All Posts - Blogs - TLNing (teacherlibrarian.org)

Sort by

Flatclassroom09-3 SoundingBoards

Posted by mrsdurff on October 30, 2009 at 3:20pm

Every fall a global project takes place led by Julie Lindsay and Vicki Davis. This year over 220 students from 5 countries will research trends in information technology and globalization, write a collaborative research report on a wiki, and produce digital videos about their topics. Sound impressive? Well it is! These students are not graduate level university students. They are in high school. As part of this project, there is a peer reviewing process that takes place later this month. These Sounding Boards are simply a 1 -> 2 -> 3 review done by middle school students. I have my 7th graders do this. My students think they are reviewing college student work. When I show them pictures of the students involved, they are often incredulous. The global project has won ISTE's Online Learning Award (2007) and is included in Thomas Friedman's book, The World is Flat.Each team produces 5 videos to go with the research report. The wikis and the videos need you to peer review. Each Sounding Board classroom only has to review one team. Sign up on the Flatclassroom page (scroll down) or if you prefer contact me and I will sign you up. I have found my kids love watching the videos. I like to make a wikisite for my classroom and have them do the 1 -> 2 -> 3 reviews that Kim Cofino recommends.So come volunteer! Let's overwhelm the project with our middle school enthusiasm! Navigate to the FlatClassroom09-3 Sounding Boards page and read over the description. Sign up or contact me to do it. Thanks in advance!!

New Children's Book

Posted by Nathan Miller on October 28, 2009 at 12:48pm

I have recently published a new children's book that has a librarian as the protagonist. Kids of all ages should enjoy this 116 page comical chapter book with questions at the end. For more information visit Authorhouse.com, Barnes and Noble, Joseph Beth, or Amazon.com and search for THE OFFICIAL LIBRARIAN: BESSY'S BACK, by Nathan Miller..General information:by Miller, NathanBinding: PaperbackPublisher: AuthorhousePublish Date: 10/2009ISBN: 1449023916ISBN-13: 9781449023911DescriptionBeware of GIANT CATS!!! Did you ever have one of those days when everything seemed to go wrong? Well, if you have you can relate to Bessy Beebody. Her name might sound silly, but she takes her new job very seriously. After having a tough time getting to work and meeting a boss who reminds her of Santa, Bessy struggles to get her school library that has been left in a mess cleaned up and in order before she has the public join her to see the original copy of a very famous book. Bessy finds her job is not an easy one as she has a gorrilla, a wild bird, and a teacher with bad breath interrupt her progress. As if Bessy didn't have enough stress already, she begins getting some communications from strange places, but she'll need all the help she can get if she is to solve the mystery she is forced to take on as the "Official Librarian."

Week 4 Brainypics Winners

Posted by Jack on October 25, 2009 at 9:30am

Last week was a great turn out for Week 4 of our Brainypics contest. The kids went flat-out bonkers with the TV theme, and we received over 200 new flashcardsThat said, picking the winners was tougher than it'd ever been before. Here are the 5 winners, helping their peers learn tough SAT & ACT vocab: paradox <3, Ben F, jmullooly, Kelly & bott_geneseohs for these flashcards.NOTE: We still have 6 more weeks of Brainypics fun. Next week's theme: what else? Halloween! You can participate by going to Brainyflix.com.

You can see more Brainypics and our original videos here at Brainyflix.com.

Wiki or blog for student book reviews?

Posted by Susan Harari on October 25, 2009 at 7:38am

Does anyone have a successful wiki, blog, ning etc that students have used to share book reviews? Are the examples public, so that others can view/share?

Week 5 Brainypics Theme: Halloween

Posted by Jack on October 24, 2009 at 5:00pm

We want to celebrate Halloween, Brainyflix-style. We're looking for Brainypics with tricks, treats, great costumes (not so great costumes), pumpkin carving, candy gobbling & more.We'll pick the 5 best Brainypics submitted between Monday and Sunday at noon to compete for our cash prize. Even if your kids don't get picked, remember that they can earn an iTunes song for every 5 Brainypics they create. We have plenty of gifts to go around, so spread the word and get started at Brainyflix.com.

Week 4 Brainypics Theme: TV (Really)

Posted by Jack on October 19, 2009 at 5:00am

Each week we try to have a theme for the Brainypics Flashcard Contest. Inspired by a couple of our users for their Brainypics about "The Office" and "Saturday Night Live", we figured we might as well indulge in good ole fashion veggin' time...This week's theme: Grab an image from one of your favorite (or not favorite) TV shows and give us a Brainypic flashcard!!! Go to Brainyflix to participate.:]

Brainypics Week 3 Winners

Posted by Jack on October 19, 2009 at 5:00am

Root-doot-doot-doot-da-dooo! Congrats to ipopstar, jkollar, paco416, Marina, and tennisgirl101 for the top 5 Brainypics from last week! They now qualify to compete for our $200 Grand Prize and have also earned an iTunes song as an extra bonus.You can participate, too! We'll pick 5 Brainypics each between NOW and DEC 7th. We'll also give out iTunes song to our top contributors (1 iTunes for every 5 Brainypics flashcards). Go to http://brainyflix.com.

Information Literacy Games: Kermit the Frog Search Challenge

Posted by Dennis O'Connor on October 18, 2009 at 7:37am

It ain't easy being green....

Finding Kermit was the inspiration for one of the first Internet Search Challenges created by Dr. Carl Heine. The task is to track down a picture of Kermit ready for graduation in the least amount of time.Many teachers use this as a whole class lab activity. Put up a search challenge and then it's off the races! This game is live, just click Google to start the timer.

This activity has been available online for years along with nearly 100 other Information Literacy Games at 21cif.com.For news of the latest Search Challenges subscribe to Carl Heine's Internet Search Challenge Blog! http://internetsearchchallenge.blogspot.com/

2nd LAN Party of the K12Online2009 Conference

Posted by mrsdurff on October 18, 2009 at 6:58am

Please join us on October 20, 2009 at 22:00GMT/3:00pmPDT/4:00pmMDT/5:00pmCDT/6:00pmEDT for a live event of the 2009K12Online ConferenceOn October 20, the K12Online Conference is hosting a LAN party from 6:00PM to 8:00PM EDT. We invite everyone to gather at the LAN party site with colleagues in order to view two past conference presentations and then engage in lively discussions in our chatroom. The presenters will be in attendance.

Silvia Tolisano - 6:00 – 6:45 Travel Through Space and TimeBorn in Germany, raised in Argentina and living in the USA, Silvia graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish & International Studies and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. Currently teaching at a private elementary school, she serves as the Instructional Technology Facilitator and Webmaster. Having lived on three continents and traveled extensively, she is well aware of the importance of instilling global awareness & cultural sensitivities in all her students.6:45 – 7:30 How Can I Become Part of this ReadWriteWeb Revolution? Alice Barr, Cheryl Oakes, Bob Sprankle

Alice Barr has lived, taught and traveled on five continents. She now lives in Maine where she is the high school Instructional Technology Integrator in a 1:1 laptop environment. Alice also teaches in the summer at The University of Southern Maine and provides professionaldevelopment sessions during the year. Alice was a Technology Learning Leader with SEED, Spreading Educator to Educator Developments and worked with teachers during the beginnings of MLTI, the Maine Learning Technology Initiative.Cheryl lives and works in Maine and around the world virtually! I get to work with students and teachers

in Wells, Maine and in the states of Maine and New Hampshire. I am also lucky enough to be involved with folks from around the world through my online networks of the Webheads, Worldbridges, EdTechTalk and Seedlings. Join in any of these conversations. You will flatten your classroom.

Bob Sprankle comes from Wells, ME, USA. He's a Technology Integrator in a K-4 Elementary School, teaching over 500 students technology and skills for the 21st Century and has been integrating technology in a 3/4 Multi-age class for 10 years prior.The EdTechTalk community will host this event athttp://www.edtechtalk.com/liveFor questions or more information, contact Susan Van Gelder,Live Events Committee, at susanvg@mac.com or on Twitter at @k12online.

THE MUSE ONLINE WRITERS CONFERENCE!

Posted by Kathy Stemke on October 17, 2009 at 5:30am

I'm taking part in a fantastic on-line conference with hundreds of authors and dozens of brilliant teachers. Some of my workshops include: Adding Suspense to your novel, Fine Tuning the Senses, Creating Teacher Guides, Getting to Know your Characters, How to Write Power Sentences, First Pages in the YA Market, Assulting a Writer's Thinking, Before Copy Editing, Tightening Up your Writing, Finding your Voice, World Building, and Creative Block Busters. I just may have overbooked myself. I'm on information overdrive.Wait, I'm not done yet. I was also given the opportunity to meet and chat with publishers and agents. They give invaluable information like what they are looking for as far as genre, and even style. It doesn't hurt to be able to mention in a cover letter that you met at the Muse Conference.There are chat rooms designated for mingling with the other authors, too.Finally, I got the opportunity to pitch my new picture book to an excellent publishing house. I got positive feedback and was asked to submit my manuscript. Keep your fingers crossed.The very best feature of this conference is that I attended it in my PJs in bed. If your interested in writing, I highly recommend you attend next years conference. By the way, it's free.Sign up for my free monthly newsletter, Movement and Rhythm on my blog.My blog: http://educationtipster.blogspot.comMoving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html http://kathystemke.weebly.com

Brainypics Week 2 Winners

Posted by Jack on October 13, 2009 at 4:30pm

Congrats to our Week 2 Winners! They not only receive an iTunes song, but their Brainypics qualify for the $200 Grand Prize competition on DEC. 7.Submit Brainypics this week, and you can compete, too. Our theme for Week 3: GET CREATIVE! Give us Brainypics that are going to stand out and be super memorable. If that means your kids are gonna get goofy, wacky and weird in their Brainypics... LET'S SEE IT! :) Go to http://Brainyflix.com.P.S. And here are the Week 2 winners:

This photo shows Hover Cat at the NADIR of her flight.

Letting your dog into the hot tub is not an EXEMPLARY action.

The cat had to ABORT the mission before he was caught buying catnip.

Though he didn't believe it at first, the player found out the hard way that Yao's armpits are actually quite ACERBIC.

Kagome was nearly killed by a MALEDICTION from the black priestess Tsubaki.

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Posted by bj neary on October 13, 2009 at 12:07pm

I have been thinking about this book a lot, musing about the characters and how society is being portrayed in this book. School, family, and friends were always important, a love of home and loyalty to oneself and others was always present in Werlin's world of Lucy, Zach, Soleded, Leo and Sara. I thought Lucy was such a strong character who worked hard as an athlete, was a good daughter to Soledad and Leo, a fast friend to Sara and like a sister to Zach as they grow up, and someone who knew what she was about...Even as the past and the curse on her family hurtles in to destroy the calm and security in her life. But in Lucy's world, everyone comes to her aid, doesn't judge her and asks "what can we do to help?" Pure evil manifested itself in Padraig Seeley---he had disdain for the simple beauty of their home, he mocked their goodness, but soon their "magic" is able to defeat him and oh how sweet it is! So what did I learn from this book? I felt that Lucy was sooo loved, she was able to use this strength to free her "family" from this wretched curse and live happily knowing that maybe her life wasn't what she would have chosen----but it was "pure joy-to have the normal problems of being a married teenage mom of a newborn. And count my blessings."

Urgent Help!!!

Posted by Abida Merchant on October 11, 2009 at 5:37am

Hello Everyone....I need urgent help...I read to Grade-Pre-K to Grade-4 when they come to the library before they check out books...i read short stories..fairy tales etc...i now have run out of stuff to read...If anyone knows of any compilations which are easy to read out loud and easy to understand....Plz help.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.