! Let’s encourage our students to Live the Lincoln Legacy…and READ!
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Bail, Raymond. Where Lincoln Walked. New York: Walker & Co., 1997. Gross, Ruth Belov. True Stories about Abraham Lincoln. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shephard Books, 1993. Illustrated by Jill Kastner. Harness, Cheryl. Young Abe Lincoln: The Frontier Days 1809-1837. Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society, 1996. Harness, Cheryl. Abe Lincoln Goes to Washington:1837-1865. Washington, D.C.:National Geographic Society, 1997. Jacobs, William Jay. Lincoln. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1991. January, Brendan. Cornerstones of Freedom: The Emancipation Proclamation. New York: Children's Press, 1997. Kent, Deborah. Cornerstones of Freedom: the Lincoln Memorial. New York: Children's Press, 1996. Lincoln, Abraham. The Gettysburg Address. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1995. Meltzer, Milton, Editor. Lincoln in His Own Words. San Diego: Harcourt Brace & Jovanovitch Company, 1993. Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn Monjo, F. N. Gettysburg: Tad Lincoln's Story. New York: Windmill Books, Inc., E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1976. Monjo, F. N. Me and Willie & Pa. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1973. North, Sterling. Abe Lincoln, Log Cabin to White House. New York: Landmark Books, Random House, 1993. Randall, Ruth Painter. Lincoln's Sons. Boston: Little, Brown, & Co., 1955. Richards, Kenneth. Cornerstones of Freedom: The Gettysburg Address. Chicago: Children's Press, 1992. Rinaldi, Ann. An Acquaintance with Darkness. San Diego: Gulliver Books, 1997. Sandburg, Carl. Abe Lincoln Grows Up. San Diego: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, Publishers, 1956. Illustrated by James Daughtery Shorto, Russell. Abraham Lincoln and the End of Slavery. Brookfield, Connecticut: Gateway Civil Rights. Millbrook Press, 1991. |