Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Guest Post: Top Audiobooks for Children

Many friends ask: Debbie, how do you read so much?  Audiobooks have helped me become quite versed in children’s literature through the years. I’m quite passionate about various novels and appreciate that I grew in my knowledge about young adult literature initially through audiobooks. I also jumped back into my childhood by listening to familiar favorites and classics. Additionally, as a mother, I adore using audiobooks with my son. I love that my son loves to read with others. He adores read-alouds and has grown as a reader with his vocabulary and comprehension due in part to being immersed in children’s literature since he was an infant. Last year, my son and I carpooled together back and forth from school and we listened to books such as BFG by Roald Dahl and Charlotte's Web by E.B. White.  Then we listened to Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander, and The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. We have both missed carpooling this year with our transition to a new job and location. Recently, I noticed that he has been reluctant to transition to the chapter books he is capable of reading, so I began providing him with quality audiobooks on an iTouch. He has loved this transition and enjoyed listening to Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne, Holes (twice) by Louis Sachar, Love that Dog by Sharon Creech, Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer, Ghost Knight by Cornelia Funke, and many more books that I mentioned in the above lists. So far, he loves the independence and I enjoyed seeing an eagerness in his book selection again. Personally, I purposefully plan my audiobook selections with young adult and adult literature in mind since I prefer a balance of genres when I’m reading multiple books at once. I also try to listen to books which won the Odyssey award and I am never disappointed by the selections.

Here are some favorite children’s and young adult audiobooks: please note, these have purposefully been placed in alphabetical order and organized by a suggested grade level range in addition to genre and quick book talk provided for each title. Your child may be fully capable of enjoying and comprehending books at lower or higher levels than organized below, these are simply suggestions:

Kindergarten-2nd Grade; Years 1-3:
The World According to Humphrey (Humphrey Series) by Betty G. Birney, Animal Fiction
- Humphrey, the class hamster, learns a lot about the human species through observation.
Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins Collections by Beverly Cleary, Realistic Fiction
- Prepare yourself for loads of laughs! Henry Huggins is narrated by Neil Patrick Harris.
BFG by Roald Dahl, Fantasy
-What do you think BFG stands for? What adventure would you expect if a giant reached into your window and carried you away? Enjoy the adventures of a little orphan girl Sophie and her BFG.
Louise, Adventures of a Chicken by Kate diCamillo, Animal Fiction
- Louise is a chicken on a mission, to go out and experience the world. Winner of the Odyssey Book Award in 2010, amazing production to enjoy in addition to the bonus opportunity to read along with this picture book.
Mercy Watson Series by Kate diCamillo, Animal Fiction
- Who sleeps with their pig and feeds her buttered toast?
My Father’s Dragon by Ruth  Stiles Gannett, Fantasy
- Would you believe a wild alley cat who tells you about dragons and a wild island?
Free audiobook here: http://librivox.org/my-fathers-dragon-by-ruth-stiles-gannett/
Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel, Animal Fiction
- Can a frog and toad be friends? Can their adventures with swimming together and telling one another stories keep you laughing?
Gooney Bird Collection by Lois Lowry, Realistic Fiction
- Would you show up with underwear on your head?
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty McDonald, Fantasy
- Have you ever been trapped in your room by your toys?
Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osborne, Fantasy
- Would you go on magical missions if you got the chance?
Junie B. Jones Series by Barbara Park, Realistic Fiction
- Would you worry about riding on a bus if your best friend tells you that chocolate milk will be poured on your head?
Clementine Series by Sarah Pennypacker, Realistic Fiction
- Ever read a book with a main character who insists on calling her little brother a vegetable name instead of his regular name?
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, Animal Fiction
- A pig and a spider become the best of friends, what can happen with that combination?
Stuart Little by E.B. White, Animal Fiction
- Imagine parents adopting a mouse as your sibling.
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White, Animal Fiction
- Did you hear about the trumpeter swan who can’t honk? Give him a trumpet of course!


3rd-4th Grade; Years 4-5:
The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander, Fantasy
- An assistant pig-keeper embarks on a huge fantasy journey.
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger, Realistic Fiction/Fantasy
- Would you trust the advice of a piece of origami to guide your life?
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, Animal Fiction
-Growing up in a mall, what kind of lifestyle would you expect? Find out how Ivan, the gorilla, survives!
Hold Fast by Blue Balliett, Historical Fiction
- Mysterious pieces are unraveled after a father disappears on his way home from work one day.
OZ Series by Frank L. Baum, Fantasy
- Get lost in a land where there might be glass people, talking animals, and magical flowers.
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume, Realistic Fiction
- How would you deal with a little brother getting into all of your special belongings? Find out how Peter deals with his little brother Fudge.
Allie Finkle’s Series by Meg Cabot, Realistic Fiction
- ”Don’t stick a spatula down your best friend’s throat.” - Now who could go wrong with learning rules like that?
Floors by Patrick Carman, Fantasy
- If you could design a room in a magical hotel, what kind of room would it be? Underwater? Life-size computer game room?
The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer, Fantasy
- Can fairy tales be connected with our reality?
Love that Dog by Sharon Creech, Realistic Fiction/Novel in Verse
- ”Nope, can’t do it, brain’s empty.”
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, Historical Fiction
- Can you find someone with only a music poster to guide you?
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory/The Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl, Fantasy
- Go on a magical journey into a delicious world with Charlie Bucket!
The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies, Realistic Fiction
- Which is more important, being able to talk with people or being a math genius? Find great tips on running your own business while hearing how a brother and sister begin a war.
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate diCamillo, Realistic Fiction
- Who names their dog after a grocery store?
Tale of Despereaux by Kate diCamillo, Fantasy
- Can a mouse be a hero?
Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, Fantasy
- How would you react if your house was smashed and your favorite things were thrown away? Would you retaliate by tying someone’s hair to their bedposts?
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke, Fantasy
- Can friends complete a mission and get to a safe haven for dragons?
Ghost Knight by Cornelia Funke, Fantasy
- Would you help solve a murder for a ghost knight?
Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman, Fantasy
- What would your life be like if your name was Odd?
Our Only May Amelia and The Trouble with May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm, Historical Fiction
- How would you feel if you had seven brothers and you were the only girl? How about if your father says that girls are useless?
The Pepins and their Problems by Polly Horvath, Humorous Fiction/Fantasy
- Have you heard of a family that has a cow that only produces lemonade? That’s only one part of this hilarious tale.
Bunnicula Series by James Howe, Fantasy/Animal Fiction
- Vampire bunny. Dog and cat pets work to solve the mystery.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, Fantasy
- What would you do if you were cursed to always do what someone told you to do?
Narnia Series by C.S. Lewis, Fantasy
- Talking Lion. Magical Wardrobe. Evil witches. Siblings adventure.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin, Fantasy
- A quest to help parents leads Minli to be joined by a dragon.
Alvin Ho Series by Lenore Look, Realistic Fiction
- Can’t talk at school, except with his eyes. Terrified of many things but LOVES firecrackers!
11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass, Fantasy
- What would you do if you started to live a day over and over again?
Judy Moody Series by Megan McDonald, Realistic Fiction
- Have you ever started a new school year in a bad mood?
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Realistic Fiction
- How would you solve a problem when your parents tell you to do something but you want to do the opposite?
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien, Fantasy/Science Fiction
- Solve this: house about to be plowed down, but you can’t move your child who is sick with pneumonia. What does a little mouse do to save her family? How can rats help solve the situation?
Winterling by Sarah Prineas, Fantasy
- When Fer travels to a magical land, she begins to find out who she really is.
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling, Fantasy
- Young wizards. Fantastic wizard school. Young boy who finally fits in somewhere.
Riding Freedom by Pam Munoz Ryan, Historical Fiction
- Would you disguise yourself in order to ride a horse?
The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden, Animal Fiction
- A little cricket accidentally travels by picnic basket to New York. How will this new location change him?
Tiger- Five Ancestors Series by Jeff Stone, Historical Fiction
- When their temple burns down, five young warrior monks struggle to survive.


5th-6th Grade; Years 6-7
Whales on Stilts by M.T. Anderson, Science Fiction
- What could go wrong when whales hire scientists to invent stilts and lasers to fit over their eyes?
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, Fantasy
- How does Peter Pan become magical? Make his friends? Read to find out!
Shakespeare’s Secret by Elise Broach, Realistic Fiction/Mystery
- How would you enjoy solving a mystery connected with a huge diamond hidden somewhere in your home?
Atherton Series, Book One- The House of Power by Patrick Carman, Science Fiction
- A mad scientist creates a three tiered world that orbits above earth. Mysterious activities on the world are discovered by a young climber...
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko, Historical Fiction
- Go live on Alcatraz island and find out how to connect with world-known criminals!
Extra Credit by Andrew Clements, Realistic Fiction
- Abby is about to fail the sixth grade, unless she does her homework, does well on exams and completes an extra credit assignment: to write letters to someone from another country and culture... what might happen when her pen pal turns out to be a boy from Afghanistan?
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins, Fantasy
- What lies underground, gigantic bats? spiders? Mysterious magical people? Gregor and his little sister begin to find out when they accidentally slide down a laundry chute to a new underworld.
Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper, Realistic Fiction
- The most brilliant girl in school is trapped within her body without any chance to let anyone know how smart she is. What happens when she gets a device that allows her to finally communicate?
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau, Science Fiction
- There is a city which is completely dark with no moon, no sun, no stars. The only light comes from electricity, which is failing.
Rangers Apprentice Series by John Flanagan, Fantasy
- Will is selected to be a Rangers Apprentice but doubts whether he should be such since he’s scared of the Rangers who wear dark cloaks and seem to act in shadowy ways.
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, Fantasy
- When you have the magical power to read people into and out of books, what can go wrong?
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos, Realistic Fiction
- Joey is a boy who has a challenge. He’s a good kid but he can’t follow the rules or pay attention. Can he ever get things right?
Once by Morris Gleitzman, Historical Fiction
- Felix is a Jewish boy hiding from the Nazis in a Catholic orphanage. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know anything about the war and runs off from his safe hiding place right into the Nazi occupied areas of Poland.
Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Science Fiction
- Imagine being a forbidden child, hidden by population police living without being allowed to make friends or even go outside.
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, Historical Fiction
- Dust storms drastically change life in Billy Jo’s Oklahoma community.
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen, Realistic Fiction
- How would you rescue burrowing owls from a bulldozer?
Time Stops for No Mouse by Michael Hoeye, Animal Fiction/Mystery
- A watchmaker receives a watch to repair from a mysterious character, repairs the watch and then goes on a dangerous mission to return the watch to its owner.
Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Jacobsen, Realistic Fiction
- A young boy is abandoned by his mother in the middle of a national park. How will he survive?
Redwall by Brian Jacques, Fantasy/Animal Fiction
- Enter the fantasy mouse world of Redwall where peace loving mice’s lives are disrupted by an evil rat warlord.
See You At Harry's by Jo Knowles, Realistic Fiction
- Find out how one character deals with being the middle child in a loving family dealing with a terrible accident.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, Fantasy
- Three children journey through space and time in order to save their father.
Rules by Cynthia Lord, Realistic Fiction
- Would you accept life as a 13 year old with a little brother with autism who rules your family?
Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass, Realistic Fiction
- If you learned there would be a total eclipse of the sun, would you be drawn to the best place on earth to view it? Three all connected in that special location.
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen, Fantasy
- To unify a divided people, four boys are selected to compete to be the “false” prince.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Realistic Fiction
- Watch the transition of life through different perspectives when a boy with a facial deformity  enters a mainstream school for the first time in this beautiful, fantastic story.
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, Adventure/Survival
- After a plane crash, Brian survives in the wilderness for 54 days.
Eragon by Christopher Paolini, Fantasy
- When Eragon finds a blue stone, he doesn’t realize that he is going to have a dragon hatchling to care for.
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, Mystery
- Be prepared for an amazing reading of a will with 16 people.
Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan, Fantasy
- Percy didn’t know that being kicked out of a boarding school was the least of his concerns. He soon discovered Greek myths coming to life around him... what could happen?
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan, Historical Fiction
- Esperanza lived like a princess for years until her family had to flee to California and settle at a camp for Mexican farm workers.
Holes by Louis Sachar, Realistic Fiction/Fantasy
- Stanley Yelnats is sent to serve a sentence for theft at Camp Green Lake and the first job he had was: to dig holes.
Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson, Science Fiction
- Alcatraz is an unlikely hero with a talent for breaking things... his mission? To rescue a bag of sand from the hands of evil librarians.
First Light by Rebecca Stead, Science Fiction/Adventure
- Peter goes to live in Greenland with his parents on a special research mission to learn about global warming. Thea has never seen the sun and lives deep inside the arctic ice with her community. What happens when the two of them meet?
The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens, Fantasy
- Three siblings have been in orphanages for the past ten years. What adventures do they have with magic and time travel ahead of them?
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, Mystery/Adventure
- “Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?” This ad led to many children taking numerous mind bending tests and four children succeeding in getting approval to go on secret missions.
The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John, Adventure
- Mystery centers around Martine’s life after she encounters Jemma the white giraffe at her grandmother’s wildlife game preserve.

7th-8th Grade; Years 8-9
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, Historical Fiction
- Fight to stay alive during a fever epidemic in 1793.
The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants by Ann Brashares, Realistic Fiction
- A pair of pants mysteriously perfectly fit a group of best friends. The friends agree to share the pants during their summer adventures.
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot, Realistic Fiction
- Follow a girl through her discovery of being a princess to high expectations and princess lessons from her grandmother.
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, Fantasy
- A millionaire, genius 12 year old kidnaps a fairy and soon learns that fairies can be quite fierce!
The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer, Fantasy
- A boy and his sister were kidnapped by a fierce berserkers and forced to survive on a ship.
Wee Free Men by Terry Hatchett, Fantasy
- What would you do if your little brother was kidnapped? Would you align yourself with fierce six-inch little blue men to rescue him?
Scat by Carl Hiaasen, Realistic Fiction
- When a teacher goes missing, two students get drawn into a swampy mystery.
The Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill, Fantasy
- A fierce princess warrior must protect herself and her kingdom from an invasion. Would she succeed after allying herself with vampires, wolf people, and snow leopards?
Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby, Fantasy
- Mystery shrouds an iced-in kingdom.
Pendragon, Book 1, The Merchant of Death by D.J. MacHale, Fantasy/Adventure
- Bobby discovers he must be the hero after being swept into an alternate dimension during this non-stop action, page turning book.
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelson, Adventure/Realistic Fiction
- A punishment for a terrible crime: to survive one year banished on an island in Alaska.
Keys to the Kingdom Series by Garth Nix, Fantasy
- An asthmatic boy is swept up into another world on a mission to locate seven powerful keys.
The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex, Science Fiction
- A girl writes an essay explaining how aliens came to earth and kidnapped her mother. What an adventure!
Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt, Historical Fiction
- Two unlikely friends both grow over a year in this touching, upsetting story.
Switchers by Kate Thomas, Fantasy
- Tess is a switcher, she can change her shape into any animal form she wishes, and believes, incorrectly, that she is alone. Little does she know that she must join forces with another switcher and work to save the Northern hemisphere!

9th-12th Grade; Years 10-13:
- Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Realistic Fiction
- What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell, Historical Fiction
-Beauty Queens by Libba Bray, Adventure/Survival/Satire
-Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Adventure/Science Fiction/Dystopian
-The Maze Runner by James Dashner, Adventure/Science Fiction
-Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay, Historical Fiction
-Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, Historical Fiction/Science Fiction
-A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly, Historical Fiction
-Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis, Multicultural/Survival
-Incarceron by Catherine Fisher, Science Fiction/Dystopian
-Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, Fantasy
-Looking for Alaska by John Green, Realistic Fiction
-The Fault in our Stars by John Green, Realistic Fiction
-Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan, Realistic Fiction
-Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Adventure
-The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson, Science Fiction
-Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, Science Fiction/Dystopian
-Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy, Survival/Realistic Fiction
-The Raven Boys by Maggie Steifvater, Fantasy
-Daughter of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor, Fantasy
-Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, Steampunk (alternative history)
-Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff, Realistic Fiction
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There are excellent young adult audiobooks lists here: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/amazing-audiobooks

Here are some good online resources for locating audiobooks:

Great Pinterest Collections on audiobooks:
another two:

Great audiobook post- “The Power of Audiobooks”:
Wonderful post on supporting readers’ growth from audiobooks:
Few other articles on favorite audiobook narrators:

Here are a few miscellaneous audiobook blog posts connecting readers to audiobooks:

Guest Blogger Info
Debbie Alvarez is a Teacher Librarian in Hong Kong. She enjoys sharing her literacy, technology, and research skill ideas through the blog: http://thestylinglibrarian.com in addition to communicating on Twitter as @stylinlibrarian. Please visit her at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1941055-the-styling-librarian

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Guest Post: Twitter: Best Professional Learning Around

With all the professional development opportunities out there, how does a busy educator find the best resources? My favorite Professional Learning Network is Twitter, which I explored at the urging of colleagues. Many people form negative opinions about Twitter based on how it is portrayed in the news and in popular media. In actuality, it’s a very powerful tool for collaboration and professional support. Here are a few reasons you might like to use Twitter, and how.
Twitter is a free, always available resource. I’m connected with teachers, librarians, thought leaders, authors and publishers all over the world. I can find content at my fingertips - articles of interest are posted where I can find them quickly, with topics highlighted concisely. Sharing my own ideas through tweets brings me more followers with whom to share, and from whom to learn. I can find countless targeted discussion groups to follow and join. There is much more to this social media tool, including surprises... I’ve won apps, books, and even an author Skype through Twitter! Ready to join in the conversation? Here’s how:
Join Twitter! https://twitter.com/. You’ll need a username, email, password, and a profile. Write your profile in 140 characters. Highlight your interests. Discover! Use the hashtag symbol # immediately followed by a topic to search for folks like you, or groups that interest you. Some good ones: #nerdybookclub #runteacherrun #bookaday and #edtech. Follow others! You can read their tweets first to see if what they have to share is relevant to you. Try these: @MrSchuReads, @jenniferlagarde, @iChrisLehman, and of course, @cybrarian77. Write a tweet! You can include a hashtag along with a topic and see if anyone is listening. Check out these two great Twitter cheat sheets for educators. http://www.edudemic.com/2013/04/a-useful-twitter-cheat-sheet/  and http://www.teachthought.com/social-media/cheat-sheet-twitter-for-teachers/
Guest Blogger Info
Valerie Stein is long-time Library Media Specialist for Soundview School, an authorized International Baccaluareate World School in Washington State: http://www.soundview.org/. She reviews books for Puget Sound Council for the Review of Children’s Media: https://pscreviews.org/ . Valerie’s tech interests include exploring the uses of Social Media to connect to high-quality resources, and demystifying tools and technologies for her patrons. She blogs at http://vst3in.wordpress.com/ where she features the writing process, select book reviews, and teaching news. You can follow her on Twitter @stein_valerie. She’d love to follow you back!


Collaborative handshake attribution: Berdea, on Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
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Monday, July 29, 2013

Where I Have Been the Last Month.....

Before the Internet and digital photography came into my life, I was a serious children's photographer and songwriter. My high school film making teacher helped me purchase my first SLR (Single-Lens Reflex) camera and showed me how to develop negatives and make prints in the darkroom. My songwriting began when I was ten years old (of course the song was only about a pet hamster) and I have written over 100 songs since. Perhaps you have seen the icon on the left side of this blog which is my CD for newborn babies, "Welcome to the World: A Musical Collection for the Nursery.  It is available on Amazon.com , CD Baby and iTunes. So...one of my big summer projects was to spend time writing more music and possibly a children's musical. (Any good lyricists out there??)




Another thing which has been taking up my time is my photography. I've been taking classes trying to hone my skills and doing several photo restoration jobs. (I had a website but couldn't keep up with the work and a full-time teaching job)

(Photo of the 911 memorial was taken last October.)



No longer in the darkroom, I fell in love with Photoshop® when it was first released and spend many hours on my Mac. Here are some samples of the work I have done:
 




So, that's where I've been since school came to an end in June. I wanted to thank all my guest bloggers and fellow media specialists for keeping the blog alive. Oh, and thank all of you for allowing me to tout my songwriting and digital photography skills. Have a great summer everyone!
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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Guest Post: Introducing Google+ Hangouts to Teachers

As early adaptors of technology, facilitators of interdisciplinary projects, and purveyors of all things information at our schools, we media specialists are in the perfect position to introduce Google+ hangouts to our teachers.

 Why? It’s all about collaborating and connecting, and Hangouts make it easy and, yes, fun!

Mentioned as the "killer app" of Google Plus, Hangouts started just under two years ago, in September 2011. Hangouts on Air, recorded Hangouts, went worldwide in May 2012. 

 Although the technology is very young, educators are already reaping the value of this robust video conferencing tool.

An ongoing survey I created for a GAFE Hawaii Summit presentation in January 2013 demonstrates the variety of ways teachers throughout the world (and one of our students!) are already using Hangouts:

If you are using or considering using G+ Hangouts, please consider adding your name and information to this growing list. Simply fill out this form:

Your answers will automatically appear in the results.
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We're just beginning to explore Google+ Hangouts as a communication forum at our school. 

 1. Our technology coordinator Mr. Jon Toda enabled Google Plus (which is needed in order to participate in Hangouts) for all teachers in the spring. 

 2. This summer, chemistry teacher Mrs. Evelyn Lacanienta requested Google Plus access for two recent graduates so that she could communicate with them as they pursue their college studies in medicine. So Mr. Toda opened up Google Plus access not only for those graduates, but for the entire Class of 2013, as well as for the Classes of 2011 and 2012. (Our graduates' retain their school email accounts.)

 2. Our tech staff (Mrs. Roberta Hodara, Mr. Louis Turbeville, Mr. Toda and myself) is experimenting with weekly Office Hours hangouts this summer.

This letter was sent to teachers to encourage them to participate:

So far so good! More than a dozen teachers have already participated in these weekly events to one degree or another, and we hope to get more teachers on board.

3. Some of our teachers are already making Hangouts their own. For example, our college counselor Ms. Stephanie Nelson has plans for Seniors to communicate with college representatives, via Hangout. To facilitate this, Mr. Toda just enabled Google Plus for all Seniors, the Class of 2014.
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How can Google Plus Hangouts help you and your teachers (and your older students) connect and collaborate? There's nothing like jumping right in (ready or not) to find out.

Need to learn the ins and outs of Google Plus Hangouts before you introduce it to your teachers? I highly recommend Martin Shervington’s Ultimate Guide to Google Hangouts to get you started.
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 P. S. Please let us know how you and your teachers are making Google Hangouts to achieve your goals!

Guest Blogger Info
Linda Lindsay is the librarian at Seabury Hall, a college-preparatory Gr.6-12 independent school, on the island of Maui, Hawaii. She has been the librarian there for 33 years. She is a Google Certified teacher. She is keenly interested in integration of technology in the classroom, social media best practices, digital literacy for students, and books and reading for everyone. She maintains two professional blogs: mauilibrarian2 in Olinda, and SEABURY READS.
 
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Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Guest Post: Engaging Students Through Photos

I think it’s an incense bottle.   Could this be an old coin?
Teachers attending a workshop are asked to select a photograph of a digital artifact to examine and share with the group. Within seconds they are sharing what they see or wondering what the item is.   A group of teachers and media specialists in an online class shared photos and maps of their hometown. A Wisconsin teacher wrote these 37 miles of river have been part of my life for the past 50 years.  The Fox River runs through my hometown of Appleton, Wisconsin.  [The river] is massive and drew many settlers to this area due to its ability to support a variety of industries.  The river specifically attracted many paper mills to build on its banks.  My grandfather worked at Fox River Paper Mill as a pipe fitter. Ten years ago I lived in the old mill, which had been converted to apartments.  . . .I would often wonder if I was walking in the same spot my grandfather walked or looked upon the river out the same window he once had so many years before I was even born.    A Louisiana history teacher used photos and documents to introduce a topic the first day of school. She shared her excitement: I allowed my first period class today to start the {activity} I had assigned for homework.  They got so into it!   Between mocking Burnside’s facial hair, talking about the names, talking about the autographs – they really – without knowing it – started to get excited about primary documents!  Students and teachers in all three of these groups instinctively shifted into photo analysis, reflection, and discussion when they viewed the photos.  Photos, maps broadsides, posters, drawings and other visuals are powerful tools to stimulate our senses and thinking.  Photo analysis activities can be used to introduce a topic, as a discussion icebreaker, a writing prompt, or research catalyst.
The incense bottle is actually a watch fob; the coin is a button.  Both are part of Lincoln’s Pockets, a Library of Congress Teachers’ Page professional development activity.  Participants examine artifacts found in Lincoln’s pockets the night of his assassination and discuss how primary sources engage and motivate students.  The Teachers Page has a multitude of classroom-ready materials to help busy teachers and media specialists get started using photo analysis and primary sources in the classroom quickly.  Primary Source Sets, another Teachers Page feature are designed for busy teachers who want to use primary sources but are short on time for searching and selecting resources.  Over 30 sets provide  “ready to use” PDFs and MP3 files of primary sources on topics commonly taught in schools. Sets include Japanese Internment, the Dustbowl, the Harlem Renaissance, Baseball Across a Divided Society, Assimilation through Education (Indian Boarding Schools), Civil War Music, the Spanish American War, and Symbols of the United States. Teachers’ guides for each set provide background information, teaching ideas, links to related classroom materials, and other Library of Congress resources.  Reproducible primary source analysis tools are part of with each set.  The observe, reflect, question, and investigate further model is used in a generic analysis tool. Students can use it with a primary source in any format.  Teacher’s analysis guides for a diverse primary source formats (interviews, text, manuscripts, sheet music etc.) have question prompts and suggested teaching activities. A self-paced online professional development module “analyzing photos and prints” has a built-in analysis tool which can be completed online and printed out.
I keep discovering that too few people know about these wonderful tools and resources. The quickly approaching start of the school year is a wonderful time for media specialists to share these wonderful tools with teachers or use them during their own instruction!  It won’t take long before you see photo analysis and engaged discussion!
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Teachers quoted: Susan Buss, Appleton, Wisconsin; Robin Vogt, New Orleans, Louisiana
Library of Congress Teachers Page, Professional Development Plan Builder, “Lincoln’s Pockets” http://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/tpsdirect/pdplanbuilder/
Library of Congress Teachers Page, Take Online Module http://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/selfdirected/
Library of Congress Teachers Page Teachers Page Classroom Materials   http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/

Library of Congress Teachers Guides and analysis Tools
Guest Blogger Info
Mary Alice Anderson is a former school media specialist for the Winona, Minnesota, schools. She currently is as an online instructor for the University of Wisconsin-Stout where she teaches a course in using primary sources.  She also teaches for Minnesota State University-Mankato where she teaches courses for future media specialists. She was a member of a Library of Congress Professional Development Review committee, is the author of the local history chapter for Interacting with History, a book to be published by ALA later this year.  A column about classroom ready materials will be published in her ongoing “NEW Media Center” column in Internet @ Schools this fall.  Past columns are available through her Random Thoughts blog, Maryalicea.wordpress.com.  Her web page is:  http://www.uwstout.edu/faculty/andersonmary/index.cfm
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Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Guest Post: Build Your PLN This Summer Via Podcasts


Summer is the perfect time to reflect on the past year and learn new strategies for the coming year.  One way to do this is by building your PLN…personal learning network.  Teaching can be an isolating business, yet there are hundreds of teachers in your state, country and throughout the world who do exactly what you do and are willing to share their successes and failures with you. There are many ways to build a PLN, but today I would like to focus on one of the easiest ways (in my humble opinion) which listening to podcasts.  Podcasts/vodcasts are audio/video recordings that can be viewed on your computer, smartphone or ipod/mp3 device.  There are a growing number of teachers who voluntarily produce very informative podcasts on a variety of educational topics. What better way to learn about the value of listening to a podcast than to listen to a podcast?  Teacher Tech Talk is a fabulous teacher-produced podcast and in episode 1.5 the host Chad Kafka provides a “tech tidbit” on the value of listening to podcasts, shares how to listen to podcasts and highlights some of his favorite podcasts. 

For you to begin your podcast adventure, you will need to find a podcast that suits your needs.  There are several organizations that provide a collection of podcasts that might be a good place to start.  The first place I would recommend is The Edreach Network.  You can listen to their publications through their YouTube Channel, on itunes or on Stitcher radio if you have a smartphone.  They have podcasts for administrators, theater teachers, art teacher and so much more.  My personal favorites are Teacher Tech Talk, Mobile Reach,   The Google Educast and Techlandia.  Another organization that provides a variety of podcasts is TeacherCast.  My favorite podcast of the TeacherCast network is the TechEducator podcast, but there are several other great podcasts as well.  In addition, there are many other podcasts available just by searching the itunes store in the podcast section.  I stumbled upon The Cool Teacher podcast that way.
Whether you listen to a podcast in the car, while you are exercising or just sitting at your desk you are sure to be motivated to check out a new ipad app or website, or read an intriguing news article.  Try it out!  Most podcasts are between 15 minutes – no more than hour!
GUEST BLOGGER INFO
Julie Spang is a Technology Integration Specialist who lives in Dunstable, Massachusetts and will soon be working at Groton-Dunstable Middle School. She has been a technology teacher and integrator for 9 years.  You can find more articles on her blog: http://technologeyes.wordpress.com/
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