Schools

Let the Colors Flow

By Candy Jones-Guerin

Think quickly…who is your favorite American Artist?  Did you think of Andy Warhol or Andrew Wyeth, Georgia O’Keeffe or Mary Cassatt?

In August we celebrate American Artists Appreciation Month and pay homage to the visionaries that color our world. Take some time to look up your favorite or choose from the selection below and spend some of your summer reading time learning about these great American icons as well as those around the world that have had an impact on the art community.

Impressionism, 1st Edition
ReferencePoint Press
December 2015
Born in the mid-1800s, the Impressionist movement redefined the way artists approached their craft, opening the doors to previously unheard-of freedom in methods, viewpoint, and execution. This book examines Impressionist art, the tools, the techniques, the artists, and the artwork that so many generations have come to know and love.

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Working Like a Dog

By Tara Blair 

This work week was unlike any other. I eagerly awaited Thursday—yes, I said Thursday—for a day that otherwise only existed in my dreams. It was the day that Gale celebrated Take Your Dog To Work Day (TYDTWD), where staff members were invited to bring their best friend to the office. As I walked into Gale with my employee badge and my Australian Cattle Dog, I couldn’t help but think, “does this day offer any substantial benefits, or is it just pure amusement?”

After a small amount of research, I found that a doggone good time isn’t the only reward to sharing a cubicle with your four-legged companion.

Sit, stay….and read about all the perks of TYDTWD and check out some photos from Gale’s dog day.

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Time to Hit the Trail

By Candy Jones-Guerin

Did you know that there are National Parks in 27 states? July is National Parks and Recreation Month and we think it’s the perfect time to hit the road and explore our great country. First let’s take a look at National Geographic’s quick list of the 10 most visited National Parks:

1. Great Smokey Mountains
2. Grand Canyon
3. Rocky Mountain
4. Yosemite
5. Yellowstone
6. Zion
7. Olympic
8. Grand Teton
9. Acadia
10. Glacier

Read moreTime to Hit the Trail

Global Issues In Context Product Update

Updated May 24, 2016

Original Posting March 31, 2016

Global Issues In Context has been updated to reflect the standard user interface found in all the other Gale In Context products. Customers will be migrated to the new version of the product August 5, 2016.

During the continued soft launch – running through the month of July – here’s what you’ll find:

  • Spotlight stories will track current events.
  • New and updated portals will be called-out (flagged) so they are easy to find.
  • Google integration tools like Google sign-in, download to Google Drive, and Classroom Share capabilities.
  • A mobile optimized interface for ease of use on any device.
  • Additional features familiar to users such as, Highlights and Notes and additional language translation options.

Read moreGlobal Issues In Context Product Update

Testing and Education Reference Center Updates

Posted June 29th, 2016.

Gale is pleased to announce upcoming enhancements to Testing & Education Reference Center (TERC) in the coming months. This invaluable education and career database will receive interface updates to the online courses (summer), practice tests (fall), and have a responsive design by year end.

Users will experience:

  • Intuitive navigation
  • Standardized terminology
  • Popular web iconography
  • Improved readability
  • Uniform design across the platform

Read moreTesting and Education Reference Center Updates

Brexit and Beyond

By Catherine DiMercurio

On Thursday, June 23, 2016, the people of Great Britain held a referendum on whether to leave the European Union. In the months leading up to the historic vote, the prospect of the British exit from the EU came to be known as “Brexit.” The world was shocked to learn the outcome of the vote: The British people voted to leave the EU. I was shocked as well. My fourteen-year-old son is fairly politically engaged and had a lot of questions, as did I. What our research revealed is that there is a tangled web of cause and effect. Here are a few of the issues at the heart of that web.

What lead the Brits to hold the referendum in the first place?

Those who argued for leaving pointed to the diminished influence Britain has had within the massive bureaucracy of the EU. There were also concerns about the steady increase in immigration to Great Britain. The arguments for staying focused heavily on the importance of economic relationships with the European community and beyond. These arguments are detailed in a number of articles and audio files presented in Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context.

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Stars, Stripes, and History

Posted on June 27, 2016

By Candy Jones-Guerin

Our Nation’s largest birthday celebration is just around the corner and we’re excited to get the party started!

On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England, an event which eventually led to the formation of the United States. Each year on July 4th, we don our red, white, and blue to pay homage and celebrate with food, friends, and fireworks.

There are also a lot of lesser known facts about this important day. Take note of these and surprise whomever you celebrate with.

Did you know…

  • Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on a “laptop,” which was a writing desk that could fit on one’s lap.
  • Including John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, a total of three US presidents have died on July 4th. James Monroe is the third president to share this fate.
  • According to author Kenneth C. Davis, July 2nd is the real day of Independence, but it’s celebrated on the fourth because that’s when congress accepted Jefferson’s declaration.
  • Due to concerns about cracking the iconic instrument, the Liberty Bell has not been rung since 1846. Instead, every year, to mark the Fourth of July, the 2,000-pound bell is tapped 13 times to signal for bells across the country to start ringing.

Read moreStars, Stripes, and History

American Eras: “A Valued Resource for the Classroom and Library Alike”

Searching for “a valued resource” to provide users with topics in early American History? Look no further, Gale’s American Eras: Primary Sources feature a fascinating, student-friendly reference to provide a unique understanding of songs, speeches, advertisements, letters, laws, legal decisions, newspaper articles, cartoons, and much more! With over 900 primary-source documents that provide vivid first-hand account of key events, trends, and people, Gale’s American Eras will be your go-to source.

Read three reviews on this title:

Read moreAmerican Eras: “A Valued Resource for the Classroom and Library Alike”

Sitting on the Floor of the House

Posted on June 23, 2016 By Debra Kirby The afternoon of June 21st a form of protest popular in the 1960s was employed by advocates for gun control legislation on the floor – literally — of the U.S. House of Representatives, when civil rights icon and Georgia representative John Lewis led his colleagues in a … Read more

Microsoft Integration Added to Gale Products

Posted on June 22, 2016

Many of Gale’s products now offer Microsoft Office 365 integration, further enabling users to access Gale content anytime, anywhere, and from any device.

MSFT sample sign in page
After authentication, login using Microsoft credentials. Click to enlarge.anywhere, and from any device.

 

These easy-to-use collaborative tools allow users to:

  • After authentication into your Gale products, login to Microsoft Office 365 with your Microsoft credentials
  • Store, sync, and share files by downloading Gale content to your OneDrive account in the cloud
  • Easily transfer downloaded OneDrive content for use in other Microsoft tools like OneNote and Classroom

Read moreMicrosoft Integration Added to Gale Products