What's Lucy Reading?

Remember the Mommy Wars? Researchers behind the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development began in 1991 to follow more than 1,000 kids over 15 years to examine how differences in their child care experiences related to their social, emotional, intellectual and physical growth. They found that child care does indeed affect kids’ development into their teens and that – of course – the quality of care makes a great difference. This one is well worth a read.

The White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity Report to the President includes numerous recommendations that synchronize with initiatives underway in after-school programs (planting school gardens, encouraging vigorous daily movement). I’m happy to see the task force recommend research on the question of how participation in federally-supported after-school snack and supper programs affects kids’ diets, opportunity for nutrition education and overall health.

From the Carnegie Corporation’s Commission on Mathematics and Science Education comes a thorough assessment of the state of math and science education and an urgent call to make all American kids science literate, no matter where they come from or where they think they’re going professionally. Among the recommendations in The Opportunity Equation: Increase the science and math content in out-of-school time programming through project-based, real-world activities.

Anyone who doubts the value of comic books as a teaching tool will get a good argument from Michael Bitz’s new book, "When Comics Meet Kryptonite: Classroom Lessons from the Comic Book Project." There’s something about writing, designing and publishing comic books that deeply engages kids in every aspect of the writing process – kids who otherwise resist reading or writing an unassigned word. This is a practical guide to using comic books to support literacy in school and after school.