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Inclusive Classrooms - Re-imagining Migration

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The resources below include blogs, study guides, lessons, and resources that we have curated with the goal of creating more inclusive, culturally responsive classrooms

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1. Establish Inclusion
Emphasize the human purpose of what is being learned and its relationship to the students' experience.
Share the ownership of knowing with all students.
Collaborate and cooperate. The class assumes a hopeful view of people and their capacity to change.
Treat all students equitably. Invite them to point out behaviors or practices that discriminate.

Procedures: Collaborative learning approaches; cooperative learning; writing groups; peer teaching; multi-dimensional sharing; focus groups; and reframing.

Structures: Ground rules, learning communities; and cooperative base groups.

2. Develop Positive Attitude
Relate teaching and learning activities to students' experience or previous knowledge.

Encourage students to make choices in content and assessment methods based on their experiences, values, needs, and strengths.

Procedures: Clear learning goals; problem solving goals; fair and clear criteria of evaluation; relevant learning models; learning contracts; approaches based on multiple intelligences theory, pedagogical flexibility based on style, and experiential learning.

Structure: Culturally responsive teacher/student/parent conferences.

3. Enhance Meaning
Provide challenging learning experiences involving higher order thinking and critical inquiry.
Address relevant, real-world issues in an action-oriented manner.
Encourage discussion of relevant experiences.
Incorporate student dialect into classroom dialogue.

Procedures: Critical questioning; guided reciprocal peer questioning; posing problems; decision making; investigation of definitions; historical investigations; experimental inquiry; invention; art; simulations; and case study methods.

Structures: Projects and the problem-posing model.

4. EngenderCompetence:
Connect the assessment process to the students' world, frames of reference, and values.

Include multiple ways to represent knowledge and skills and allow for attainment of outcomes at different points in time.

Encourage self-assessment.

Procedures: Feedback; contextualized assessment; authentic assessment tasks; portfolios and process-folios; tests and testing formats critiqued for bias; and self-assessment.

Structures: Narrative evaluations; credit/no credit systems; and contracts for grades.

Based on Wlodkowski, R. J., and M. B. Ginsberg. (1995). Diversity and Motivation: Culturally Responsive Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

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Kick-off Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month by learning about some of their incredible contributions.

Amazing Asian Americans

When you think back to history class, you probably remember learning about things like the 13 original American colonies, the Civil War, and the Industrial Revolution. But what about Asian Americans? Though more than 20 million Americans trace their ancestry back to various parts of Asia, the stories of Asian Americans are largely left out of the history lessons we learn in American schools. To mark Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, here are the stories of 12 amazing Asian Americans that you may not have heard of, but have each made incredible contributions to the lives we all live today. Discover 18 history lessons your teacher probably lied to you about.

Dr. Kazue Togasaki

After witnessing the 1906 earthquake in her hometown of San Francisco, California, Dr. Kazue Togasaki knew she wanted to work in the medical profession. Despite graduating first in her nursing class, she was unable to find work because "they 'didn't use' Japanese nurses; the staff wouldn't have it," Togasaki explained in an oral history interview. She later attended the Women's Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1933, one of the first two Japanese-American women to earn a medical degree. During World War II, Togasaki was sent to an internment camp with other Japanese Americans, where she offered her medical services to others in the center, especially pregnant women. In one month at the camp, she delivered 50 babies and led an all-Japanese-American medical team. After the war, Togasaki returned to San Francisco and established her own medical practice, where she delivered more than 10,000 babies before she retired at the age of 75. Here are 16 other incredible women you probably didn't learn about in history class.

Dr. Feng Shan Ho

Known as the "Chinese Schindler," a reference to Oskar Schindler, Dr. Feng Shan Ho issued thousands of visas to Shanghai to Jews in Austria between 1938 and 1940, saving them from the Holocaust. At that time, he served as the consul general of the then-Nationalist Chinese government's consulate in Vienna and issued visas to fleeing Jews, going against the orders of his superior. "Nowadays most people believe that he saved more than 5,000 lives at the time," Xu Xin, a professor and a leading expert on Jewish studies at Nanjing University, told CNN. "More importantly, Ho was probably the first diplomat to really take action to save the Jews."

Dorothy Toy

At a time when it was incredibly rare to see Asian Americans in the entertainment profession, Dorothy Toy danced her way on to stages and screens in the 1930s and 1940s. Toy grew up in Los Angeles, California, across the street from a vaudeville theater. When the manager spotted her dancing outside her family's restaurant, he encouraged her parents to sign her up for dance lessons. Soon she began performing with Paul Wing, and they became known as "the Chinese Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers," though Toy was of Japanese descent. They headlined vaudeville shows, performed on Broadway, and appeared in the 1934 film Happiness Ahead. Learn the history behind the Chinese New Year.

Army Sgt. Hiroshi Miyamura

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Born in Gallup, New Mexico, Hiroshi "Hershey" Miyamura is a second-generation Japanese American. At a time when his fellow Japanese Americans were being interned in camps in the United States, Miyamura enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1945. (The city of Gallup did not permit its Japanese American residents to be removed and interned.) He went on to serve in the Korean War, where he put his own life on the line during one battle in order to protect the other members of his battalion, going as far as engaging in hand-to-hand combat. Eventually, he was wounded and pretended to be dead before he was taken as a prisoner of war by the Chinese. Miyamura spent two years in a Chinese prison camp before he was released, and then granted the Medal of Honor for his actions in his last battle. Find out about 31 famous people you never knew were veterans.

Patsy Mink

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Not only was Patsy Mink the first Asian American woman elected to the U.S. Congress in 1964, she was also the first woman from an ethnic minority group to make it into the elite lawmaking body. Mink spent four decades in the House of Representatives, speaking out in favor of the rights of immigrants, minorities, women, and children. She was also one of the major players involved in getting Title IX-the legislation that brought academic and athletic equity to American educational institutions-passed. In 1972, she became the first Asian American woman to seek the Democratic presidential nomination. Find out 57 other famous female firsts.

Kiyoshi Kuromiya

Born in a Japanese internment camp in 1943, Kiyoshi Kuromiya became a prominent activist whose work spanned several different movements, including civil rights, protesting the Vietnam War, LGBT rights, and AIDS/HIV advocacy. In his 20s, Kuromiya spent the spring and summer of 1965 fighting for civil rights, befriending Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the process. Following King's assassination, Kuromiya helped look after his children. In 1968, Kuromiya organized a demonstration against the use of napalm in the Vietnam War. He also became a strong advocate for LGBTQ rights, both before and after he was diagnosed with AIDS in 1989. Don't miss these 14 rarely seen photos of Martin Luther King.

Cecilia Chung

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Since the early 1990s, Cecelia Chung has been one of the leading voices advocating for transgender rights. As an Asian American HIV-positive transgender woman, Chung began her work in San Francisco, formerly serving as the chair of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and later on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. "When I was coming into the movement [in the early '90s], transgender people were dying left and right-not just because of violence, but because of what we later found out was HIV," she told Them magazine. "We weren't just fighting for our rights, we were fighting for our lives by demanding treatment and more research. We were also demanding to be seen as human beings." Chung currently works at the Transgender Law Center and is the director of Positively Trans, a project addresses inequities, stigma, and discrimination nationally and in local communities through community-driven research, leadership development, and storytelling. Learn more about the history of the LGBTQ movement, including why the rainbow is used as a symbol for gay rights.

Walter Achiu

Born in 1902 to a Hawaiian mother and a father from Shanghai, Walter Achiu was one of the first major sports celebrities in the United States. His athletic career began in high school and continued through college, where he played football and baseball, ran track, and participated in wrestling at the University of Dayton in Ohio. Achiu-who went by the nickname "Sneeze" because of how his last name is pronounced-went on to play for the National Football League starting in 1927. He later became a professional wrestling champion in the 1950s.

Dalip Singh Saund

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In 1954, Dalip Singh Saund became the first Asian American elected to the U.S. Congress. Saund was born in India in 1899, and came to the United States to study math in 1920, eventually earning his doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley. He moved to Southern California during the Depression, where he worked as a farmer for more than 20 years before starting his own fertilizer business in the early 1950s. Though he became politically and socially active, Saund wasn't able to run for office because federal law prevented him from becoming a U.S. citizen. After working to overturn that policy, he became a citizen in 1949 and soon ran for office as a local judge. He served four years as a judge before being elected to Congress in 1954.

Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu

Known as both the "First Lady of Physics" and the "Chinese Marie Curie," Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu made significant contributions to physics during her long career. Born in China, Wu moved to California, where she completed her PhD in 1940 at the University of California, Berkeley. Wu joined the research staff at Columbia University in 1944, where she worked on the Manhattan Project, which helped the United States develop the atomic bomb during World War II. But despite her accomplishments, Wu still faced discrimination working as a woman in the field of science. She fought for equal pay throughout her career, and eventually became the first woman to serve as president of the American Physical Society. Find out about 30 more pioneering women who changed the world.

Jokichi Takamine

Known as the "samurai chemist," in 1901, Jokichi Takamine was the first person to isolate the chemical adrenalin (now called epinephrine) from the suprarenal gland (1901). This was a major scientific achievement, as it was the first pure hormone to be isolated from natural sources. Though Takamine was born in Japan, he spent most of his adult life in the United States. After he rose to prominence as a scientist, Takamine turned his attention toward improving the position of Japanese Americans. For example, in 1909, when he found out that First Lady Helen Herron Taft was working to beautify the Tidal Basin area around the Potomac River, he funded a gift of 2000 cherry trees from the mayor of Tokyo to the city of Washington, D.C.-yes, those cherry trees in the nation's capital. Can't make it to the nation's capital to see the cherry blossoms this year? These photos of national parks in full bloom will tide you over.

Vicki Draves

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Unlike many Olympians who began practicing their sport from a very young age, Victoria "Vicki" Draves didn't start diving until the age of 16. Only six years later, Draves earned her first national diving title. But she truly rose to prominence in 1948, after participating in the London Summer Olympic Games, where she won gold medals from both the 3m springboard and 10m platform-the first female diver to achieve that feat. She was also the first Asian American to win an Olympic medal. After the Olympics, Draves toured the United States and Europe performing in a water extravaganza show, before settling down with her husband-and diving coach-to teach children swimming and diving.

Next, read on to learn about historical facts you'll really wish weren't true.

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12 Amazing Asian Americans You Didn't Learn About School

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Kick-off Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month by learning about some of their incredible contributions. When you think back to history class, you probably remember learning about things like the 13 original American colonies, the Civil War, and the Industrial Revolution. But what about Asian Americans?

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Mathematics is the science which deals with the logic of quantity, shape, and arrangement. Undeniably, math is all around us, in fact in everything we do. It wouldn't be wrong to say, math is the building block for everything in our daily life period. Money, sports, architecture (ancient and modern), television, mobile devices, and even art, all of it has some mathematical concepts involved in it.

In India, mathematics has its origins in Vedic literature which is nearly four thousand years old. It should come as no surprise that the concept of number '0' was discovered in India; also, various treatises on mathematics were authored by Indian mathematicians. The techniques of trigonometry, algebra, algorithm, square root, cube root, negative numbers, and the most significant decimal system are concepts which were discovered by Indian mathematician from ancient India and are employed worldwide even today.

Indian geniuses have made revolutionary changes in the world of mathematics; let's find who they are and what exactly did they contribute to the world!

9 Indian Mathematician Who Transformed The Norms Of Knowledge

1. Aryabhata

If it wasn't for Aryabhata, there wouldn't have been a number '0'. Aryabhata was one of the greatest Indian mathematicians astronomer from the classical era of Indian mathematics and astronomy. He belonged to the Gupta dynasty and was the one to discover the value the number zero. He also gave to the world the value of pie up to four decimals.

2. Brahmagupta

He was a renowned mathematician of the past and was the one to invent the Fibonacci Identity. He also gave to the world the sine table as well as the Pythagorean Triples. His most significant contribution was the introduction of '0' and the fact that it stood for nothing. In the 7 th century, Brahmagupta discovered the first general formula for solving quadratic equations.

Bhaskara was an Indian mathematician and astronomer born in Bijapur, Karnataka. His work in calculus and how it is applied to astronomical problems and computations is what makes him immensely popular. Not just calculus, Bhaskara was an expert in arithmetic, algebra, the mathematics of planets and spheres.

4. Hemchandra

He was a Jain philosopher, scholar, and an exceptional mathematician. He described the Fibonacci sequence even before Fibonacci himself. He also worked with the cadences of length n. Well-known as a prodigy by his generations, Hemchandra earned the title kalikālasarvajña, i.e. "the all-knowing of the Kali Yuga".

5. Srinivasa Ramanujan

Self-taught Indian mathematician who coined the idea of "taxicab numbers". Ramanujan is most popular for his contribution in analytical theory of numbers, elliptic functions, continued fractions, and infinite series. His contributions to the theory of numbers comprise pioneering discoveries of the properties of the partition function. Ramanujan's life story, with its humble and difficult beginnings, is as astounding as his work.

6. Satyendra Nath Bose

Best known for his stupendous work in quantum mechanics, Satyendra Nath Bose developed the statistical mechanics for bosons of a photon gas. He is also popular for his collaboration with Albert Einstein. Bose also worked on the Bose-Einstein statistics and the theory of Bose-Einstein condensate.

An Indian-American mathematician most popular for his theory of estimation. The Rao-Blackwell and the Cramér-Rao theorem (both related to the quantity of estimators) are his top discoveries. Rao bagged 38 honorary doctoral degrees from universities worldwide in 19 countries and several awards and medals for his contributions to statistics and science.

8. PC Mahalanobis

Considered the father of modern statistics in India, PC Mahalanobis was an Indian scientist and applied statistician. He is best known for being one of the members of the first Planning Commission of free India and for the Mahalanobis distance, a statistical measure. Mahalanobis not only founded the Indian Statistical Institute, he also came up with pioneering studies in anthropometry in India.

9. Shakuntala Devi

One of the most popular female Indian mathematician of all time who was also known as the human computer. Her speed and accuracy in mental calculations were unbelieving. Shakuntala Devi competed against a computer in Dallas to give the cube root of 188138517 and she won! Furthermore, she went ahead to compete with the world's fastest computer UNIVAC to solve the 23rd root of a 201-digit number and she won that too! She was a woman with outstanding talent and outrageous world records!

Now It's On Us!

These Indian geniuses did make revolutionary changes in the world of mathematics and made advancements that pioneered the specializations we have today.'

Mathematics is a human language that we employ to derive an understanding of reality, and the reality today is all powered by Artificial Intelligence. Let's face it that the future of the world is steering towards advancements made in AI. The current technological ecosystem thrives on an intersection between AI driven solutions and business. From behemoths like Amazon and Alibaba to even the budding startups in smaller towns in India, AI has made inroads into almost every vertical. Simply put, India is gearing up for a brighter future with its "AI for All" mission. But where is the AI Talent?

More than 50,000 jobs in data science and machine learning are lying vacant due to a shortage of qualified talent ( Report). And, this is regardless of the industry growing by close to 3 0 percent in 2018 to $230 million in size.

India lacks enormously when it comes to great talent in data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence. And with more and more jobs turning data-driven, UPSKILLING is the need of the hour for the professionals to stay relevant. Here's something interesting that the Indian Prime Minister said,
"The road ahead for AI depends on and will be driven by Human Intentions'. It is our intention that will determine the outcomes of artificial intelligence"
Looking To Upskill? Check Out Our Pool Of Courses In AI, Machine Learning, DevOps and Big Data.

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9 Indian Mathematicians Who Transformed The Norms Of Knowledge- Now It's On Us | CloudxLab Blog

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Mathematics is the science which deals with the logic of quantity, shape, and arrangement. Undeniably, math is all around us, in fact in everything we do. It wouldn't be wrong to say, math is the building block for everything in our daily life period. Money, sports, architecture (ancient and modern), television, mobile devices, and even ...

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We are in Hispanic Heritage Month, and the truth is you don't hear nearly enough about Hispanics in math. Today's post sets out to change that. The history of Hispanics in our country can be traced back to at least the 1500s (and obviously for modern day Hispanics with indigenous roots it goes WAY further back than that). Even though it might not always seem like it from reading some of the history books out there, Hispanics have long played a role in the formation of the United States.

Hispanics have also played and continue to play an important role in the world of mathematics. This is why we decided to tell you about some amazingly cool Hispanic leaders in the field of mathematics!

Jaime Escalante

He's likely the most well known Hispanic math educator in the United States. Escalante was a Bolivian math teacher who was the subject behind the hit movie, " Stand And Deliver." He moved to the United States in the 1960s. In 1974, he started teaching at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, which consisted of predominantly Hispanic students and was also known for drugs and violence. Despite the challenges, Escalante continued to have faith in his students and created an advanced mathematics program. In 1982, his largest class of students passed the advance placement Calculus test. However, the company later disqualified some of the students' test scores and accused them of cheating. Escalante fought for his students and they once again took and passed the test.

He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Excellence and was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame. He passed away in 2010. In 2016, the U.S. Postal Service honored him with a stamp.

Ruth Gonzalez

Ruth Gonzalez was born in Houston, Texas to Mexican parents. You may have not have heard her name before but hopefully you remember it from here on out, as she is the first U.S.-born Hispanic woman to earn a doctorate degree in mathematics! Gonzalez graduated in 1986 from Rice University, and her thesis focused on computational mathematics. She received her bachelor's degree in mathematics at the University of Texas where she also did research and obtained her master's degree in the same subject. After graduation, Gonzalez became a geophysical mathematician for Exxon Mobile. What do geophysical mathematicians do? Well, she helped develop technology that allows specialists decide where to drill for oil and gas. You know, simple stuff (insert EXTREME sarcasm).

Carlos Castillo-Chavez

Castillo-Chavez is a mathematician who works towards keeping you healthy and safe every day. Castillo-Chavez came to the U.S. from Mexico in the 1970s. He obtained his Ph.D in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His main area of expertise is in mathematical epidemiology, which focuses on the underlying spread of diseases, their containment, and elimination.

Ready for his credentials? He's the current Rector at Yachay Tech University in Urcuquí, Ecuador, he's a Regents professor at Arizona State University (the highest faculty honor for professor in their field of expertise), Professor of Mathematical Biology at Arizona State University (ASU) and the executive director of the Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute and Institute for Strengthening the Understanding of Mathematics and Science as well as the founding director of the Simon A. Levin Mathematical, Computational Modeling Sciences Center, also at ASU.

Erika Camacho

Camacho is an Assistant Professor in the School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences at Arizona State University. She received her Ph.D in Applied Mathematics from Cornell University. In an example of the impact a teacher can make and how better education can truly change lives, Camacho, who was born in Mexico, grew up in East Los Angeles and credits her teacher, Jaime Escalante, for much of her success! Escalante encouraged her to apply to Wellesley where she would eventually graduate cum laude, obtaining her bachelor's degrees in both Economics and Mathematics. Camacho grew up in a very poor household and remembers going to high school with holes in her shoes. She aspired to become a cashier.

According to her ASU profile, "Her current research is at the interface of mathematics, biology, physiology, and sociology and involves mathematically modeling degenerative eye diseases, gene networks within yeast, social networks, alcohol effects on a neuron firing, and fungal resistance under selective pressure." Simple enough!

Camacho hopes to change the landscape of the world of mathematics by increasing efforts towards diversity.

Right there you have just learned about just four of many incredibly impressive Hispanics who have worked in the mathematics field from the high school level on up - who may have impacted your daily life and even health without you realizing it!

Time and time again we talk about the importance of math and why it mattersbut making sure students have teachers and mentors who represent them is key to education as well. That's something we realize at 7 Generation Games and why we are in the process of developing our second really awesome bilingual game!

Don't forget to check them out!

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We are in Hispanic Heritage Month, and the truth is you don't hear nearly enough about Hispanics in math. Today's post sets out to change that. The history of Hispanics in our country can be traced back to at least the 1500s (and obviously for modern day Hispanics with indigenous roots it goes WAY further back than that).

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Teacher’s History Guide: Contributions of Famous Black Mathematicians

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This teacher’s guide highlights the contributions of Black mathematicians who shaped our nation and the future of math.

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Arabic mathematicians have always been remembered for developing algebra and trigonometry, combining Greek geometry with Indian and Babylonian ideas, re-introducing zero to modern civilization, and contributing through applied mathematics in astronomy. Though many think their contribution was developing the existing philosophies of mathematics, it was not the case all the time. Some of the mathematicians, as we will see in the article, also created mathematical concepts and solved problems that were left unsolved by the Greeks and Indians.

Here are some of the top mathematicians that led to the advancement of the Arab Civilisation and snippets about their life and work.

Al-Kindi ( 801 AD to 873 AD): Abu Yūsuf Yaʻqūb ibn ʼIsḥāq aṣ-Ṣabbāḥ al-Kindī also famously known as the father of Arab Philosophy. He was born in Kufa and studied in Baghdad. His skills and aptitude made him an essential figure in House of Wisdom and Caliphs who appointed him to translate many Greek texts. Hellenistic philosophy or the "Philosophy of the Ancients" had such a tremendous impact on him that he became a prominent advocate of the philosophy. His contribution to the field of mathematics was establishing Indian numerals to the Islamic world, which found its way to the Christian world. Al-Kindi also contributed to the evolution of cryptography. His book titled Manuscript on Deciphering Cryptographic Messages advanced the rise of cryptanalysis. He popularised several methods of decoding cyphers, such as frequency analysis.

2. Thabit ibn Qurrah ( 836 AD to 901 AD): Thabit was born in 836 AD is Mesopotamia in the Sabbian Sect. This religious sect were star worshippers which proved a strong motivation for Thabit' s study of astronomy and added to that was his sect's secure connection with Greeks. However, the conditions that led Thabit to study this field was more than that. He was a moneychanger as a young man and inherited a family fortune giving him a socially high standing. This got him the ticket to meet Muhammad ibn Musa ibn Shakir. Who gave him the opportunity to study the subject along with his brother famously known as the Banu Musas. Thabit translated and revised some of the critical books such as Euclid's Elements, which acted as a significant catalyst in Arabic understanding of the subject.

3. Abu Kamil Shuja' ibn Aslam ( 850 AD to 930 AD): A prominent mathematician of Islamic Golden age who is considered the first mathematician to use irrational numbers as solutions and coefficients to equations methodically. Fibonacci later embraced this method; it made Abu Kamil harbinger of algebra to Europe. His contribution to algebra and geometry were plenty. He effortlessly worked on algebraic equations having powers higher than x2, solved sets of non-linear simultaneous equations with three unknown variables, exemplified the rules of signs for expanding the multiplication, and always computed all possible solutions to some of his problems. One of his strengths was to write the issues rhetorically, rather than to use mathematical notation. It made it understandable even to ordinary people.

4. Al-Battani (858 AD to 929 AD): The "Ptolemy of the Arabs" and one of the best-known astronomer of the medieval Islamic world was so influential that even Copernicus quoted him. His father was a famous scientific instrument maker f his time. Ibn Khallikan used to surprise his fellow beings with his expresses ignorance on the Muslim faith. Al-Battani prowess can be determined by the fact that he measured the solar year was 365 days, 5 hours, 46 minutes, and 24 seconds. He missed out by 2 minutes and 22 seconds! In mathematics, he produced several Trigonometric relationships including solving the equation sin x = a cos x and formula of a right-angled triangle.

5. Maslama al-Majriti (950AD to 1007AD): Al- Majriti contributed in the translation of Ptolemy's Planisphaerium. He enhanced the existing version of the Almagest, improved the astronomical tables of Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, assisted historians by making tables to convert Persian dates to Hijri years, and introduced the techniques of surveying. He was also one of the original experimenters to record the usage and experimentation of mercury oxide. Al- Majriti also introduced new surveying methods by working closely with his colleague ibn al-Saffar and wrote a book on taxation and economics. However, his most significant contribution by many scholars was predicting a futuristic process of scientific interchange and the advent of networks for scientific communication. His school of Astronomy and Mathematics caused the beginning of organized scientific research in the Arabic world. Some of the students of this school were ibn al-Saffar, Abu al-Salt, and at-Turtushi. Historian Said al-Andalusi has rightly called him the best mathematician and astronomer of his time in his book on al-Andalus.

6. Avempace (1085 AD to 1138AD): Versatile Avampace will be remembered for his contribution to philosophy, physics, astronomy, medicine, botany, music, and poetry. Avempace was the first to write commentaries on Aristotle in the region. Unfortunately, his endeavor on the projectile motion was never translated from Arabic to Latin. However, his outlook became so well known in the western world that it influenced contemporary medieval thought. Galileo and inclined by his work. Text 71 contains Avempace's well-known theories on projectile motion.

7. Jabir ibn Aflah (1100 AD to 1150 AD): Abū Muḥammad Jābir ibn Aflaḥ was an astronomer and mathematician. Born in Seville, 12th century his work Correction of the Almagest influenced astronomers globally. He invented torquetum that took and converted measurements into the horizon, equatorial, and ecliptic. In simple words, it was an analogue computer.

8. Sheikh Baha'i, (1547 AD to 1621AD): This Arab mathematician, astronomer, and poet lived in 16th and early 17th centuries in Safavid Iran and was one of the earliest original astronomers of the Islamic world to advocate the prospect of the Earth moving around Sun before the spread of the Copernican theory. He wrote more than 100 treatises and books in Arabic and Persian languages on the number of different topics in architectural and engineering designs. His prominent books on Treatise on the problems of the Moon and Mercury attempted to solve inconsistencies of the Ptolemaic system. His book The summa of arithmetic was translated in Germany by mathematician G. H. F. Nesselmann in 1843.

9. Abdul Jerri (1932 - Present): Abdul Jabbar Hassoon Jerri is a contemporary Iraqi American mathematician. One of his most prominent contributions was Shannon Sampling Theory. More than thirty top international experts edited the Generalizations, Error Analysis, and Historical Reviews, and particularly his findings mentioned in The Journal Sampling Theory in Signal and Image Processing. He also contributed to the general understanding of the Gibbs Phenomenon, which was the first book ever on the subject.

10. Roshidi Rashed ( 1936 - Present): Roshidi is a mathematician, philosopher, and historian of science. He is well known for his work on illuminating the works of medieval Arab mathematicians and physicists. He highlights through his work the unrecognized Arabic scientific tradition. It is through the numerous publications that he has highlighted the immense contributions of the Arabic world to the development and formalization of mathematics.

There was a time when the Arab world was far ahead from all its peers. Thousands of years ago, it had tremendous technological advantages over the west in many fields, but the most prominent among them was in Mathematics. It is impressive to note that in the medieval period, the task of translating the work of Greek and Hindu mathematicians was almost an industry in its own right. The tradition has continued and even today, many Arabic mathematicians show the way in this field.

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Arabic mathematicians have always been remembered for developing algebra and trigonometry, combining Greek geometry with Indian and Babylonian ideas, re-introducing zero to modern civilization and contributing through applied mathematics in astronomy. Some of the mathematicians, as we will see in the article, also created mathematical concepts and solved problems that were left unsolved by the Greeks and Indians.

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Home | Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center

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The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center tells Asian Pacific American stories through innovative museum experiences.

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Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month is celebrated between September 15 and October 15 of each year. What better way to honor Hispanic culture and history with kids than with picture books? We've rounded up informative and inspiring books to recognize the wide range of voices and stories within Hispanic and Latine culture - from biographies to folktales, there's something great for every young reader amongst these fiction and nonfiction reads.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2023.

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15 Picture Books That Celebrate Hispanic & Latine Heritage | Brightly

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What better way to celebrate Hispanic culture and history with kids than with picture books? From biographies to folktales, there's something great for every young reader.

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Teach About Africa's Immensity

Africa is immense in all ways. Modern Africa comprises 54 countries, each with its own political history, cultural influences, and social intricacies. There are vast nations like Algeria and small island-states like Seychelles. Astoundingly, Africa counts more than 1,000 ethnic groups, who speak more than 2,000 languages (a number that soars to 3,000 if it includes dialectical varieties). We can identify at least 85 precolonial kingdoms.

Whether you're just starting to teach about Africa or have experience doing so, adopting a stance of learning about this immense continent with students can be useful. A good place to start is with geography, making use of maps to build students' geo-literacy to understand the relationships between representation, size, scale, and human diversity. Ask the question, "How big is Africa?" and use this How Big Is Africa? curriculum to help students learn about how mapping projections have reduced the continent's size.

Identify Africa as the Heart of Humanity

Historically, Africa was considered by outsiders to be the periphery of the world. And the list of stereotypes held about the continent, rooted in long-standing racism, is long. Our students' cognitive schema are influenced by these powerful messages that still operate in society. One way to provide a counter-narrative that humanizes and celebrates the continent and its people is to emphasize that Africa is the evolutionary birthplace of humanity.

In addition, the continent showcases pioneering advances in civilizations, such as the mastery of iron technology, and is critically significant to world history. Teach the ways that African history intersects with the histories of other continents. Precolonial African history is especially important because African countries' modern borders were established by colonial powers, a fact that hides the (much longer) history of great societies and kingdoms that have spanned the continent.

One easy strategy to nurture your students' reverence for African history is to study UNESCO World Heritage sites that help contextualize Africa's global significance. Examine the Burkina Faso iron-smelting ovens that date back to the eighth century BCE to teach the mastery and intensification of iron smelting in Africa, or study monuments like the monolithic churches of Lalibela.

Connect to Africa Across Disciplines

The geographical, cultural, linguistic, and political diversities of the continent constitute an invitation to interdisciplinarity. Elementary social studies frameworks can draw on African contexts to study geography, migration, interactions between humans and their environments, the circulation of ideas and culture, and political geography and modern countries' borders. Many teachers are now exploring layered interactive maps to develop inquiry about the intersection of places and culture.

French and English literature teachers can internationalize their scope of texts and choose from a solid corpus of excellent anglophone and francophone African novels, including Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart and Les Bouts de Bois de Dieu by Ousmane Sembène. Africa is easily integrated with math and science when educators teach about the history of the development of scientific and mathematical ideas that have African roots. Science teachers can connect with world history content when they teach about the emergence of environmental conservation as a reaction to the effects of colonial exploitation of land and resources.

Resources from African Studies Centers across the United States, many of which are National Resource Centers (NRCs), can help make the work of integrating Africa into the disciplines easier. At NRCs, outreach staff support instructional design plans with specific resources.

Teach Africa to Affirm Identities

Linking curriculum with aspects of African culture promotes global education for all students. In an era in which we are existentially threatened by climate change and political dangers, it is a vital educational approach to promote our students' sense of unity and respect. Teaching about African history, politics, and culture supports our students' developing identities as global citizens.

Additionally-and crucially-Africa has deeply shaped the cultural context of the United States, especially that of African American and African diasporic students. Given persistent racial injustice in education and the existence of curricula still plagued by Eurocentric perspectives, there's an urgency to embrace Black Lives Matter at School and equity and antiracism approaches in the classroom.

This means that teaching about Africa can be part of an antiracist practice, as it enables historically marginalized student groups to become visible in a multi-perspective curriculum that affirms their identities and dismantles narrow, one-sided perceptions of their cultures.

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Teaching African History and Cultures Across the Curriculum

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Africa is immense in all ways. Modern Africa comprises 54 countries, each with its own political history, cultural influences, and social intricacies. There are vast nations like Algeria and small island-states like Seychelles. Astoundingly, Africa counts more than 1,000 ethnic groups, who speak more than 2,000 languages (a number that soars to 3,000 if it includes dialectical varieties).

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Ready-To-Use Elementary Social Studies Activities

For your National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations in your classrooms, we've put together activities for your Pre-K-12 students. In this blog, pair literature with social studies content, while exploring life in Mexico with your youngest elementary social studies students. Or have older elementary social studies students make a claim and support it with evidence to gain an understanding of the Mayan civilization and its achievements. We've got you covered with classroom strategies, activities, resources, and graphic organizers.

Looking for different level and subject-area activities?
SOCIAL STUDIES: Exploring Hispanic Heritage Middle Level Social Studies: Latin American Travel Agent High Level Social Studies: Biographies of Independence SCIENCE: Making STEM Accessible Elementary Level Science: 1, 2, 3...Erosion! (Grades PreK-2) AND Light, Bright (Grades 3-5) Middle Level Science: Alternative Sources of Energy High Level Science: Timeline of the Earth
In each activity, I share suggested resources from Britannica's newest classroom tool, LaunchPacks: Social Studies. You can get free 30-day access now by taking a Packs: Social Studies free trial, or you can use the activity, questions, and free, downloadable graphic organizer with your own classroom resources.

Grades PreK-2 Social Studies Activity: Life in Mexico

Overview: Students will compare and contrast content in this pack to the content in the picture book En Mi Familia by Carmen Lomas Garza to understand what life in Mexico is like.
Suggested Resources:
* LaunchPacks Social Studies: Mexico for Grades Pre-K-2

* Graphic Organizer: Compare and Contrast Venn Diagram

Strategy: Compare and Contrast

Activity: Begin by asking students what they know about the country of Mexico. As a whole group, introduce the picture book En Mi Familia by Carmen Lomas Garza. Ask students to predict what the book is about. Read the book with the whole class, pausing to ask questions about what is happening in the story and what they think will happen next. Then, introduce the content in the pack on an interactive whiteboard or projection screen. Read the text, view images, and watch video. Using Graphic Organizer: Venn Diagram, help students identify details that are found in the pack vs. in both the pack AND the picture book vs. just in the picture book.
Suggested Questions:
* What details were in both the story and the content of the pack?

* What was new information you got from the pack?

* What new information did you learn from the story?

Possible Extension: Use Britannica School's World Atlas or Google Maps to view Mexico's landscape, cities, and street views.

Grades 3-5 Social Studies Activity: Defend Your Case

Overview: Students will make a claim and support it with evidence to gain an understanding of the Mayan civilization and its achievements.
Suggested Resources:
* LaunchPacks Social Studies: Maya for Grades 3-5

* Graphic Organizer: Claim-Reason-Evidence

Strategy: Claim-Reason-Evidence
Activity:
Day 1: Read through the text, interpret images, and view the video within the pack.

Day 2: You are an editor at Britannica and you would like to write an article regarding the achievements of the Mayan civilization. Your boss does not think that the Mayan civilization you read about is worthy to warrant an article in the resources' database. Defend your stance by making a claim and supporting it with evidence. Use Graphic Organizer: Claim-Reason-Evidence and be prepared to state your case orally and in writing.
Suggested Questions:
* What were some of the achievements of the Maya?

* Why were these achievements important?

* What evidence supports your claim?

Possible Extension: Students can work in pairs to create a written language of their own. Have them write a message in their new written language. They can then switch with another group to decode the message. Discuss the difficulties and benefits of having a written language.

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Hispanic Heritage: Elementary Social Studies Activities

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Ready-To-Use Elementary Social Studies Activities For your National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations in your classrooms, we've put together activities for your Pre-K-12 students. In this blog, pair literature with social studies content, while exploring life in Mexico with your youngest elementary social studies students.

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Every lesson on Open Ended Social Studies features a free online text suited for middle or high school classroom use, guided reading questions, and suggested activities. Use this page to navigate by concept and theme through our catalog of lessons. Authority and Rebellion Censorship and Freedom Character and Citizenship Culture and Identity Education and Mobility...

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Muslim scientists and inventors, including Arabs, Persians and Turks, were probably hundreds of years ahead of their counterparts in the European Middle Ages. They drew influence from Aristotelian philosophy and Neo-platonists, as well as Euclid, Archimedes, Ptolemy and others. The muslims made innumerable discoveries and wrote countless books about medicine, surgery, physics, chemistry, philosophy, astrology, geometry and various other fields.

Today's article discusses the most famous muslim scientists and inventors and their wonderful inventions.

Abu Nasr Al-Farabi (872 - 950)

Also known as Alpharabius. Arab scientist and philosopher, considered as one of the preeminent thinkers of medieval era.

Al-Battani (858 - 929)

Also known as Albatenius. Arab mathematician, scientists and astronomer who improved existing values for the length of the year and of the seasons.

Ibn Sina (980 - 1037)

Also known as Avicenna. Persian philosopher and scientist known for his contributions to Aristotelian philosophy and medicine.

Ibn Battuta (1304 - 1369)

Also known as Shams ad-Din. Arab traveler and scholar who wrote one of the most famous travel books in history, the Rihlah.

Ibn Rushd (1126 - 1198)

Also known as Averroes. Arab philosopher and scholar who produced a series of summaries and commentaries on most of Aristotle's works and on Plato's Republic.

Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi (780 - 850)

Also known as Algoritmi or Algaurizin. His works introduced Hindu-Arabic numerals and the concepts of algebra into European mathematics.

Omar Khayyam (1048 - 1131)

Persian mathematician, astronomer, and poet, known for his scientific achievements and Rubaiyat ("quatrains").

Thabit ibn Qurra (826 - 901)

Also known as Thebit. Arab mathematician, physician and astronomer; who was the first reformer of the Ptolemaic system and the founder of statics.

Abu Bakr Al-Razi (865 - 925)

Also known as Rhazes. Persian alchemist and philosopher, who was one of the greatest physicians in history.

Jabir Ibn Haiyan (722 - 804)

Also known as Geber. The father of Arab chemistry known for his highly influential works on alchemy and metallurgy.

Ibn Ishaq Al-Kindi (801 - 873)

Also known as Alkindus. Arab philosopher and scientist, who is known as the first of the Muslim peripatetic philosophers.

Ibn Al-Haytham (965 - 1040)

Also known as Alhazen. Arab astronomer and mathematician known for his important contributions to the principles of optics and the use of scientific experiments.

Ibn Zuhr (1091 - 1161)

Also known as Avenzoar. Arab physician and surgeon, known for his influential book Al-Taisir Fil-Mudawat Wal-Tadbeer (Book of Simplification Concerning Therapeutics and Diet).

Ibn Khaldun (1332 - 1406)

Arab historiographer and historian who developed one of the earliest nonreligious philosophies of history. Often considered as one of the forerunners of modern historiography, sociology and economics.

Ibn Al-Baitar (1197 - 1248)

Arab scientist, botanist and physician who systematically recorded the discoveries made by Islamic physicians in the Middle Ages.

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15 Famous Muslim (Arab & Persian) Scientists and their Inventions

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Muslim scientists and inventors, including Arabs, Persians and Turks, were probably hundreds of years ahead of their counterparts in the European Middle Ages. They drew influence from Aristotelian philosophy and Neo-platonists, as well as Euclid, Archimedes, Ptolemy and others. The muslims made innumerable discoveries and wrote countless books about medicine, surgery, physics, chemistry, philosophy, astrology, [...]

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Yes, February is Black History Month, but Black history books should always be in your classroom library rotation. It's awesome that there are now a huge variety of titles to share, with more being published each year. These are our recent favorite picture books about Black history that inspire kids, build a broad knowledge base, and spark classroom discussion. Share them with kids of all ages as compelling read-alouds. Or build text sets to let students dive into subtopics like Black history in the arts, sciences, sports, and politics.

(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)

General Black History Books for Kids

1. The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander

This gorgeous and poetic title is one of the best Black history books for kids to launch a Black history unit. The artwork and poetic text are both breathtaking. The back matter is a good jumping-off point for student research about notable Black individuals.

Buy it: The Undefeated on Amazon

2. My Red, White, and Blue by Alana Tyson

How can the American flag be a source of both pride and injustice? This overview of Black history in America is an indispensable new classroom conversation-starter.

Buy it: My Red, White, and Blue on Amazon

3. Young, Gifted and Black: Meet 52 Black Heroes From Past and Present by Jamia Wilson

We appreciate Black history books that go beyond the most well-known individuals. Work your way through this entire artful and inspiring volume or let kids pick certain figures to study.

Buy it: Young, Gifted and Black: Meet 52 Black Heroes From Past and Present on Amazon

4. A History of Me by Adrea Theodore

This is an important read for both students and teachers. The author shares her experiences-and later, her daughter's-as a Black child learning about the Civil Rights Movement in school.

Buy it: A History of Me on Amazon

5. We Are Here by Tami Charles

This is a celebration of well-known (and lesser-known) notable Black figures. The fact that it's told from the point of view of a Black child makes it extra empowering. We'll never turn down the chance to share a title with Bryan Collier's paintings with kids, either. The back matter can help launch student inquiry projects.

Buy it: We Are Here on Amazon

Black History Books for Kids about Slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, and Politics

6. An American Story by Kwame Alexander

Another must-read from a standout author. "How do you tell a story that starts in Africa and ends in horror?" Kwame Alexander reminds us that the experiences of slaves, and their descendants, are an inextricable component of American history, and a story that must be told.

Buy it: An American Story on Amazon

7. The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson

"Ours is no immigration story." This critical Black history book for kids will help reframe discussions about slavery and Black experiences in the United States. It honors the deep African roots and ongoing resilience of those ripped from their homes by slave traders.

Buy it: The 1619 Project: Born on the Water on Amazon

8. Your Legacy: A Bold Reclaiming of Our Enslaved History by Schele Williams

Here's another Black history book for kids that gets rave reviews from families and classrooms for shifting the narrative about slavery to an empowering celebration of resilience.

Buy it: Your Legacy: A Bold Reclaiming of Our Enslaved History on Amazon

9. Going Places: Victor Hugo Green and His Glorious Book by Tonya Bolden

What's it like to be celebrated for creating a resource that you wish wasn't needed in the first place? This memorable biography introduces readers to Victor Green, who authored The Negro Motorist Green-Book in the 1930s, a guide for Black travelers to avoid discrimination and unsafe situations in the Jim Crow era.

Buy it: Going Places: Victor Hugo Green and His Glorious Book on Amazon

10. The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard

Mary Walker was an emancipated slave, a mother, and a servant to her community. At age 116, she learned to read. Share this to both celebrate Mary's tenacity and to provide a concrete example of the barriers many Black individuals have faced.

Buy it: The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read on Amazon

11. A Flag for Juneteenth by Kim Taylor

It's essential to include Black history books on your shelves that teach kids about this important holiday. Students will love poring over the unique quilted illustrations.

Buy it: A Flag for Juneteenth on Amazon

12. Build a House by Rhiannon Giddens

This adaptation of the song composed for the 155th anniversary of Juneteeth will give young readers much to think about. Use the included QR code to access a musical performance of the text by the author and cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

Buy it: Build a House on Amazon

13. Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School by Janet Halfmann

This moving biography really resonates with upper elementary and middle school kids. What would it be like to have to go to school at night, in secret?

Buy it: Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School on Amazon

14. A Song for the Unsung by Carole Boston Weatherford and Rob Sanders

Introduce students to this critical figure in organizing the historic event known for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. Bayard Rustin poured himself into the Civil Rights Movement despite being discriminated against for being gay.

Buy it: A Song for the Unsung: Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the 1963 March on Washington on Amazon

15. Sylvia and Marsha Start a Revolution! by Joy Michael Ellison

We appreciate that this title highlights two trans people of color-including Marsha Johnson, a Black trans woman-who were instrumental in the gay rights movement. It's a good introduction for younger kids and could inspire additional research for older students.

Buy it: Sylvia and Marsha Start a Revolution! on Amazon

16. Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson

It's important to include Black history books in your collection that highlight the contributions of children. In 1963 in Alabama, a group of children courageously marched to protest against discrimination and hate.

Buy it: Let the Children March on Amazon

17. I Am Ruby Bridges by Ruby Bridges

Here's the ultimate #OwnVoices Black history book for kids. Help students see inside the heart and mind of the brave six-year-old that took on school segregation.

Buy it: I Am Ruby Bridges on Amazon

18. Thurgood by Jonah Winter

Thurgood Marshall devoted his life to eliminating racial injustice in the United States legal system. This biography shares pivotal experiences and achievements during his rise to becoming the first Black Supreme Court justice.

Buy it: Thurgood on Amazon

19. Shirley Chisholm Is a Verb! by Veronica Chambers

As a longtime influential politician and the first Black congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm "chose her verbs carefully" to empower and create change. The unique text style is perfect for inspiring discussions about impactful verbs.

Buy it: Shirley Chisholm Is a Verb! on Amazon

Black History Books for Kids About the Arts and Sciences

20. R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul by Carole Boston Weatherford

Told through keywords in a nod to her iconic hit song, this biography of Aretha Franklin is a tribute fit for a queen. We love pairing it with a video of her performance at the 2008 Presidential Inauguration to bring her enduring impact to life for students.

Buy it: R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul on Amazon

21. The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop by Carole Boston Weatherford

We appreciate Black history books for kids that tackle less common but still important topics. Pique students' interest and invite them to find out more about the history of hip-hop and rap. Also, share the author's note with students about the relationship of rap and hip-hop to poetry as an engaging introduction to exploring Black poetry.

Buy it: The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop on Amazon

22. Nina: A Story of Nina Simone by Traci N. Todd

This is one of the best Black history books we've seen that integrates a biography within the larger historical context of the Civil Rights Movement for kids. Nina Simone, born Eunice Waymon, was both a musical prodigy and brave activist.

Buy it: Nina: A Story of Nina Simone on Amazon

23. Jump at the Sun: The True Life Tale of Unstoppable Storycatcher Zora Neale Hurston by Alicia D. Williams

Full of anecdotes to catch kids' attention, this biography introduces kids to a pillar of American literature in a memorable way. It could inspire students' own "storycatching" during a narrative writing unit too.

Buy it: Jump at the Sun on Amazon

24. Rise! From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou by Bethany Hegedus

Maya Angelou rose above significant childhood trauma to become one of the most influential voices in U.S. history. This moving narrative and the accompanying timeline do a fantastic job bringing her to life for students. Pair this with Change Sings: A Children's Anthem by Amanda Gorman, to introduce students to the next generation of change-making Black literary icons as well.

Buy it: Rise! From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou on Amazon

25. Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by Carole Boston Weatherford

Arturo Schomburg, an Afro-Latino from Puerto Rico, was a law clerk and collector of African and African American literature and artifacts. He established the Negro Division of the New York Public Library to house his massive collection of materials. Decades later, the division was renamed in his honor. Today, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is an important part of the Harlem community and an essential resource for scholars.

Buy it: Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library on Amazon

26. Ablaze With Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas by Jeanne Walker Harvey

Celebrate the creativity of an iconic 20th-century Black artist with a fascinating first-person narrative, energizing art, and discussion-worthy quotes. Alma Thomas was the first Black woman to have an exhibition at the Whitney Museum and a painting at the White House.

Buy it: Ablaze With Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas on Amazon

27. Bunheads by Misty Copeland

Students who love performing arts will be inspired by this revisiting of Misty Copeland's childhood experiences as a young ballerina. To share more information for older students, pair this with Black Ballerinas: My Journey to Our Legacy by Misty Copeland.

Buy it: Bunheads on Amazon

28. Curve & Flow: The Elegant Vision of L.A. Architect Paul R. Williams by Andrea J. Loney

Paul R. Williams' natural talent and resilient tackling of life's "curves" helped him become a celebrated architect.

Buy it: Curve & Flow: The Elegant Vision of L.A. Architect Paul R. Williams on Amazon

29. Mr. Crum's Potato Predicament by Anne Renaud

An innovation by accident or spite, George Crum, an African American chef, is credited with inventing one of the oldest snacks in food history: the potato chip.

Buy it: Mr. Crum's Potato Predicament on Amazon

30. Bring Me Some Apples and I'll Make You a Pie by Robbin Gourley

A pioneer of the farm-to-table movement before it was known as such, Edna Lewis was a strong supporter of natural foods and healthy eating. She became an award-winning chef at a time when few women and few Black people entered the professional cooking world.

Buy it: Bring Me Some Apples and I'll Make You a Pie on Amazon

31. Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly and Winifred Conkling

We love how this title celebrates four different but connected individuals. Dorothy Vaughn, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden all made key contributions to the space race during their work at NASA, breaking both gender and racial barriers in the process. (We can't wait to create a class chart with details about each of these four amazing women!)

Buy it: Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race on Amazon

32. Starstruck: The Cosmic Journey of Neil deGrasse Tyson by Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer

Neil deGrasse Tyson's contributions to the field of astrophysics are unparalleled. We love this biography for its engaging and relatable tone.

Buy it: Starstruck: The Cosmic Journey of Neil deGrasse Tyson on Amazon

33. Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed

Many kids dream of traveling in space, and Mae Jamison was the first African American woman to achieve that dream. Younger kids will connect with the encouraging message, and older kids can use the back matter to learn more about this important figure in history.

Buy it: Mae Among the Stars on Amazon

34. The Doctor With an Eye for Eyes by Julia Finley Mosca

Dr. Bath became a doctor at a time when it was difficult for women and people of color to enter the medical field. Although faced with racism, she did not let that-or anything else-stop her. She went on to become a staunch advocate for eye health and also pioneer techniques in ophthalmology.

Buy it: The Doctor With an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath on Amazon

35. Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas by Gwendolyn Hooks

At a time when medical schools were segregated, Vivien Thomas took a research assistant job at a medical school, hoping that proximity would draw him closer to his dream of becoming a doctor. He took advantage of opportunities to conduct research and practice, but racism prevented him from being credited for his innovations. He pioneered a technique for open-heart surgery on infants that is still used today.

Buy it: Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas on Amazon

Black History Books for Kids About Sports

36. Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Kids love stories about inspiring athletes, but inspiring athletes who are also sisters take it to another level. This biography of a fearsome duo is as energetic as one of their tennis matches.

Buy it: Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams on Amazon

37. I Am a Promise by Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce

This inspirational autobiography introduces kids to a tenacious running phenom and also the spirit of Jamaica. Expect plenty of playground races after reading!

Buy it: I Am a Promise on Amazon

38. More Than Just a Game: The Black Origins of Basketball by Madison Moore

Your students who are obsessed with basketball will love this accessible but fascinating look at the roots of the sport. We love it as a mentor text for choosing a compelling informational writing topic too.

Buy it: More Than Just a Game: The Black Origins of Basketball on Amazon

39. She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story by Audrey Vernick

Effa Manley was the first woman to own a baseball team, the Newark Eagles, and the first woman to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Manley was a staunch advocate for Black players and succeeded despite the racism and sexism she faced.

Buy it: She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story on Amazon

40. Charlie Takes His Shot by Nancy Churnin

Before Tiger Woods, there was Charlie Sifford. Sifford endured racism in the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) throughout his career. However, he persevered and eventually became the first Black golfer to win a PGA tournament and achieve ranking among white golfers.

Buy it: Charlie Takes His Shot on Amazon

What are your favorite Black history books for kids to share in the classroom? Let us know in the comments. Also, don't miss:

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40 Black History Books To Share During Black History Month and All Year Long

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Yes, February is Black History Month, but Black history books should always be in your classroom library rotation. It's awesome that there are now a huge variety of titles to share, with more being published each year. These are our recent favorite picture books about Black history that inspire kids, build a broad knowledge base, and spark classroom discussion.

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As we come close to the end of Hispanic Heritage Month, I wanted to point out the inventions Hispanics have contributed to society and spotlight some of these great inventors.

As we come close to the end of Hispanic Heritage Month, I wanted to point out the inventions Hispanics have contributed to society and spotlight some of these great inventors. Our influence is found in all walks of life and the contributions we have made have shaped our society.

The following is just a snapshot but I do hope that it is informative and educational.

Pedro Flores was the first person to manufacture the yo-yo in the United States.

Ellen Ochoa invented optical analysis systems and also was the world's first Hispanic astronaut.

Luis Federico was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discovery of sugar nucleotides and their role in the biosynthesis of carbohydrates.

Carlos Finlay became famous for his work in identifying the mosquito as a carrier of the deadly yellow fever germ.

Santiago Ramon y Cajal was a famous Hispanic inventor who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his work on the structure of the nervous system.

Miguel Servet's work in anatomy and physiology led him to the discovery of the circulation of blood through the human body.

Luis Miramontes was a chemist who co-invented the contraceptive pill. In 1951, he wrote a new procedure for the synthesis of the progestin norethindrone, the active ingredient for what would become the oral birth control pill.

Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena invented an early color television system.

Felipe Vadillo was a Mexican inventor who patented a method of predicting premature fetal membrane rupturein in pregnant women.

Juan Lozano invented the Rocket Belt due to his obsession with jet packs.

These are just a few of the great Hispanic inventors and their inventions. I recommend that you make the most of Hispanic Heritage Month and that you continue to educate yourself about the many contributions we have made. I have learned a lot while researching this information and hope you have as well.

As always, happy Friday to all. Appreciate life and stay blessed, always!!!

Read or Share this story: http://on.rocne.ws/17UXejR

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Famous Hispanic inventors and their inventions

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As we come close to the end of Hispanic Heritage Month, I wanted to point out the inventions Hispanics have contributed to society and spotlight some of these great inventors. As we come close to the end of Hispanic Heritage Month, I wanted to point out the inventions Hispanics have contributed to society and spotlight some of these great inventors.

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Writing in China dates back to the hieroglyphs that were used in the Shang Dynasty of 1700 - 1050 BC. Chinese literature is a vast subject that spans thousands of years. One of the interesting things about Chinese literature is that much of the serious literature was composed using a formal written language that is called Classical Chinese.

The best literature of the Yuan Dynasty era and the four novels that are considered the greatest classics are important exceptions.

However, even during the Qing Dynasty of two hundred years ago, most writers composed in a literary stream that extended back about 2,400 years. They studied very ancient writings in more or less the original written language. This large breadth of time with so many writers living in the various eras and countries makes Chinese literature complex.

Chinese literary works include fiction, philosophical and religious works, poetry, and scientific writings. The dynastic eras frame the history of Chinese literature and are examined one by one.

The grammar of the written Classical Language is different than the spoken languages of the past two thousand years.

This written language was used by people of many different ethnic groups and countries during the Zhou, Qin and Han eras spanning 1050 BC to 220 AD. After the Han Dynasty, the written language evolved as the spoken languages changed, but most writers still based their compositions on Classical Chinese.

However, this written language wasn't the vernacular language even two thousand years ago. The empires and groups of kingdoms of all these eras were composed of people speaking many different native languages. If Europe had a literary history like China's, it would be as if most European writers until the 20th century always tried to write in ancient Classical Greek that became a dead language more than two millennia ago.

Shang Dynasty (about 1700-1050 BC) - Development of Chinese Writing

The first dynasty for which there is historical record and archaeological evidence is the Shang Dynasty. It was a small empire in northern central China. No documents from that country survive, but there are archaeological finds of hieroglyphic writing on bronze wares and oracle bones. The hieroglyphic writing system later evolved into ideographic and partly-phonetic Chinese characters.

Zhou Dynasty (1045-255 BC) - Basic Philosophical and Religious Literature

Confucius Statue.

The Zhou Dynasty was contemporaneous with the Shang Dynasty, and then they conquered the Shang Dynasty. Their dynasty lasted for about 800 years, but for most of the time, their original territory was broken up into dozens of competing kingdoms, and these finally coalesced into several big and warring kingdoms by the end of the Zhou era.

The great literary works of philosophy and religion that became the basis for Chinese religious and social belief stem from what is called the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476) and the Warring States Period (475-221). Taoism, Confucian literature, and other prominent religious and philosophical schools all emerged during these two periods.

The Chinese call this simultaneous emergence of religions and philosophies the "One Hundred Schools of Thought." Perhaps so many philosophers could write simultaneously because they lived in small kingdoms that supported them.

In Chinese history, the dominant rulers generally squelch or discourage philosophical expression that contradict their own, so when there were several small powers, different schools of thought could survive in the land at the same time.

The major literary achievements of the Confucian Classics, early Taoist writings, and other important prose works originated in the late Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period of the Zhou Dynasty era. These literary works deeply shaped Chinese philosophy and religion.

Confucius is said to have edited a history of the Spring and Autumn Period called the Spring and Autumn Annals (春秋) that shapes Chinese thinking about its history.

There were hundreds of philosophers and writers who wrote conflicting documents, and there was discussion and communication. What we know of the literature of this period was mainly preserved after the Qin Dynasty's book burning and from a few recent archeological finds of records.

Probably most of the philosophical and religious works of that time were destroyed. If there were great fictional books created, they have been lost. So the main contributions of this period to Chinese literature were the prose works of the Confucian Classics and the Taoist writings, and preserved poems and songs.

Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) - Literary Disaster and Legalism

At the end of the Zhou Dynasty era that is called the Warring States Period, of the surviving few big states in the land, the Qin Dynasty became the most powerful.

The Qin Dynasty had big armies and conquered the others. Once the Qin emperor had control, he wanted to keep it, and they squelched any opposition to his authority. In the conquered territories, there were teachers of many different doctrines and religions. A big philosophical and religious school then was called Mohism. They were particularly attacked by the Qin Dynasty, and little is known about it.

An early form of Buddhism was also established in China at that time, but their temples and literature were destroyed and even less is known about them. The emperor wanted to reduce the One Hundred Schools of Thought to one that he approved. He ordered the destruction of most books all over the empire. He even killed many Confucian philosophers and teachers. He allowed books on scientific subjects like medicine or agriculture to survive. So the "Book Burning and Burial of Scholars" was a literary disaster.

On the other hand, the Qin Dynasty standardized the written Classical Language. It is said that a minister of the Qin emperor named Li Si introduced a writing system that later developed into modern Chinese writing. Standardization was meant to help control the society. The standardized writing system also helped people all over the country to communicate more clearly.

The Qin Emperor favored a philosophical school that was called Legalism (法家). This philosophy of course justified the strong control of the emperor and maintained that everyone should obey him. It is thought that Li Si taught that human nature was naturally selfish and that a strong emperor government with strict laws was needed for social order.

Li Si's writings on politics and law and his propagation of this school much influenced the political thinking in the Han Dynasty and later eras. Legalism texts and the standardization of writing were the Qin Dynasty era's literary contributions.

Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) - Scientific and Historical Texts

Cai Lun invented the writing paper

A former peasant leader overthrew the Qin Empire. The Han Dynasty era lasted for 400 years. At the beginning of the era, Confucianism was revived. Confucian texts were rewritten and republished. Confucianism was mixed with the Legalism philosophy of Li Si. The resulting ideology was the official ideology of the Han Dynasty and influenced political thinking afterwards. The era's major contributions were historical texts and scientific works.

Sima Qian wrote Historical Records that is a major history concerning the overall history of China from before the Shang Dynasty until the Han Dynasty. The book's prose was considered a model for writers in succeeding dynastic eras. Another important historical text concerned the Han Dynasty itself.

Some scientific texts were also thought to be important for their times, thought it doesn't seem that the information was widely known or well known afterwards.

The Han Dynasty era was one of the two main hotspot eras for scientific and technical advance. But printing wasn't available for wide publication of the information. During the Eastern Han Dynasty towards the end of the Han era, the influence of the philosophy of the Confucian Classics that hindered scientific progress was waning. So people were more free to pursue invention.

Cai Lun (50-121) of the imperial court is said to be the first person in the world to create writing paper, and this was important for written communication at the end of the empire. Finery forges were used in steel making. Two or three mathematical texts showing advanced mathematics for the times were written.

The Han Empire disintegrated into warring kingdoms similar to what happened during the Warring States Period before the Qin Dynasty. For several hundred years, dynasties and kingdoms rose and fell in various places, and the next big and long-lasting dynastic empire is called the Tang Dynasty.

Tang Dynasty (618-907) - Early Woodblock Printing and Poetry

Li Bai

The Tang Dynasty had a big empire that benefited from trade with the west along the Silk Road, battled with the Tibetan Empire, and experienced the growing influence of organized Buddhist religions. This era's main contribution to Chinese literature was in the poetry of Dufu, Li Bai and many other poets. Dufu and Li Bai are often thought of as China's greatest poets.

Li Bai (701-762) was one of the greatest romantic poets of ancient China. He wrote at least a thousand poems on a variety of subjects from political matters to natural scenery.

Du Fu (712-770 AD) also wrote more than a thousand poems. He is thought of as one of the greatest realist poets of China. His poems reflect the hard realities of war, dying people living next to rich rulers, and primitive rural life. He was an official in the Tang capital of Chang An, and he was captured when the capital was attacked. He took refuge in Chengdu that is a city in Sichuan Province. It is thought that he lived in a simple hut where he wrote many of his best realist poems. Perhaps more than 1,400 of his poems survive, and his poetry is still read and appreciated by modern Chinese people.

Song Dynasty (960-1279) - Early Woodblock Printing, Travel Literature, Poetry, Scientific Texts and the Neo-Confucian Classics

The next dynasty is called the Song Dynasty. It was weaker than the Tang Dynasty, but the imperial government officials made remarkable scientific and technical advances.

Military technology greatly advanced. They traded little with the west due to the presence of warring Muslim states on the old trade routes. There wasn't territorial expansion, but the empire was continuously attacked by nomadic tribes and countries around them. Their northern territory was invaded, and they were forced to move their capital to southern China.

So the era is divided into two eras called the Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) eras.

One of the era's technological accomplishments was the invention of movable type about the turn of 2nd millennia during the Northern Song period. This helped to spread knowledge since printed material could be published more quickly and cheaply.

Travel literature in which authors wrote about their trips and about various destinations became popular perhaps because the texts could be cheaply bought. The Confucian Classics were codified and used as test material for the entrance examination into the elite bureaucracy, advanced scientific texts and atlases were published, and important poems were written.

The Four Books and Five Classics

The Confucian Classics were important in China's history because from the Song Dynasty onwards, they were the texts people needed to know in order to pass an examination for the bureaucracy of China.

These Confucian Classics were the Five Classics that were thought to have been penned by Confucius and the Four Books that were thought to contain Confucius-related material but were compiled during the Southern Song era. The Four Books and Five Classics (四書五經) were basically memorized by those who did the best on the exams.

In this way, Confucianism, as codified during the Song era, became the dominant political philosophy of the several empires until modern times.

Since the bureaucrats all studied the same works on social behavior and philosophy, this promoted unity and the normalization of behavior throughout each empire and during dynastic changes. The scholar-bureaucrats had a common base of understanding, and they passed on these ideas to the people under them. Those who passed the difficult exams were highly respected even if they didn't receive a ruling post. High education in this system was thought to produce nobility.

The Five Classics and Four Books were written in the written Classical Language.

The Five Classics include: The Book of Changes, The Classic of Poetry, The Record of Rites that was a recreation of the original Classic of Rites of Confucius that was lost in the Qin book purge, The Classic of History, and The Spring and Autumn Annals that was mainly a historical record of Confucius' native state of Lu.

The Four Books include: The Analects of Confucius that is a book of pithy sayings attributed to Confucius and recorded by his disciples; Mencius that is a collection of political dialogues attributed to Mencius; The Doctrine of the Mean; and The Great Learning that is a book about education, self-cultivation and the Dao. For foreigners who want a taste of this Confucian philosophy, reading the Analects of Confucius is a good introduction since the statements are usually simple and like common sense.

Another period of scientific progress and technical invention was the Song era. Song technicians seemed to have made a lot of advancements in mechanical engineering. They made advanced contraptions out of gears, pulleys and wheels. These were used to make big clocks, a mechanical odometer on animal drawn carts that marked land distance by making noise after traveling a certain distance, and other advanced instruments. The Song technicians also invented many uses gunpowder including rockets, explosives and big guns.

The imperial court officials did remarkable scientific research in many areas of mechanics and science. Shen Kuo (1031-1095) and Su Song (1020-1101) both wrote scientific treatises about their research and about different fields.

Shen is said to have discovered the concepts of true north and magnetic declination towards the North Pole. He also described the magnetic needle compass. If Chinese sailors knew about this work, they could have sailed long distances more accurately. This knowledge would predate European discovery. He did advanced astronomical research for his time.

Su Song wrote a treatise called the Bencao Tujing with information on medicine, botany and zoology. He also was the author of a large celestial atlas of five different star maps, and he also made land atlases. Su Song was famous for his hydraulic-powered astronomical clock tower. Su's clock tower is said to have had an endless power-transmitting chain drive that he described in a text on clock design and astronomy that was published in 1092. If this is so, it may be the first time such a device was used in the world. When the Southern Song Empire was conquered by the Mongols, these inventions and the astronomical knowledge may have been forgotten.

Another contribution to the literature of China was the poetry of the Song era. A Southern Song poet named Lu is thought to have written almost 10,000 poems. Su Tungpo is regarded as a great poet of the Northern Song era. Here is a stanza he wrote:

The moon rounds the red mansion
Stoops to silk-pad doors
Shines upon the sleepless
Bearing no grudge
Why does the moon tend to be full when people are apart?

Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) - Drama and Great Fictional Novels

The puppet drama in Yuan dynasty

The Mongols were nomadic people who herded cattle north of the Tang Empire and wandered over a large area fighting on horseback. They believed that they might be able to conquer the world. They easily conquered Persia far to the west.

It was a big empire with high technology, a big population and a big army. Then they decided to try to conquer all the countries around them.

They attacked the Tang Dynasty, the Dali Kingdom in Yunnan, and much of Asia, and they formed the biggest empire in the history of the earth until then. They conquered Russia, a part of eastern Europe and a part of the Middle East.

In China, the Mongols established the very rich Yuan Dynasty. In their camps, the Mongols were entertained by shadow puppet plays in which a lamp cast the shadows of little figurines and puppets on a screen or sheet. In the Yuan Dynasty, puppet drama continued to entertain the rich dynastic courts in vernacular language.

Dramatic operatic theaters with human actors speaking in vernacular language was a favorite form of entertainment as well, and some of China's best dramatic scripts were written then. Also two of the four novels that are generally considered China's best literary classics were written in vernacular language then.

So though the Yuan Empire wasn't ruled by Chinese, it was an era of some historically renowned dramatic playwrights and novelists who wrote in vernacular language.

It is thought that the operatic style of the shadow puppet dramas that entertained the courts influenced the development of the operatic theater style of the Yuan Dynasty.

The Yuan rulers were fabulously wealthy according to historical accounts. They had a vast empire and control of trade in Eurasia. For the royal courts or the rich people, refined music, sound effects and talented singers were employed for shadow plays.

The Yuan "Zaju" style of opera was similar to their shadow plays. Perhaps the playwrights adopted the plots and the features. There were exciting plots, elaborate costumes, refined music and singing, action, and dance that the Mongols enjoyed. The music of the Zaju operas was called Yuan Qu (元曲 Yuan Music). The language used wasn't the Classical Language but the vernacular language, so that the theater might be enjoyed by everyone. After the Yuan Dynasty, the operatic style developed into the Painted Faces style of Chinese opera that was popular until modern times.

Guan Hanqing is regarded as one of the best playwrights of the times. He wrote Midsummer Snow that was one of the most popular drama pieces. It is a tragedy about an unjustly accused woman who received justice after her death.

The Romance of the Western Chamber was written by Wang Shifu. It is considered one of the best romantic dramas ever written in China.

Novels were another outstanding achievement of the Yuan era. The novelists influenced the future development of the genre. Two novels are still widely read now and are generally considered two of the four greatest novels in Chinese literature. These are Water Margin and The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms was written in vernacular language by Luo Guan Zhong. It is historical fiction about the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms Period. The Three Kingdoms Period was between the Han and Tang eras. Special emphasis is laid on the two famous historical rulers Liu Bei and Cao Cao who were antagonists. It is a long novel with 800,000 words.

Water Margin is about the lives and ideals of a group of characters who fought against the corrupt Northern Song Dynasty that the Mongols conquered. It is said it was written in vernacular language by Shi Nai An, but scholars debate about the authorship. Many scholars think that the first 70 chapters were written by Shi Nai An and that the last 30 chapters were written by Luo Guan Zhong who was also the author of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) - Novels

Xuanzang

The Chinese rebelled against the Mongols, and the Ming Dynasty era began about 1368. The Mongols and the Ming government still sometimes fought. Because of this and the presence of Muslim countries in between, trade with the west was reduced to the pre-Yuan level.

The Ming initially were interested in exploration, and Muslims whose ancestors arrived during the Yuan Dynasty and who were familiar with seagoing trade were employed to make long voyages to the Indian Ocean, the Middle East and perhaps Africa. Then they became isolationist.

It is interesting that a book that is one of the four great classics called Journey to the West about a monk going to India was written during this time of isolation. Maybe the thought of travel to the lands in the west was appealing then. Novels were the era's main contribution.

The Journey to the West is based on the historical journey of a Buddhist to India during the Tang era to learn Buddhist teachings and bring back scriptures and information. In 1629, Xuanzang (602 - 664) left Chang'an in 629 and arrived back in Chang'an in 646. Mythical tales about this journey including the character of an intelligent monkey began to be circulated long before the book was written. The author drew on known tales.

Journey to the West is thought to have been published anonymously by Wu Cheng'en in the 16th century though scholars have doubt about the authorship. The trend in that era was for people to write in Classical Chinese and imitate the literature of the Tang Dynasty and Han Dynasty.

However, this book was written in the vernacular. Perhaps because there was a lack of accurate geographical knowledge available to the author, much of the geographical landscape of the story is inaccurate. However, the "Flaming Mountains" that are near Turpan in Xinjiang are mentioned. Perhaps the author meant to poke fun at Chinese religion because a monkey is said to have defeated a whole army led by Taoist gods, and only the Buddha's intervention stopped the monkey.

The book describes India as a land of gross sin and immorality, and the monk was commissioned by Buddha to help India. The characters in the book are well known to Chinese children, and they often appear in martial arts movies and cartoons.

Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) - Novels and Pre-modern Literature

The Manchus invaded the Ming Empire from the north and established the last dynasty called the Qing Dynasty. The Manchus were not Chinese, but they retained the Neo-Confucian governing system of the Song and Ming eras.

The Qing Dynasty came under increasing attack from both internal rebellions and foreign countries. In the 19th century, foreign literature and the West became better known. In the middle of this era, the last of China's four great classic novels was written called Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦); and near the end of the era, modernistic literature developed.

The Dream of the Red Chamber also has an uncertain authorship. Like the other three great classic novels, it was written in a vernacular language - the Mandarin language that was the language of the Qing capital. It is probably mostly composed by Cao Xueqin (about 1715-1763) in the middle 1700s, and the first printing of the book was in the late 1700s.

It is thought that Cao did not live to see the first printing. It is thought that another person or other people contributed the ending of the story since the original ending of the story was lost. The book has a lot of textual problems, and there are different versions. In a preface to a printed version in 1792, two editors claimed to have put together an ending based on the author's working manuscripts that they had bought from a street vendor.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty era, the dynastic rulers came under increasing pressure both from foreign attacks and internal rebellions. Educated Chinese had easier access to foreign literature, and they were more influenced by Western culture. Students started to travel abroad to study, and schools built by missionaries educated tens of thousands of students. There was a general sense of crisis, and intellectuals started translating foreign works on science, politics, and literature. These were popular, and the culture started to change. Some writers produced fiction more like Western fiction.

Modern Era (1912-present) - Westernized Literature

Sun Yat-sen

Sun Yat-sen led a revolution that marked the end of Chinese dynasties in which a clan rules an empire. Of course, the big change of Chinese society that happened with the change of government led to a change in literature.

It became westernized, and the Classical Language wasn't used. The national government wanted women to have more of an equal status in society, and women writers and scholars were taken more seriously. There was a lot of politically oriented literature printed. Scholars had access to foreign literature, and many students studied abroad.

Until about 1923, there was a New Culture Movement. Writers generally wanted to lead the way in transforming China into a modern industrialized country and replacing Confucian life-style with a westernized one.

Under the national government, there was some freedom of expression, and lots of views and styles of literature were popular. China came under attack from Japan. After the Communist victory, only literature approved by the government was allowed.

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History of Chinese Literature, China Literature in Ancient Time

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Writing in China dates back to the hieroglyphs that were used in the Shang Dynasty of 1700 - 1050 BC. Chinese literature is a vast subject that spans thousands of years. One of the interesting things about Chinese literature is that much of the serious literature was composed using a formal written language that is called Classical Chinese.

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For additional resources that may better match what you're looking for, we have a few tips to guide your search.

1. Search for key terms in Spanish, the more specific the better. For example, "extracción de adn en frutas" (DNA extraction in fruit) will get you closer to the experiment you're looking for than searching "experimento de ciencias para niños" (science experiment for kids). Use Google translate for help with spelling/punctuation/translation.

2. Search using another google extension for Spanish speaking countries such as google.com.mx (or .ar, .cl, .co, .bo, .ec, .es, .gt., .pe, .uy) and/or click the "Español/ Latinoamérica" version. For non-Spanish speakers, use Google Chrome so that your search results will be translated easily.

3. Specify by grade level to filter out higher ed results.

4. Reach out to us for help. We know the start of the year is busy, and we're always here to help, email us to find what works for your science teaching.

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For additional resources that may better match what you're looking for, we have a few tips to guide your search. Search for key terms in Spanish, the more specific the better. For example, "extracción de adn en frutas" (DNA extraction in fruit) will get you closer to the experiment you're looking for than searching "experimento de ciencias para niños" (science experiment for kids).

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1001 Inventions has developed a variety of educational materials to support teachers in their classroom in a fun and engaging manner. Our books, teachers' guides, activity sheets and learning games aim to spark interest in science while promoting intercultural dialogue, social cohesion and mutual respect. We invite you to browse through our educational products.

Our ultimate objective is simple, to have the 1001 Inventions educational materials used in every school and educational institution all around the world!

The latest edition of the best-selling 1001 Inventions book introduces the enduring legacy of Muslim civilization to new audiences around the world. The previous two editions of the flagship 1001 Inventions publication sold more than 200,000 copies, with Turkish and Arabic versions also proving very popular.

The book's seven chapters are richly illustrated and provide insight into the everyday life of early Muslim civilization and the related and subsequent growth and progress of Western civilization. There is also an extensive reference section, a glossary of subjects and people, charts, timelines and maps illustrating the inventions and contributions, remarkable photographs, artifacts, historic documents and drawings.
www.1001inventions.com/books
The book produced in partnership with National Geographic for ages 8-12 uses the winning formula of facts, photos and fun. Each page is packed with information on little-known history of Muslim civilization, showing how their achievements still apply to our world today.
www.1001inventions.com/Awesome_Facts
From 1001 Inventions and National Geographic Kids, the book provides accessible, yet wide-ranging, information for independent readers.

The book is a special tribute to the 11th century pioneering scientific thinker Al-Hasan Ibn al-Haytham (known in the West by the Latinized form of his first name "Alhazen"). It is a companion to the international educational campaign, " 1001 Inventions and the World of Ibn al-Haytham," that includes interactive exhibits, workshops, live shows, and a 12-minute film starring Omar Sharif in his final film cinematic appearance.
www.1001inventions.com/ibnalhaythambook
New ideas... solving real-world problems... collaborating creatively... these are all routes to success in science and development.

Today's scientists and engineers are building on strong foundations of innovation and knowledge-sharing. Behind some of the concepts and principles in modern maths and science are centuries of discovery and debate that began a thousand years ago in Muslim civilisation.

The 1001 Inventions Education Pack aims to inspire the next generation to take up the challenge of improving daily life through science, engineering, innovation and creativity. It provides educators and students with materials for learning about science and culture in a fun and engaging way, while highlighting contributions by scholars and scientists from Muslim civilisation.
The pack includes three sub-sections:

Teacher's Guide: designed for teachers and educators, this is full of information and activities to support classroom learning, with instructions and references.

Build Your Own Exhibition Guide: designed to guide students and teachers through a collaborative school project to create their own 1001 Inventions show or exhibition. Includes trips, advice, information, scripts, suggested exhibits and fun educational activities.

Exhibition Activity Sheets: designed for use by students during their visit to a 1001 Inventions exhibition near them, with separate sets for primary and secondary school children.

A Children's Guide to the exhibition, this activity book brings to life the characters and inventions featured in 1001 Inventions. With amazing facts and fun quizzes on every area of discovery, this book features 33 pages of fascinating detail about Muslim civilisation. It also contains 5 brilliant projects to allow children to experiment and create, just like the famous inventors of the golden age.

This guide book is a great way for schools to follow up an exhibition visit in lessons, or for parents and children to bring the wonder of the exhibition home. It will make a memorable addition to any bookshelf and remind younger visitors of this inspiring period of history.

http://inv.ecgroup.net/p-10-childrens-activity-guide-english.aspx
http://inv.ecgroup.net/p-9-childrens-activity-guide-arabic.aspx

Educational resources on IbnAlhaytham.com include a range of hands-on workshops, activities and demonstrations offering insights into the history of light, vision and optics. IbnAlHaytham.com is part of "1001 Inventions and the World of Ibn Al-Haytham" global educational campaign organised in partnership with UNESCO to celebrate the United Nations proclaimed International Year of Light and honour the remarkable 11th Century scientist.
www.ibnalhaytham.com/discover/education-resources
A set of 10 high quality educational posters aimed for 11-16 year olds. A wonderful way to learn about Muslim Civilisation's contribution to Science and brighten up the classroom!
www.1001inventions.com/media/educational-posters
The short film starring Sir Ben Kingsley follows the story of three school children that visit a dusty library to research the story of 'The Dark Ages'. What they find changes their views on the world dramatically as ingenious inventors and pioneers of science and culture are vividly brought to life.
www.1001inventions.com/media/video/library
The late legendary actor Omar Sharif takes the lead role in the short film that brings to life the story of Ibn al-Haytham's quest to discover the nature of light and vision. The partly animated storyline is intertwined with a live-action backstory starring Sharif, who guides in the quest of discovering Ibn al-Haytham's journey to understand how we see, and the principles of light and optical theories.
www.ibnalhaytham.com/discover/the-trailer
1001 Inventions produces a range of branded educational merchandise catering for a wide age range. 1001 Inventions products support and enhance the brand and the heritage it represents through educational gameplay and learning.
www.1001inventions.com/shop
Scientists, inventors, medics, engineers and mathematicians of all faiths and cultures across Muslim civilisation, worked together in harmony for the betterment of society and shaped the way we live today. 1001 Inventions celebrates these men and women, often referred to as 'Heroes of the Golden Age', as they are synonymous with the brand and heritage it represents.

These characters each have an astounding story to tell about their lives, their accomplishments and their impact on our modern world. 1001 Inventions brings these characters to life through our films, books and blockbuster touring exhibitions. Animated versions of these historical characters are shown above.

LEGO inspired reproduction of Al-Jazari's 13th century Elephant Clock

A fantastic project inspired by 1001 Inventions, to represent Al-Jazari's automatic Elephant Clock using LEGO Mindstorms kits...
www.1001inventions.com/elephant-clock-lego

Islamic Heritage Month Celebration at the Vaughan City Hall in Ontario, Canada

On October 27 2018, the Canadian Islamic Heritage Month was celebrated at the Vaughan City Hall in Ontario, Canada. The educational event included shows, workshops and presentations with many on the contribution to science from remarkable men and women during the golden age of science in Muslim civilisation. Children were dressed up in costumes of pioneers and performed theatrical sketches to audiences including their families and friends. 1001 Inventions educational resources and posters were used to produce many of the activities by the local communities. The '1001 Inventions and the Library of Secrets' film starring Sir Ben Kingsley and '1001 Inventions and the World of Ibn Al-Haytham' film starring the legendary actor Omar Sharif were both enjoyed by visitors. Children also organised exhibitions following '1001 Inventions Build Your Own Exhibition Guide' and participated in a variety of hands-on activities and demonstrations.
www.yorkregion.com/events/8955623-islamic-heritage-and-culture-expo-2

1001 Inventions at the First District Wide Multicultural Celebration at Bloomfield Hills High School, Michigan

Students from Bloomfield Hills High School in costumes of pioneers from Muslim Civilisation engaging children and families with 1001 Inventions hands-on workshops and educational material. Participation organised by Friends of 1001 Inventions Michigan.
www.facebook.com/Friends1001MI/posts/947072818778846

Muslim Civilisation Museum Activity at Al-Hayat International School, Lebanon

Organised by fifth grade students at Al-Hayat international school having been encouraged and influenced by the 1001 Inventions books and website.

HRH Duke of York honours International Year of Light and tribute to Ibn al-Haytham
The Royal Society and 1001 Inventions host London schools
London, 27 January 2016: 1001 Inventions, the Royal Society and the Institute of Physics partnered to organise a full day of educational events and celebrations in London today. Hundreds of people including school children and students gathered at the Royal Society to mark the closure of the 2015 International Year of Light (IYL2015) that included a special tribute to the 11th century scientist Ibn al-Haytham. An evening gala event was honoured with the presence of the Duke of York, HRH Prince Andrew, the UK Patron of the International Year of Light.
www.1001inventions.com/IbnAlhaythamDayLondon

Istanbul Syrian School Chrildren's Science Fair
(in Arabic) Syrian school children in Turkey re-enact a famous scientists from Muslim heritage. This student was acting as Fatima al-Fihri...

(Source)

The Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation (ISF), Islamic Inventions Fair

Visit by Al Mansouriya School to the 1001 Inventions Exhibition at iThra Knowledge in Jeddah

(Source)

Organisations, corporates and philanthropists can sponsor the purchase and distribution of 1001 Inventions books and educational materials to schools, colleges and universities. If interested please contact us.

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1001 Inventions has developed a variety of educational materials to support teachers in their classroom in a fun and engaging manner. Our books, teachers' guides, activity sheets and learning games aim to spark interest in science while promoting intercultural dialogue, social cohesion and mutual respect. We invite you to browse through our educational products.

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These 5 simple, at-home Spanish STEM challenges are fun, have minimal mess, and can be completed with everyday household items. They foster a love of science, technology, engineering, and math all while bringing these disciplines into the Spanish or bilingual classroom.

I've chosen activities that have minimal prep and mess, and materials that are easy to find (most are probably lying around your house). These Spanish STEM challenges can even be completed virtually as students watch along with the teacher or assigned for students to complete at home (with some parent supervision).

But first, what's STEM?

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and M ath. It's become popular in education because it promotes problem-solving in fun, real-life ways by combining at least two or more disciplines (engineering and math, science and technology, etc.).

Why STEM and Spanish?

Because you need to communicate those newfound problem-solving skills. And as we are living in a global community, being able to communicate in more than one language is not only a benefit but a necessity.

5 Simple, At-Home Spanish STEM Challenges

While I've chosen well-known (yet quick and easy) STEM challenges, I've adapted them for Spanish learners. You'll find vocabulary, materials needed, and just how to tie them into your Spanish class, bilingual classroom, homeschool, or at-home learning.

#1 Make a Paper Chain/ Haz una Cadena de Papel

This first activity comes from Little Bins Little Hands. It's an engineering and math challenge that's as quick and easy as you can get. The goal is to make the longest paper chain using ONE piece of paper. This is genius because of its minimal setup.

Materials: a piece of paper, scissors, tape, tape measure (optional)

Materiales: una hoja de papel, tijeras, cinta adhesiva, cinta de medir (opcional)
Tie this into your Spanish or bilingual class by:

Describing length (largo/corto) and thickness (ancho/estrecho)

Comparing - Mi cadena es más larga que la tuya. Mi cadena es más corta que la tuya.

Counting - ¿Cuantos anillos tiene tu cadena? Mi cadena tiene ____ anillos.

Number Forms - Students write the number in word form (uno) and standard form (1) as they count each ring.

Measuring - Mi cadena mide ___ pulgadas/centímetros.

Gender - Cadena de papel is feminine while anillo is masculine. Kids will have to take that into account when describing each word.

Vocabulary:
#2 Screen-Free Coding/ Coding Sin Pantalla

This next activity also comes from Little Bins for Little Hands, and is another fantastic STEM find. Kids learn the basics of coding by using a printable grid and small objects they have at home. Kids essentially create a maze. Then follow that up with directions on how to get from start to finish. In the coding world, those direction are technically an algorithm (or a series of steps).

Coding is really popular right now, and rightfully so since code is what makes our technology function. But the real gem here, is that with all the screen time our kids are getting these days, this STEM challenge gives them a quick break.
Tie this into your Spanish or bilingual class by:

Practicing giving directions

Vocabulary:

#3 Walking Water Experiment/ Agua Andando

This activity, thanks to Coffee Cups and Crayons, is a science experiment that shows capillary action (acción capilar) and color mixing (mezcla de colores).

Students place three cups in a row, filling the outer cups with water, but leaving the center cup empty. Next, add food coloring. You'll want to use primary colors in the outer cups (blue and red, red and yellow, or blue and yellow). Then place a rolled paper towel from cup one to cup two, and another paper towel is placed from cup two to cup three. Finally, the magic happens! Watch as water walks up the paper towels from the outer cups to the center cup until all cups have an equal amount of water. As this happens you'll see the colors combine to make a secondary color in the center cup (blue and red make purple, red and yellow make orange, blue and yellow make green).

Note: Capillary action is when water moves upward against gravity. This is how trees and plants get water and nutrients from soil.

Materials: three glass cups, water, food coloring, paper towels

Materiales: tres vasos de vidrio, agua, colorante, toallitas de papel
Tie this into your Spanish or bilingual class by:

Describing quantity/volume - Este vaso tiene más agua que el otro.

Reviewing colors and color mixing

Vocabulary:
#4 Water Cycle Bag / La Bolsa del Ciclo del Agua

This next experiment from Playdough to Plato, is a great way to observe and discuss t he water cycle and weather.

By drawing a sun and cloud on the bag, adding some water, and taping it to a window students will be able to observe the water cycle in action over a few hours/days. So while this activity is quick to set up, its best for long term observation or a class project.

Materials: a plastic sandwich bag, black marker, water, tape, food coloring (optional)

Materiales: una bolsa de plástico para sándwiches, marcador negro, agua, cinta adhesiva, colorante (opcional)
Tie this into your Spanish or bilingual class by:

Discussing the water cycle

Talking about the weather

Vocabulary:
#5 How Strong is Spaghetti?/ ¿Qué tan fuerte es el espagueti?

Finally, Frugal Fun 4 Boys, has a fun spaghetti strength test. They test how much weight spaghetti can hold both vertically (you'll need styrofoam for this and not every family has that on hand) and horizontally (I recommend this way as you don't need styrofoam). This challenge is a great introduction to engineering.

Materials: spaghetti, books, small toys, styrofoam (optional)

Materiales: espagueti, libros, juegetes pequeños, poliestireno (opcional)
Tie this into your Spanish or bilingual class by:

Describing strength; or

Counting the number of objects spaghetti holds

Vocabulary:

fuerte - strong

débil - weak

El espagueti sostenga ____ juguetes/libros - Spaghetti holds ___ toys/books.

I know we are all racking our brains for activities that can be done at home. These 5 simple, at-home Spanish STEM challenges check that box, plus they give kids the opportunity to have fun, learn STEM skills, and practice their Spanish. Win-Win.

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5 Simple, At-Home Spanish STEM Challenges * Bilingually Yours

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These 5 simple, at-home Spanish STEM challenges are fun, have minimal mess, and can be completed with everyday household items. They foster a love of science, technology, engineering, and math all while bringing these disciplines into the Spanish or bilingual classroom.

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Teaching about Asian Pacific Americans was created for educators and other practitioners who want to address the void in Asian American history in the textbooks. Experts in the field of Asian American Studies will find powerful, innovative teaching activities that clearly convey established and new ideas. The activities in this book have been used effectively in workshops for staff and practitioners in student services programs, community-based organizations, teacher training programs, social service agencies, and diversity training. [Publisher's description.]

List of Contributors

Allan Aquino, Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Wayne Au, Christina Ayala-Alcantar, Eiichiro Azuma, Carl L. Bankston III, Dharm P. S. Bhawuk, Edith Wen-Chu Chen, Michi Fu, Joseph A. Galura, Amir Hussain, Kimiko Kelly, James Lam, Mariam Beevi Lam, Emily Porcincula Lawsin, Andrew Leong, Sin Yen Ling, Sheena Malhotra, Gina Masequesmay, Michael Matsuda, Vijayan P. Munusamy, Ajay T. Nair, National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium, Glenn Omatsu, Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Tony Osumi, Steven Masami Ropp, Aimee Carrillo Rowe, Sweatshop Watch, Daniel Hiroyuki Teraguchi, Masaru Torito, Diep Tran, Haunani-Kay Trask, Vivian Tseng, Maria Mami Turnmeyer, George Uba, Laura Uba, W. David Wakefield, Grace J. Yoo, and Min Zhou.

About the Editors

Edith Wen-Chu Chen is associate professor in the Asian American studies department at California State University, Northridge. Her interests include race and ethnicity, Asian American women, intercultural communication, and Asians in the Americas.

Glenn Omatsu is senior lecturer in Asian American studies and faculty mentor program coordinator for the Educational Opportunity Program at California State University, Northridge. He is co-editor (with Steve Louie) of Asian Americans: The Movement and Moment.

Reviews

"This book should be required reading for anyone who teaches a class on the nation's rapidly growing and immensely diverse Asian Pacific American population, or more generally on ethnic and racial groups in America. Experienced instructors, as well as those who are teaching for the first time, will benefit greatly from the array of innovative, exciting, and 'best practices' classroom activities and strategies that are featured in this collection. This is more than a 'how to' book. It provides a compelling perspective on how the historical and contemporary experiences of all immigrant and minority groups can and ought to be taught in the twenty-first century."-Don T. Nakanishi, University of California, Los Angeles

"This collection is interdisciplinary in scope, encompassing a variety of social science disciplines including sociology as well as humanities and professional education."-Teaching Sociology

Table of Contents

Part 2 - Part One: Definitions, Concepts, and Issues

Part 3 - Chapter One: Vietnamese Boat People: Separation and Loss

Chapter 4 - Straddling Two Social Worlds: The Experiences of Vietnamese Refugee Children in the United States

Chapter 5 - An Oral History of Huy Tran: A Vietnamese American Refugee's Story

Part 6 - Chapter Two: Feast of Resistance: Asian American History Through Food

Chapter 7 - Japanese Americans and Chick-Sexing

Part 8 - Chapter Three: Food and "Pin@y Time": Mapping the Filipino American Experience

Chapter 9 - Timeline of Filipino American History

Part 10 - Chapter Four: Deconstructing the Model Minority Image: Asian Pacific Americans, Race, Class, Gender and Work

Chapter 11 - Southeast Asian Refugees Groups and the Barriers They Face

Part 12 - Chapter Five: Building Allies: Linking Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality in Asian American Studies

Chapter 13 - Alan's Story: Female-to-Male Transexual Straight Man

Part 14 - Chapter Six: Globalization and Transnationalism Role-Playing Activity: Korean Immigrants and the Garment Industry

Chapter 15 - Globalizations' "Race to the Bottom" Creates Sweatshops

Chapter 16 - Sweatshops in Our Backyards

Chapter 17 - A Los Angeles Garment Worker's Experience

Part 18 - Chapter Seven: Expressive Therapies for Asian American Clients: The Value of Nonverbal Sand Tray Therapy

Part 19 - Chapter Nine: Representations of Asian Americans in Advertising: Constructing Images of Asian Americans

Part 20 - Chapter Ten: Ripping Up Culture: Helping Students Reconnect with Their Cultural Values

Part 21 - Part Two: War, Colonialism, and Imperialism

Part 22 - Chapter Eleven: Paradise and the Politics of Tourist Hawai'i

Chapter 23 - From a Native Daughter: Colonialism and Sovereignty in Hawai'i

Part 24 - Chapter Twelve: Racializing the "Enemy": Japanese Americans after 12/7/41 and American Muslims and Arabs after 11/9/01

Chapter 25 - After September 11, 2001: An Asian Pacific American Perspective

Part 26 - Chapter Thirteen: Teaching about Muslims and Hindus in the USA: "And all they will call you will be deportee"

Chapter 27 - Hate Crimes Immediately after September 11, 2001
Part 28 - Chapter Fourteen: On the Cursings and Blessings of War: Discussions for a Filipino American Experience Class

Chapter 29 - Filipinos and the "Negritos Americanos": Empire and Racial Bonds

Part 30 - Chapter Fifteen: Addressing Redress: Japanese Americans Reparations for Their Internment During World War II

Part 31 - Part Three: Community Building, Learning, and Organizing

Part 32 - Chapter Sixteen: Making Student Leadership Development an Integral Part of Our Classrooms

Part 33 - Chapter Seventeen: Beyond the Egg Roll, Fortune Cookies and Paper Fans: Seeing the Residential SIde of Chinatown

Part 34 - Chapter Eighteen: Mobilizing Students to Respond to Community Needs-Organizing a Class around a Community Project

Part 35 - Chapter Nineteen: Bridging Generations: Bringing the Experiences of Illness, Health, and Aging into the Classroom

Part 36 - Chapter Twenty: Oral History and Multiculturalism

Part 37 - Chapter Twenty-One: Bridging Asian American and African American Communities

Part 38 - Chapter Twenty-Two: Political Tours of Our Communities: Linking "Book Knowledge" with "Lived Experiences"

Part 39 - Part Four: Critical Thinking Teaching Strategies

Part 40 - Chapter Twenty-Three: Understanding Privilege in American Society

Part 41 - Chapter Twenty-Four: An Exploration of Meaning: Critically Thinking about History

Part 42 - Chapter Twenty-Five: Generative Thinking: Using a Funding Proposal to Inspire Critical Thinking

Part 43 - Chapter Twenty-Six: Promoting Transgressions through the Automatic Reward System in the Literature Course

Part 44 - Chapter Twenty-Seven: What's Wrong with a Colorblind Perspective: A New Model of Critical Caring for Teachers

Part 45 - Chapter Twenty-Eight: Modeling Whiteness: Minorities, Assimilation and Resistance

Part 46 - Part Five: Resources

Part 47 - Chapter Twenty-Nine: Web Resources for Teaching Asian American Studies

Part 48 - About the Editors

Part 49 - About the Contributors

ISBN: 9780742553385 | Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

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Teaching About Asian Pacific Americans: Effective Activities, Strategies, and Assignments for Classrooms and Communities - Zinn Education Project

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Teaching about Asian Pacific Americans was created for educators and other practitioners who want to address the void in Asian American history in the textbooks. Experts in the field of Asian American Studies will find powerful, innovative teaching activities that clearly convey established and new ideas.

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Africa's Natural Resources

Natural resources form the basis of the economies of most African countries. Of primary importance are agricultural products and mineral resources. These resources are used for subsistence-food to eat-and for commercial purposes-to sell locally or as exports.

Contemporary Political Map of Africa's Natural Resources (Pop-Up)

Spend five minutes investigating the map of Africa's natural resources. When you click on a specific country, a list of that country's agricultural and mineral resources will appear on the screen. After you have investigated the map for five minutes, use the information to complete the following exercise.

1. List FIVE countries that produce petroleum.

2. Cassava (root crop), sorghum (grain), millet (grain), maize/corn (grain), rice (grain), and yam (root crop) are primary staple (main) food crops in a number of African countries. List THREE countries where each of these crops is a major food.

3. Diamonds are an important export in a number of African countries such as Sierra Leone in West Africa. List THREE countries in southern Africa that produce diamonds.

4. Livestock -goats, cattle, camels, and sheep -are very important economically in many African countries. Identify TWO countries in each of the following regions where livestock is an important commodity.

East Africa

West Africa

Southern Africa

5. Most of the chocolate eaten in North America and Europe comes from cocoa plants grown in West Africa. Identify THREE countries in West Africa that produce cocoa.

6. Fish is an important food in a number of African countries. Identify FIVE countries where fish is an important food resource.

7. Coffee was first grown and used in the African country of Ethiopia. Identify FIVE other countries where coffee is grown.

8. Cotton is a major export crop across Africa. List ONE country in each of the following regions where cotton is grown commercially.

West Africa

North Africa

Southern Africa

Go to Activity Five or go to one of the other activities in Module Six

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Natural resources form the basis of the economies of most African countries. Of primary importance are agricultural products and mineral resources. These resources are used for subsistence-food to eat-and for commercial purposes-to sell locally or as exports. Spend five minutes investigating the map of Africa's natural resources.

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Today, I have the immense honor to host the March Multicultural Kids Blog carnival on the topic of Asian crafts and activities. In fact, I am posting this on my son's birthday (who was coincidentally 100% made in China!), which makes it even more special to me.

Some of you know that I have a real affinity towards Asia. Living in China at the beginning of our marriage gave us a beautiful firsthand experience with a culture quite different from our own. However, with all of the life-changing and wonderful things that have come from our time spent in Asia, we now realize how ridiculously unprepared we were to move there back then. I am embarrassed to admit that we first read the Lonely Planet China travel guide as we were flying to China! Needless to say, our landing was quite rough. If there is one thing I have extracted from that time, it is that we want to equip our kids to be much more prepared global citizens. Wouldn't it be beautiful if Asian crafts and activities were part and parcel of a bigger picture, of our children learning about Asia and, in so doing, embracing the world around them?

Without further ado, here are some of the ways my fellow blogging friends from around the world have brought Asia into their households. I had so much fun reading through their creative ideas and I really hope you do as well. Make sure to click through to their posts as they very often contain a wealth of resources beyond these quick teasers here and don't forget to leave them some comment love!
ACTIVITIES ALL ABOUT ASIA

Through fascinating pieces of world art, Cindy of ARTCURATORFORKIDS teaches children about Asia and art. Her country specific posts are wildly engaging and informative with follow-up questions and activities to boot. Learn about the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, India and how it has 33,000 sculptures and attempt your own mural on butcher paper. Or, take a look at a lovely Korean silk folding screen and try to place the unfolding (pun intended!) story on the screen in front of you. Whether you are looking to study artwork from China (read this post and this one), Thailand, Kazakhstan, or another country, it is well worth bookmarking Cindy's corner of the web for her fantastic insights and discussion starters.

Lisa guest-posting on THEEDUCATORSSPINONIT writes about the Art and Science of Bonsai gardening and how the Bonsai was thought to have been brought from China and later made famous in Japan. Lisa illustrates how Bonsai gardening with kids can be a very hands-on way and visceral way to learn about this region of the world.

Marie-Claude and her family spent a whole year studying China and even so, she believes they barely scratched the surface of Chinese history and culture. I thoroughly enjoyed Marie-Claude's rich summary post on their year on MARIE'S PASTICHE and admire how they were brave enough to try cupping, cooking with new ingredients and their hand at calligraphy. Well done, Marie-Claude!

If you don't have a whole year to dedicate to a country, how about finding a community event and setting aside a day like Amanda did on THEEDUCATORSSPINONIT? Amanda and family took part in a local Chinese New Year Family Day and were able to enjoy cultural performances and artwork and make different crafts. Still no excuse for those of you with only a half a day to spare however! Within this time frame, Frances of DISCOVERINGTHEWORLDTHROUGHMYSONSEYES offers two brilliant ideas to celebrate Chinese New Year: 1. Host a Chinese New Year culture party for kids or 2. Organize a cultural playdate. I am so impressed by Frances and her endless creativity and research, let alone her courage for contacting a local university to find a Chinese student excited about sharing her culture with the children (and adults!) present! That playdate will surely hold very long-lasting memories.

Eva of EVAVARGA also celebrates Chinese New Year with her darling children. She does so by preparing a few traditional dishes and giving her children Hong Bao (red envelopes) and inviting them to sing a catchy New Year song. Also for Chinese New Year, MaryAnne of MAMASMILES documents how her son's class participated in a dragon parade and proved that a diverse student body on the other side of the world can indeed rally together in appreciation for the holiday and younger children parading. Oh, and don't miss the slew of activities linked up at the bottom of MaryAnne's post. Leanna of ALLDONEMONKEY describes a fun little Chinese Zodiac game you can do at home for Chinese New Year, with the possibility to ratchet up the difficulty level to accommodate toddlers and older children.

Maria offers some helpful suggestions for celebrating Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival on TRILINGUALMAMA. Her post comes complete with a review of a top-notch Chinese music CD for children called A Little Mandarin as well as a Pinterest board full of ideas from baking mooncakes to literature on the topic of Moon Festival. Eva from EVAVARGA also writes about Moon Festival in great detail and even includes a few riddles to "fight the tiger" and a couple of romantic poems in Chinese characters, pinyin and English.

After the holidays are done and dusted, it's of course still possible to learn Chinese. Eva writes about clever ways Laoshi Shawn teaches Mandarin to Jie Jie on BETTERCHINESE by taking them on a scavenger hunt with their smartphones where they are encouraged to follow directions. In another post, Eva describes the great value of building language fluency through pictures. I love her encouraging reminder that the small steps you take today, gradually build up over time, as you can see in the sweet video of her daughter Meili.

Finally, if you have the means and the courage, why not send your child to school in Asia for a day! Stefania from SCRAMBLEDNEST describes her son's day in the shoes of a schoolboy in Pune, India. Talk about bragging rights back home in Luxembourg for the rest of your life!
BEAUTIFUL ASIAN CRAFTS
How about learning about Asia and unleashing your child's creativity at the same time? Daria from TINYTAPPINGTOES celebrated the New Lunar Year by making a Year of the Sheep gong. You can make one yourself by using her pdf tutorial, which even includes each of the Chinese New Year animals to decorate your gong with! And if the gong rattles your cage just a bit too much, why not try making the cutest homemade pellet drum, or Bo Lang Gu? The Bo Lang Gu dates back to the Song Dynasty in China and is part of religious rituals in Tibet, Mongolia, India, and Taiwan. The Bo Lang Gu produces a really unique sound as small beads or pellets attached on a string bounce off the drum.

For some reason, Chinese New Year doesn't feel complete without colorful little dragons. In her guest post on CRAFTIEMUM, Angie and her young children make the most gorgeous paper plate dragons you will ever come across.

Lantern Festival marks the end of the Lunar New Year. This Chinese paper lantern by Laura of MOMMYMALETA might not float away in the skies, but it won't burn your fingers and can be made with kids!

In all its teeming diversity, Asia seems to be united in its fondness of kites. Carrie from CRAFTYMOMSSHARE explains how she and her daughter learned about Asia through kite making. Did you know that kites carried different messages based on their shape? I certainly didn't.

Also, did you know that India's national animal is the Royal Bengal tiger? Learn more with Laura of MOMMYMALETA and make these two fun crafts: tiger striped nail polish and stinking cute tiger handprints. Just so no one feels left out - the first is for older girls, the other for younger children.

Through crafting, Laura travels from India to Japan to find out that making origami cranes isn't in fact for the faint of heart. The trick might lie in the paper, or the fold, or the artist - who knows! Discovering that scrapbooking paper makes a decent origami paper substitute and having smart daughters helps immensely. Leanna of ALLDONEMONKEY gets creative and crafts a beautiful model Ger to learn about Mongolia and nomadic life. As a bonus, watch a fascinating video on her blog of an actual Ger being built.

Koloud from ACRAFTYARAB and his family were inspired by the visual beauty of Ketupat, or Malay dumplings, to make a clever Ketupat inspired notecard that you might post on a friend's doorknob during Ramadan. Practical crafts are the best!
DELICIOUS RECIPES FROM AROUND ASIA

After all that crafting, what better way to nourish the body and feed the mind than with a hands on activity that so many kids love: cooking!

Leanna from ALLDONEMONKEY explores Korean cuisine by preparing a pumpkin traditional savory rice porridge called Jook. Read right to the end to find a Korean Cinderella story to accompany your homemade Korean treat.

What could bring you closer to China than to make dumplings for Spring Festival? Amanda from MISSPANDACHINESE invites families to make jiaozi together using her recipe. As a bonus, there are a few language tips at the bottom of the page. Try your hand at making sushi in your own home like Amanda's family did from THEEDUCATORSSPINONIT. My own sushi making experience tells me that it is way harder than it looks! Still, Amanda even got the kids and the grandparents involved in selecting herbs and hand rolling their Japanese delicacies together.

For desert, Carrie from CRAFTYMOMSSHARE makes Kanom Gluay, a type of Thai banana cake and discovers a surprise ingredient: rice! Don't miss the selection of Thai cookbooks and storybooks as well as Thai dishes linked up in this post.

Marie-Claude from MARIE'S PASTICHE ventured out to make Korean Hotteok with daughter Elle in their exploration of pancakes from around the world. They kindly share a tutorial style recipe of this sweet pancake. Not so kind not to share the oozing goodness with us, Elle! If you have ever wanted to make Thai Roti with banana, look no further. Marie-Claude has done that with her children as well, clearly having a blast in the process. Check out her Mongolian Gambir recipe too, best enjoyed reading the books below, of course!
LOVELY BOOKS ABOUT ASIA
Leanna from ALLDONEMONKEY shares three books about Mongolia she has read with her boys. They are mainly geared towards early readers. Thanks to these books, Leanna's boys have virtually visited a Ger, learned about local geography and culture, all while sipping on some salty Mongolian milk tea. Yes please, sounds delightful.

Amanda of MISSPANDACHINESE presents her 12 favorite childrens books to learn about Spring Festival and Chinese culture. They are vibrant and colorful albums worth owning. I can only agree with her review of the Chinese Nursery Rhymes book + CD being a joyful way to learn culture through singing. We are now in possession of this book and have been joyfully belting out "dang woooomen tong zai yiqi , qi kuaile wubiiii" at most red lights.

Following a previous review on CRAFTMOMSSHARE, Carrie describes All about Indonesia, which includes information on how to make your own batik, prepare Dadar Gulung or create cool little shadow puppets, Carrie shares her experience with the book All about Japan. Told from the perspective of children who live in Japan, young readers learn about daily life in Japan, poetry, music, recipes and more. Let's be honest, who hasn't wanted to make Mochi? Thanks to this well-rounded book, her 6 year old daughter Hazel has. Incredible.

Finally, Laura of MOMMYMALETA reviews The Pearl of Bengal, a mystery book with Indian geography and history as the backdrop. Storytelling is such a natural and excellent way to learn and remember in Laura's experience.

Let me know in the comments below if you end up trying any of these ideas for yourself or if you have any other Asian activities and crafts you'd like to share. Thank you to all the bloggers above for sending in such great suggestions!

----------------

To make it easier to find activities and crafts mentioned above according to a country, here is a quick COUNTRY REFERENCE GUIDE:

CHINA:
6 Incredible Chinese Artworks
Art around the world: China
Our Year Exploring China in a Nutshell - Top 10 Posts & Chinese Activities for Kids
Chinese New Year Family Day
Host a Chinese New Year culture party for kids
Organize a cultural playdate
Lunar New Year
Chinese New Year Dragon Parade
Chinese Zodiac Game
A Little Mandarin Chinese Moon Festival
Chinese Poems for Mid Autumn Festival
Learning Cardinal Directions in Mandarin
Building Language Fluency in Mandarin through pictures
Year of the Sheep Gong craft
Bolang Gu pellet drum craft
Dragon plate craft
Paper lantern craft
Spring Festival / CNY dumpling recipe (jiaozi)
12 Favorite Spring Festival and Culture books

INDONESIA:
Ketupat notecard craft
All about Indonesia review

MONGOLIA:
Make a model Ger craft
Mongolian Gambir recipe
Childrens books about Mongolia

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Learn about Asia through crafts & activities!

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Today, I have the immense honor to host the March Multicultural Kids Blog carnival on the topic of Asian crafts and activities. In fact, I am posting this on my son's birthday (who was coincidentally 100% made in China!), which makes it even more special to me.

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Asian American and     Pacific Islander Science

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Asian American and     Pacific Islander Science

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When "Hidden Figures" premiered in 2016, the film, about black women working as "computers" for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the 1960s, stunned audiences. Until then, a lot of people might have assumed that the STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) had been limited to white men. While partially true, people of color and white women were around. They were there, and they made large contributions, broke barriers and set standards. Unfortunately, the issue of erasure--the phenomenon of rendering marginalized groups practically invisible, due to lack of recognition and discrepancies in who has the power to document history-- often obscures many black history stories outside sports, entertainment and activism.

Journalism, for instance, particularly digital journalism-driven by technology, data and visuals-would not exist in its contemporary form without contributions from many African Americans. Shockwave, GPS, video streaming, the PC, microphones and cellphone technology are in our lives today thanks to the work and talent of black people. So in honor of Black History Month, this project highlights some of the hidden figures in digital journalism history. These 28 men, women and groups have helped shape modern media, and/or have paved the way for others to do so. They are the unsung, the forgotten, and the erased trailblazers of the intersection of journalism, design and technology.

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28 Black Pioneers in Journalism, Design and Technology - Vince Dixon Portfolio

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When "Hidden Figures" premiered in 2016, the film, about black women working as "computers" for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the 1960s, stunned audiences. Until then, a lot of people might have assumed that the STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) had been limited to white men.

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Explore fun, engaging and exciting world themed activities to do with toddlers, preschoolers and kindergartners. Our activities are widely used by teachers, moms, dads, child care providers and more!

All our activities are available at no cost and are free to print and share. Today we will be covering the continent Africa!

Craft Area
Add African animal stamps and pens

Weaving
Use a Styrofoam tray with rubber bands around it and weave with ribbon, feathers, sticks, etc.

The Village of Round and Square Houses
Read "The Village of Round and Square Houses." Make round and square houses with paper and straw etc., after reading this book.

Beads
Use 2 cups flour,1 cup salt and small amt. of water to make a dough. Knead the dough. Have the children make circles and square shapes. Stick a small toothpick into the clay to make the hole. Bake in oven at 225 degrees for 1 hour. Once cool let the children use markers to decorate them. Then let the children string them into a necklace. You could make a bracelet using elastic thread.

African Masks
Masks have been made for thousands of years from all kinds of materials and for many different uses. Some are religious, or represent nature and tribal ancestors. Dancers wear masks in ceremonies to bring rain or chase away evil or sickness.

Using a paper plate fold in 1/2.Cut out eyes, nose and mouth. These can be painted. You can hole punch all around edges and add yarn or raffia.

African Shields
Shields were made in a great variety of sizes and shapes. Some only a few inches long were carried in dance rituals and were merely symbols of their original use. Shapes varied from tribe to tribe.

Using a paper plate staple a strip of strong paper to the back and staple on each side of the plate. The child will insert a hand into the back of the plate and the paper will keep the shield in place. Let the children decorate the plate. Color and glue on cut up wallpaper pieces, sequins, yarn, etc. Let the kids dance around with the shields.

Kofis (Pronounced>Koo-fees)
Kofis look like a pillbox hat and are a traditional headdress for celebrations. These special hats add authenticity in role-playing and the study of African culture.

Use dark construction paper 24″x2″ for the headband. Cut 6 strips 12″ long by 2″ wide. Arrange strips like a wheel, overlapping in the center. Staple the center or use a brad (paper fastener). Punch holes all around the hat and attached the strips with the brads.

Calabash Bowls
A Calabash is a bowl made from dried gourds. We make papier-mâché to create our bowls. I turn over a small foam bowl with a piece of plastic wrap taped over it. let the children lay strips of newspaper that have been dipped in glue over the bowls. Do more then one layer. When dry, remove and cut them into a circle or bowl shape. Paint with bright colors and spray with clear acrylic.

Flags
Each African country has its own flag of meaningful colors: green symbolizes growing things, yellow symbolizes the sun, red the blood of the people, blue the sea, white peace, and black the people or African freedom.
Have the children make their own flags, be sure to ask them what the colors that they have used signify to them!

Wodaabe Mirror Pouch
Poster board or oak tag, dark in color, 5″ X 10″, Yarn, gimp 3′ long, Aluminum foil, 3″x4″, pencil, glue tape, scissors and hole punch. Decorations: Beads, buttons, gold foil, small shells, bits of
colored paper.

Fold board in half, Open it and draw a 2″x3″ box in the middle of top half. Cut up and around 3 sides, leaving bottom edge attached for a flap. Push flap through to other side and glue or tape foil to cover inside opening. Fold the poster board closed. With edges closed. Punch holes through both layers on three sides, but not folded one. Sew up the edges, even the ends and tie around the back of your neck. Glue on decorations. The Wodaabe place decorations in rows. The Wodaaabe people of Niger wear leather mirror pouches decorated with cowrie shells, beads, and copper, and more, around their necks. Other Africans use found objects like large safety pins and even pieces of zippers in their arts and crafts."

Rainsticks
For centuries many tribes have used rainsticks to summon the rain. Let the children fill paper towel rolls with rice, beans etc. Cover the ends with a small circle of poster board and masking tape. Let the children paint. SAVE THOSE PAPER TOWEL ROLLS! Our kids made a huge rainstick using a mailing tube. Let the kids hammer in roofing nails all over the tube. Cover the end w/poster board and clear tape, then filled it with rice.

Experiment with the sound of different amounts of rice. When you like the sound, tape up the other end. Let the children paint a stripe horizontally until each child did one. Then let each child take a pencil dipped in paint and make dots all over the tube.

Drums
Africa probably has the largest variety of drums to be found in any continent, but virtually every other type of musical instrument is also represented throughout Africa. Of the drums, the most characteristically African are those known as "talking drums" because they can reproduce the tonal inflections and rhythms of African languages. In Zaire, Congo, and other countries in Africa, drums or gongs, as they are called in Congo are still used to send messages.

I use a pot turned upside down and a wooden spoon. Let the children tap out a drumbeat. Tell them that the drums were used to send important messages. Then ask the kids to tell you what they said on the drum. Pass it around the circle.

Set out a variety of objects for the children to use as drums. Oatmeal boxes and coffee cans with plastic lids can serve as hand drums. For larger drums place objects such as wastebaskets, ice cream buckets and cardboard boxes upside down on the floor. Let the children experiment with the drums and talk about the different sounds they make. Which ones are the best for making a sound like falling rain? Which ones are best for making the sound of elephants stomping? Tap out rhythms for the children to repeat. Play African music and let the children accompany the music with the drums.

Balancing
The African people go about their daily business w/pots of water, food, blankets, etc. on top of their heads. Let the children practice at balancing a few folded blankets on top of their heads.

Slings
The African women go about their daily business w/their children in a sling on their back. I made a simple sling for the children to use and carry a doll in the sling.

Galloping Zebras
Have children stand in a large circle and pretend to be zebras. Have one child to stand in the middle and beat a drum using fast and slow rhythms and the other children can gallop to the beat of the drum.

Stripe Matching
Draw from one to five pairs of index cards. Mix up the cards and let the children take turns matching the stripes.

Monkey See, Monkey Do
Have children stand in a circle. Choose one child to make a funny movement and have the others try to imitate him/her. Continue until all children have had a turn.

African Safari
Have safari day at school! Have each child bring to class a stuffed animal of a real animal that could be from Africa. Hide them around the room when the children are away from the classroom, or have someone else do this. Go on a safari to find the animals.

Clap Game
Clap if it lives in Africa or if it is done in Africa or if it is related to Africa.

Teacher calls out to the group. Remind the children that you will try to trick them zebra, gorilla, Kwanzaa, President Obama, shoe, taco, hippopotamus, Nile River, Sahara Desert, African masks, blue, polar bears, sock, talking drums, lion, dung beetle, white rhino, peanuts, jambo, balance items on head, pink, sink, t.v., kofi (pronounced>koo-fee), shield, savanna, watch, computer, chimpanzee, ostrich, cape seal, rock, python, flamingo, cheetah, spoon, balloon, monkey, hyena, jackal, elephant, book, leopard, aardvark, cape buffalo, wildebeests, anteaters, antelopes, lemur, tsetse fly, army ants, chair, hair, fork, table, meerkat, African violet plant, carry baby in a sling, rainstick, 2nd largest continent in the world, giraffe, grasslands, jungle, carry pots on top of head.

Game Kisolo
It's a fun game played with seeds or stones. You can play it with you children, using an egg carton and buttons or beans. Cut the lid off an egg carton and save bottom portion for the game. Make two collection boxes 2 inches high by measuring and cutting off the tops of two half-pint cardboard milk cartons.

Paint all pieces with acrylic paints inside and out. Let dry, then cut a 6 by 18 inch of cardboard or poster board. Center the egg carton on the sheet, place a collection box at each end and glue the cartons in place. Decorate. (use two baskets at each side of the egg carton and not bother with gluing onto cardboard. Easier to transport)

To play: Sit across from your opponent and place game between the two of you so that your collection box is to your right and your opponent's box is to your left. Fill each egg-carton bin with four tokens such as buttons, beans or glass blobs. The object of the game is to collect the most tokens in your collection box.

The youngest player can go first. Play begins by picking up all tokens in any one bin on your side of the game, which is the row facing you. Place a token in the bin to the right of the empty bin and continue dropping tokens one by one counterclockwise. If you reach your collection box, drop a token in the box and continue to your opponent's side until all tokens in your hand are distributed. Do not drop a token in your opponent's box. Gain an extra turn when the last token lands in your box. If the last token lands in an empty bin on your side of the game, take all of your opponent's tokens from his bin opposite that empty bin. Place them in your box.

Your opponent resumes play. When bins from one side of the game are empty, the game stops. Count the tokens in the boxes.

I've seen these at the stores for around 25.00.I like to use those pretty stones or glass blobs for the tokens.

Kenyan Girls' Game
In this game, girls sing and act out chores of Kikuyu women. Players form two lines facing each other. The first line steps forward, singing "This is the way we chop our wood, here in the land of Kikuyu." As they sing, they make rhythmic motions as though cutting wood. The song may be sung to the tune of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush."

When they finish, they step back. The other line steps forward, singing, "This is the way we build our fire, here in the land of Kikuyu," stooping to lay wood and blow on an imaginary fire. The groups continue taking turns.

Group 1: "This is the way we carry our water, here in the land of Kikuyu," balancing gourds on their heads.

Group 2: "This is the way we oil our bodies, here in the land of Kikuyu," rubbing their bodies with imaginary oil and ochre.

Group 1: "This is the way we grind our corn, here in the land of Kikuyu," kneeling and motioning to grind corn between two stones.

Group 2: "This is the way we carry the baby, here in the land of Kikuyu," holding imaginary babies on their backs and rocking from side to side.

Hunting the Leopard: A Kenyan Boys' Game
Though mainly agricultural people, at times Kikuyu men hunted wildlife that attacked their livestock or crops. In this imaginary hunt, Kikuyu boys practice their skills. Each player has a long pointed stick and a short stick as a spear and knife.

Boys divide in two teams, choose a leader and find a playing ground with bushes. The leader chants words like: "May the skin of the leopard that took goats from the flock be punctured by the spears and arrows of these warriors. All hail to the warrior whose spear first enters his body."

The leader throws a sprig of leaves between the teams, and the boys thrust their spears into the ground around it, also chanting. The teams start hunting, beating the bushes aside with knives, and slowly track down the animal.

At the end, the leader snarls like a cornered leopard. The boys hurl their spears at the ground where the imaginary leopard crouches, and then circle around it, shouting a victory song.

Discussion Activities
Talk about Ancient Egyptians
- Pyramids
- Ancient writing
- Pharaohs (rulers or kings)
- Temples and palaces

People of Africa
- customs
- villages
- living conditions
- adornments
- food (crops)
- clothing

Animals of Africa
- camels, zebra, etc.
- livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, and camels) also labors

Environment of Africa
- desert
- plains
- forests
- tropical

Nutty Bananas
Let the children enjoy this fun snack, which combines two favorite African foods- bananas and peanuts(groundnuts). Make a mixture of finely chopped or grated peanuts, wheat germ and cinnamon. Place small amounts of the mixture on paper plates and give each child one half of an unpeeled banana. To eat, have the children gradually peel their bananas and dip them into the nut mixture before taking each bite. You could substitute grape nuts cereal for the peanuts.

Africa Fingerplay
I'd like to go to Africa (Point to self.)

Where natives build straw huts like this (Join fingertips of two hands and form roof)

Where elephants have big, gray trunks (clasp hands and swing arms in front like a trunk)

Where natives' arrow seldom miss (Shoot arrow in pantomime.)

Where lions shake their manes and roar (Shake head & roar)

I'd like to go to Africa. (Point to self)
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All of our theme ideas have come from our imagination and from reader submissions. Please if you have crafts, activities, games, recipes, songs or poems that you would like us to add to this theme.

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Africa Themed Activities for Kids | ChildFun

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Explore fun, engaging and exciting world themed activities to do with toddlers, preschoolers and kindergartners. Our activities are widely used by teachers, moms, dads, child care providers and more! All our activities are available at no cost and are free to print and share. Today we will be covering the continent Africa!

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Once upon a time, I spent a few months living in the north of India. This constituted one of the greatest adventures of my life (so far - I'm not done yet). And on this journey, I picked up a few books that captured my attention.

I realized that India has a rich literary tradition and is home to some of the best and most imaginative authors out there. More people should read these books.

The sun goes down in a different way in India. And you can feel the same warm, exotic glow by sitting back and opening a book through which monsoons and smells of spices will flow.

Of course, I haven't read all the authors from this list (I intend to). But this is to serve as a reference for anyone interested in Indian literature who wants to go deeper and to learn about its most distinguished literati, classic and contemporary.

I'm sure I haven't captured all the names that should be included here. Please support my efforts by naming some of your own favorite Indian writers in the comments section.

22 Famous Indian Authors And Their Notable Works

1. Rabindranath Tagore
This was the first Indian author I've ever read. I remember sitting on a bus going to my office in Chandigarh and reading Gitanjali and Stray Birds in an old paperback version.
These poems changed my life and opened me up to something I've never experienced before.

Tagore was born in 1861 and during his life, he wrote hundreds of poems, books, and articles. His father knew Persian and could recite the poetry of Hafiz by heart. You can see that many of these Sufi mysteries are also detectable in the great author's work.

It is always related to The Power of Love and the closeness to God. Later in life, Tagore actually visited the tombs of Saadi and Hafiz in Shiraz and admired these poets greatly.

He was also deeply influenced by Baul mysticism, Sahaja Buddhism, Vedanta Philosophy, and the Upanishads.

He was knighted by the British Empire in 1915, but within a couple of years, he resigned the title as a protest against British policies in India (especially the massacre in Amritsar in 1919, which grounds I walked during my stay in Punjab). Tagore was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1913).
Notable works: Quote from the author:

"The small wisdom is like water in a glass:

clear, transparent, pure.

The great wisdom is like the water in the sea:

dark, mysterious, impenetrable."

2. Jiddu Krishnamurti

His interests were wide-ranging and included psychological revolution, the nature of the mind, meditation, societal change, and human relationships. I've learned a lot about meditation and the nature of consciousness from him. This includes the principle of non-grasping and non-judgment which serve me well to this day.

He was one of the first people to bring Eastern thought to the West. His thesis was that a revolution in society can only be brought about at the level of an individual. By changing ourselves for the better we can change society as a whole.

He pledged no allegiance to a nationality, a caste, or religion and spent the later years of his life traveling around the world and giving lectures to large and small groups.
Notable works: Awakening of Intelligence Quote from the author:

"You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it. That is why you must read, that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing, and dance, and write poems, and suffer, and understand, for all that is life."

3. Chetan Bhagat

He's one of the most popular writers in the country and his books sold over 7 million copies all over the world (he writes primarily in English). The New York Times called him "the biggest selling English language novelist in India's history".

Interestingly, instead of literature, he studied mechanical engineering and business management. At some point, he even applied to work in investment banking for Goldman Sachs. He wrote his first books while still working for the company but later quit his full-time job and focused on writing.

Many of his books served as an inspiration for Bollywood films and Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2010. However, in 2017 he has been accused of plagiarism (regarding two of his books) and is now involved in a legal trial.
Notable works: 2 States: The Story of My Marriage Quote from the author:

"Pretty girls behave best when you ignore them. Of course, they have to know you are ignoring them, for otherwise, they may not even know you exist."

4. Aravind Adiga

After his studies, he began his career as a journalist, traveling the world and writing for publications such as Financial Times and TIME. He finally went freelance and then wrote his first big book The White Tiger, which portrays Balram, a lead character coming from crushing rural poverty but witnessing the rise of India as a modern global economy. The book sold over 200,000 copies of the hardcover edition.

Now the author is back in India, living in Mumbai, where he writes and releases a new book every other year.
Notable works: Quote from the author:

"Go to Old Delhi, and look at the way they keep chickens there in the market. Hundreds of pale hens and brightly colored roosters, stuffed tightly into wire-mesh cages. They see the organs of their brothers lying around them. They know they are next, yet they cannot rebel. They do not try to get out of the coop. The very same thing is done with humans in this country."

5. Shashi Tharoor

All of them are centered around the history, culture, film, and politics of his native country. Moreover, he wrote hundreds of columns for prestigious publications such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, and The Times of India.

He's a controversial figure in India known for his polarizing stances on many social and political issues. It's almost too much to digest (he even got charged with abetment to suicide of his wife in 2018).
Notable works: An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India Quote from the author:

"India is not, as people keep calling it, an underdeveloped country, but rather, in the context of its history and cultural heritage, a highly developed one in an advanced state of decay."

6. Amrita Pritam
Pritam, born in 1919 was a novelist, essayist, and poet who, unlike many of the authors on this list wrote in Punjabi and Hindi.
She is known as the most prominent Punjabi poet who is loved both by Indians and Pakistanis. She lived a long life during which she produced over 100 books of poetry, fiction, biographies, as well as a collection of beautiful Punjabi folk songs. Her works have been translated into many Indian and foreign languages.

Her book Pinjar (The Skeleton) was groundbreaking and ultimately got adapted into an award-winning movie in 2003. She has been often compared to Mohan Singh and Shiv Kumar Batlavi and was the most prominent voice for the liberation of women in Punjabi literature.
Notable works: Quote from the author:

"Warish Shah I call out to you, Rise from your grave, speak out and turn, Another page of the Book of Love"

7. Kamala Markandaya

Another widely known female author from India, Kamala Markandaya, was born in Mysore in 1924. She was an acclaimed novelist and journalist known for writing about the conflict between different strata of the Indian society (rural vs. urban), as well as the adoption of Western values in her country.

Her book "Nectar in a Sieve" is a classic of Indian literature and has been in print continuously since 1955. After the Declaration of Independence, she moved to Britain but she always remained loyal to her native country and labeled herself an expatriate.
Notable works: Quote from the author:

"For where shall a man turn who has no money? Where can he go? Wide, wide world, but as narrow as the coins in your hand. Like a tethered goat, so far and no farther. Only money can make the rope stretch, only money."

8. Khushwant Singh

This list wouldn't be complete without mentioning Khushwant Singh, a Punjabi author, lawyer, diplomat, journalist, and politician.

He lived through the partition of India in 1947 and this inspired him to write "Train to Pakistan", which became his most famous novel (also made into a film in 1998).

He fought fiercely for the independence of India from the British Empire and in the '50s worked for the All India radio and UNESCO.

Unlike many Indian authors, he abhorred spirituality and treated life with wit, humor, sarcasm and unending love for poetry.
Notable works: Quote from the author:

"Not forever does the bulbul sing

In balmy shades of bowers,

Not forever lasts the spring

Nor ever blossom the flowers.

Not forever reigneth joy,

Sets the sun on days of bliss,

Friendships not forever last,

They know not life, who know not this."

9. R.K. Narayan

Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami is mostly known for his fiction works related to the South Indian town of Malgudi. He was a leading English language author in India along Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao.

It might come as a surprise, but he was a close friend of Graham Greene, who actually helped him to get publishers for his first books. The fictional town Malgudi was first introduced in his book "Swami and Friends". The made-up town had a pristine historical record dating back to the times of Ramayana and Buddha.

He loved to show the humor and of everyday life and has been often compared to William Faulkner. He wrote for over sixty years and lived to be 94.
Notable works: Quote from the author:

"Friendship was another illusion like love, though it did not reach the same mad heights. People pretended that they were friends, when the fact was they were brought together by force of circumstances."

10. Salman Rushdie

This author should not require an introduction. Rushdie first came on the map with his novel "Midnight's Children" (1981) for which he won the Booker Prize.

His works are a great combination of magical realism and historical fiction and are often set on the Indian subcontinent.

His novel "The Satanic Verses", put him in mortal danger from assassins who haunted him for many years on orders from Ayatollah Khomeini, who issued a fatwa, condemning the author to death, for his "blasphemous" novel which ostensibly offended the Prophet.

He wrote many novels afterward and has been ranked 13th on the list of the best British writers since 1945.
Notable works: Quote from the author:

"I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done, of everything done-to-me. I am everyone everything whose being-in-the-world affected was affected by mine. I am anything that happens after I'm gone which would not have happened if I had not come."

11. Arundhati Roy

Roy is mostly known for her novel the "God of Small Things" for which she received a Man Booker Prize for fiction in 1997. This book became a huge bestseller and sold more copies than any other non-expatriate Indian novel. Her novel "The Ministry of Utmost Happiness" also won many awards and found its way to the Man Booker Prize 2017 longlist.

She's also a political activist and a fighter for environmental causes. She's a polarizing figure in India, known for her scathing comments about Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister.

Roy was featured in Time's 100 most influential people in the world list in 2014.
Notable works: The Ministry of Utmost Happiness Quote from the author:

"To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget."

12. Vikram Seth

Born in 1952 in Calcutta, Seth is a part novelist, part travel writer known mostly for his first novel "The Golden Gate" and the epic novel "A Suitable Boy".

The author was actually raised in London and graduated from Oxford, and Stanford where he studied economics.

It took him a long time to get the attention of the public and some of his first volumes did not attract critical attention. The first book that conquered the hearts of readers was a humorous travelogue "From Heaven Lake."

His books are most often written in verse but his book of prose "A Suitable Boy", which has 1349 pages, is often compared to the works of Leo Tolstoy and Charles Dickens.
Notable works: Quote from the author:

"But I too hate long books: the better, the worse. If they're bad they merely make me pant with the effort of holding them up for a few minutes. But if they're good, I turn into a social moron for days, refusing to go out of my room, scowling and growling at interruptions, ignoring weddings and funerals, and making enemies out of friends. I still bear the scars of Middlemarch."

13. Anita Desai

Except for children's books she wrote many novels on the theme of women's oppression in India. Her writing style is poetic and not shying away from tragedy and high-drama.

She received many awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award, and the British Guardian Prize for her work. And in 1993, her novel "In Custody" was made into a film which won the 1994 President of India Gold Medal for Best Picture.
Notable works: Quote from the author:

"Isn't it strange how life won't flow, like a river, but moves in jumps, as if it were held back by locks that are opened now and then to let it jump forwards in a kind of flood?"

14. Jhumpa Lahiri

Although she was born in London, and now has American citizenship, her background is ethnically Indian (her parents come from West Bengal). Her work often explores the Indian immigrant experience in America.

Her book "Interpreter of Maladies" won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the PEN/Hemingway award. Moreover, her second novel "The Namesake" was made into a popular movie of the same name.

In 2011 she moved to Rome and since then she has translated a few Italian books into English. Her forthcoming book is going to be written in Italian as well.
Notable works: Interpreter of Maladies Quote from the author:

"You are still young, free.. Do yourself a favor. Before it's too late, without thinking too much about it first, pack a pillow and a blanket and see as much of the world as you can. You will not regret it. One day it will be too late."

15. Amitav Ghosh

Ghosh is mostly known for his English works of fiction. He's also the winner of the prestigious Jnanpith award for his outstanding contribution to literature.

He was born in Calcutta in 1956 but later moved with his family to New York, USA, where he joined The Queen's College as a distinguished professor of comparative literature. He's also been a visiting professor in the English department of the Harvard University

He later returned to India where he began working on his Ibis Trilogy. He wrote eight novels (the most famous one being the "Sea of Poppies"), as well as 6 works of nonfiction including many notable collections of essays.

In his works, he often deals with epic themes of history, memory political struggle, and communal violence which include elements of anthropology as well as art.
Notable works: The Glass Palace: A Novel Quote from the author:

"What would it be like if I had something to defend - a home, a country, a family - and I found myself attacked by these ghostly men, these trusting boys? How do you fight an enemy who fights with neither enmity nor anger, but in submission to orders from superiors, without protest and without conscience?"

16. Ruskin Bond

Bond is an Indian author of British descent. He's known for his contributions to the children's literature genre and he received many literary awards including Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.

Many of his works are inspired by the hill stations at the foothills of the Himalayas. The author spent most of his childhood there. I also visited these places, including Dharamshala and attest - they are truly breathtaking. His most famous children's book is called "The Angry River."

He once said: "I had a pretty lonely childhood and it [writing] helps me to understand a child better."

He's been writing for over 50 years, and he lived through many societal and political changes in India. This is reflected in many of his works.
Notable works: Quote from the author:

"How evanescent those loves and friendships seem at this distance in time... We move on, make new attachments. We grow old. But sometimes, we hanker for old friendships, the old loves. Sometimes I wish I was young again. Or that I could travel back in time and pick up the threads. Absent so long, I may have stopped loving you, friends; but I will never stop loving the Day I loved you."

17. Kiran Desai

Kiran is the daughter of Anita Desai, already mentioned in this list. Her novel "Inheritance of Loss" which took her seven years to complete won the Man Booker Award in 2006. She received many other accolades (including praise from Salman Rushdie) for her works and has been named as one of the 20 most influential Indian women.

She was born in Delhi but later on, she moved to India and then to the United States where she studied creative writing at Bennington College, Hollins University, and Columbia University.

Despite publishing just two books, she's still one of the most widely known English language writers from India
Notable works: The Inheritance of Loss Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard Quote from the author:

"Could fulfillment ever be felt as deeply as loss? Romantically she decided that love must surely reside in the gap between desire and fulfillment, in the lack, not the contentment. Love was the ache, the anticipation, the retreat, everything around it but the emotion itself."

18. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Her works are set both in India and the United States and quite often depict the life of immigrants.

What's quite distinctive about her work is that she writes in many different genres and for many different audiences including adults as well as children. She penned a dozen books of fiction, a couple of books for young adults and children as well as many books of poetry.
Notable works: The Palace of Illusions: A Novel Sister of My Heart: A Novel Quote from the author:

"Looking back, I could not point to one special time and say, There! That's what is amazing. We can change completely and not recognize it. We think terrible events have made us into stone. But love slips in like a chisel - and suddenly it is an ax, breaking us into pieces from the inside."

19. Nirad C. Chaudhuri

Chaudhuri lived to be 101 years old, and he almost lived in three different centuries. He was born in 1897 still in British India and died in 1999 in Oxford, England.

He wrote both in English and Bengali. His books often touch upon the themes of the history and cultural changes in India, especially in the context of the British Empire.

His magnum opus "The autobiography of an Unknown Indian" attracted many admirers over the years, including Winston Churchill. It's an autobiography of Chaudhuri from his birth to the age of 50. The book brought about much controversy and was a great account of how the colonial rule really worked.
Notable works: The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian Quote from the author:

"I understood the life around me better, not from love, which everybody acknowledges to be a great teacher, but from estrangement, to which nobody has attributed the power of reinforcing insight".

20. Mahatma Gandhi
This man doesn't need any introduction. He played a huge role in a political movement that ultimately led to the liberation of India from the British Empire.
Most people know him for his political activism and service to his country. But he was also an avid writer who left behind many interesting books that chronicle his fight for independence as well as his personal philosophy.

His book "The story of my experiments with truth" is a collection of 105 essays covering different aspects of his life and the development of his philosophy.

Another book called "Hind Swaraj" was written in 1909 but already sketched out a dream of free India.
Notable Works: The Story of My Experiments with Truth Quote from the author:

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it-always."

21. Dilip Hiro

Hiro's career spans over many years and unlike other authors mentioned in this article, he's known mostly for his works of non-fiction, on the theme of war and politics. He's a fierce political commentator who to this day contributes to publications such as The Guardian.

His latest book is called "The Cold War in the Islamic World" and it's about the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Now he's based in England where he continues with his analysis of the current political landscape (including the rivalry between India and Pakistan).
Notable works:
Inside Central Asia: A Political and Cultural History of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Iran
Quote from the author:

"When asked about the extent to which the British decision to quit India was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi's 1942 movement, Attlee's lips widened in smile of disdain and he uttered, slowly, "Minimal."

22. Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
Chatterji could be as well in the first place on this list as he is the most popular, and the most translated Indian author of all time.
He was born in Bengal at the end of the 19th century and remains the most widely known novelist in the Bengali language. His works mostly deal with every day, often tragic life of the villagers of his native land.

He didn't receive much formal schooling but was endowed with the love of literature from his father. He later improved his writing skills under the tutelage of Kishorimohan Mukherjee. From then on, he was involved in the fight for independence and established himself as one of India's most famous writers.
Notable works: Quote from the author:

"They'll have the sweet, intimate memories of a lost paradise, and beside it a sea of sorrow... People looking on from outside think all is lost... What remains when everything is lost can be held in the palm, like a jewel. It can't be flaunted in a pageant, so the lookers-on are disappointed and jeer as they return home.."

Conclusion

You can't overestimate the value that Indian literature played in the world literary tradition. I hope that this quick list of the most notable Indian authors will inspire you to grab some of their books.

This is going to be a valuable experience, especially if you come from a Western tradition. You will learn so much more about a world you never truly experienced.

And this newfound knowledge will bring you to a new plane of understanding, and perhaps, inspire you to explore the literary traditions of other countries.

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22 Famous Indian Authors (And Their Best Books) | Rafal Reyzer

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I realized that India has a rich literary tradition and is home to some of the best and most imaginative authors out there. More people should read these books. The sun goes down in a different way in India.

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Hispanic literature has contributed enormously to the world treasury of books and Latino writers have made great contributions. Who are the most acclaimed among them?

Some names are so renowned that even people that are not considered book worms are familiar with them. Thanks to the vastness of the Spanish speaking territory, Latin writers enrich the legacy of Cervantes with local flavors.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombia)

"Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice" is one of the most famous book openings of all time. Hurry up and read One Hundred Years of Solitude by this Colombian writer before Netflix turns it into a miniseries. This is the book that started the Latin American boom and made Gabriel García Márquez the most famous Latino writer.

Mario Vargas Llosa (Peru)

I remember when I read The Time of The Hero and found it extremely compelling, the same as millions of other readers in the world. Vargas Llosa, Nobel Prize winner, is the most famous politician among writers, and the most famous writer among politicians. This Peruvian author has also gained recognition in non-literary circles due to his interesting social life.

Octavio Paz (Mexico)

Octavio Paz is the pride of Mexico and a winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. In The Labyrinth of Solitude this poet and essayist shaped the way people understand his home country; and it is still a required reading. He is also the author of the most elegant and refined definition of the slang word "chingar".

Julio Cortazar (Argentina)

Julio Cortazar is considered one of the best short storytellers, not only among Latino writers but in the whole world. His surreal worlds with unexpected twists that leave the reader totally perplexed are his trademark. Don't blame anyone and The Continuity of The Parks among others will dwell in your mind long after finishing the story.

Isabel Allende (Chile)

Isabel Allende from Chile is the most famous female writer in Latin American literature. She is able to create fantastic worlds that invisibly intertwine with the only one we know. Some critics accuse her of being a mere imitator of the magical realism by García Márquez but everyone that read The House of Spirits, or watched the movie, will be up in arms.

Jorge Luis Borges (Argentina)

Borges is a synonym of intellectual writing. Many people know his work and many claim to have read it, but not so many have been able to grasp its underlying and complex meanings. You might even know Borges without having directly read him. The most famous book by Paulo Coelho The Alchemist is strongly inspired by a short story by this Argentinean genius, without its complexities obviously.

Ernesto Sábato (Argentina)

Although most of his readers know only one of his works The Tunnel, it might be enough to recognize his brilliance. It's a criminal story far from a typical "whodunit" as it starts with a confession to the murder. Surprisingly, killing the suspense lets you focus on the deranged psyche of the narrator.

Latin America is rich in literature as in so many other things, and there is no shortage of great writers in the region. Do you have a favorite Latino writer that you want to share with us? Follow us on Twitter and join the conversation!

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The most acclaimed Latino writers in the world - The Latin Way

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Some names are so renowned that even people that are not considered book worms are familiar with them. Thanks to the vastness of the Spanish speaking territory, Latin writers enrich the legacy of Cervantes with local flavors.

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Mandarin Chinese can be found under High School Resources

Math

Social Studies

Teaching East Asia in the Middle School
by Teaching East Asia in the Middle School (TEAMS) at Indiana University
These unit plans and lessons were composed by middle school teachers based on National Council for Social Studies themes. Each volume contains lesson plans, outlines, and activities that present central issues related to East Asia in a systematic and easy-to-understand way.

By Michelle Mrakovich from Mayfield Middle School, Mayfield, Ohio
Published on and developed with National Consortium for Teaching about Asia- Ohio
Students will compare three countries- Korea, China, and Japan. Activities include debunking misconceptions of Chinese dragons and reading Lost Names to understand Korean culture.

By Bhavia C. Wagner, educator and author of Soul Survivors - Stories of Women and Children in Cambodia with support from Northern Illinois University
This set of nine lessons relates to the subjects of Cambodian history, art and culture, genocide, human rights, landmines, sweatshops, refugees in America, war and peace, and powerful women. Each lesson plan relates to chapters in Soul Survivors-Stories of Women in Cambodia.

Chinese Characters: Our Names in Chinese
By Telisha LeFloria
Published on and developed with National Consortium for Teaching about Asia- Ohio
Teachers will have students write their names in Chinese either on white canvas cloth or on paper. The activity can be done at the end of the unit on Ancient China.

Confucianism
By Lauren Glaros from McCord Middle School
Published on and developed with National Consortium for Teaching about Asia- Ohio
Students will put together quotes from Confucius and then review each of the quotes. They will discuss whether Confucianism is still present in modern Chinese society.

Dividing the Korean Peninsula
By Bridgette Nadzam-Kasubick
Published on and developed with The Korea Society
Students will draw a physical map of Korea and will define and analyze several boundaries of influence on the Korean peninsula. They will learn vocabulary on boundaries and read sources about the Korean War and the division of Korea. They will apply their geography knowledge to understanding the war. Common Core Standards and National Standards for Social Studies can be met.

The Korean Way of Tea
By Carolyn Chrisman
Published on and developed with The Korea Society
Students will explore tea ceremonies in Korea. They will be challenged to think more deeply about the meaning of tea to Koreans and its connection to Buddhism. This is great for an East Asia unit with accompaniment of tea ceremonies. National Standards for Social Studies can be met.

Oral Histories of Migration: Asian Americans in North Carolina
By Kevin W. Fogg
In this lesson, students will learn to Identify key reasons why people immigrate to United States and understand the history of Asian migration to the United States. From this lesson, students will recognize Asian American leaders in business, government, and culture and understand the changes occurring in North Carolina and United States from these immigrants bringing their traditions and cultures. They will analyze oral histories as a primary source with their advantages and limitations. Resources include materials from the AAS publication Education about Asia, the Carolina Navigators program, and links to other material that may be appropriate for elementary, middle, and high school classrooms.

Rural Environment and Society in Southeast Asia
By Christian C. Lentz from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Published on Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies at Cornell University
This lesson promotes discussion about rural environments in Southeast Asia and how these problems translate in Southeast Asian society. It surveys contemporary problems while also taking into account the effects of the colonial period. For supplemental materials, click here. A bibliography of related sources can be found here.

Utensils for Japanese Tea Ceremony
By Asian Education from the Asian Art Museum
Students will examine art of utensils in winter and summer tea ceremonies in Japan. They will discuss the differences and why these utensils were chosen for each ceremony.

Language Arts

By Bhavia C. Wagner, educator and author of Soul Survivors - Stories of Women and Children in Cambodia with support from Northern Illinois University
Nine lessons relate to the subjects of Cambodian history, art and culture, genocide, human rights, landmines, sweatshops, refugees in America, war and peace, and powerful women. Each lesson plan relates to chapters in Soul Survivors-Stories of Women in Cambodia.

Dragonwings
By Lydia Cardona
Published on and developed with National Consortium for Teaching about Asia- Ohio
Students will identify the theme of Dragonwings, a story of a Chinese boy who comes to California in 1903. They will identify characters' traits and motivations. Students will demonstrate comprehension of the text through various activities.

Kolam: A Living Art of South Asia
By Sandra L. Kowalczyk
Published on and developed with Center for South Asia Outreach at University of Wisconsin-Madison
Students will explore the ritual art of kolam and understand it in context. They will develop ideas through visual arts and writing through reading a short story. They will design and create patterns through different projects.

Shadow Puppetry in South India
By Sandra L. Kowalczyk
Published on and developed with Center for South Asia Outreach at University of Wisconsin-Madison
Students will develop new knowledge and an appreciation of traditional stories, oral storytelling and shadow puppetry traditions in south India. Students will learn and use elements and techniques of this traditional art form. National English, Social Studies, and Art Standards can be met.

A Story of China with Lon Po Po, a Chinese Little Red Riding Hood
By Edith Swank from West Holmes Middle School, Millersburg, Ohio
Published on and developed with National Consortium for Teaching about Asia- Ohio
Students will study the elements of a story (setting, character, plot, and theme) using two versions of the folktale Little Red-Riding Hood.

Where I'm From - Connecting Students through Poetry
By Tim Flanagan
Fulbright Distinguished Teacher 2016-2017, Hanoi, Vietnam
In this curriculum guide, students will share their own poetry about themselves and their lives, while also having the opportunity to read the poetry of Vietnamese young people. The lessons can be adapted as needed. It can be used with native English speakers as well as students who are learning English.

Science

B ounce into Rubber: Natural Latex from Thailand
By Robin Bartoletti from LearnNC
This lesson investigates natural latex rubber sources from Thailand. Students will complete research and experiments to determine which plants from Thailand are sources of latex. They will also explore images and audio recordings of rubber harvesting in Thailand. NC Essential Standards and Curriculum Alignment can be met.

Getting the Word Out About Food Waste
By Fareed Mostoufi from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting
"This Common Core Standards-aligned lesson plan guides students through an analysis of the purpose and impact of reporting about food waste in Washington D.C. and South Korea. They view two short films by grantee Karim Chrobog and analyze how the structures of both films illustrate the author's purpose for the reporting project. They then create their own media plans on reporting food waste issues in their communities." Common Core Standards for Language Arts can be met.

Visual Arts

Getting the Word Out About Food Waste
By Fareed Mostoufi from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting
"This Common Core Standards-aligned lesson plan guides students through an analysis of the purpose and impact of reporting about food waste in Washington D.C. and South Korea. They view two short films by grantee Karim Chrobog and analyze how the structures of both films illustrate the author's purpose for the reporting project. They then create their own media plans on reporting food waste issues in their communities." Common Core Standards for Language Arts can be met.

Kolam: A Living Art of South Asia
By Sandra L. Kowalczyk
Published on and developed with Center for South Asia Outreach at University of Wisconsin-Madison
Students will explore the ritual art of kolam and understand it in context. They will develop ideas through visual arts and writing through reading a short story. They will design and create patterns through different projects.

New Perspectives on the Ancient Indus Civilizations
By Lynn Zetzman from Xavier High School
Published on and developed with Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies at Cornell University
Students will explore archaeology and understand their significance in contemporary times. This lesson identifies stylized depictions of bulls which originate from Indus culture and how to create an animal form. Students will create ceramics and appreciate the level of ceramic craft skill and production in Indus culture.

Shadow Puppetry in South India
By Sandra L. Kowalczyk
Published on and developed with Center for South Asia Outreach at University of Wisconsin-Madison
Students will develop new knowledge and an appreciation of traditional stories, oral storytelling and shadow puppetry traditions in south India. Students will learn and use elements and techniques of this traditional art form.

Utensils for Japanese Tea Ceremony
By Asian Education from the Asian Art Museum
Students will examine art of utensils in winter and summer tea ceremonies in Japan. They will discuss the differences and why these utensils were chosen for each ceremony.
The Carolina Asia Center supports diverse Asia-related lesson plans. However, CAC did not create these lesson plans. This lesson plan database does not constitute endorsement of or agreement with the views presented therein. As an academic institution, we value diverse perspectives that promote dialogue and understanding.

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Mandarin Chinese can be found under High School Resources Math Social Studies Teaching East Asia in the Middle School by Teaching East Asia in the Middle School (TEAMS) at Indiana University These unit plans and lessons were composed by middle school teachers based on National Council for Social Studies themes.

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Kids love games, and playing with language is an excellent way to learn. Below you will find Spanish vocabulary games for kids, grouped by theme.

Of course, vocabulary has to be introduced and students need to work with the words in increasingly complex contexts. See these Foreign Language Teaching Methods modules from the University of Texas at Austin for information on how to teach vocabulary.

Spanish Picture Cards for Games
Games with General Vocabulary
Spanish Color Games
Number Games in Spanish
Letter Games in Spanish
Games with Spanish Vocabulary for Seasons
Spanish Animal Vocabulary Games
Games with Spanish House Vocabulary
Spanish Games with Body Parts Words
Geography Games in Spanish
Spanish Games for Holidays

Spanish Vocabulary Picture Cards

When you play games with picture cards, the images reinforce the meaning of the Spanish vocabulary. I use picture cards all the time, and you can find many free sets on Spanish Playground.

To start, check out 22 sets of Spanish Vocabulary Picture Cards by Theme, and a list of activities to do with the cards.

In addition, you'll find a list of 30 Spanish picture card games to play with cards here.

Below you'll find games for different themes with game board or cards.

Spanish Games with General Vocabulary

Games are a good way to build core vocabulary with beginners.

This printable Spanish Greetings Board Game, for example, it perfect for preschoolers and beginning learners in the early grades.

Likewise, this printable Spanish game Batalla de los tamaños, builds a variety of basic vocabulary with a fun, easy-to-play game.

The easy Spanish vocabulary game ¿Qué falta? also uses basic vocabulary, as kids identity what is missing from each picture.

I use these game cards to practice general vocabulary at different levels. They have simple associations in Spanish, such as gallina - huevos, ratón - queso, pie - zapato. So, there are several ways you can play.

Spanish Color Games

I teach colors in context, rather than as a separate theme, and we use color words in lots of games. If you want to focus specifically on colors, this active Spanish color game Camino de colores is a hit with kids.

Spanish Number Games

Numbers are basic vocabulary. Counting activities are easy to do in class, but it is harder to get enough exposure to higher numbers in conversation, stories and themed activities. Spanish number games are the solution! They are a great review of Spanish numbers and kids practice math skills at the same time.

Check out our list of 25 Spanish Number Games

Spanish Letter Games

There are many Spanish letter games and word-building activities. For example, in this printable domino game kids practice vowel sounds and words that begin with vowels.

Likewise, this guessing game is a letter game in Spanish and it's great for initial sounds and vocabulary.

Finally, check out this list of Spanish letter and words games with Bananagrams. Of course, the games can be played with any set of letters.

Connect 4 is a Spanish vocabulary game you can play with any theme. Read about the game and find a printable Connect 4 game board for Spanish letters here.

Spanish Games with Season Vocabulary

Spanish vocabulary for the seasons includes clothes, weather, nature and holiday words. You'll find more games for Spanish seasons with those themes.

Winter Vocabulary Games in Spanish

These Spanish Winter Vocabulary Dice Games review clothes and weather.

Spring Vocabulary Games in Spanish

With this Spring Vocabulary Game in Spanish, you count and clap syllables as you move around the game board. For beginning readers, try this Spanish word-building game for spring.

Summer Vocabulary Games in Spanish

This Summer I Spy Reading Game has cards with descriptions. It's good reading practice or adults can read the cards to younger children.

Spanish Animal Vocabulary Games

Kids learn tons of language as they learn about animals. These games with Spanish animal vocabulary are a fun way to get the basics so you can then talk about appearance, behavior and habitat.

For example, this I Spy with Spanish animal vocabulary uses the words in the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear and is perfect for beginners.

Likewise, this list of 25 activities to do with Spanish animal picture cards has cards and teaches basic words.

Also, our Spanish Animal Vocabulary Card Game adds context to the classic game Go Fish, so that players are looking for animals in different places.

Finally, Connect 4 is a Spanish vocabulary review game you can play with any theme, including animals. Read about the game and find a printable Connect 4 Game with Spanish Animal Vocabulary.

Spanish House Vocabulary Games

You can also find Spanish house vocabulary games in this list of activities.

Spanish Body Part Games

Body parts in Spanish are fun to learn because the vocabulary lends itself to movement. Find active games for Spanish body parts, as well as a printable board games, a lotería game and a roll-a-monster game in this set of Spanish Body Parts Games.

Geography Games

Try this Spanish card game to practice the names of countries in Spanish. It's also an excellent game for comparisons, because players are saying which country is larger.

Spanish Holiday Games

Spanish games are a fun addition to holiday celebrations in class or at home. Below you'll find Spanish games with vocabulary related to holidays, but be sure to check out our holiday activities for readings, crafts and other activities related to celebrations.

Games for New Year's Day

You can start the year with these two Spanish New Year's games, a word search and I Spy, to practice words vocabulary to ring in the New Year.

Spanish Valentine Games

Next, this Spanish Valentine Bingo Game has phrases we associate with love and friendship, and this Spanish Valentine Matching Game focuses on verb-pronoun combinations using questions for the holiday.

Also, try this Spanish Valentine Game with silly rhymes.

Easter Vocabulary Games

When spring arrives, if you celebrate Easter, use questions to celebrate the holiday and get the family talking. Many of these Easter conversation questions are general conversation starters, so you can use them at any time of year.

You might also like to try these 10 Spanish matching games with plastic eggs.

Spanish 4th of July Games

Next, gear up an Independence Day celebration with this printable Spanish July 4 vocabulary game. Try this 4th of July scavenger hunt, too.

Spanish Halloween Games

For spooky fun in October, try a matching game with our Spanish Halloween picture cards or an active Spanish game for Halloween, 1, 2, 3 Momia Es.

Thanksgiving Games in Spanish

Later in the fall, try this active gratitude game in Spanish for Thanksgiving.

Christmas Vocabulary Games

Finally, our Spanish Christmas countdown prompts are perfect for charades or any game that involves answering questions. They are full of Spanish vocabulary for Christmas and winter.

We will continue to add to this list as we use games in class. Do you have favorite Spanish vocabulary games for themes you teach? Let us know in the comments below!

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Spanish Vocabulary Games for Themes - Spanish Playground

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Kids love games, and playing with language is an excellent way to learn. Below you will find Spanish vocabulary games for kids, grouped by theme. Of course, vocabulary has to be introduced and students need to work with the words in increasingly complex contexts.

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Our activity, Doing Math the Mayan Way, encourages parents and teachers to teach children how to count using the Mayan numeral system. As with the counting system used by families to make maguey bags, the Maya used a base 20 counting system.

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Math Games From Around the World: Asia, Europe, and North America - Buzzmath

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Did you know that long ago, in the area south of the Sahara desert, mathematical thinking was mixed into the arts, riddles, games, architecture and other areas of life?

Check out these 13 interesting facts and learn something new about the history of mathematics in anicent Africa!

1. The oldest mathematical games in the world originated in African regions located south of the Sahara.
Check out our storybook board games based on math games from ancient Africa.
2. The oldest mathematical artifact, the Lebombo bone, dates back to more than 35,000 years ago. It was found in the Lebombo Mountains near Swaziland.

3. Digital computer systems originated from ancient African cultural practices.

4. Many African cattle and sheep hearders recognize their herd through facial and pattern recognition.

5. The development of geometrical thinking started in early African history as hunter-gatherers of the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa learned to track animals by getting to know the shape of their poop to learn which animal passed by, how long ago, if it was hungry or not, etc.

6. Cowrie shells were a popular form of currency across Africa.

7. Geometry and symmetry in repeated patterns can be seen throughout the area south of the Sahara, in forms of artistic designs on houses, gourd, baskets, pipes, and other everyday items.

8. Throughout the area south of the Sahara, all adult members of a community had the mathematical understanding, design sense, and construction skills to build his/her own house.

9. The Bushmen can recognize up to 175 species of plants as a food source. They are able to walk for miles and find the exact location of a watery root plant that was spotted several months ago.

10. People used an ancient structure known as the African Stonehenge in present-day Kenya as a calendar by following the shadow of the setting sun. Stones were placed to track the movement of the sun, which casts shadows on the rock.

11. The Yoruba people from present-day Nigeria created their own complex counting system based on units of 20 (instead of 10).

12. By analyzing the variation of symmetry in geometric patterns shown on a piece of cloth and other cultural items, it is possible to identify which group of people made it.

13. Certain taboos affect the numerical expression of numbers. For example, the number "7" is tied to the origins of creation and great divinities within the Niger Delta region. Accordingly, to express the number "7", you would say "6+1".

Thank you for sharing our interest in math and games in ancient Africa!

Sources and further reading:

Bangura, Abdul Karim. African Mathematics: From Bones to Computers. University Press of America, 2011.

Gerdas, Paulus. On the History of Mathematics in Africa South of the Sahara.

Gerdas, Paulus. On Mathematics in the History of Sub-Saharan Africa. Historia Mathematica. Volume 21, Issue 3, August 1994, Pages 345-376.

Vivelo, Frank. Michael Deal. iUniverse, 2002.

Zaslavsky, Claudia. Africa Counts: Number and Pattern in African Culture. Boston: Prindle, Weber & Schmidt, 1973.

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13 Interesting Facts About Math in Ancient Africa

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Did you know that long ago, in the area south of the Sahara desert, mathematical thinking was mixed into the arts, riddles, games, architecture and other areas of life? Check out these 13 interesting facts and learn something new about the history of mathematics in anicent Africa! 1.

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Math Games From Around the World: Africa - Buzzmath

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Spanish number games build skills and confidence with important vocabulary. Play these Spanish number games with your students to give them the repeated exposure and practice they need to use numbers in their new language.

Spanish Classroom Games with Numbers

The effectiveness of Spanish number games depends on students hearing and saying the words. Students can conceptualize and manipulate numbers because they know them in English, but they need to connect them to the Spanish sounds. It is important to structure the language in Spanish number games so they are not playing mentally in English.

You can also check out all our Spanish vocabulary games grouped by theme.

Below you will find Spanish number games for different ages and levels, from counting and number recognition to addition and multiplication. None of these activities require special materials, although you can print or buy Spanish word dice if you like. You can find these Spanish word dice on Amazon.

Teachers use many of the resources on Spanish Playground with younger students, but you can use many of these Spanish games for high school students or adults. We have included Spanish vocabulary activities for numbers for a range of ages. Many of the Spanish vocabulary games below can also be used with other themes and concepts.

Spanish Counting Games
Scroll down for Spanish number games for older students.
Spanish Numbers 1-20 Video

This video is a great way to let kids hear the numbers 1-20 in Spanish and count along.

Mastering numbers in another language is much more than learning to count, but counting is a good place to start. If you are working with preschoolers or the early grades, try these Spanish number games once kids are familiar with the pronunciation.

Before we do other activities, I sing counting songs with my preschoolers. Singing they learn correct pronunciation and also the sequence of numbers to apply to counting objects and later to written numbers. Find 5 Spanish counting songs for preschoolers here.

These preschool Spanish activities include counting games and also number recognition activities.

Fill the cup - Each player has a cup and small objects such as legos or counters. Players roll the die and put that number into the cup. The first to fill the cup wins. As a variation, fill the cups to start and work backwards, removing objects. The first person to empty the cup wins.

Feed the monster - Put a monster face on a box or make one out of a plastic cup like my monsters below. Kids each have pompoms or paper balls. Roll dice or draw cards to feed that number to the monster. This also makes a good cooperative game where students work together to feed the monster.

Board games - Play simple board games where you count the spaces and move game pieces. There are many printable games for preschoolers online. This Spanish greetings game is a good example. There are also printable board games to practice number recognition like this one from Life Over C's.

Hole punch counting - Write numbers on squares of colored paper or index cards. Kids punch holes in the paper to match the written number.

String beads on pipe cleaners - Mark pipe cleaners with numbers on sticky notes. Kids string that number of beads on the pipe cleaner.

Counting cards - Try these printable counting cards from Powerful Mothering. There are also versions in English and French.

Tira y tacha - Write the numbers 1-6 (or 1-12 if you are using 12-sided dice) on a card for each player. Players roll a die and cross out that number. The first person to cross out all the numbers wins.

Missing number sequences - Try one of the many missing number activities like these from K5 Math. Kids count and write in the missing number to complete the sequence.

Count by 5 (or another number) - Kids stand in a circle. Count around the circle and the child is number 5 sits down. The next child starts over with 1. The last child standing is the winner.

Number groups - Students move around a circle to music. When the music stops, the teacher calls out a number and students run to form groups of that number. This is a traditional game in Latin America called Pares y Nones. You can read a description and see a video in our list of 12 Traditional Spanish Games.

Number ordering - Give students 1 or more sets of number cards 0-9. Call out series of numbers and students put their cards in the order they hear.

Race to the board - Write numbers scattered on the board. Divide the class into teams and call out a number. Students race to be the first to circle the number.

Sticky-note search - Write numbers on sticky notes and hide them around the room. Students search for numbers, say them aloud when they find them and create a number line with the post-its. Have one or two students search at a time.

Spanish Number Games for Elementary Students

Again, students have to hear and say the words in these Spanish number games to make them effective. Structure the language you want students to use by providing sentence frames. The repetition of these sentences (changing the number of course) is an important part of language learning.

The frame you give students will depend on the game. For example, if students are rolling two dice and adding the number together, give them the frame (número) más (número) igual a (suma). Make sure they say the sentence every time they roll!

With a few groups of older students playing Spanish number games, I have made the rule that if they do not say the sentence before they place their maker they lose their turn.

Throw two - Students take turns throwing two dice and adding or subtracting the two numbers and coloring in the answer on the board. The one with the most answers wins. Here are two free Throw Two boards in Spanish from AulaPT.

Four in a row - Play a printable version of Four in a Row, similar to Connect Four, to practice Spanish numbers and math skills. You can make them like this one on Maths Blog, a Four in a Row with math problems on the board. I make mine where students roll two dice and add them together. The first person to have 4 in a row wins.

Download 2 of my Spanish Four in a Row addition games here.

Note, the number of times a digit appears on my boards is based on the odds of rolling that number. Because there is only one roll that will give you a 2 and only one roll that will give you a 12, those numbers only appear once on my boards. My class time is short, and I do not want the game to take forever. I want someone to win! The Spanish number practice happens when they roll and say the two numbers and the sum, which they do each turn. My boards are designed so that the numbers they are likely to roll more often appear more often. If students finish quickly, they can always play again.

Multiplication grid - I love this multiplication grid game from Teach Beside Me. It reinforces the concept of multiplication. Also, because kids are coloring the squares, the pacing is perfect for language learners.

Roll to 100 (or to 50) - Whether you call it Race to 100 or Roll to 100, it's an excellent way to practice numbers in Spanish. Use any hundreds chart as a game board. Students throw two dice, add them and move that many spaces. The first player to reach 100 wins.

Guess the number - Replace the faces in Guess Who with numbers. Students ask "¿Es el número mayor que ___?, ¿Es el número menor que ___?, ¿El número está entre __ y __?"

First to answer - Each pair of students has a deck of cards with the face cards removed. Divide the cards between the players. Then, they both turn over a card at the same time. The first one to add the two numbers keeps the cards. With this game, because speed matters, students only say the answer in Spanish.

Beach ball toss - Write numbers on a beach ball and toss it. Students catch it and look at the number their thumb is touching. They add that number to the previous number and toss the ball to someone else.

Addition and subtraction with manipulatives - Using manipulatives gives you the opportunity to practice colors, shapes and other vocabulary as well as numbers. Take a look at this Counting and Addition Activity Tray from The Imagination Tree and adapt the ideas for the size of your group.

Classic Spanish Number Games

These classic games use numbers and can be played in any language. Again, you want to make sure kids are hearing and/or saying the numbers. You can also adapt many of these games to play with words, making them fun Spanish vocabulary games for different themes.

Bingo - You can play bingo using calling out numbers, or calling out simple math problems. The boards can have digits or number words. There are many free bingo card sets online and tools for making and printing your own.

Dominoes - Play the classic game, or try something new with these fun manipulatives. Upper Elementary Snapshots has a list of 10 Math Games to Play with Dominoes.

War - Each student turns over a card and the bigger number wins. Be sure students are saying the numbers aloud. I play that the student with the higher card has to say the numbers and if they forget, the other player gets the cards.

Uno - The commercial game Uno is great for colors and numbers. My students have to use a full sentence with tener ( Tengo un tres rojo. No tengo una carta verde, No tengo un dos. etc) each time they play a card or draw. If they forget, they have to draw an extra card.

Tic-tac-toe - Put math problems in the spaces. Students read the problem aloud and solve it to put their marker in the space.

Solitaire - There are many classic solitaire games. Students name the number and color each time they move a card.

Spanish number games are a fun and effective way to learn important vocabulary. Choose games that would be easy for your students to play in English, so they can focus on absorbing language. After all, a review of basic math facts is always a good idea. Do you have favorite Spanish number games? Please share in the comments.

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25 Spanish Number Games You Can Play Tomorrow - Spanish Playground

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Spanish number games build skills and confidence with important vocabulary. Play these Spanish number games with your students to give them the repeated exposure and practice they need to use numbers in their new language. The effectiveness of Spanish number games depends on students hearing and saying the words.

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Gail Collins outlines the growth of African literature, from the 18th century to modern times.

In 1761, a small child, Phillis Wheatley (as renamed by the family she worked for) was captured and taken from her home in West Africa to Boston in the US. Fortunately, she landed in the arms of a benevolent family who taught her to read and write but they would have been totally unaware that this would lead her to become the first African to have work published in the UK and US with her collection of poetry - Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral - in 1773.

Today, African writers are still in the throes of getting their words firmly planted on the world's literary map, but their remarkable stories and talents are finally receiving the reward and recognition they deserve.

On the African continent, writers have been faced with a plethora of hurdles to overcome, starting with an average literacy rate of 70% against a global one of 90%, with some countries falling lower still, such as Côte d'Ivoire at just 47% and the far from recovering war-torn South Sudan at just 37%.

This is tempered by other countries on the African continent driving literacy rates higher, such as Namibia with an above average 92%, due to a robust national literacy programme that was introduced nearly 30 years ago.

Then consider reading culture, structural problems from within the publishing industry, issues of financing, piracy and less than robust economies. These are ongoing problems which need to be resolved within individual countries but in 2020, the brutal killing of George Floyd propelled the world into old territories still unresolved and sparked a renewed social movement to fight racism and inequality. It touched industries and corporations worldwide, compelling them to look within.

The world of publishing was not exempt, and spurred on by writers such as the Nigerian/British author Bernardine Evaristo, momentum has gathered, creating a broader window of opportunity to reach a wider audience for African writers.

In June 2020, a letter arrived at the offices of the UK's leading publishers from over 100 Black writers. An excerpt from that letter read: "We are calling on you to help us tackle the deep-rooted racial inequalities in the major corporate publishing companies and support grassroots Black literary communities such as booksellers, book clubs and the Black Writers' Guild."

The Black Writers' Guild was formed in the UK during the process of sending this letter and already has over 200 members who will remain vigilant in the effort to ensure publishers recognise Black literary talent.

Foundation of the modern African novel

In the latter half of the 20 th century the world was introduced to a book that is acknowledged as the foundation of the modern African novel - Chinua Achebe's classic, Things Fall Apart.

This is a book that nearly did not happen as he naively sent his only copy of the handwritten manuscript from his home in Nigeria to a typing agency in England, where it lingered for several months as a non-priority.

Fortunately, he finally received the typed-up copy and after several rejections from British publishers it was accepted by Heinemann and published in 1958. The book was received with global critical acclaim.

This opened the door for many other writers across the African Continent and led Heinemann to the realisation that the post-colonial publishing industry was not supporting African literature.

In 1962 they addressed this with their African Writers Series, which over the decades has included books from Kenya's Ngugi wa Thiong'o and Ghana's Ama Ata Aidoo. Penguin's Modern Classics imprint took over the series in 2010 but there were immediate concerns that the contemporary African writer was not being included.

In 1986, new history was made when Wole Soyinka, a Nigerian poet and playwright, became the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, followed closely by Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz in 1988. Nadine Gordimer became the first African woman to win the same prize in 1991.

The millennium seemed to bring a gradual decline in mainstream publishers looking for new African writers, but recent years have corrected this, bringing new historical literary firsts, notably Bernardine Evaristo's Booker Prize triumph in 2019, when she became the first Black woman to receive this highest literary honour in the English language, in a joint win with Canada's Margaret Atwood.

Evaristo's winning novel - her eighth - Girl, Woman, Other is a glorious, intelligent celebration of women and in 2020 she became the first woman of colour and the first Black British writer to get to No 1 in the UK paperback fiction charts, where the book held the top spot for five weeks, remaining in the top 10 for 40 weeks in total.

She was joined in this significant moment by fellow African author and award-winning journalist, Reni Eddo-Lodge, who also rose to the No 1 spot in the UK paperback non-fiction charts with her 2017 debut, Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race - a book that triggered conversations across the nation's desks and dinner tables.

African writers in the limelight

In the last decade African writers have again emerged into the limelight, prompting Cassava Republic Press, a leading Nigerian publishing house established in 2006, to open a London office in 2016. Its founder, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf said:

"African writing is not a genre. It encapsulates different genres. I want African writing and writers to feel that they have the freedom to write whatever they want to write without feeling they have to represent a continent, or indeed think that there's a truth out there waiting to be discovered and captured in words.

"I want to publish books that tell stories of their moment, as well as stories of the long expanse of an imagined past and unknown future. I want to see stories that play with content, form and language."

There has been a wave of independent UK and US publishers promoting work by a new generation of adventurous and bold African writers, such as Oneworld Publications. They have taken chances and had huge triumphs in discovering novels from writers around the world that have been ignored by the big publishing houses.

One such success story is that of award-winning Ugandan writer Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, who achieved global acclaim for her first novel Kintu in 2014, representing literature for Uganda much as Chinua Acheba did for Nigeria. The paperback edition of her latest novel - A Girl Is a Body of Water - is due to be released in the UK in June 2021.

Other triumphs last year came from Maaza Mengiste with her second novel, The Shadow King, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize - the first by an Ethiopian to receive this honour - and Tomi Adeyemi's second breathtaking instalment of her Legacy of Orisha fantasy series for young adults, Children of Virtue and Vengeance, netting her two books at the same time on the New York Times bestseller lists.

2021 will continue to see this fledgling acknowledgement of the scope and contribution African writers are bringing to the literary arena, which involves both established and contemporary authors.

Debut writers such as 2019 Whiting Award Winner Nadia Owusu, with her heartfelt and exceptional memoir Aftershocks (Sceptre, February 2021) and Caleb Azumah Nelson's beautiful and complex love story, Open Water (Viking, February 2021) lead the way in a new year and possibly a new optimistic decade for the next generation of African writers. Buki Papillon joins this list of new writers with his remarkable coming-of-age story, An Ordinary Wonder (Little Brown, March 2021).

More seasoned writers will also grace our bookshelves or Kindles. Writing runs in the family - Mukoma wa Ngugi, son of renowned African writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o has a new book out this Spring, Unbury Our Dead With Song (Cassava Republic Press, March 2021); it has been described as "a love letter to African music, beauty and song" and will be his eighth published book.

Suyi Davies Okungbowa, who made an impact with his debut fantasy book Godhunter in 2019, rises again with the first tome in his Nameless Republic fantasy trilogy, Son of the Storm (Orbit, May 2021), proving again that African writing cannot be restrained within its own genre.

It would be remiss to conclude this article - that can never do justice to the immensity of African writing - without returning to Wole Soyinka. During the 2020 pandemic lockdown, the 86-year-old Nobel Prize Winner put time to noble use by producing a new novel almost 50 years after his last. Chronicles from the Happiest People on Earth has already been published by Bookcraft Publishers in Nigeria and will simultaneously be released in the US and UK in September 2021.

He published his first novel - The Interpreters - in 1965, the same year, incidentally, that he was arrested for holding up a Nigerian Broadcasting Studio in Ibadon with a gun in a bid to broadcast his demand to cancel the Western Nigerian regional elections.

A man of principles, beliefs and profound talent, his new novel tells the story of a pact between four friends to use their talents to make a significant change in their country, but the challenges ahead come at a cost - much like in real life.

So in a sense, the circle is complete with one of the African all-time greats joining the fresh young talents in giving the world something wonderful, unique and profound to celebrate in the midst of the havoc and tragedy caused by the pandemic - a fresh explosion of African creative writing.
Read more about African literature on our New African Readers' Club page.

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African authors - writing for the world - New African Magazine

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Gail Collins outlines the growth of African literature, from the 18th century to modern times. In 1761, a small child, Phillis Wheatley (as renamed by the family she worked for) was captured and taken from her home in West Africa to Boston in the US.

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Tired of telling your students to put their devices away?

You're not alone.

But here's a little secret: with the right resources, those devices can transform from classroom distractions to your new favorite teaching tool.

Your students' familiarity with online tools and mobile devices can be harnessed for effective, engaging and super relevant Spanish lessons. Even if you're teaching centuries-old stories or the history of a country thousands of miles away, technology can give your students a close-up view without leaving their desks.

In this post, we'll show you six exciting Spanish culture lessons that'll boost their language skills and immerse them in the Spanish-speaking world, all while using the tech tools they already love.

Here's what you need to know to get started:

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

How to Introduce Culture Lessons to Your Language Classroom

Every Spanish teacher knows that learning about Spanish-speaking cultures is just as important as grammar lessons and conversation practice for our students, but the word "culture" itself can be hard to pin down. Culture is sometimes described as the heart and soul of a people and a place, but what exactly does that even mean? And more importantly, how can we teach that?

The cultures of Spain and Latin America exist in obvious forms like paintings by Frida Kahlo and books by Miguel de Cervantes. But there are also more abstract forms of culture, like oral history, rules of etiquette and regional slang.

Before implementing the specific culture projects listed below, take some time to turn the question of what defines culture into a student-led discussion in your classroom. Ask your students how they define their own personal and national cultures, and what role they believe language plays in that definition.

Aside from providing essential context for any Spanish culture projects you've planned, the conversation could even open up more project possibilities than you expected. For example, the students may see television commercials or magazine ads as relevant to a country's national culture, and they wouldn't be wrong!

Why Use Technology as a Foundation for Spanish Projects?

Students love it. Imagine the joy when you actually require students to use the devices they love in order to learn something and to complete an assignment effectively. These non-traditional teaching tools will get your students thinking and engaging with Spanish in new, creative and highly motivating ways.

It emphasizes the relevance of the lessons. Incorporating technology into a Spanish culture project brings the project to life and makes it relevant and accessible to students.

They'll be learning Spanish via the internet, their mobile devices and other technology that's already vital to their day to day lives. Plus, technology skills are now life skills, so here's an opportunity to build those skills alongside language development.

If you and your students are lucky enough to have internet access at home or at school, the first three projects described below will be sure to enhance their learning experience. The last two do require specific apps best used on a computer or tablet device, but they can be tweaked to work with whatever resources you have on hand, even good old pencil and paper.

The projects below are best suited for middle school and high school students, but elements of each could be beneficial to younger students. Cherry pick and adapt as you see fit for your classroom.

1. Use Prezi Presentations to Explore Mexican Myth and Folklore
About this project:
Mexican myths and folklore provide a wonderful entry point into Central American culture. Traditional stories and legends tend to cover universal themes and are interesting to students of all ages, but are also accessible even to beginner Spanish learners.

Myths and folk tales also often reveal historical details of a people as well as explanations of natural phenomena that underly important cultural belief systems.

And with Prezi digital presentations, you can bring Mexican myths and folklore into the 21st-century classroom. Downloadable and free to educators with a school email address, Prezi is user-friendly and fun. Students will enjoy the straightforward platform, which was designed to help anybody, even non-artsy types, create beautiful and dynamic presentations.

The resulting presentations are full of action and as many colors and images as students can find and organize.
How to implement:
To get started, you can mine this list of teaching resources from the University of Illinois' Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies for content that suits your class' age and proficiency levels.

Depending on the age of your students, you can assign them individual topics (for example, specific legends or Aztec gods) to research or let them select their own, securing a personal interest while they develop their analytical skills.

Specify how much of the written content and oral presentation must be in Spanish as is appropriate to the level you're teaching.

To use Prezi technology to its best advantage, make sure project guidelines specify:

How many slides to include and a timeframe for the presentation.

How to cite sources.

In what ways the students feel a connection to the particular myth or folk tale.

2. Create Vimeo Skits to Master Slang and Idioms
About this project:
Spanish slang and idioms can be unbelievably colorful and sometimes very playful from an English-speaker's point of view; no other language describes looking for trouble as poetically as Spanish: No andes buscándole los tres pies al gato. (Don't go looking for three feet of a cat.)

Intonation and facial expressions go a long way when speaking in any language. You can capture all the interactiveness of a casual chat between classmates on video, and then post it on Vimeo for easy presentation to the rest of the class.

If you have students who are already Snapchatting, Instagramming and filming with their smartphones all day long, this is a great way to put those fun technology skills to use in the Spanish classroom.
How to implement:
Set a minimum number of idioms per skit, as well as parameters for length. Here's a list of Spanish idioms and here's some Spanish slang you can use as a jumping off point. You'll be evaluating students on their pronunciation as well as their ability to use the slang in the proper context.

You can inspire student creativity by having each group choose a prop from a list and require that the conversation involve the prop somehow; possible props include such random items as a pizza, an inflatable baby pool, a coloring book or anything else that might get your students thinking in unusual ways.

Filming with today's smartphones allows for quick deleting and easy retakes, and the natural humor of young students will surely entertain while educating. No option to incorporate video in your classroom or school? Have students perform their original role plays live in class.

A free basic Vimeo account offers basic privacy provisions, but your school may have an account that includes more advanced settings. To be on the safe side, it might be worth checking with your school before putting student work online; as well, some families may need a bit of reassurance that these videos are for classroom use only.

3. Critique Authentic Spanish Videos on FluentU
About this project:
As a language educator, you're probably always looking for opportunities to show your students how Spanish really sounds when native speakers use it. But you also don't just want to turn on a movie and watch all your students doze off once you hit the lights.

FluentU gives you the best of both worlds.

Every video comes with interactive captions providing in-context definitions for all words in the video, as well as flashcards and exercises that ensure your students are actually learning from what they've watched.

In this project, your students will use FluentU to critique authentic Spanish movies, TV shows and any other content they're interested in, all while actively building their vocabularies.
How to implement:
FluentU videos are organized by level, so you can easily explore the content that will best suit your classroom. Pick a single video to assign to the class, or assign different videos to different groups.

Your students will then watch the video and can respond with some or all of the following, depending on what you'd like to assess:

Answers to specific questions you've provided

A one- to five-star rating of the video, with a spoken or written explanation to back up their opinion

Ideas for different choices they would have made if they were directing or acting in the video

Their interpretation of what the video reveals about Spanish culture

Meanwhile, FluentU provides built-in student progress tracking, so you can view their results in the vocabulary exercises and see what other videos they explored. If you want to repeat this project as their language skills grow, you can design your own curriculum, assign homework and communicate with students all from the FluentU platform.

FluentU also has a YouTube channel with awesome content you can use in your classes. The channel shares tips, tricks and resources for learning and teaching Spanish with authentic and fun content.

For instance, if your students are into Sci-fi movies, you can use the following trailer analysis to teach them lots of new vocabulary:

Lots of exciting videos are in the works. Subscribe to FluentU's Spanish YouTube channel and hit the notification bell, so you always have top-notch material to use with your students!

4. Take Your Students on Adventures Through Argentina with Google Earth
About this project:
Thanks to technology, you can take your students on an adventure to Spanish-speaking regions without buying them all plane tickets. This Google Earth exploration will help them feel the relevance of Spanish outside the textbook. It can be a great learning motivator for those students who may want to one day visit Argentina and other Spanish-speaking countries in person.

You can of course use this project for any country you like-Argentina's compelling and diverse topography make it a particularly effective subject.
How to implement:
Offer students an opportunity to develop a sales pitch and travel itinerary in Spanish for a fabulous adventure in Argentina. Assign students different regions of the country to research and explore using Google Earth. The grasslands of the Pampas, the majesty of the Andes and the glacial lakes of Patagonia will surely inspire any number of extreme adventuring ideas.

Students will be fascinated by the 3D images on Google Earth. Ask them to create a list of required supplies to ensure their holiday-makers are safe and having fun in their assigned landscapes.

Extend the project with any of the following options:

A printed brochure using only formal usted commands

A filmed television commercial to present to the class

A follow-up questionnaire for customers to find out what they liked and disliked about the trip

5. Explore Pablo Neruda's Poetry with VoiceThread
About this project:
The poetry of Pablo Neruda is renowned for its passion and originality, as well as its direct and simple language. Students new to literary analysis may find his work refreshingly clear.

His nature imagery in particular is easy to spot, and pre-project classroom discussions around the symbolism of specific images and words can prime students for this kind of advanced study.

VoiceThread is a network that enables students to combine uploaded text with their own voiceovers and text comments. This tool is ideal for literary exploration as students can mark up a text in advance and prepare a statement about the text before actually recording the VoiceThread. Students anxious about standing up in front of the class will also find this kind of project a relief as they can delete and re-record as many times as they need to.
How to implement:
First, create a VoiceThread yourself to demonstrate the tool to students, and so you know how to troubleshoot if they come to class with questions. You can also let students familiarize themselves with the app by assigning a simple practice VoiceThread for homework.

Once students are comfortable with the tool, you can start teaching Neruda's work. You can assign one poem for all students to recite and/or analyze using VoiceThread, or different poems to different students. You may also want to provide specific questions you'd like students to address regarding the poems.

It's a great way to get everyone engaged with Spanish literature, across different proficiency levels and learning styles.
About this project:
Advanced students will be up to the challenge of this interactive culture project. Encourage students to embrace creative writing in Spanish; as Lorca died before finishing this play, it's incomplete.

Students can tap into their creativity and finish the work using a fun digital classroom tool called Edmodo.
How to implement:
Edmodo is a unique technology that closely resembles other social media platforms your students likely know, making it a fun and interactive way to collaborate with you and with one another. You're in charge of the platform, with the ability to create assignments, post shared classroom resources and communicate digitally. You can post specific questions like these:

Who would you cast as the character of Autor (Author)? Find a photograph online, cite your source and explain your decision in 50 words or less.

Title the play. Make sure you use one symbol in your title that you feel represents Lorca's vision and explain your choice.

Students can post their responses for you and for the rest of the class to see. Future assignments can require students to respond to one another's posts for credit, and you can decide if you would like all comments to be on view. Extend the project with scripts, performances and even reviews.

Travel to Spanish-speaking countries can be a costly privilege. Encourage your students to take flight in their imaginations with culture projects like the ones described above. Hopefully, the projects will pique their curiosity and inspire them to learn more about the language and the people they're studying. Isn't this love of learning what motivates us to teach in the first place?

Both you and your students will be rewarded by the processes and the outcomes of these projects. By using technology in an educational way, you and your students are working together to make your classroom a more enjoyable and relevant place of learning.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to teach Spanish with real-world videos.
Bring Spanish immersion to your classroom!

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6 Spanish Culture Project Ideas for the Tech-savvy Teacher

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Tired of telling your students to put their devices away? You're not alone. But here's a little secret: with the right resources, those devices can transform from classroom distractions to your new favorite teaching tool. Your students' familiarity with online tools and mobile devices can be harnessed for effective, engaging and super relevant Spanish lessons.

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In the Muslim community, we have many brilliant women who have written up a storm behind the scenes, women who have dedicated their lives to telling our stories, women who deserve to be recognized for their work.

Today is the third annual #MuslimWomensDay, a MuslimGirl.com initiative that gives Muslim women a day to celebrate ourselves and bring our voices to the forefront of discussion. So what better occasion than today to shed some light on these amazing women writers?

Here are just a few you should know about.
Karuna Riazi
Diversity advocate Karuna Riazi aims to bring light to the authentic voices of Muslim women and allow them to tell their own stories. Riazi launched her career as an author with her first book, " The Gauntlet," a "Jumanji"-like YA novel about a group of friends trapped inside a board game they must dismantle in order to save the world, after the seemingly innocent 12-year-old Farah finds herself entranced by it.

Ausma Zehanat Khan

Canadian author Ausma Zehanat Khan began her writing career in 2007 as editor-in-chief at Muslim Girl Magazine (unrelated to MuslimGirl.com). A lecturer with a PhD in human rights law by day, Khan also practiced immigration law in North America while making her mark as a formidable writer. Her debut novel " The Unquiet Dead" earned Khan the Arthur Ellis Award, the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, and the Barry Award, and she's since added 2017's "Among the Ruins" and 2018's "A Dangerous Crossing" to her ever-growing list of published works.

Rikki Knight

Rikki Knight was first published in a children's poetry book at the age of 7, and in November, she released her own children's book, titled " Who We Are." With international and multicultural characters, the rhyming storybook is a celebration of diversity and the beauty in being different, as well as a reflection on how we connect to one another.

Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai sprang into the public eye at a young age for her diligent activism for education rights for women and girls living in Pakistan. When news of her Taliban-led assassination attempt hit in 2012, she received worldwide support and defied odds to survive her gunshot wound to the head. She went on to start the Malala Fund in 2013, which provides funding for girls' education all over the world, and in 2014, won the Nobel Peace Prize, making her the youngest Nobel laureate in history. She chronicles all this and more in her autobiography " I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban," a tale of how one young girl survived a turbulent society, made it to safety, and made a difference.

Na'ima B. Robert

For more than 10 years, Na'ima B. Robert has invited readers into her world as a U.K.-based Muslim woman who wears a veil. In 2006, she published "From My Sisters' Lips," a collection of stories from her sisters in Islam, and in 2007, she founded Sisters Magazine, an international print publication by and for Muslim women. She's since released the fictional young love story "She Wore Red Trainers" and last year's book of poetry, " 4 Months and 10 Days: Poetry Prose From the Iddah," a raw and beautiful collection about loss, grief, and finding solace in words.

Hena Khan

Hena Khan, a Pakistani-American Muslim author, first fell in love with books as a child. She carried that with her into a career writing imaginative kids' books like "Night of the Moon," "Power Forward," and "Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns." Her 2017 novel, " Amina's Voice," is a relatable account of a Pakistani-Muslim girl's struggle with anxiety, identity, and bringing her community together.

Asma Lamrabet

In 2003, notable Islamic feminist Dr. Asma Lamrabet organized a group of women to gather and reflect on Islam. Her aim was to open up an intercultural conversation and create awareness of Muslim women's experiences, and the project turned into a multi-faith convention for women from Jewish, Christian, and Muslim backgrounds. Her 2016 book " Women in the Qur'an: An Emancipatory Reading" builds on that dialogue by bringing to light the variety of women in the Qur'an who negate both the stereotypes of an oppressed, vulnerable woman or uber-liberated Westerner.

Amani Al-Khatahtbeh

At the age of 17, Amani Al-Khatahtbeh founded MuslimGirl.com, which is now one of the largest platforms for Muslim women in the Western world. She's since released her memoir, " Muslim Girl: A Coming of Age," about her experiences with racism, terrorism, and casual Islamophobia as a Muslim woman living in post-9/11 America, and launched the #MuslimWomensDay campaign, a MuslimGirl.com initiative to call on mainstream media platforms to pass the mic and amplify the voices of Muslim women.
Rhianna Beaumont is a London-based mother, social media influencer, and writer and editor at Muslim Girl. She cofounded Culturing Success and the #AfroHijabi campaign, which aims to showcase more Muslim women of color in the media. You can find her at @rhianna.beau or view her articles on MuslimGirl.com. Get Shondaland directly in your inbox: SUBSCRIBE TODAY

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Muslim Women Authors Every Person Should Know

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In the Muslim community, we have many brilliant women who have written up a storm behind the scenes, women who have dedicated their lives to telling our stories, women who deserve to be recognized for their work.

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Which are the books by female historical fiction writers in India that are a must read? Here are 9 Indian writers of historical fiction you can explore.
As someone fond of History right from his schooldays, historical fiction as a genre has always had a deep impression on me.

There have been several TV series and movies based around this genre which is a treat for the eyes, but novels give you a chance to go much deeper and spend a lot more time with the story which is even more tempting.

In the last few years, numerous Indian writers have taken an interest in this genre because of which we have had so many stories woven around the ancient history of our land. And it's not surprising that some of them have become bestsellers.

What is even more promising is that we haven't even begun to explore the history of a country as diverse and ancient as India, which means that there is more to come.

A life enriched by historical events and people
Nayantara Sahgal
One of the most celebrated novelists of our country, Nayantara Sahgal has written extensively on the political happenings during the 70s and 80s.

She has penned down quite a few books that give us a glimpse into the political realities of a diverse nation like India. Some of her well-known novels include The Day in Shadow (1971), A Situation in New Delhi (1977) and Rich Like Us (1985) for which she received the Sahitya Akademi Award. Some of her later novels - Plans for Departure (1985), Mistaken Identity (1988), and Lesser Breeds (2003) - are based on colonial India. A number of her writings are also based on the life and times of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

Stories of Mughal times
Indu Sundaresan
Indu Sundaresan, an Indian-American novelist, was heavily influenced by her father's and grandfather's passion for storytelling and it's no surprise that she developed into one as well.

Although she received a degree in Economics from the University of Delaware she couldn't suppress her writing bug for long. With novels like the Taj Mahal Trilogy - The Twentieth Wife (2002), The Feast of Roses (2003) and Shadow Princess (2010); she has delved deep into the world of historical fiction, and unearthed some jewels for her readers to cherish. The Twentieth Wife, which also won the Washington State Book Award, has been converted into a television series called Siyaasat.

History Mysteries
Sujata Massey
Sujata Massey is a British-American author of Indian origin who has fourteen novels, two novellas and numerous short stories to her credit. She has been the proud recipient of the Agatha, Lefty and Macavity awards.

Sujata is well known for her work in the historical and mystery fiction genres. With novels like The Sleeping Dictionary (2013), India Grey (2015), The Widows of Malabar Hills (2018) and The Satapur Moonstone (2019) - all of them set in pre-independence India - she has truly made her place among the female historical novel writers of our generation.

Looking at ancient India
Sumedha Verma Ojha
Among the new crop of Indian authors with a knack of writing on Ancient India and the epics, Sumedha spent two decades working for the Indian Revenue Service before following her passion for writing and speaking across various platforms on ancient Indian history, society, women, religion and the epics.

Her first book Ramayana (2015) - co-authored with JP Lotsy - is a delightful collection of paintings depicting the life and times of Lord Rama while her second book Urnabhih (2017) is historical fiction portraying a heady mixture of espionage, adventure, and seduction during the Mauryan kingdom.

Architect turned writer
Amita Kanekar
Although she has studied and excelled in the field of architecture, Amita Kanekar also has a knack for historical fiction. She is a teacher for history and theory in the Goa College for Architecture while also being a member of the Social Justice Action Committee in Goa.

Historical fiction has been her forte and it reflects in the two books she has on this genre. Her first book, A Spoke in the Wheel (2005) is set in the times of Emperor Asoka where a war survivor is tasked with chronicling the life of Gautam Buddha. Her second book, Fear of Lions (2019) is about an unlikely rebellion against the powerful Mughal rule which makes for a breathtaking read.

Shivaji and Aurangzeb
Medha Deshmukh Bhaskaran
A Microbiologist who has worked in various food and pharmaceutical companies in countries like Germany, India and United Arab Emirates, Medha Deshmukh Bhaskaran has also shown her prowess as one of the well known female historical fiction writers in India with works like Frontiers of Karma - The Counterstroke (2014), and Frontiers (2018). Both these novels are a part of an epic trilogy about the battle of wits, ideologies and forces between the two most powerful kings of their time, Chattrapati Shivaji and Aurangzeb.

The ancient kingdom of Magadha
Aditi Kay
Among the new generation of Indian writers of historical fiction, Aditi was always mesmerized by the mysterious world of our past. A passion which she sustained all her professional career working as an editor, human resource professional and management consultant.

The premise for both of her historical novels in India was set in the ancient land of Magadha. Her first novel - Emperor Chandragupta (2016) - is a story of the rise to power of Chandragupta Maurya while her second book - Emperor Vikramaditya (2019) - takes us deep into the era of the Gupta empire where Vikramaditya has to protect his kingdom from a powerful enemy while at the same time engage in a power struggle with his brother Ramagupta.

For kids and adults
Nandini Sengupta
Nandini Sengupta is an Indian writer and journalist based in Pondicherry. Her obsession with India's illustrious past was the result of a trip to Ajanta and Ellora Caves in 2007. She is also credited for translating the memoirs of the current Chief Minister of Bengal - Mamata Banerjee. Her historical fiction novels - The King Within and A Poisoned Heart (both of them published in 2019) - are a part of her Gupta Empire trilogy. She is also credited with co-authoring The Story of Kalidas: The Gem among Poets, which is a historical fiction story for children which will come out in November 2019.

From finance to historical fiction
Devi Yeshodharan
Devi Yeshodharan was born in Kerala but grew up in the Middle East. Being a speechwriter for the former Infosys Chairman Narayan Murthy and working as a co-founder of Trendline, a financial investment platform, could not stop her from delving into the magical world of History.

With Empire (2017) - about a Greek woman warrior serving the king of the Chola Empire, Devi was able to stamp her name among the Indian writers of historical fiction.

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9 Indian Female Writers Who Enriched The World Of Historical Fiction

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Which are the books by female historical fiction writers in India that are a must read? Here are 9 Indian writers of historical fiction you can explore. As someone fond of History right from his schooldays, historical fiction as a genre has always had a deep impression on me.

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By Healoha Johnston of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and Sara Cohen of Because of Her Story

May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Our Smithsonian collections include a variety of objects that represent notable Asian American and Pacific Islander women. Here are nine photos, songs, videos and other objects that highlight 12 women to know.

1. Patsy Mink

In 1964, Patsy Mink became the first woman of color elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Her Congressional career spanned decades (1964-1977; 1990-2002). She was a key author for Title IX, a law that advanced gender equity within federal funding policies for education. This law was later renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act in her honor.

Our National Museum of American History collected this leaflet from her 1977 campaign. In the leaflet she says, "I have been guided by a single principle: That everyone-rich or poor, powerful or weak-should get fair and equal treatment from government."

2. Muna Tseng

Muna Tseng works as a choreographer, performer, and founder of Muna Tseng Dance Projects Inc. Born in Hong Kong, she started classical Asian dance classes around age seven. Her work as a choreographer incorporates a mix of ballet, American modern dance, and elements of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean dance traditions. In 1977, she and her brother, photographer Tseng Kwong Chi, moved to New York. When Tseng Kwong passed away in 1990 due to AIDS-related causes, Muna became an advocate, archivist, and estate manager of his work. Today, this portrait of Muna Tseng and photos by Tseng Kwong Chi are in our National Portrait Gallery.

3. Hina Wong-Kalu, Isabella Borgeson, Kayla Briët, and Wang-Ping Oshiro

Hina Wong-Kalu, Isabella Borgeson, Kayla Briët, and Wang-Ping Oshiro are educators, artists, and community organizers. They are featured in director Jess X. Snow's documentary short film AFTEREARTH. In AFTEREARTH, these four women fight to preserve the land for future generations. Wong-Kalu, Borgeson, Briët, and Oshiro use art and activism to address environmental issues and produce positive change. Though each comes from a different cultural background, they all apply their own ancestral knowledge in their work. You can watch AFTEREARTH for a limited timein our Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center's digital Care Package.

4. Christine Sun Kim

Christine Sun Kim explores sound in her drawings, performance, and installation work. She uses art to advocate for Deaf culture and make connections between linguistics, music, and American Sign Language (ASL). She explained on The World radio program how signing is empowering, "I truly believe American Sign Language is important because from the beginning, when a child is born, if they learn ASL, they have full access to information." Kim recently participated in our Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden's Artist Diaries program. In this video she talks about what it's like making art during the current global pandemic.

5. Jhumpa Lahiri

Author Jhumpa Lahiri won the Pulitzer Prize in 2000 with her debut short story collection, The Interpreter of Maladies. Born in London to Bengali parents, Lahiri moved to Rhode Island at age three. As a child she was inspired by her grandfather's stories of India, and her father's extensive book collection. Her career as an author is informed by these memories and experiences in storytelling. In this collage from our National Portrait Gallery, artist Raymond Elman portrays Lahiri by the sea in Cape Cod.

6. Toshiko Takaezu

Toshiko Takaezu was a trailblazer in ceramic art-making during the 1970s. She is best known for creating large, closed-vessel sculptures. At the time, fellow artists expressed shock that a woman could make such large pieces, some taller than the artist herself. Takaezu merged aspects of Japanese tea ceremony, calligraphy, and American Abstract Expressionism to create a new style from these diverse art traditions. She had a long career as an artist and teacher at the Cleveland Institute of Art and Princeton University. Our Archives of American Art holds her papers.

7. Chien-Shiung Wu

Chien-Shiung Wu was a leader in experimental physics. Wu emigrated from China in 1936 to earn a Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkley. Anti-Asian prejudice in California made it difficult to find West Coast work, but Wu secured positions at several universities on the East Coast. This photo from our Smithsonian Institution Archives shows Chien-shiung Wu working at Columbia University with physicists Y.K. Lee and L.W. Mo. Wu and her team's experiments confirmed the theory of subatomic particle behavior known as "weak interaction."

8. Mona Haydar

Syrian American poet and rapper Mona Haydar is best known for her first music video, "Hijabi" (2017). The song responds to questions and comments frequently received by women who cover their heads. Billboard named the song one of the top 25 feminist anthems of all time. Our Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum features her song as part of their Contemporary Muslim Fashion exhibition.

9. Emily Kauʻiomakaweliokauaionalaniokamanookalanipo Kukahiwa Zuttermeister

Emily Kauʻiomakaweliokauaionalaniokamanookalanipo Kukahiwa Zuttermeister, also known as Aunty Kauʻi, is a revered Kumu Hula (master hula teacher) from Hawaiʻi. She trained in the hula pahu tradition of Samuel Pua Haʻaheo before becoming a teacher in 1935. Zuttermeister helped revitalize ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) and culture by teaching hula. She was part of a community of leaders who raised awareness about hula as a storytelling art form created by the Hawaiian people to recall and share their knowledge. On our Smithsonian Folkways website you can listen to her perform mele pahu (chanted prayers) in the oli (chant) style.

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Healoha Johnston is the digital audiences and content coordinator for Because of Her Story, the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative. She shares lesser-known histories of women through this website, the Because of Her Story newsletter, and Smithsonian social media. is the curator of Asian Pacific American women's cultural history at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. Johnston's research explores connections between historic visual culture and contemporary art to understand the contemporary experience.

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Twelve Asian American and Pacific Islander Women to Know | Smithsonian American Women's History

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By Healoha Johnston of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and Sara Cohen of Because of Her Story May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Our Smithsonian collections include a variety of objects that represent notable Asian American and Pacific Islander women.

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National Hispanic Heritage Month, held each year from September 15 - October 15, celebrates Hispanic cultures and heritage and recognizes the many contributions Hispanic Americans have made to this nation.

In conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month, the Department of Commerce's United States Patent and Trademark Office is recognizing some Hispanic Americans whose inventions contributed to the nation's social and economic well-being.

Guillermo González Camarena

Born in Guadalajara, México, Guillermo González Camarena was granted U.S. Patent 2,296,019 for a "Chromoscopic adapter for television equipment", an early color television transmission system. His invention was used in NASA's Voyager mission in 1979 to take pictures and video of Jupiter.

Miguel Angel Ondetti

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Miguel Angel Ondetti has been granted more than 100 patents, including U.S. Patent 4,105,776 for "Proline Derivatives and Related Compounds" also known as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors to treat hypertension. He was also inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007.

Claudio Castillón Lévano

Born in Perú, Claudio Castillón Lévano was granted U.S. Patent 6,884,211 for a "Neonatal Artificial Bubble" that improves the intensive care of high-risk newborns.

William R. Cumpiano

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, William R. Cumpiano was granted U.S. Patent 5,333,527 for a "Compression Molded Composite Guitar Soundboard."

Hoyma J. Mazara

Born in the Dominican Republic, Hoyma J. Mazara was granted U.S. Patent 7,798,868 for "Electrical Switching Apparatus and Terminal Connector Assembly thereof" and U.S. Patent 7,695,313 for "Electrical Enclosure, and Panel Assembly and Mounting Assembly therefor."

Olga D. González-Sanabria

Born in Puerto Rico, Olga D. González-Sanabria was granted U.S. Patent 4,505,998 for "Alkaline Battery Containing a Separator of a Cross-Linked Polymer of Vinyl Alcohol and Unsaturated Carboxylic Acid." González-Sanabria became the highest ranking Hispanic at NASA's Glenn Research Center in 2002.

Graciela V.O. de Cuadros

Born in Ecuador, Graciela V.O. de Cuadros was granted U.S. Patents 4,229,845 and 5,046,203 for a "Collapsible Hammock Support."

Guanglou Cheng, Carlos A. Ramirez, and María Aponte

Born in Puerto Rico, Guanglou Cheng, Carlos A. Ramirez, and María Aponte were granted U.S. Patent 7,427,654 for "Degradable Polymides" for use in medical applications.

Luis Miramontes

Born in México, Luis Miramontes was granted U.S. Patent 2,744,122 for progestin norethindrone for use in oral contraceptives.

Julio C. Palmaz

Born in Argentina, Julio C. Palmaz was granted over 40 patents, including his most recent - U.S. Patent 8,728,563 for "Endoluminal Implantable Surfaces, Stents, and Grafts and Method of Making Same." He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006.

Miguel Forero

Born in Colombia, Miguel Forero was granted U.S. Patent 5,336,562 for "Polyolefin Yarns with Good Performance for Rugs and Carpets and Method of Producing the Same" and U.S. Patent 5,556,684 "Manufacturing Process for Synthetic Fiber Carpets Fixed by Fusion at Regular Intervals with Crests or Tufts, without Using Glues or Using Small Amounts of Glues, where Threads Do not Loosen and thus Obtaining the Carpets."

Jesus Maria Sanchez-Pérez

Born in Spain, Jesus Maria Sanchez-Pérez is a neurosurgeon that was granted U.S. Patent 2,617,944 for "Serial Roentgenography" circulatory system x-rays.

Jacobo G. Maria

Born in El Salvador, Jacobo G. Maria was granted U.S. Patent 4,366,935 for a "Device and Process for Spinning or Twisting and Winding Yarn."

Elena Nuñez

Born in Honduras, Elena Nuñez was granted U.S. Patent 4,935,254 for a "Banana Flavoring Process" and three other related patents.

Ellen Ochoa

Born in California, Ellen Ochoa was granted U.S. Patent 4,838,644 for "Position, Rotation, and Intensity Invariant Recognizing Method " and two other optical-related patents. Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman to go to space when she served on a nine-day mission aboard the shuttle Discovery in 1993.

William Vásquez Ulate

Born in Costa Rica, William Vásquez Ulate was granted U.S. Plant Patent PP21,549 for a "Dracaena Plant named 'Lauren.'"

Alejandro Zaffaroni

Born in Uruguay, Alejandro Zaffaroni has been granted over 45 patents to date, including U.S. Patent 3,598,122 "Bandage for Administering Drugs." He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2012.

Lydia Villa-Komaroff

Born in México, Lydia Villa-Komaroff has been granted U.S. Patent 4,565,785 for "Recombinant DNA Molecule" and U.S. Patent 4,411,994 for "Protein Synthesis." She was the third Mexican-American woman to earn a doctorate in the sciences in the U.S.

Fernando Torres

Born in Nicaragua, Fernando Torres has four patents, including U.S. Patent 8,478,341 for "Automatic Selection of SIM Cards in Mobile Devices."

Alberto P. Herrera and Sebastian A. Vieto

Born in Panamá, Alberto P. Herrera and Sebastian A. Vieto were granted U.S. Patent 4,195,080 for "Insecticidal Use of Orange Juice Essence Oil."

Luis Von Ahn

Born in Guatemala City, Dr. Luis Von Ahn was granted U.S. Patent 8,555,353 for "Methods and Apparatuses for Controlling Access to Computer Systems and for Annotating Media Files" - or Captcha for distinguishing human from machine input to prevent spam and automated extraction of data from web sites.

Oscar Marty

Born in Puerto Rico,Oscar Marty was granted U.S. Patent 7,185,467 for a "Modular system of forms for casting reinforced concrete buildings on site."

Hugo Terán Salguero

Born in Bolivia, Hugo Terán Salguero was granted U.S. Patent 4,055,156 for a "Rotary Engine."

Luis Alejandro Cavallo Caroca

Born in Chile, Luis Alejandro Cavallo Caroca was granted U.S. Design Patent D582,231 for the "Ornamental Design of a Corkscrew" and also U.S. Design Patent D584,122 for the "Ornamental Design of Scissors."

Jozsef Biró Laszlo

Born in Hungary and then later he migrated to Argentina, Jozsef Biró Laszlo was granted U.S. Patent 2,258,841 October 14, 1941 for a "Fountain Pen" - the father of the modern ballpoint pen.

Elena T. Medo

Born in California, Elena T. Medo has been granted nine U.S. Patents, including U.S. Patent 5,971,952 for a "Breast Pump System Using Wall Vacuum Source."

Humberto Fernandez-Moran Villalobos

A native of Venezuela, Dr. Humberto Fernandez-Moran Villalobos invented and patented the diamond scalpel. Dr. Villalobos would combine his highly precise scalpel with a microtome into a new device that enabled researchers to cut very thin slices of tissue, minerals or plant matter to be examined under the microscope.

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National Hispanic Heritage Month, held each year from September 15 - October 15, celebrates Hispanic cultures and heritage and recognizes the many contributions Hispanic Americans have made to this nation. In conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month, the Department of Commerce's United States Patent and Trademark Office is recognizing some Hispanic Americans whose inventions contributed to the nation's social and economic well-being.