Canadian Teacher Magazine

Read the entire issue as a free PDF download.

http://canadianteachermagazine.com/index.shtml

The March issue has some good articles on reading and novel study.

http://canadianteachermagazine.com/currentissue.shtml

There are also a number of classroom resources available on the site.

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Found poetry activity

Here's a fun activity, perhaps you can use it as an intro to a "found poetry" exercise.

Find existing book titles, stack the books and read the "poem".

Snapping a picture makes it even more visual!

http://100scopenotes.com/2010/03/12/poetry-friday-book-spine-poem-gallery/

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Reflect on school and teaching with Karen Durica

How we "do" school: poems to encourage teacher reflection by Karen Morrow Durica

This book can be a good resource for a pro-d day or just read by individuals.  Click the link to read table of contents and sample text in pdf.

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Igniting a Passion for Reading - preview entire book online

Help build a school culture that values the will to read.. In Igniting a Passion for Reading award-winning children's book author Steven Layne provides classroom-based solutions interest inventories, book chats, teacher modeling, reading lounges, and author visits to engage kids in all grades. Preview the entire book online!

Zoom into Maps - LOC

The Library of Congress Geography and Map Division's 4.5 million treasures have been digitized and are available online  (1500 - 2003)

A great selection of interesting documents. There's a teacher's guide and a "primary source Analysis tool" to look at.

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/maps/introduction.html

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Gotta Keep Reading- video

Hello all,

Here's a great 5 minute "Gotta Keep Reading" video from Ocoee Middle School

http://www.schooltube.com/video/e9bd79d29b4d0e6a2345/Gotta-Keep-Reading--Ocoee-Middle-School

Talk about promoting your program!!

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On This Day: Beyond the Headlines

On This Day: Beyond the Headlines

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news.topic__ss_categories_ss_on-this-day.html

This site features (among other things) one historical event each day; includes what happened, what led up to it, what has happened since; and places the event in today's context including links to the best research on the subject. A great supplement to a current events "spot" in a socials course. The backgound info allows the teacher to "read up on it" before introducing the event to the class.

Classic stories in comic format -preview online

Here are a number of classic stories, excerpted in comic/graphic novel format.

(Romeo and Juliet, and Frankenstein)

It could make a great jumping off activity for students to create their own versions, or a way to introduce a play or novel.

http://www.classicalcomics.com/previews.html

http://www.grammarmancomic.com/classical.html

"Library and Archives Canada" collection

Study Guides on a variety of topics using the "Library and Archives Canada" collection

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/education/008-3000-e.html

Search for Educational Resources

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/education/008-100.01-e.php

NB: This material is also available in French

(As they are in the process of re-organizing, some of the "collections" listed in search results may not be linked as yet. )

Sheet Music from Canada's past (includes audio files)

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/sheetmusic/m5-400-e.html


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More Book Trailers to view or embed

Here are some more booktrailers to share with your students, or English Teachers.

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current (and classic) dystopian novels

Hello all,

here's a good list of current (and classic) dystopian novels for the YA reader

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2216.YA_Dystopia_Novels

GP

"How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All"

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Salon.com has an article/interview with Marilyn Johnson who recently published a book about librarianship:  "This Book Is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All,

The interview can be found at:

http://www.salon.com/books/nonfiction/index.html?story=/books/feature/2010/02/21/interview_marilyn_johnson_librarians

The Amazon link will let you read the first few pages:

http://www.amazon.com/This-Book-Overdue-Librarians-Cybrarians/dp/0061431605

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"You Are the Future of Libraries: No Pressure"

"You Are the Future of Libraries: No Pressure" by David Lankes
Path to the Future, a University of Maryland Libraries Speaker Series, College Park, MD.

Abstract: If libraries are obsolete in 10 years, it's your fault. It's my fault too. As Alan Kay once said "the best way to predict the future is to invent it." So since we are the people ultimately responsible for creating the future, we are the future of the library. Assume for a moment "they" are right ... you know, them. The ones who say that the Internet/ Mass Digitalization /Search Engines/ Wikipedia/Document Right Management/ Whatever is going to put libraries out of business. Assume that the stacks are bare, the coffee bars are empty, and the ivy is left to run riot over the columns. Is there still a library? If that strikes you as an odd question, let me ask you another one. Is the future of the library a question of stacks, coffee bars or ivy?

"How-to" guide for creating Booktrailers

A big thanks to Naomi Bates for her great blog.
Here's a link to her slideshare on creating Book trailers.

Creating Book Trailers

View more presentations from Naomi Bates.

See also "Amp up your Booktalk"

National Gallery of Art - digital tools

Here's a range of fun tools to do "digital art" inspired by works of the great artists.

http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/zone.htm

Each tool can be linked to individually.

(Works best on a Mac with Safari.)

Collage Machine • Mobile • PixelFace • 3-D Twirler • Cubits • Diamonds • Dutch House • Photo Op

PaintBox • Wallovers • RiverRun • SwatchBox • Flow • Jungle • BRUSHster • Still Life • Faces & Places

Culturally Responsive Instruction - podcast from the IRA

Literacy 2.0 – Closing the Literacy Achievement Gap Through Culturally Responsive Instruction,

Presented by Kathy Au, President, International Reading Association

Many teachers today are challenged to efficiently respond to the cultural and linguistic differences presented in their classrooms. Tune in to IRA Reading Radio and hear IRA President Kathy Au present specific strategies and techniques to help effectively teach second-language and culturally diverse students. Click here to listen to the program.

New booktrailer: The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

If you are considering making booktrailers for your library site, here's a new one by Naomi Bates. (Note: the novel is more a high school read) This kind of thing can be done fairly easily in iMovie or Windows Movie Maker.

New booktrailer:  The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

http://naomibates.blogspot.com/2010/02/trailer-time-dark-devine-by-bree.html

Here's my little "tutorial" on how to do it, if you're interested.

http://gordonslearning.blogspot.com/2009/02/book-trailers.html

(Could be fun for students to make their own.)

GP

Chemistry links/labs/animations

Your teachers might appreciate some of the science links on this page

http://explore.ecb.org/surf/surf_report?subject=0

Links for other subjects:

http://explore.ecb.org/surf/surf_alpha

Google's Wonder Wheel: visual searching

I've just been playing with Google's Wonder Wheel:

"Google Wonder Wheel is a new great feature from Google which allows you to see relevant search results to your query in a unique semantically relevant and graphically designed way."

Here's how it works:

http://www.googlewonderwheel.com/google-wonder-wheel-step-by-step

Museum of Online Museums

Hello all,

this is a fun place to poke around in for a while. Also, your Art teachers, or classroom teachers might find a good site or idea here. Not all the links are necessarily good for the classroom, but there are certainly a great many discussion starters listed. Take a look.

http://www.coudal.com/moom/

"Welcome to the Coudal Partners Museum of Online Museums. Here, you will find links from our archives to online collections and exhibits covering a vast array of interests and obsessions: Start with a review of classic art and architecture, and graduate to the study of mundane (and sometimes bizarre) objects elevated to art by their numbers, juxtaposition, or passion of the collector. "

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