PUblications by steve gardiner
Historic Bridges of Southeast Minnesota
The History Press, 2023
Minnesota is often called the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but it could also be called the Land of 20,000 Bridges. During the early days of the state, the Mississippi River and its many tributaries barred and disrupted transportation and commerce. To span these obstacles, communities battled to build and maintain bridges. Their efforts created a variety of bridge designs and purposes--from small hiking and biking bridges to concrete beams across rural rivers. Across the area, one can behold wonders like the beautiful Stone Arch Bridge, the La Crescent Swing Bridge, the Point Douglas Drawbridge, the elegant Winona Main Channel Bridge as well as other massive structures crossing the Mississippi.
Available from The History Press, a division of Arcadia Publishing
The History Press, 2023
Minnesota is often called the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but it could also be called the Land of 20,000 Bridges. During the early days of the state, the Mississippi River and its many tributaries barred and disrupted transportation and commerce. To span these obstacles, communities battled to build and maintain bridges. Their efforts created a variety of bridge designs and purposes--from small hiking and biking bridges to concrete beams across rural rivers. Across the area, one can behold wonders like the beautiful Stone Arch Bridge, the La Crescent Swing Bridge, the Point Douglas Drawbridge, the elegant Winona Main Channel Bridge as well as other massive structures crossing the Mississippi.
Available from The History Press, a division of Arcadia Publishing
Historic Disasters in Southeast Minnesota
The History Press, 2022
Southeast Minnesota has experienced several powerful natural disasters. In 1890, a driving straight-line wind on Lake Pepin overturned the Sea Wing, killing ninety-eight people within minutes in the worst marine tragedy in Minnesota history. In 1940, a raging blizzard trapped duck hunters on islands in the Mississippi River and stranded motorists across the region, leaving dozens injured or dead. Then, in 1965, floodwaters of the Mississippi River and its vast network of tributaries kept area residents in fear for two months, shattering records for high-water marks and destroying buildings and farmlands before receding and leaving behind damage that took years to rebuild. Local author Steve Gardiner examines these forces of nature and their ramifications on the people of Southeast Minnesota.
Available from The History Press, a division of Arcadia Publishing
The History Press, 2022
Southeast Minnesota has experienced several powerful natural disasters. In 1890, a driving straight-line wind on Lake Pepin overturned the Sea Wing, killing ninety-eight people within minutes in the worst marine tragedy in Minnesota history. In 1940, a raging blizzard trapped duck hunters on islands in the Mississippi River and stranded motorists across the region, leaving dozens injured or dead. Then, in 1965, floodwaters of the Mississippi River and its vast network of tributaries kept area residents in fear for two months, shattering records for high-water marks and destroying buildings and farmlands before receding and leaving behind damage that took years to rebuild. Local author Steve Gardiner examines these forces of nature and their ramifications on the people of Southeast Minnesota.
Available from The History Press, a division of Arcadia Publishing
Mountain Dreams: The Drive to Explore, Experience, and Expand
Quiet Water Publishing, 2021
For author Steve Gardiner, the years 1978 to 1988 were a decade of discovery. Beginning with rock climbing at Devils Tower National Monument and Yosemite National Park, and then mountain climbing in the Bighorn Mountains, Grand Tetons, Wind River Mountains, Alps, Andes, and finally with extended expeditions to the Harding Icefield in Alaska and the North Ridge of Mount Everest, Gardiner shares his experiences of learning to climb, developing strong relationships with his climbing teammates, and seeing several amazing parts of the world. It was a time of learning and living, of dreaming and doing, and Gardiner takes the reader along for the journey.
Available from Amazon
Quiet Water Publishing, 2021
For author Steve Gardiner, the years 1978 to 1988 were a decade of discovery. Beginning with rock climbing at Devils Tower National Monument and Yosemite National Park, and then mountain climbing in the Bighorn Mountains, Grand Tetons, Wind River Mountains, Alps, Andes, and finally with extended expeditions to the Harding Icefield in Alaska and the North Ridge of Mount Everest, Gardiner shares his experiences of learning to climb, developing strong relationships with his climbing teammates, and seeing several amazing parts of the world. It was a time of learning and living, of dreaming and doing, and Gardiner takes the reader along for the journey.
Available from Amazon
Adventure Relativity: When Intense Experience Shifts Time
Quiet Water Publishing, 2020
There are moments in life that change our perceptions. When we are faced with difficult challenges, with scenes of beauty, with frightening emergencies, with quiet solitude, we often experience a sense of time in different ways. Sometimes it seems to speed up, to race, and in other situations, it seems to move slowly, to crawl. In Adventure Relativity, author Steve Gardiner takes the reader on a journey through a childhood game, a cardiac arrest, a high-altitude climb, a solo trip into the mountains, a heated run in the Boston Marathon, and other adventures that stretched his sense, pulled at his emotions, and gave him a stronger sense of meaning in life.
Available from Amazon
Quiet Water Publishing, 2020
There are moments in life that change our perceptions. When we are faced with difficult challenges, with scenes of beauty, with frightening emergencies, with quiet solitude, we often experience a sense of time in different ways. Sometimes it seems to speed up, to race, and in other situations, it seems to move slowly, to crawl. In Adventure Relativity, author Steve Gardiner takes the reader on a journey through a childhood game, a cardiac arrest, a high-altitude climb, a solo trip into the mountains, a heated run in the Boston Marathon, and other adventures that stretched his sense, pulled at his emotions, and gave him a stronger sense of meaning in life.
Available from Amazon
Highpointing for Tibet: A Journey Supporting The Rowell Fund
with John Jancik
Quiet Water Publishing, 2017
John Jancik created the 50 for Tibet project with the hope of reaching all 50 state highpoints in one calendar year as a fundraiser for The Rowell Fund for Tibet, designed to support Tibetan writers, artists, and musicians. With work and family responsibilities, the one-year timeframe proved unrealistic, but Jancik and many of his friends eventually climbed 48 state highpoints before sending their project overseas where they climbed 18 highpoints in other countries. Throughout these travels, the team saw beautiful scenery, met interesting people, endured long hikes, crossed glaciers lined with crevasses, and spoke with the Dalai Lama. Read about the team's efforts to climb mountains while sharing information about the oppression in Tibet and raising money to help The Rowell Fund.
with John Jancik
Quiet Water Publishing, 2017
John Jancik created the 50 for Tibet project with the hope of reaching all 50 state highpoints in one calendar year as a fundraiser for The Rowell Fund for Tibet, designed to support Tibetan writers, artists, and musicians. With work and family responsibilities, the one-year timeframe proved unrealistic, but Jancik and many of his friends eventually climbed 48 state highpoints before sending their project overseas where they climbed 18 highpoints in other countries. Throughout these travels, the team saw beautiful scenery, met interesting people, endured long hikes, crossed glaciers lined with crevasses, and spoke with the Dalai Lama. Read about the team's efforts to climb mountains while sharing information about the oppression in Tibet and raising money to help The Rowell Fund.
Building Student Literacy Through Sustained Silent Reading,
ASCD, 2005
Sustained silent reading is an incredible way of helping students improve their vocabulary, sentence fluency, spelling, grammar, and most importantly, their enjoyment of reading. It is simple, low-cost program that can be utilized in any school building. When students learn to enjoy reading, they are well on their way to becoming life-long readers. Hundreds of teachers have used the ideas expressed in this book to introduce and maintain SSR programs in their classrooms.
Available from ASCD
ASCD, 2005
Sustained silent reading is an incredible way of helping students improve their vocabulary, sentence fluency, spelling, grammar, and most importantly, their enjoyment of reading. It is simple, low-cost program that can be utilized in any school building. When students learn to enjoy reading, they are well on their way to becoming life-long readers. Hundreds of teachers have used the ideas expressed in this book to introduce and maintain SSR programs in their classrooms.
Available from ASCD
Under the Midnight Sun: The Ascent of John Denver Peak and the Search for the Northernmost Point of Land on Earth,
with John Jancik and Javanna Richardson
StarsEnd Creations, 2003
This book is an account of two expeditions to the northern coast of Greenland in 1996 and 2001. It is an area of the world rarely visited where unclimbed mountains, untouched glaciers, and eternal sunlight beckon the climbers to scenes of extreme beauty and solitude.
Out of print. Available at Amazon.
with John Jancik and Javanna Richardson
StarsEnd Creations, 2003
This book is an account of two expeditions to the northern coast of Greenland in 1996 and 2001. It is an area of the world rarely visited where unclimbed mountains, untouched glaciers, and eternal sunlight beckon the climbers to scenes of extreme beauty and solitude.
Out of print. Available at Amazon.
Why I Climb: Personal Insights of Top Climbers,
Stackpole Books, 1990
Gardiner interviewed dozens of world class mountain climbers about why they chose to participate in the sport. He talked with rock climbers, ice climbers, and high-altitude mountaineers about their dreams, their motivations, and their experiences. Some of the stories are funny, others are serious, many are deeply thoughtful. Their collected answers form an interesting perspective on an age-old question.
Out of print. Available at Amazon.
Stackpole Books, 1990
Gardiner interviewed dozens of world class mountain climbers about why they chose to participate in the sport. He talked with rock climbers, ice climbers, and high-altitude mountaineers about their dreams, their motivations, and their experiences. Some of the stories are funny, others are serious, many are deeply thoughtful. Their collected answers form an interesting perspective on an age-old question.
Out of print. Available at Amazon.
Devils Tower National Monument: A Climber's Guide,
with Dick Guilmette
The Mountaineers, 1986
This book was the first edition of the most complete and accurate description of the rock climbing routes on Devils Tower National Monument in northeastern Wyoming. The Devils History Natural History Association has since released additional editions of this book to keep up with new routes and increased demand for information about this classic climbing destination.
Out of print. Available at Amazon.
with Dick Guilmette
The Mountaineers, 1986
This book was the first edition of the most complete and accurate description of the rock climbing routes on Devils Tower National Monument in northeastern Wyoming. The Devils History Natural History Association has since released additional editions of this book to keep up with new routes and increased demand for information about this classic climbing destination.
Out of print. Available at Amazon.
Recent Articles (online)
When Hills Become Mountains, The Home Forum, The Christian Science Monitor, Jan. 11, 2023
Weaving a better world: Taliban ruling affects Cultural Cloth rug sales, RiverTown Multimedia, July 17, 2019
Like his eagle collection, Wabasha man soaring through the pages, RiverTown Multimedia, May 7, 2019
Stories put a face on immigrant experience, RiverTown Multimedia, April 27, 2019
National Certification recognizes accomplished teachers, RiverTown Multimedia, April 22, 2019
Kinstone features land restoration, human rejuvenation, RiverTown Multimedia, April 9, 2019
Vietnam taught Marine five lessons, RiverTown Multimedia, March 23, 2019
Determination helped Alleva recover from brain injury, RiverTown Multimedia, February 16, 2019
Timing was key to ice rescue success, RiverTown Multimedia, January 9, 2019
What about those gift cards? Billions of dollars go unused, RiverTown Multimedia, December 10, 2018
Company turns abandoned sand pit into solar garden, RiverTown Multimedia, November 8, 2018
Ceremony celebrates unity of two communities, RiverTown Multimedia, October 20, 2018
Cooperative helps Hmong farmers, RiverTown Multimedia, July 10, 2018
Sustaining A Love of Reading, NNSTOY Website, February 12, 2018
By Saddling Students with Debt, We Are Depriving Them of Self-reliance, PBS NewsHour, March 15, 2017.
A Gift to my Future Self, The Christian Science Monitor, January 18, 2017
He, she, they? Why it's time to leave this grammar rule behind, PBS NewsHour, August 24, 2016.
Students are Addicted to Their Cellphones, and They Need Our Help, PBS NewsHour, May 13, 2016
Student Cellphone Addiction is No Joke, Education Week, April 26, 2016.
Supporting Student Resilience in the Classroom, Edutopia, May 20, 2014
Stop the Pay, Stop the Play, Phi Delta Kappan, May 1, 2014
Recent Articles (print only)
Eagle Center Expands its Scope and Space, Big River Magazine, Mar/April 2023
Can Kernza Help Clean Up Our Rivers?, Big River Magazine, Sept/Oct 2022
Training the River with Wing Dams, Big River Magazine, Mar/April 2022
Rediscovering the First Water Skier, Big River Magazine, Jan/Feb 2022
Summit Storm, Sport Literate, January 2018
Let Students Write Their Masterpieces, Educational Leadership, April 2014
Twenty-two Yearbooks on the Shelf, Communication: Journalism Education Today, Winter 2015
Literacy Blog
See more than 50 literacy blog entries at LiterateLearner. The Literate Learner website, created by Vince Long and Steve Gardiner, contains information about teaching the Six Traits Writing process as well as exercises to practice Six Traits with students in the classroom. This site has been used by thousands of teachers and students since 2001.