Wonderopolis Activity Card

Thoughts? I got distracted from planning for our staff development for tomorrow. #stayontopicMsO

I saved them as jpgs because I like the fonts as is. :]

We were going to use the app as a writing station this year ... but with our new filtering system  the app doesn't seem to work very well with the embedded videos. #saddayformobilelearning Works OK with the webpage ... kiddos just can't see the videos when logged in as a student. As teachers we CAN get in to YouTube or Vimeo.

Weekend Pins & HP Quotes Project in Progress

Source: schooltechnology.org via Angie on Pinterest

This pin leads to a cool little article about creating a iPad podcasting studio in a school. HOW COOL WOULD THAT BE?

Source: wishwall.me via Angie on Pinterest

I was reminded of this just tonight (technically Thursday ... I'm scheduling ahead cause I've got stuff to do this weekend!) when a little boy I teach Sunday School to had his mom bring him over to give me a picture and a little snack. It was the CUTEST THING EVER on a day ... well, on a day I've been wondering a bit about if it is worth all the stress. Will not dwell ... Heavenly Father answered me on that one before I ever even asked. Yes. It is.

Source: teacherspayteachers.com via Angie on Pinterest

I need these. BADLY.




And now it's Friday night and I'm updating this post before it goes live tomorrow. I HAVE the clip art. Many other things to do and yet this is what I've been working on. Clip art by Melonheadz and frames by Teaching in a Small Town. Fonts by Jen Jones. Dunno what I will even do with it. Kind of useless but it makes me happy.

Sci Show

So ... not always particularly ELEMENTARY library friendly ... but funny and interesting all the same. This is an older one I've been saving for a rainy day post. Check it out!

Frankenstein

So I just picked this up from the library and am debating.

Frankenstein by Rick Walton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

WAS going to use it with a lesson on characters for second grade. And don't get me wrong ... I love the book. Funny, funny, funny. AWESOME illustrations.



But ... I don't know. All the losing of heads, literally. Is that something I want to be doing in the library?



Of course I do NOT want to become one of the fussy ... fussybudgets.

So I may go back to the teachers and say "after seeing this book I'm not sure I want to make it the basis of our lesson anymore." I sent them a list of suggestions and that was what they picked.

Or I might not.

Or maybe I'll work harder to get them to want Morris Lessmore. That would work well for characters, right? For second grade? Talking about Morris and his love of books and life of service. ;]

Author Visit & Currently

What a lovely day yesterday was with Kate Messner. I was terrible with remembering to take pictures or notes. This is unacceptable for a blogger!

Today was not as fun. I missed dinner with her and the other librarians down on the Riverwalk. Dumb totally unexpected traffic jam. :X

The first visit was with 4th and 5th grade. We had some GREAT questions. Oddly enough? They were the group that got the least advance preparation. :/ The fifth grade class that got to have lunch with her? LOVED IT. There were a couple of them that I heard more from in that thirty minutes than I have ... egads. A couple years of library visits. We always talked when they came but they really chatted with her and asked questions!


The second group ... was too big. It was K-1. Tech was not our best friend. We used the mobile "rover" cart to project (because the ceiling mounted one limited our seating space by half) and that made it harder for kids in the back. Our microphone system was also being very grumpy. It has two receivers and apparently you can only stand in one place for both of them to connect and broadcast (and even then it wasn't consistent). So the ones in the back? Could hear and see but had to work a little harder at it. Kate was a champ at Simon Says to get them back on track. And one kinder teacher even told me how she tied in the visit to their writing workshop today, talking about how Kate observed the world around her house.


2-3 were a little squirrely, too, but they were SO excited because they love Marty and Earnest the Sea Monster. Wow were they impressed with her sighting. Marty is so much fun. Unlike me ... you won't catch me kissing frogs or catching worms. Some of them would be totally willing to do both of those squiggly things. Some wouldn't. They love reading about her either way.


I am excited to read some of the new books she was talking about ... more of the Silver Jaguar Society for example. I have been to Costa Rica! A little while to wait for that one as it's due April. ;]

Oops. Almost forgot to put the link in. Check out the other "Currentlys" at Farley's blog here.

Storybird

One of the things I'm thinking about talking about on Monday is Storybird.

Because it's too fun!


ZOMBIES by MsO_JediLibrarian on Storybird

You START with the pictures ... and then the students add the stories.

Take a tour of what it's all about here.

Check out teacher links here.


What's not to love? Free. Writing for authentic audiences. Easy to use editing tools. I hope some of them will want to try it!

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now… who knows, you might discover that next “must read” book!

Our Kid Lit to YA version is hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.
GREAT IDEA! Check out all of the What Are You Reading? participants for title ideas.


The Flight of the Phoenix by R.L. LaFevers
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This series feels a bit ... unfinished. Not sure if it's just that fantasy and historical fiction both usually take a bit of explanation and this comes in at under 140 pages or what.

That said I still like it. Fantastical creatures and adventure. And accessiblity to younger or less practiced readers is a nice plus.

LOVE the Theodosia series by the same author. Like this one.


Pete the Cat Saves Christmas by Eric Litwin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Well. I still like the first one the best.

Love the pics on this one! Fun take on a seasonal theme.

This one ... the song? Perhaps it will grow on me. I didn't really like the buttons one until I heard kiddos singing along at the top of their lungs for the 20th time. This one was sort of Jimmy Buffet-sh. I like J.B. well enough but gonna need some convincing to love this song!

And I already talked about it but will remind you ... READ CREEPY CARROTS.

Capture the Flag by Kate Messner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I agree with many of the other reviews.

This is a fun adventure mystery. The scenes in the airport baggage sorting area ... if you've ever watched Off Limites on the Travel Channel you'll know it's pretty accurate. I think the same channel might have a "what's inside the luggage" show, too, but I like the Off Limits one that showed all the miles of conveyor belts. He go to places you usually can't ... hence the name of the show. Anyway.

Some nice tie-ins to history. Kids don't get enough social studies anymore. It's not on any of "the tests."

A little predictable, yes, for this YA/adult thriller aficionado. But that's OK. It's a kid's book. Works quite well for the strong 3rd to 5th grade crowd.

The author will be at my school on Tuesday! I foresee the kids that haven't discovered her yet will be clamoring. And hooray! A book two.


12.21: A Novel by Dustin Thomason
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Worth watching this author's future work ... but not going to replace Preston/Child or Berry as a favorite yet.




Now Reading

The Kill Order by James Dashner


Will have to return it to the library soon. Must get on it!





Plus the professional ones I mentioned here. And Secret Letters if the E-ARC hasn't timed out yet. I liked it, I really did! It's just so easy to ignore poor books on my Nook. They're not staring at me. So ... I know they're expensive, publishers. But I don't think I'm the only one.