Library Links

"Content that might be of interest to Teacher-Librarians..."

29.5.15

Cleaning up webpages - Reader and Readability

Just show me the text!
Reader View in Safari on iOS devices strips webpages of everything except text and images. On a mobile device, tap the icon on the left side of the address bar to see a white page with black text plus a button for controlling text size; tap it again to return to the original page. (Safari lets you know when Reader View is available for a page by flashing a quick "Reader View Available" message as a website is loading.) On a laptop or desktop, the full Safari app offers the same functionality, with the plus that printing or projecting is much easier for a class to read.
Some webpages don't allow Reader View; in that case, the Readability Bookmarklet could be the answer. Simply drag the bookmarklet to your address bar to use it. (There are also instructions for an iOS install.)

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An independent reading strategy for encouraging students

Book Bistro and independent reading
Article in JAAL (Use school ID and PW for home access)
"[...] Book Bistro is an independent reading strategy for encouraging students to read books on their own, bring books to class for a scheduled event, and linger over books in a café atmosphere. Book Bistro uses fiction and nonfiction in [a] relaxed atmosphere. Most teachers add ambience to the once-per-month event by bringing in tablecloths, candles, or centerpieces for the tables and arranging for light refreshments. Students arrive with a self-selected book they have recently read and are prepared to share it with a small group of students...."

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26.5.15

Let your teachers know about new EBSCO magazine issues

Send your staff personalized updates
Want to send staff members a monthly alert to any one of the Scholastic magazines in EBSCO? Watch the video tutorial to learn the steps. You'll need to create an account on the EBSCO server for yourself, and then generate an alert for a staff member you think could use the resource. (Try setting an alert up for yourself first so you can see how it works.) Every month, EBSCO will send out an email with a clickable table of contents of the new issue.

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TumbleBookCloud- Audiobooks!

Audio versions of popular teen and classic titles
"TumbleBookCloud is an online collection of ebooks and read-along chapter books, graphic novels, educational videos, and audio books! All books are available with unlimited access, all the time, from any device with an internet connection."

There is a good selection of Shakespeare plays and some recent YA titles. Animal Farm and 1984 are also among the selections. (Note: titles are aimed at high school readers.)

(You will need to use your school ID and PW for home access.)

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21.5.15

Educational Leadership: "Teaching with Mobile Tech" May 2015

Transform learning in classrooms

"Mobile devices offer teachers with limited access to hardware an opportunity to transform learning in their classrooms. As the author points out, "The moment students enter the room (with mobile devices in hand), my low-tech classroom is instantly transformed into a buzzing technology hub." ... Throughout this issue, authors provide dozens of strategies, resources, and insights that will help you make your classrooms and schools learning hubs."

Many of this issue's articles are available in full-text from the ASCD website. Locked articles will be available (shortly) on the EBSCO site (LINK here) Here's an audio overview.

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Rijeka City Library prepares children and youth for a high-tech future

Public library 3D printing programme stimulates youth creativity
"By providing free access to sophisticated technology, in a creative library environment where children can also look at books for inspiration, we wish encourage children and youth to become creative 'makers'....We are stimulating their curiosity and imagination, and teaching them skills that will be useful for future employment in an era where digital technology increasingly drives production."

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"I'm Your Neighbor", "New Arrival" Children's Books

A recommended book list for those who seek to build bridges.
"I'm Your Neighbor is a project which promotes the use of children's literature featuring "new arrival" cultures and groups to engage the entire community in a discussion of commonalities and differences.  The project features a recommended list of books and an evolving list of engagement projects for educators, librarians, and community organizations who seek to build bridges."

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19.5.15

Upcoming BCTLA Webinar (May 27th)

Indigenous Resources:
Supporting Aboriginal Education Through Your Collection
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
4:00 - 5:00 p.m. PST
Presenters: Maria McAllister (North Van), Monica Berra (Prince George), and Leona Prince (Prince George).  

Maria will begin our session by talking about her journey as she undertook the process of reworking the Aboriginal content in her Elementary library. Monica (District VP) and Leona (District Aboriginal Resource teacher) will wrap up by discussing about how their district is supporting teachers and the acquisition of Aboriginal resources.

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Digital Citizenship Pledge Poster for Elementary School Classrooms

"We, the digital citizens..."

Here's a succint mini-poster that encourages students to be good digital citizens. (Explore other downloadables on the site.)

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"Character Appeal" Makes Its Debut on NoveList

Looking for a suitably complex character?
NoveList has added "character appeal" to help you find the books your students are asking for. Follow the link for more details. (For home access, you will need your school ID and PW - see your TL)

"For some readers, likeable characters are essential, and if you can add relatable to that, even better! Other readers require more depth, and for a suitably complex character may be willing to engage with a protagonist who is flawed, or even in some cases unlikeable. Some readers may be looking for quirky characters, rather than brooding, introspective ones, and books with large casts of characters may draw some readers in, while warning others away...."

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15.5.15

iBook Author created iBooks

The power of book creation
Using iBooks Author, many teachers are creating textbook-like materials for their students to use. Visit the following link to see what teachers (and students) are developing.

  Free Books by Educators in iTunes: (will launch iTunes. Examples will load in iBooks.)

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13.5.15

Comic-Style Projects on iPad

Harness your inner comic geek.
(or "Les bédés règnent!))
Here are two apps that let students create impressive comicbook-like projects. Great for supporting writing, storyboarding or representing learning.

Comic Maker HD (Free) some pop-up ads

"ComicBook!" iPhone app ($3.49)

The image pasted above was made with ComicBook, and I first pulled the images into lunipic.com to turn them into pencil drawings using the "Effects" submenu. (You can do this on your iOS device - very slick.) Note: there is an editor in the app, but it has fewer modification options.

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The Top Ten Fairy Tales Fractured in 2014

Update your fairy tale unit!
Picture books, chapter books and YA titles are all featured.

"Fairy tales are as important to the literary world as bacon is to life — they're foundational, ensconced in our societal psyche. Modern stories still thrive on this foundation, including the ever popular "fractured fairy tales," which present the traditional tale with an unexpected twist. They make for an excellent unit in the classroom with a few example books; fairy tales are a great writing prompt for all grades. The following ten fairy tales have been the inspiration for several new books published last year...."

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12.5.15

iBook Author Student Text: Butterflies

eBook: Butterflies of Nebraska
Thinking about having your students create ebooks? iBooks Author is a powerful tool for this. Read Mr. Hanson's blog to find out how he worked with his students to create a Science text.

"In class students learned about classification, anatomy of insects, life cycle, flowers and pollination, ecosystem, migration, and conservation. These topics became chapters in our books about Butterflies.   We used iBooks Author to create our ebook; this allowed us to add interaction to our [work]. Students uploaded projects they had created from each lesson we did: photo galleries, and videos we created in iMovie."

Download the Period 3 eBook as an iBook: Butterflies of Nebraska
Download the Period 3 eBook as a pdf: Butterflies of Nebraska
Download the Period 8 eBook as an iBook: Nebraska Butterfly

Download the Period 8 eBook as a pdf: Nebraska Butterfly 

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7.5.15

Aboriginal Ed resource page - WLU Faculty of Education

"Aboriginal perspectives bring the curriculum to life"
A range of Language, History and Social Studies activities / lesson plans (from Ontario), mostly for Grades 1-8, that teach aboriginal perspectives, issues and achievements.

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6.5.15

Read-alongs on Learn360

Celebrate TD Canadian Children's Book Week May 2–9 with Learn360 
Login first to Learn360, then click on the links below.
Remember, as an SD38 teacher, you can download clips for showing whenever you want to.

"We've got loads of videos that bring to life your students' favorite books, recounting classic tales like Rumpelstiltskin, The Emperor's New Clothes, and Jack and the Beanstalk, more recent ones like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and Miss Nelson Is Back, and many more. Check out the videos from Weston Woods, Rabbit Ears, and Reading Rainbow to find ones to show in class."

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5.5.15

Reading 'can help reduce stress' - Telegraph

Study indicates reading is the best way to relax

"Reading is the best way to relax and even six minutes can be enough to reduce the stress levels by more than two thirds, according to new research from the University of Sussex research. And it works better and faster than other methods to calm frazzled nerves such as listening to music, going for a walk or settling down with a cup of tea, research found. [...] Subjects only needed to read, silently, for six minutes to slow down the heart rate and ease tension in the muscles."

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"Teacher Librarians - Mavens in a Digital Age"

Vancouver (WA) TLs are leading digital transformation
Read this forward looking article from "School Administrator" magazine about the success of teacher-librarianship involvement in Vancouver Washington school district's strategic technology plan.

"[...]Teacher-librarians bring to their roles a unique 21st-century skill set that includes overseeing digital content, educational technology, collaborative instruction, digital citizenship and materials management.[...]"

Complete May 2015 issue of School Administrator here.

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RPL rolls out "The Launchpad"

What is The Launchpad?
Check out how RPL is rebranding and repositioning itself.


"The Launchpad is a library space where our community can come together and learn through collaborative and creative experimentation. We are proud to offer an innovative workspace where 3D printing, digital publishing tools and a range of digital services tutorials will be available."

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Splice - Video Editor

Combining videos the easy way.
Tutorial:

Looking to put some student videos together, I tried a number of free video joining apps - Splice was the perfect solution. The app lets you add clips from your camera roll, set transitions, add frames, add images, create a title, and even edit clip lengths. Easy to use, powerful and fast.

Here's a sample I made using a couple of random clips I took, with some audio uploaded for fun.


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