ABSTRACT
Experts suggest various strategies to promote individual awareness of citizenship development, such as working with a guest mentor, shadowing role models, going to work with a parent, and becoming an intern. Other experts propose students learn by gathering and recording historical knowledge through interviews or working for political or social causes. Although these strategies may show limited success, more is needed. This chapter explores how using digital resources related to biographies can help teachers turn their classrooms into environments that value and promote democratic citizenship. In today’s digital world, it is very easy for students to become detached from the stimulating environment of the outdoors, replacing it with virtual environments. Students usually enjoy learning about famous people, and reading biographies is integral to the school curriculum. With the increased call by the Common Core State Standards for reading nonfiction books, biographies are likely to receive an even greater use beginning in the elementary grades.
