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Many members of our community of educators have told us that digital learning is crucial in their programs and classrooms. That’s why we’re thrilled to partner with companies and organizations focused on creating and curating quality digital content to bring interactive reading, math games, critical thinking, writing practice and more to under-served children.
Here are a few of our favorite digital education tools:
1. Reading Rainbow Skybrary Do you remember reading books with LeVar Burton while watching Reading Rainbow® on TV? The Skybrary® platform picks up where the beloved children’s television series left off, bringing its mission of comprehension and intellectual engagement into the Digital Age. By infusing digital books with purposeful interactivity, engaging narration by master storytellers, and paired with delightful videos hosted by LeVar Burton, Skybrary® captures the magic of the original show while helping children find relevance and understand context in their reading.
Skybrary® is a carefully curated, ever expanding interactive library of digital books and video explorations designed to engage young readers and foster a lifelong love of learning.
Members of the First Book community of educators can purchase two classroom subscriptions to Skybrary School for the price of one. Click here to find out more.
2. Words with Friends EDU
Our partners, Zynga, developed Words With Friends EDU to bring the fun of Words With Friends into the classroom. The Words With Friends EDU platform provides a safe environment for students learn new words as they play with their classmates. As they play, teachers and parents can track students’ progress using custom teacher dashboards.
3. Homer With hundreds of hours of reading lessons, a vast library of stories and songs, and endless virtual field trips, Homer gives your program a boost of confidence and creativity! The Homer Learn-to-Read program was developed by teachers and literacy experts, built on Harvard and Stanford studies, and backed by Gold Standard research. Use of the platform has shown to increase reading scores by 74%!
Developed through the White House ConnectED initiative to reach children from from low-income families, Open Ebooks is a free app that grants access to a digital library of thousands of popular and award-winning children’s and YA eBooks.
Allowing kids of all ages and their caregivers to instantly download up to 10 eBooks at a time to their mobile digital devices, Open eBooks makes it possible for educators and librarians to actively teach digital literacy, encourage family engagement, and share the love of reading through millions of mobile devices already in the hands of young people and their families.
You must be registered with First Book to use this app. If you are not yet registered with First Book, click here.
Speakaboos is a digital storybook platform that motivates children to read, explore, and discover stories they love based on their interests. With a catalog of over 200 interactive stories that feature a mix of read-along word highlighting, narration, and animation to enhance vocabulary, reading comprehension, and fluency, Speakaboos cultivates literacy and language learning skills for children from preschool to third grade.
Thanks to our partnership with the creators of this innovative digital tool, a one-year subscription of Speakaboos is available members of the First Book community of educators for free.
Teachers, administrators, and school social workers also prepare for a fresh start with new students and ideas to engage in another year of educational and developmental learning. Unfortunately, as the school year progresses, the new beginning and excitement can give way to complacency, frustration, and sometimes hopelessness. The reality for students who are disengaged from school, as well as those who experience significant academic and behavioral issues, is a season of uncertainty, diminished expectations, and possibly serious life outcomes that are just beginning.
Hi, folks, This is the last in my series of Teachers Who Helped. Of course, I saved the best for last. In 1995, I moved to Kirkland, Washington. A friend of mine, Kathi Appelt, encouraged me that there was a vibrant group of writers in the Seattle area and recommended that I take a class on children's writing at the Bellevue Community College. Kathi said the teacher was considered very helpful.
I signed up for the class and met the teacher, Peggy King Anderson. (Those of my readers in the children's writing community are freaking out right now because I am dropping some names!) Peggy is a teacher like no other I have ever known. She loves her students and her subject. She taught me that my best story is in my soul, curled up inside, and that it is destined to break out its chrysalis and take flight. But the most important lessons I learned from Peggy were all about loving the journey of writing books, loving the people who write children's books, and actually letting the writing transform me, before it transforms anyone else.
Her Master Classes around her dining room table were magical. Bowls of popcorn, slices of apples, and generous heaps of conversation, I met Jolie Stekly, Meg Lippert, Allyson Schrier, Vijaya Bodach, and so many more in these classes. One thing was clear about Peggy: she nurtured excellence. Most writers entered her classes unpublished. Few stayed that way. Peggy encouraged me as a mom, as a wife, and as a student. She understood that people are complex and all the pieces of who you are inform your stories. She taught me that in the midst of storms of life that writing is my safe place. She said, "Writing is saving you."
I'm a person of faith in Christ. With Peggy's gentle critique, I learned that there was a divine spark in in my work, something wholly outside me. Each book is lit by God and is part of a great fire of goodness. Faith is something beautiful that I share with Peggy. She taught me about holiness of my work, that it is important, and that children were hungry for my words. It is my sacred duty to make my words wonderful, to draw close to the bone, and reveal the hidden truth of the worth of every individual.
Finally, Peggy's belief in each and every one of her students buoys me. Do you have any idea how powerful the faith of a learned teacher is? Her unending encouragement lit a fire of encouragement in me that I try to pass it on. Peggy is no longer teaching classes to devote time her family. (Always keeping those priorities right.) She does however continue to mentor. Check out the link to website above if you are interested.
My puny words are never going to reveal the total awesomeness of Peggy. If you read my post, and know Peggy, drop by her Facebook, and let her know what a difference she has made in your life. If not, thank the teachers who believed in you.
I hope you liked this series and will back with next week with a series I call Close to the Bone.
Here is a doodle for you.
Here is a quote for your pocket.
I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well. Alexander the Great, (His teacher, Aristotle, who was taught by Plato, who was taught by Sophocles.)
0 Comments on Teacher Who Helped: Believe in Your Students as of 8/27/2016 5:21:00 PM
Hi, folks, This is the last in my series of Teachers Who Helped. Of course, I saved the best for last. In 1995, I moved to Kirkland, Washington. A friend of mine, Kathi Appelt, encouraged me that there was a vibrant group of writers in the Seattle area and recommended that I take a class on children's writing at the Bellevue Community College. Kathi said the teacher was considered very helpful.
I signed up for the class and met the teacher, Peggy King Anderson. (Those of my readers in the children's writing community are freaking out right now because I am dropping some names!) Peggy is a teacher like no other I have ever known. She loves her students and her subject. She taught me that my best story is in my soul, curled up inside, and that it is destined to break out its chrysalis and take flight. But the most important lessons I learned from Peggy were all about loving the journey of writing books, loving the people who write children's books, and actually letting the writing transform me, before it transforms anyone else.
Her Master Classes around her dining room table were magical. Bowls of popcorn, slices of apples, and generous heaps of conversation, I met Holly Cupala, Jolie Stekly, Meg Lippert, Allyson Schrier, Vijaya Bodach, and so many more in these classes. One thing was clear about Peggy: she nurtured excellence. Most writers entered her classes unpublished. Few stayed that way. Peggy encouraged me as a mom, as a wife, and as a student. She understood that people are complex and all the pieces of who you are inform your stories. She taught me that in the midst of storms of life that writing is my safe place. She said, "Writing is saving you."
I'm a person of faith in Christ. With Peggy's gentle critique, I learned that there was a divine spark in in my work, something wholly outside me. Each book is lit by God and is part of a great fire of goodness. Faith is something beautiful that I share with Peggy. She taught me about holiness of my work, that it is important, and that children were hungry for my words. It is my sacred duty to make my words wonderful, to draw close to the bone, and reveal the hidden truth of the worth of every individual.
Finally, Peggy's belief in each and every one of her students buoys me. Do you have any idea how powerful the faith of a learned teacher is? Her unending encouragement lit a fire of encouragement in me that I try to pass it on. Peggy is no longer teaching classes to devote time her family. (Always keeping those priorities right.) She does however continue to mentor. Check out the link to website above if you are interested.
My puny words are never going to reveal the total awesomeness of Peggy. If you read my post, and know Peggy, drop by her Facebook, and let her know what a difference she has made in your life. If not, thank the teachers who believed in you.
I hope you liked this series and will back with next week with a series I call Close to the Bone.
Here is a doodle for you.
Here is a quote for your pocket.
I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well. Alexander the Great, (His teacher, Aristotle, who was taught by Plato, who was taught by Sophocles.)
0 Comments on Teacher Who Helped: Believe in Your Students as of 1/1/1900
Back to school time has always been one of my favorite times of year. There is an amazing energy in the air! Can you feel it?
While I was raising my own daughter we would anticipate the school year with both excitement and a nervous energy at the same time. There was fun school clothes shopping and getting all of the needed supplies on the list. I still adore the smell of a box brand new crayons and sharpened pencils!
There were also butterflies in our tummies at the thought of meeting new teachers, seeing old friends from the previous year and meeting brand new ones, too.
For me, as a mom who worked at home, it was also a time of feeling a burst of new creativity and energy on the cool autumn mornings. I couldn't wait to dive into new projects when I had a full day with no interruptions.
I created this print remembering all of those wonderful teachers who helped influence and mold my daughter and myself into what we are today. It makes a lovely gift for those special teachers in our lives.
For a limited time I am offering this print for 30% off by using the special code: TeacherThanks at checkout.
I want to wish you all a wonderful new school year and thank you for being a part of our wonderful community. I am so grateful for each and every one of you!
Phyllis
♥ Gifts that give back ♥
Phyllis Harris Designs & You – Giving the gift of love and healing
Judy Willner is an educator and writing skills teacher for elementary school students in Philadelphia. When she lost her closest friend Cathy earlier this year, Judy decided the best way to honor her would be to set up a First Book campaign. She wanted to celebrate their shared love of reading and children.
Judy wanted to share Cathy’s story in her own words:
Dear Reader,
June 29 would have been my Cathy’s 60th birthday. I had already started planning for it this time last year. We did that kind of stuff for each other – big parties, cards sent sixty days in advance.
Cathy was my best friend. We met in middle school, survived high school as nerdy late-bloomers, and traversed around Mexico together after graduation. I remember how the “older folks” who shared our tour bus loved her so much, how her smile and charm were infectious.
She was a reader, a card-sender, the queen of Facebook, and above all else, the most generous and kind-hearted person anyone could ever hope to be their best friend. I am so happy that for forty-five years I was privileged enough to call Cathy my best friend.
To celebrate and honor Cathy I decided to create a First Book Campaign in her name.
Cathy never had children of her own, but children had a very special place in her heart. Getting books to kids in her hometown of Philadelphia would have sent her over the moon. There would have been pictures all over Facebook of kids with their books!
Now, more than 500 books are going to be put in the hands of students in my classes and other classes across Philadelphia.
Malik Ray, a first-time second grade teacher in Atlanta, GA, taught his students their new spelling words by projecting a photo and having students guess the word before putting it in their notebooks.
On this day, Malik displayed a photo of the sand, a palm tree, a little beach ball and the ocean. The classroom went silent. Not one student guessed the word.
They couldn’t recognize the sand; they didn’t know the water was the ocean. They had never seen a tree with what they called “arms.” They did recognize the ball.
This was when Malik realized that his students had never seen a beach. They had never been outside of the Vine City neighborhood where they resided. His students didn’t have what Malik calls “vision” – the ability to see past where they are now and imagine a different life.
But when 770 pounds of books from First Book arrived at their school, that changed.
“When the books arrived, I thought, ‘Here are 770 pounds of experience for your children. They are going to dream 770 pounds of dreams,’” says Malik.
Now when they read about faraway places and unfamiliar characters, they ask questions like “How is her hair that way?” “Why do their parents do that when mine do this?”
Students that were reading at a pre-k level when they entered his classroom are now reading chapter books. Their reading assessment scores have improved. They are ready to enter third grade.
And they’ve started to dream.
“We’ve starting to talk about their future in a whole new way,” explains Malik. “Rather than saying ‘I want to be a beautician like my aunt,’ we talk about owning a beauty salon. I want them to be able to dream. These books have given my kids hope.”
Malik Ray’s classroom was able to receive books through First Book’s partnership with Wipro Ltd., a global information technology, consulting and business process services company. If you work with children in need, you can access books and resources for your classroom through the First Book Marketplace.
Teachers Rock! is the new picture book from New York Times best-selling author and illustrator Todd Parr. The book is a celebration of teachers and all the wonderful things they do for students. Children spend many of their waking hours in classrooms, so teachers have a huge impact on their lives. Teachers Rock! contains many real life scenarios; Parr shows teachers buying their own supplies, making sure children wipe their noses, and a few unexpected moments.
Parr grew up in Wyoming where he remembers having a wonderful classroom experience. While he was appreciative of many of his teachers he cites Mrs. Judson, his fourth grade teacher, with being the one who encouraged most of his creativity. As an adult Parr studied art; however, he didn’t do well because he preferred a style all his own. Todd Parr’s work is highly relatable to children because of the bright colors, imperfect lines, and simplicity. Parr told StoryMakers host Rocco Staino that his ultimate goal is to continue writing books that help children feel good about themselves, embrace their feelings, and understanding of others.
Do you have a favorite teacher? Let us know who that person is, and why they’re so special, in the comment section below.
We’re giving away three (3) bundles of Todd Parr’s picture books. Each bundle includes a copy of Teachers Rock!, It’s Okay to Make Mistakes and The Goodbye Book. The giveaway ends at 11:59 PM on May 3, 2016. Enter now!
Teachers Rock!
Written and illustrated by Todd Parr
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Teachers are amazing! They teach you new things, make you laugh, and help you meet new friends. They always encourage you to do your best. They make the classroom a great place to be!
From admiring the way teachers foster creativity in the classroom to how they ensure all children’s needs are met, Todd Parr offers an ode to everything teachers contribute to the world. Bursting with positivity about school and the people who make it special, this book is sure to become a classroom and at-home favorite.
ABOUT TODD PARR
Todd Parr is the author and illustrator of more than 30 children’s books. Todd moved to San Francisco to pursue a career as an artist, then took a detour as a flight attendant, before becoming a full-time author and illustrator. Todd draws in a style that’s highly relatable to children.
Todd acknowledges his supportive family — including a grandma who introduced him to Dr. Seuss books — as being a strong influence in his work. He is able to write stories about kindness and love because of his upbringing. Todd’s books have been translated into more than 14 languages. In 2005 Todd received a Daytime Emmy nomination for his preschool television series ToddWorld.
Todd’s favorite color is blue, and he loves macaroni and cheese.
Todd loves hearing from fans of his books. Go ahead and contact him, here. You can send him a note and pictures too!
Bonus: Actress Sandra Bullock is a big fan of Todd’s Family Book. She reads it aloud to her children Louis and Laila before bedtime.
I still have fond memories of my math teacher, Mr True, and “you yahoos”. He was great.
creslibrary said, on 4/19/2016 3:10:00 PM
I loved my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. McClish. She actually wrote in cursive on my report card. I hope you go to college and become a teacher. I was the first one in my Mennonite family to go to college and become a teacher/librarian. Mrs. McClish believed in me and saw my career talents at such an early age.
Donna Rossman said, on 4/22/2016 8:34:00 PM
I have fond memories of many of my elementary school teachers. My husband is a retired teacher and it is so wonderful when his old students contact him on FB and tell him how he inspired them.
“Reading gives us some place to go when we have to stay where we are.”– Mason Cooley
Mason Cooley took the words right out of my mouth. As an avid reader, I have experienced the beauty of finding myself lost in another world within the pages of a book. Unfortunately, not all students may have had this type of opportunity. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the first step to creating a well-rounded classroom library should not only intrigue and motivate students to want to open a book but also meet their diverse learning needs.
Here are my top 5 ways to build a classroom library:
Create a classroom library without breaking the bank. Check all of your resources before heading to the closest department bookstore or even the school book fair. You can find gems while visiting local garage and yard sales, as well as thrift shops. Ask for donations from your family and friends. Look into your school’s policies in terms of grants or donors, and explore resources like Donors Choose to request materials for your classroom and First Book for discounted books.
2. Listen to and know your students. Think back to your favorite book, author, or series that you loved at your students’ age. Even though you ate them up, these types of books may or may not be as relevant to your group of students. If you want to have books in your library that students want to read, you need to ask them and get to know your students. Reading conferences can serve as a time to discuss books that students are currently reading or topics that they would be interested in learning more about. Readers notebooks can also provide insight into the reading patterns of your students. Have students record how often they read and the title and author of each book to open up your library to books you may have not considered.
3. Be thoughtful about your classroom community. The books in your classroom library need to not only reflect the topics and interests of your students but your students themselves. Can your students see themselves in these books? Do the characters and stories build understanding of diverse cultures and experiences? Reading books with diverse characters and content not only builds self-confidence through making personal cultural connections but also promotes empathy and understanding. A truly culturally responsive library does involve awareness and research. For more information, check out 8 Steps to Creating a Diverse Book Collection.
4. Consider the more formal aspects of a library. In addition to finding books that fit student interest, it is important to consider the accessibility of your books. Having a variety of books that cover a range of genres from graphic novels to biographies to poetry allows students to not only read for personal interest but supplement grade-level content learning in the classroom. So organizing books by not only theme but also level is also important to support students when selecting independent books within an appropriately challenging range. This includes having books both below and above grade level. But this doesn’t mean you should discourage a child from picking up a book just because it is not necessarily at his or her level, as their interest and motivation in the book’s topic plays a significant factor in overall comprehension.
5. Overcome the bumps with inspiration. “Reading is SO boring.” “There is nothing here that I want to read.” “I will never finish a book.” “I HATE reading.” Resistance and frustration are sometimes unfortunate parts of the process, but if met with a student-driven effort to identify each reluctant reader’s obstacles and ways to overcome them, negative attitudes toward reading can be turned around. Besides assessing your students’ reading levels and stocking your library with a wide range of interests, sometimes it is worth the time investment to go beyond the classroom for a little added spark. For example, inviting authors and illustrators to your classroom to share their writing or drawing processes can be a game changer for students. Many students have never met an author or illustrator before, and meeting the minds behind the books they’ve read is an inspiring experience for students.
Authentic reading experiences beyond your classroom, such as class trips to the local public library or bookstore, can help get your kids excited about reading. It’s important to provide students with experiences that show them that reading isn’t just an activity done in school. Personally, the best field trip I have attended so far was to Belmont Library in Bronx, NY. M class was able to have free reign of the library for nearly two hours and browse the selection to find their “just right” books. The highlight of the day was a student walking toward me with an armful of books asking, “How many books can I check out, Ms. Panko?” Giving students the opportunity to explore with your support gives them the freedom to internalize a love of reading.
Lindsay is a recent graduate from Mount Saint Mary College and is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Literacy Education. She currently holds New York State certifications for childhood (1-6) and students with disabilities (1-6). Lindsay is a first year teacher in the Bronx working as a sixth grade special education teacher. She enjoys hiking throughout the Hudson Valley and baking during her free time.
0 Comments on Classroom Library: 5 Things to Consider as of 1/1/1900
Over the past few months, I’ve been part of a Professional Development day for teachers throughout our local school board. They spend the day working on using picture books for reading and writing lessons, and then I come in for an hour and show them how to look at picture books as art objects. My experience on the Caldecott committee really comes in useful here– I have been sharing the books from our 2015 list, because I know those so well. I’ve been able to find something new in the books, to find a different way of looking at the books.
Teachers examine “Nana in the City” – photo by A. Reynolds
That’s what surprises me most– to find a new way to look at picture books. I have spent so many years as a librarian looking at the art and storytime potential. Now I also look at the teaching potential. For instance: I just learned about “thought tracking”. Basically, it is taking one character and teasing out that character’s thoughts. It is a way to get kids to think about the author’s intent, a way to get them to think about their own writing. In this case, we discover that the dog in Sam & Dave Dig a Hole is a perfect candidate — the dog is never mentioned, nor does it have any dialogue, and yet is is a major character. When I looked at the art, I realized this immediately. But I did not think of it as a writing exercise. So the teachers are teaching me while I am teaching them.
Sharing picture books with teachers has been, then, a learning experience for me. It is a win-win, because not only do I get to share new picture books and how to look closely at them, I get to share library resources. I have started to include a “for teachers” segment in my blog posts. My handouts incorporate all our library social media & website address. I give them library card applications. I remind them that the library is there for them with thousands of classroom materials. This has been the start of a great partnership, one that we both get something from. How do you share books with your local teachers?
Like all of you, I’m thankful for many things like family, friends, church, health, a place to live and thousands of other things that I sometimes take for granted. But since this is a TeachingAuthors blog, I’ll confine my thankful thoughts –online anyway – to blessings in that part of my life.
I’m thankful for great teachers.I recently spoke at the Arkansas Reading Association where I did a session titled “Writing Nonfiction Using Fiction Techniques” which was attended by some amazing teachers.Teachers today are given the task of teaching students how to write.It is a tall order and not an easy thing to pull off even for a professional author of books.I’m thankful for teachers who do their best even though their classes are filled with a wide range of students that include both gifted and talented and struggling readers.
I’m thankful that people, organizations and museums through the years have preserved our history by preserving documents and artifacts.As a nonfiction author who does lots of primary source research, I can do research like I do because those before me had the forethought of preservation.
I’m thankful to enter this holiday season with an exciting new project spinning through my mind.In the last couple of weeks, I’ve had the real treat of having my newest project go to auction.It is a dream of authors for more than one editor would want to publish their next book.I know the new publishing house and editor is just as excited about the project as I am.
What are you thankful for?
Carla Killough McClafferty
0 Comments on Thankful For Teachers and More as of 1/1/1900
Our favorite season is here…autumn! We are celebrating by reducing the price on our adorable Thanksgiving book, Ten Thankful Turkeys. This colorful autumn tale follows ten turkeys as they get ready for an important celebration. This story teaches about gratitude using numbers. There are also fun turkey facts in the back of the book.
We hope you’ll gobble up this deal before it’s gone!
First, let me give a big congratulations to Michelle H. who won the CWIM giveaway! I know you will enjoy it.
You know, it isn’t often that something truly innovative comes along in education or publishing.But when it does, look out!My post today is about one such unique project called The Nonfiction Minute (NFM). Check out the website at www.nonfictionminute.com
Each school day on The Nonfiction Minute website, a fascinating 400-word nonfiction article is published.Each article is written by one of two dozen award-winning nonfiction authors.The articles cover subjects that are as different as each author and include topics in history, sports, popular culture, space, math, government, music, and everything in-between.Related photographs accompany each article.NFM articles can be used to teach content, as well as reading and writing.
But, wait, there’s more.
Every Nonfiction Minute has an audio file of the author reading his or her own article.In this way, young readers or struggling readers can listen as they read along.This feature allows the NFM to work across all age groups from primary grades through adulthood.
But wait, there’s more.
The Nonfiction Minute is FREE!That’s right ladies and gents, FREE.
This revolutionary idea is produced by a group of nonfiction authors called Authors on Call, which is a subset of a larger group known as iNK Think Tank.Each article is written by a professional nonfiction author, then edited by a top-tier professional nonfiction editor, Jean Reynolds.
To be fair, I must declare my disclaimer:I am a member of iNK Think Tank, Authors on Call, and I write for The Nonfiction Minute.However, the few articles I’ve written are a small part of the 170 Nonfiction Minutes that will appear in the line-up this school year.I’m part of an ever-growing audience of NFM readers.Every day, the articles written by my fellow authors fascinate me.They capture the imagination of the reader with expertly crafted text in only 400 words.
Vicki Cobb, award-winning author and founder of iNK Think Tank says:
"The Nonfiction Minute illustrates a variety of voices.Authors are not homogeneous.Readers will get to know each author as they read the article then hear the author speak.This too is a learning experience as it demonstrates to students how various authors look at the facts and filter what to use.Kids will see there is a big difference between what they read in a textbook and what they read in The Nonfiction Minute."
This is the second school year for the NFM.Since the beginning there have been around 300,000 page views, from 90,000 unique visitors.Readership is growing fast as more teachers find out about the NFM.At present, there are around 1200 page views per day.
Responding to the needs of teachers who commented they would love to have advance notice of the coming week’s topics on the NFM, Authors on Call provided a way to do just that.Now teachers can receive an email on Thursday of the previous week that lists the article topics for the next week.This way, teachers have time to plan how they can incorporate NFM into their teaching plans.To sign up for advance notice, teachers simply sign up through the website to receive the email--which is, again, FREE.
Great teachers all across America are finding ways to use the NFM with their students.Here are two examples from teachers I know in Arkansas that demonstrate how one article can be used in a variety of ways.These two teachers used a recent NFM I wrote titled “The Near-Death Experience of Football.”The article deals with the deadly 1905 football season when America considered banning the game, and President Teddy Roosevelt called coaches to a meeting in hopes of saving football.The same article, two different teachers, two different age groups:
Melissa L., a media specialist in a tiny rural school, explained how she used this NFM with her 5th grade students:
"I have a big screen tv at the front of my library (got it before we began purchasing Smart Boards) which is connected to my computer. So I pull up the website at the beginning of each period along with any other peripheral webpages on info that I think may come into our discussion afterwards (for instance, this week I pulled up what the Ivy League Schools are on Wikipedia and we looked at their names and the years they were founded as well as Google images of football uniforms around the early 1900's - which led to a discussion of the dangers of even SIMPLE injuries in the days before "modern medicine."). I also pull up a tab with a page for the author that has an image of the books that he/she has written - to introduce the kids to that person before we begin the Nonfiction Minute. Then I turn up my audio and enlarge the words on my screen as big as I can so that at least the closest ones can read along (as I scroll) while the author reads aloud. When done I then close that screen and have the discussion with questions about what we just listened to and learned - and any peripheral discussion (as I just mentioned). In all it takes 5-10 minutes at the beginning of class."
The next example is from Cassandra S., an 8th grade English teacher:
"I'm using this article and another one like it to discuss Teddy Roosevelt's involvement with saving football (leading to a discussion and writing prompt about presidents exerting personal preferences into national policies) which will then lead us to discussing Andrew Jackson's controversial decisions upon election and again...accountability for presidents and their personal motives. (This second portion is to supplement my struggling readers in the American History class while focusing on argumentative writing in mine)."
What I love about the above samples is that each teacher used the same NFM and found creative, effective ways to use it that fit the needs of her students.Perhaps best of all, these amazing teachers guided their students in a way that encouraged them to use critical thinking skills.
Gone are the days when nonfiction equals boring.Finally, nonfiction texts are available that are fun, fascinating, and free.We the authors of The Nonfiction Minute hope great teachers around the country will use our work to promote a passion for learning.
So, spread the word about this truly innovative project.
The Secret Lives of Animals: 1,001 Tidbits, Oddities, and Amazing Facts about North America’s Coolest Animals Written by by Stacy Tornio and Ken Keffer Illustrated by Rachel Riordan FalconGuides® 10/01/2015 978-14930-1191-9 254 pages Age 7—12 “Did you know that a grasshopper’s ears are on his belly? Or that a bison can …
When my picture book Brave Little Monster came out, in addition to being a book that makes young and old laugh, many parents and teachers liked how it could be used to help young children deal with both real and imaginary fears. To help with that effort I created a fun puppet-making activity that can be used in the home and classroom to further help teachers and parents talk to kids about their fears and help them learn how to deal with them. Check it out and make your own "Be Brave" puppet.
Note that you don't HAVE to use them as finger puppets, but can use them as stand-up puppets. Another option: taping the characters onto popsicle sticks.
Tip for children's book creators who want to create their own finger puppet paper templates:
- Test them out ahead of time! I experimented with several designs until I found ones I was happy with.
- Aim for puppets that can stand up on their own when assembled, just in case young readers prefer to use them that way.
- If possible, have heads cut separately from the cylinder part of the puppet (see my Girl and Spencer puppet as examples). That way puppets will look more like play-able characters than just cylinders of paper.
Suggestions for teachers, librarians and parents on how to use these puppets:
- After reading I'm Bored or Where Are My Books?, have students come up with their own storytelling ideas. Come up with a new adventure for the characters!
- Using paper and scissors or other materials, have students come up with scenery or props to help them in their storytelling.
- Students can experiment with different voices for different characters. How would YOU do the Potato voice, for example?
- Turn a table with sturdy legs on one side for a makeshift puppet theater. Or cut a window into one side of a large cardboard box. OR just get rid of the physical puppet theatre idea altogether and have students perform out in the open.
- Finger puppets can be useful for those students who are especially shy or insecure about public speaking.
- Have students create their own puppets based on characters from books they are reading. Instead of worrying about finger sizes etc., just have them draw small (I suggest an 8.5 x 11" sheet of paper folded into quarters) characters, cut them out, and stick them onto popsicle sticks.
Do you have other ideas on how to use puppets in the classroom? Do you have finger puppet templates related to children's books you'd like to share? Please post below!
We continue our discussion with word wizard Rebecca Colby as she travels around the world, celebrating her book, It’s Raining Bats & Frogs! Enter to win the overall giveaway for a $50 USD Amazon voucher (or £30 GBP Amazon voucher) at the end of the tour. You’ll find details about the tour here!
And who doesn’t love a scavenger hunt! Follow Rebecca’s tour to find out which blogs contain the clues and then collect all the answers. There are eight answers to find and submit in total.
So what should you be looking for?Witch names, of course! Each post will mention a fictitious witch somewhere in the discussion. To be in with a chance of winning, leave a comment on the blog where you found the name (but please DON’T reveal the name) , including Teacher Authors! At the end of the tour, send Rebecca (at website address here) a list of all eight names via her website contact page, and enter the Rafflecopter entry form on her page. You have until 11.59pm EST on 5 September to enter the scavenger hunt giveaway!
Today, Rebecca talks about her process how a writer (and a teacher) can create a teacher’s guide that teachers can use! Thank you, Rebecca!
When I began teaching, I was gobsmacked to learn how much the profession had changed from when I attended school. Gone were the handy, school-supplied textbooks that provided teachers with lesson plans and worksheets. Instead, I found myself spending all of my free time creating my own lesson plans and worksheets, or researching teacher websites for appropriate resources. My full-time teaching job quickly became two full-time jobs.
After publishing my first book, I was determined to make my book as accessible and as desirable as possible to teachers. Teachers are the busiest people I know! If I wanted teachers to use my book in the classroom, I knew I needed to both create the resources AND bring them to the teachers. By the way, here’s a scavenger hunt answer for you--today’s witch name is Ethel.
Pinpoint your book’s USP
One of the first things you need to do is pinpoint what your book’s unique selling point (USP) is in respect of teachers using it in the classroom. How does it fit in with what is taught?
My first book was about a wee lassie who swallows all manner of Scottish birds and animals. The USP was obvious: I placed my primary focus for the activity guide on Scottish wildlife and their habitats. However, with my second book, which is about a witch parade, the USP wasn’t as clear. I focused on several aspects of the book—after all, witches aren’t a typical classroom topic. So while the main English activity asked children to create their own rhyming spells, math found them comparing and ordering the size of frogs, science had them playing a game of bat and moth to learn about echolocation, and art saw them creating musical rainsticks.
Research relevant curriculums
Find out what is being taught at what grade level. The best way to do that is to research both The Common Core Standards and state curriculums. While researching your own state’s curriculum is a good place to start, keep in mind that unless your book releases with a regional publisher, then you also need to look at other states’ curriculums—particularly curriculums for the larger (and often bellweather) states. Two good examples are California and Texas.
Make teachers happy
Just producing an activity guide is sure to make a teacher happy, but if you want to go that extra mile, think about two things: 1) How can I make the activities cross-curricular? and 2) How can I extend children’s learning?
While my guide is cross-curricular and covers most subjects taught in school, some of the individual activities are also cross-curricular. For example, the art activity involves making a witch puppet, which can later be used in English to act out and retell the book. In this way, one activity allows for learning in two areas of the curriculum.
Teachers are also always looking for ways to extend children’s learning. In one of my science activities, children are asked to measure rainfall over the course of a week. This can be done simply by marking water levels on the side of the rain collection container with colored felt-tip pens and comparing levels. But if a teacher wishes to extend children’s learning and introduce standard units of measure (or the teacher wants a differentiated activity for more able students), he or she could ask the children to measure the rainfall in inches or centimeters with a ruler.
Where to share
Now that you have your guide, what do you do with it? I always make mine available as a download from my website. But teachers are incredibly busy, remember? Bring the guide to them. Post it on websites like Teachers Pay Teachers and Share My Lesson. Forward it to your publisher. They often hold a database full of educational contacts. Bring hard copies of the guide to library, festival, and bookstore event. And if you have some spare time, you could email teachers and let them know about your guide. After all, you’re probably going to email a few teachers anyway to see if they’d like to set up author visits with you. Mention the guide and where to find the download in the email.
Speaking of which, if you’re interested in downloading the free teacher’s activity guide to It’s Raining Bats & Frogs, you can find it here.
I want to say thank Teaching Authors for hosting me again today, and to all of you for reading this post! If you have any tips of your own, or if you decide to produce a guide for your book, I’d love to hear about it!
Illustration by Steven Henry
Thank you for stopping by, Rebecca!
Bobbi Miller
0 Comments on It's Raining Bats and Frogs!! as of 8/24/2015 8:52:00 AM
I was so inspired by Pernille Ripp's talk at Nerd Camp earlier this year and just discovered (duh, why didn't I look for this earlier?) that she has a blog! I was inspired to illustrate a quote from her recent piece, "Stop Feeding The Beast - The Reading Myths We Pass On As Truth."
Summer is on its way. But that doesn’t mean teachers, program leaders and the kids they serve don’t need books.
In fact, access to books is important year-round and this is especially true in the summer. When school is in, students have access to books and resources provided by their schools. But when school lets out, kids in need don’t have the same access they had at school. They may not have books at home. Their community library may be hard to access. And this stands as a barrier to their ability to succeed in school and in life.
Whether it’s the beginning of a summer program, the end of the school year or time to go back to school, one thing is clear – educators and program leaders need books for their students!
So, you've written a story with an exciting or awesome plot, but for some reason your readers fail to connect with it or they quickly lose interest in reading it. It could be your characters' fault. Unless you have created engaging characters, it won't matter how interesting your plot is. Here's a short writing tip video on how to create engaging characters for the stories you write.
Even though the video targets young writers, the concepts it teaches applies to writers of all ages. It's also great for teachers who want to supplement creative writing lesson plans. Enjoy!
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Wednesday I had a book signing at my favorite bookstore, Time Tested Books, on 21st Street, between K and L. It's a marvelous place. I have spent hours and hours through the years, browsing the wonderful selections. I never leave a bookstore empty-handed, but I usually leave this one with an armful of books. The owner, Peter Keat, always can find what I'm looking for. His staff, Finian and Mazelle, are the same. All the books are nicely organized, and the atmosphere is gracious. It's a great place for a book lover to hang out. Once my husband even phoned me there, because he knew where I'd be when I didn't come home from one of my walks. (For a sampler of what to find, read some of the reviews on Yelp, HERE. )
So when I learned Imogene and the Case of the Missing Pearls was going to be published in June, I knew exactly where I wanted to have my book signing. MX Publishing sends exclusive shipments to independent booksellers who give pre-publishing signings. The signing went very well. I'll skip now to pictures of the evening. An evening of great fun, I have to add. It felt like one big party! And, you can see in the background, what a great bookstore this. (Side note: MX specializes in Sherlock Holmes-related books, so if you're a Sherlockian, you can find lots of good reads HERE. )
This is Maddy (to your right). She was the perfect Imogene!
On the right, you see Maddy Johnson, the actress who started in the trailer everyone liked. Below is her father, Steve Johnson, who put the trailer together. Steve is a magician and has a wonderful magic-and-costume shop in Carmichael, Grand Illusions. Want some magic tricks? Wand a magician at your party? Need a costume? You can learn more about Grand Illusions HERE
And this is her father, Steve Johnson, who made the trailer
Friends and neighbors
Fellow teachers and writers
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JaNay and Rosi, fellow writers. JaNay wrote the fantastic PB, Imani's Moon. Between them, Julie, with whom I used to teach. Next to Rosi, Bob, from a former group. In front, one of my art students, Miranda.
Nancy, David, & Naomi were in a former writing group. Nancy is in one of my current groups. She wrote All We Left Behind, which I'm reviewing next week. Naomi's book, Landfalls, is coming out in August.
Then there were my super cool teacher friends from Elder Creek, where I used to teach.
Next to Rosi, another writing group member, Paddy, and her two boys. Super-teacher Julie at the right.
In pink, our fabulous house-sitter, Dana. She's going to have a little boy, soon. Next to her, in maroon, Bethany, a school librarian who's had kind things to say about Imogene.
The Erica (tallest) and Vanessa are wonderful artists in my art class. Sofia is still too young, but I hope she'll join in the future
Even my dentist came! (green shirt). That was so kind of him. And Kari (wearing cap; hubby Bill by her side) organized my school visit to Matsuyama Elementary School, April 17. That was another wonderful event. The kids were super!
And there you have it! A wonderful evening, surrounded by books and friends in a wonderful location, with my wonderful husband taking pictures. What more could you ask?
Meanwhile, check out the links above, and come back next week for my review of Nancy Herman's book, All We Left Behind, a deeply moving story about the Donner party, through the eyes of Virginia Reed.
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What do pirates, explorers and children have in common? They all love treasure hunts!
THE ULTIMATE READING QUEST will end on Monday, January 19th, at midnight. This is your last chance to explore new books and authors, and to take home free prizes and books. Plus, one lucky winner, will get a
MYSTERY BONUS TREASURE!
To enter your name for this SPECIAL TREASURE you must prove yourself worthy by collecting the 49 letters of a secret message! Just by reading this post you already have two of the letters (A and B).
Find the rest within the Quest, writing them down as you go. When you have all 49, unscramble them to decode the secret message. Enter the exact words of the message in the Mystery Prize Rafflecopter right here: a Rafflecopter giveawayAs you're searching for the letters, be sure to leave a comment for each and every author. Not only will you get to chat with the amazing Quest authors, but each comment will earn you extra entries in the general Quest prize giveaway that includes an astonishing 124 free prizes and gifts! a Rafflecopter giveaway
What are you waiting for? Click this button to start collecting the rest of the letters. Then return here and enter to TAKE THE TREASURE!
CLICK ON THE BUTTON TO START THE QUEST
0 Comments on Join the QUEST! Win the TREASURE! as of 1/16/2015 11:27:00 AM
Writing Instruction Video for Teachers and Aspiring Writers
Want to know the basics of plot? Need a simple and entertaining way to learn or teach plot development? This short video can supplement teacher's lesson plans on plot basics. It provides step-by-step instruction and examples of plot diagram elements, including plot introduction, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. Enjoy!
Do you remember reading books with LeVar Burton while watching Reading Rainbow® on TV? The Skybrary® platform picks up where the beloved children’s television series left off, bringing its mission of comprehension and intellectual engagement into the Digital Age. By infusing digital books with purposeful interactivity, engaging narration by master storytellers, and paired with delightful videos hosted by LeVar Burton, Skybrary® captures the magic of the original show while helping children find relevance and understand context in their reading.
Our partners, Zynga, developed Words With Friends EDU to bring the fun of Words With Friends into the classroom. The Words With Friends EDU platform provides a safe environment for students learn new words as they play with their classmates. As they play, teachers and parents can track students’ progress using custom teacher dashboards.
With hundreds of hours of reading lessons, a vast library of stories and songs, and endless virtual field trips, Homer gives your program a boost of confidence and creativity! The Homer Learn-to-Read program was developed by teachers and literacy experts, built on Harvard and Stanford studies, and backed by Gold Standard research. Use of the platform has shown to increase reading scores by 74%!
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“When the books arrived, I thought, ‘Here are 770 pounds of experience for your children. They are going to dream 770 pounds of dreams,’” says Malik.
student interest, it is important to consider the accessibility of your books. Having a variety of books that cover a range of genres from graphic novels to biographies to poetry allows students to not only read for personal interest but supplement grade-level content learning in the classroom. So organizing books by not only theme but also level is also important to support students when selecting independent books within an appropriately challenging range. This includes having books both below and above grade level. But this doesn’t mean you should discourage a child from picking up a book just because it is not necessarily at his or her level, as their interest and motivation in the book’s topic plays a significant factor in overall comprehension.
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What do pirates, explorers and children have in common? They all love treasure hunts!
I still have fond memories of my math teacher, Mr True, and “you yahoos”. He was great.
I loved my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. McClish. She actually wrote in cursive on my report card. I hope you go to college and become a teacher. I was the first one in my Mennonite family to go to college and become a teacher/librarian. Mrs. McClish believed in me and saw my career talents at such an early age.
I have fond memories of many of my elementary school teachers. My husband is a retired teacher and it is so wonderful when his old students contact him on FB and tell him how he inspired them.