"Circulate this: Stories from the School Library" - audio file

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/csla-audio-journal/id367871134

Worth listening to and passing along to anyone you know interested in supporting school libraries and teacher-librarians

"Strong school libraries build strong students and lifelong learners High School Teacher Librarian/CSLA Past President Connie Williams and songwriter/ storyteller/ public radio producer Joe McHugh collaborated on an audio journal project to capture stories from teachers, school administrators, children's authors, legislators, parents, and students about how school libraries and librarians make a difference in the lives of children."

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Trailee Awards - the nominees

School Library Journal is running their "Trailee" Awards, for the best Book Trailers produced this year. You can view all the nominees on the following site:

http://reg.accelacomm.com/servlet/Frs.frs?Script=/LP/51148056/reg&Context=START

This is a great place to see the range of material being used to promote books.

(Here's a download site: http://traileenominees.4shared.com/)
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Academy of Achievement - video - audio clips

http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/halls/sci

Hear interviews with individuals who have made an impact on the world of Sports, Art, Science, Business, etc. Video clips are chunked with text transcripts. (Could even be good for high school ESL.)

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Good Books for Literature Circles

Here are some links that might be useful for teachers using Lit Circles.

Some are arranged by grade, or theme, or both.

Themed Literature Unit Examples: Grades K-8

http://classes.seattleu.edu/masters_in_teaching/teed521/professor/Literacy/MITexample.html (Good suggestions but some of the titles are older)

ATN Reading List

http://atn-reading-lists.wikispaces.com/

Teen Book Lists and Reviews

http://www.readingrants.org/

Choosing Books For Lit Circles (Literature Circles Resource Center)

http://www.litcircles.org/ChoosingBooks/choosingbooks.html

http://www.litcircles.org/ (Main Page)

Chapter One of: Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups

http://www.literaturecircles.com/readings.htm

Hatching Baby Chicks Video

I remember some time ago, a teacher was asking for a good video clip of baby chicks hatching. The Chicago Museum of Science and History has a short segment that might be useful. Please pass this along to interested staff!

http://www.msichicago.org/online-science/videos/video-detail/activities/the-hatchery/

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Bookjam Digital Book Report Contest

While this is open to US residents only, the site will allow you to see booktrailers as they are submitted. It might be a good way to jumpstart your own kids as they create a local "BookJam".

Samples

http://digitalbookreport.shycast.com/p/1

Some resources and handouts

http://www.thebookjam.com/main/content/tour-jambox3

Some other book trailer sites:

http://naomibates.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-i-create-digital-booktrailers.html

http://naomibates.blogspot.com/search/label/booktrailer

http://boingboing.net/2009/09/01/trailer-for-scott-we.html

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2010 Teen Read Awards from iRewards (indigo-Chapters)

Teen Read Awards

Website: http://www2.teenreadawards.ca/?EMS_MID=EMSx321x28608

Teen Reads: the winners are...

Teen Read Awards Facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=231579&id=33808471363

How to Weather the Frustrations of Technology Integration

Here's a (modified) quote that I think quite often applies to integrating technology into the classroom:

"When it's good, it's very very good,

but when it's bad, it's horrid."

(Apologies to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. (American poet, 1807-1882)

Read Andrew Marcinek's advice on tech integration....

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/how-to-weather-technical-frustrations

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Writers in electronic Residence program

http://www.wier.ca/

"WiER connects students across Canada with writers, teachers and one another in an animated exchange of original writing and commentary."

You may have teachers in your school interested in participating in the program. (However, there is a fee for participation. See the site for details.)

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