Are you ready for Roald Dahl Day?

So, September 13 marks the official celebration of Roald Dahl day.  And how will you celebrate?  With chocolates?  A giraffe? A BFG?  A screening of Fantastic Mr. Fox?  Well, whatever your plans, you will most definitely want to check out these websites.

The official Roald Dahl site is chock full of treats including Dahlicious Downloads, Splendiferous Sweepstakes, and a Buckswashling Book Chooser.  So much more to explore from this link: http://www.roalddahl.com/.  For example, under "treats" there are greeting cards, games and a quiz ("Find out whether you are a Roald expert or a Dahl dunce.").  More treats are available from the download page, including teacher resources, posters and activity sheets.

Did you know that there is a Roald Dahl Museum?  Well, of course there is!  And of course, resources are available online.  The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Center may be located in England, but fans worldwide have access to much of the materials from the website (http://www.roalddahlmuseum.org/default.aspx).  From the "Discover Dahl" button in the left-hand menu, some online exhibits and downloads can be found.  If you're working on writing with students in upper elementary or higher grades, you may want to download copies of early drafts of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for a real-life example of how editing works.  At the very least, be sure to explore the museum via YouTube video.

What are you waiting for, a wonkalator?  Visit the site and plan your Roald Dahl day celebration!

American history refresher course

So much chatter on Facebook, blogs, and in my personal conversations have centered around the Founding Fathers.  Debate, for almost a week, was heated as to when the Declaration of Independence was signed, adopted, and other mythology about Congress in 1776.  For me, the debates were settled easily by referring to The National Archives' online exhibit, "Charters of Freedom" (http://archives.gov/exhibits/charters/).  Myths are debunked, truths told, and even the allegations from the movie National Treasure are explored (http://archives.gov/exhibits/charters/treasure/index.html).

The online exhibit is visually stunning, easily navigated, and rich with resources.  Primary documents, art, architecture, and so much more, are included to make the Charters of Freedom a fully interactive and thought provoking exploration.  To top off my arguments with those debating the Founding Fathers, I ask: Is there a more vetted source than the National Archives?