Glogster Tutorial (website)
Friday, November 22, 2013
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Use Resources in Creating an Author Study
AUTHOR STUDY
Look for resources and ideas for your author
study. You can do a Google Search for
the Author. Most likely the author will
have a home page. It is a good idea to
add it to Websites. Many authors provide rich details and activities for
students related to the books written.
Don’t forget there are other resources beyond
those found on Google.
·
Search for Author Blogs
·
Search for a Pinterest Board. (You might even create one yourself for the
author’s books to share with students OR you might have them create one. Remember
your Author Study does not focus on book activities, but the author’s life and
writing style.
·
Search Glogster.
Glogster is an on-line board that can include photos but also media
files. Search authors’ name Glogster.
·
Search You tube – Many author’s create interviews,
read aloud from their books.
·
Search Animoto
· Search for others who have created Author Studies
See Tutorials for Presentations
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
ABOUT ACCELERATED READING PROGRAM
Opinions and Research Regarding the Accelerated Reading Program follows.
Conclusion from a synthesis of studies about
Accelerated Reader by Stephen Krashen.
The results
presented here strongly suggest that of the four aspects of AR, access to books, time devoted to
reading, tests, and rewards, only the first two are supported by research. There is
considerable evidence that providing access to books results in more reading and better reading and considerable evidence that
providing time to read results in better reading.
There is suggestive evidence that incentives do not promote additional reading in the long term.
The AR research literature does nothing to change these conclusions.
A hypothetical example may help us understand
whether AR should be used or not. Drug A and Drug B are both designed to cure a
specific disease. A is known to be effective with highly beneficial long-term
effects. There is little evidence for or against B, but suggestive evidence that it
may be harmful in the long run. A drug company produces AB, more expensive than A
alone, and justifies it by providing studies showing that AB tends to be
effective. A scientist reviewing the research shows that no study has compared AB to A
alone. Clearly such studies are called for before the medical establishment endorses or
even approves AB. A is providing access and time to read. B is tests and
rewards. Accelerated Reader is AB.
Obviously our first priority should be to
make sure that high-interest reading
material is easily available to students, and
that students have time to read and a place to read. Ironically we have not even
done this for many students. Instead, we rush off to purchase a more expensive,
complex package that may have long term harmful effects.
From The (Lack of ) Experimental Evidence Supporting
the Use of Accelerated Reader
By Stephen Krashen
Journal of Children's Literature (2003) vol .29 (2): 9, pp. 16-30.
American Association of School Librarian’s excerpt from their position statement
regarding Accelerated Reader program
AR
provides teachers with a more up-to-date record keeping system: a way to use
technology tools to assess students’ reading levels, keep track of student
progress, and determine whether or not the student has read the AR books” (Institute
for Academic Excellence 1999). Although AR operates under the belief that
“practice makes perfect” (School Renaissance Institute 1999, 7) AR does not enable students to:
- analyze complex
and conflicting presentations of information
- appreciate the
variety of perspectives offered by individual viewpoints, scholarly
disciplines, and cultural understandings
- use information
competently in critical thinking, decision making, and problem solving
- produce new
information and create products and presentations that communicate ideas
efficiently and effectively
- act responsibly
in regard to information, particularly with respect to the difficult
issues of intellectual freedom, equitable access to information,
intellectual property rights (ALA 1998)
For
complete article see http://www.ala.org/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/editorschoiceb/bestoferic/eric
Jim Trelease Author and Nationally Recognized Expert on Reading
Aloud to Children Writes About Accelerated Reading Program
Before committing precious dollars to such a program, a district
should decide its purpose: Is the program there to motivate children to read
more or to create another grading platform?
Susan Straight is no lightweight critic. With six novels to her
credit (including a finalist for the National Book Award), along with an Edgar
Award (given to mystery writers) and inclusion in the 2003 Best
American Short Stories, this literature professor and mother of three
carries some ballast in her literary criticism. In 2009 she took on Accelerated
Reader.
Her argument was not with its good intentions but with how it is
implemented and its point system (which often comes down to “thicker is
better”). She wrote:
Librarians and teachers
report that students will almost always refuse to read a book not on the
Accelerated Reader list, because they won’t receive points. They base their
reading choices not on something they think looks interesting, but by how many
points they will get. The passion and serendipity of choosing a book at the
library based on the subject or the cover or the first page is nearly gone, as
well as the excitement of reading a book simply for pleasure.
This is not all the fault
of Renaissance Learning [AR], which I believe is trying to help schools
encourage students to read. Defenders of the program say the problem isn’t with
Accelerated Reader itself, but with how it is often implemented, with the
emphasis on point-gathering above all else. But when I looked at Renaissance Learning’s
Web site again this summer, I noticed the tag line under the company name:
“Advanced Technology for Data-Driven Schools.”
That constant drive for
data is all too typical in the age of No Child Left Behind helping to replace a
freely discovered love of language and story with a more rigid way of
reading,
For entire article see
AWARDS RECOGNIZED BY TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS
BOOK AWARDS USED BY TEACHERS
AND LIBRARIANS MOST OFTEN FOR THE SELECTION OF BEST LITERATURE
Dr. Slick’s Recommendations for Awards list.
Coretta Scott King Award outstanding Afro American authors and illustrators
Hans Christian Andersen Awards International Award for children’s books
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature
Fantasy Awards
Michael L. Printz Award Young Adult Literature (Teens)
Mildred L. Batchelder Award Most outstanding children’s book first published in another language other than English
Michael L. Printz Award Young Adult Literature (Teens)
Mildred L. Batchelder Award Most outstanding children’s book first published in another language other than English
Schneider Family Book Award
Book embodies disability experiences.
Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction Historical fiction
Sibert Informational Book Award Non-fiction
Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction Historical fiction
Sibert Informational Book Award Non-fiction
ALAN
Young Adult Award Winner Authors Literature for Adolescents authors award
winners.
International Reading
Association Choice Awards Children’s,
Teachers, and Young Adult choices.
Accelerated Reader is not an award for
books.
Scholastic Reading Counts is not an award for books.
Scholastic Reading Counts is not an award for books.
Book Awards for children's and teen books
From http://www.asuen.com/kidlit/?p=book-awards
Anastaia Suen Blog Site.
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