Good news! Merriam-Webster’s new visual dictionary is now available online!

At the NCTE convention a couple of weeks ago, I saw a print version of this awesome resource. I thought it would be very helpful in the classrooms of inner cities and poor rural areas, so children could better understand what they were reading. Economic realities being what they are, I doubted it would happen.

Merriam-Webster has done a great service to teachers and learners everywhere by putting this resource online. Let’s say you’re teaching Steinbeck’s The Pearl, and you want students to understand what an oyster is. Type “oyster” into the search box, and a list of available images will appear. Highlight the one you want, click “Go To,” and voilà! Mollusks, oyster forks, oyster knives, and oyster mushrooms. Let’s say you’re planning a classroom toga party to re-enact the death of Julius Caesar. If you want authentic-looking togas, students can check here.

And the next time I need to talk to my plumber, I can be more precise than saying “the thingamajig” is broken.