You Are What You Read

As a librarian I totally agree with this statement.  Are you junk or nutritious goodness?  I read a lot like I eat.  I combine books that fuel my brain but add a bit of spice and sweetness with the occasional romance novel or tabloid fare.

Scholastic takes the idea of being what you read further with You Are What You Read.  Here's the premise as printed on the Scholatic site: "Once you sign up, you’ll be able to input your Bookprint – the five books that most influenced your life. You’ll then be able to connect with others through your shared Bookprints, interact with a global community of readers, and discover new books to enjoy."

This site is similar to Good Reads but with the added zen factor.

The uncharacteristic part of the site is that Scholastic has created but an adult and youth site. This is a great way to bring the world into the lives of your students.  Sign up today.

You're Invited to a Party

If you could not tell by the title then you should know that our final week of the series is about social networking. We will not cover Facebook or Twitter but I will share fantastic tools to utilize not only in school but in life.

Today's social networking tool review is timely due to a conversation thread by the fellow librarians in my school district.  A few of the ladies (and few guys) were upset that they could not view a patron's history.  This feature was removed from libraries by the Homeland Security Act which adds a level of protection to what you checkout.  The downside for school librarians is that we cannot help students when they want to reread a book or read the one their besty read a few months ago.  Today's tool eliminates that problem so allow me to introduce you to your next favorite book by way of Good Reads. 

Good Reads is the social networking tool for book nerds. 

• The site allows users to connect with friends via Facebook, Twitter, etc. 
• You are able to read a synopsis of the book your friends have/are reading  as well as read their recommendations.
• Once you rate 20 books, Good Reads will recommend others based on your ratings.
• Good Reads is your personal bookshelf.  The title of that book you read months ago is always within reach.

Due to the Facebook connection, many school districts may not allow students to access the site on campus.  However, this is a tool that you can use outside of the classroom for extra credit by creating a Facebook fan page or connect with your class Twitter account.  This is an excellent way to connect with your students and find out what they're reading.

Similar sites include:  LibraryThing, Goodreads, Shelfari, aNobii and BookJetty.

Enjoy!

Zooburst

As we lounge around and commemorate Labor Day with BBQ and beer, I invite you to consider one last Digital Storytelling tool to add to your dynamic curriculum.  This week consider adding a pop of wow with Zooburst.  Zooburst adds a new dimension to storytelling by adding a 3-D component. 

Zooburts also offers a huge library of clip art to help your students get their point across.  If a Zooburst photo does not fancy your charge, no problem, have her upload her own picture.  Students adore adding their own image in an assignment.  Zooburts allows them to personalize their 3D story which will make everyone take notice on presentation day.

I want to end Digital Storytelling tools by encouraging teachers of all content to think outside the box.  These tools are not just for the English classroom.  Math teachers, have students explain how to solve problems.  Social Studies educators, retell an event in history.  Foreign language teachers, I cannot think of a better tool for students to put their newly learned words into practice.  Visit the Zooburst gallery for more ideas or even add one of the stories to your lesson. Digital Storytelling is a great way to escape from the ordinary.  Keep your students guessing what may happen next in your class and watch their attentiveness soar.

Technorati Tags: zooburst

Tapping into Creativity

There are six levels of Blooms Taxonomy.  Unfortunately due to the ‘T’ word it is not uncommon to find teachers moving beyond levels 1-3 in hopes of retaining formulas for end of grade test. Moving to levels 4-6 require illustration, supporting and creating.  Today we are going to tap into the higher levels by creating a Storybird.

Storybirds are art-inspired stories that impact everyone from Miss. Smartypants in the front seat to our reluctant readers in the back row.  Here’s how it works:

Storybird Quick Tour from Storybird on Vimeo.

In science have your students create a Storybird to illustrate the Scientific Method.  Social Studies students can retell the events leading to WWI.  The possibilities are endless for all content areas.

Empower your students to reach their highest high.  Sign up for your free Storybird acount today.

READER RESPONSE: How will you use Storybird in your class?

Read Forever

I am a school library media specialist.  To many I am referred to as the librarian.  To students, a media specialist and around the country, a media coordinator.  However, my job is to aid in turning patrons, more specifically, K-12 students into life-long library users and readers.  There have been many discussions over the demise of libraries and physical books with the invention of eReaders.  I own a Nook and adore my tablet.  Owning a Nook, Kindle or any eReader will not put me out of a job or cause libraries to close.  I am still supporting authors when I buy a book.  All in all, the Nook is just cool.   So why are so many people opposed to eReaders?  You can Google that question but I thought I would provide reasons why eReaders are superb:

1. Internal dictionary: Many readers struggle with unfamiliar words.  My mom always encouraged me to look up these words when I was child.  Consequently, I read with a dictionary by my side.  With digital readers you simply have to highlight the word and viola!  Instant understanding.
2. Samples: You can sample any book for free.  Instead of having to get in your car and drive to the book store or library, press a button and make a decision on if the book is right for you.  You then have the choice to buy the eBook, physical book or borrow a free copy from your local library.
3. Project Gutenberg, Adobe Free eBooks and many other online sites.  This is a fantastic resource for high school and college students.  Most importantly, your local library offers free eBooks.  Swing by their site today.  Here is the site for my fellow North Carolinians. 
4. Here's a secret: Kids love handhelds.  Take a look at the kids in the backseat as you travel this summer.  I guarantee that at least 85% of those children will be glued to an iPod, gaming system or something similar.  What our students need and want haven't changed.  What needs to change is how we deliver content. 
5. eBooks are never destroyed or lost.  Destroyed and lost books drive me crazy and waste money.  Once you buy an eBook, it's yours forever.
6. Textbooks: Electronic text books are growing popularity and cheaper than their physical counterparts.
7. Did I mention that eReaders are cool?

I can go on and on about the joy of eReaders but the most important aspect is that the joy of reading is once again enhanced by something new.  If that is what it takes to turn my charges into life-long literates, so be it.  All I ask is that you never stop reading, never stop learning and never stop growing.

Read Forever