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History class in the spirit of the maker movement
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We're thrilled to announce a new book from CMK Press: History in Their Hands: Teaching Inquiry-Based United States History Through the Lens of Black Agency by Beth Krasemann. This book is wholly consistent with the CMK Press philosophy — trust students, empower teachers, expand opportunities for knowledge construction. The learning-by-making here just happens to be in U.S. history. Students are armed with primary sources — text, visuals, audio, and video — and challenged to socially construct meaning with their peers. Rather than presenting Black Americans as victims of white supremacy, the curriculum showcases the persistent agency and inexhaustible contributions of Black people throughout United States history. The lessons span pre-1619 to the present, with compelling questions driving each inquiry: How did enslaved people fight back? What did Reconstruction achieve? How does activism look different today than fifty years ago? The lessons are flexible — usable as standalone activities, dropped into existing units, or combined into a full course. And even if you don't teach U.S. history, the book offers a model for working with primary sources that translates across subjects and grade levels. This timeless and timely book is wholly consistent with James Loewen's Lies My Teacher Told Me — a book many of you already know and love. With America celebrating its 250th birthday, there's no better moment for this. The companion teacher website puts every primary source document in one place, with links to additional resources. Hit "Classroom Mode" and the site becomes a projection tool — documents ready to share with a class instantly. Beth Krasemann continues the CMK Press tradition of sharing the wisdom and ingenuity of great teachers with their peers. Available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle.
For purchase orders or volume discounts: sales@cmkpress.com Sylvia Martinez & Gary Stager PS Speaking of books, don't miss our online book club session this Tuesday May 19 on Jonathan Kozol's new book, We Shall Not Bow Down. [Learn more and sign up here] |
Constructing Modern Knowledge
Join us for news, resources, and events for creative, progressive educators
Hello Reader, We both began programming computers around fifty years ago. What has recently become possible blows our minds. We are sharing two new pieces from Gary — an essay and a working paper — to inspire deeper computational making by learners of all ages, and by the educators who teach them. GARY'S NEW ESSAY AI Fuels My Imagination Forty years ago, Brian Silverman wrote a small Apple II program called The Phantom Fishtank that let learners explore cellular automata through play. Gary...
Hello Reader, There are few more occasions for celebration than the publication of a new book by civil rights activist, educator, and National Book Award-winning author Johnathan Kozol — We Shall Not Bow Down: Children of Color Under Siege: An Invocation to Resist. For six decades, Kozol has given voice to children, particularly those deprived of the benefits, dignity, and opportunity society lavishes on the affluent. Everyone needs to read Kozol, regardless of where you live or your...
New White Paper - Computation and the Reggio Emilia Approach Gary Stager's new white paper, Computation and the Reggio Emilia Approach, makes the case that computation is a powerful medium for children's expression and knowledge construction — one that deepens and extends the values already at the heart of Reggio practice. Not all technology meets this goal. There is a distinction that matters enormously in practice: digital projects use computers to produce documents, images, and...