Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning

    Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to teaching and learning that focuses on giving all students an equal opportunity to learn.  It offers various ways for how students learn in order to engage and challenge them.  It also guides the teacher to different forms of student motivation.  What is great for all educators is that this form of learning helps educators with goals, methods, materials, and assessments in order to reach all learners.

    UDL has three major parts to its design which include Representation, Action and Expression, and Engagement.

    Representation is the way of learning.  This is when teachers can use multiple forms of media such as graphics and animations in order to share their lesson topic.  Action and Expression pertains to the how of the learning process.  This area allows the learner options for expressing what they know including models and feedback.  Engagement is the why of learning.  This is where students are allowed more choices and can take risks while learning from possible mistakes.  

    The library is a great environment to share UDL through lessons and projects.  "School library multimedia production activities have facilitated opportunities for learners to be engaged and to express their knowledge in non-traditional modes," (Robinson 2017).  School libraries are no longer places to just access books.  Our libraries house new technology and programs where students can express their creativity and share their learning in a variety of forms.

    Which guideline am I already using?

    Most educators may not realize that they are already using many elements of the UDL process.  Currently, I am providing options for comprehension (Guideline 3) and specifically, Checkpoint 3.1, where I am activating or supplying background knowledge.  Within all of my classes, all the way to down to Pre-K, I utilize graphic organizers like KWL charts to help students make connections to the topics I am teaching in the library to what they are learning in their regular classrooms.  I also use literacy to connect to Social Studies and Science topics that are taught in the classroom.  This way students are seeing that the library can be an extension to their learning where they can locate resources and learn more.

    Which of these guides could I add right now to my teaching practice?

    Considering the population of my students, I would like to add Checkpoint 2.4 where I would promote more understanding across languages.  Our bilingual population, specifically Spanish speaking, could have more vocabulary linking, translational skills, and more non-linguistic supports for the vocabulary such as pictures.  By including more information across the languages, I will include more of my community and help them know the library is an inviting place.

    Which of these look great, but I might need some help implement?

    Where I see myself needing support would be in Guideline 5- providing options for expression and communication, specifically in Checkpoint 5.1- using multiple multimedia for communication.  Locating and teaching my students how to use social media and interactive online tools is where I lack since I do not have much experience using these resources in my regular lessons. I know that in the library I have access to more of these tools, but my lack of experience hinders my students presently.  I need guidance in teaching my students how to compose and showcase their learning using things like comics, storyboards, film, or music.

    As I look to improve my UDL teaching skills, I found some resources that will further my lesson design to meet the needs of my diverse learners.  

    

    The first book is titled Design and Deliver by Loui Lord Nelson.  In this research based book, I can dive deeper into UDL and learn how to present information to my students in the true UDL format in order to meet their needs.

    

    

    Another book that will be very useful when expanding my use of UDL is Your UDL Lesson Planner by Patti Kelly Ralabate.  This book will really help me take the concepts of UDL to the next level and show me in a step-by-step format how to actually implement the UDL ideologies.  When educators are presented with new "curriculum" or a new form of teaching, we need visuals to help us implement in the correct manner.

    A third book that I highly recommend is Universal Design for Learning in Action by Whitney Rapp.  Now that I have the understanding of UDL and a few sample lesson plan ideas from the previous two books, I would like more creative ways to continue the UDL teaching process.  This book is not only research based, but it will give me fun and engaging ideas to share the UDL process with my scholars.

    UDL seems to be the best type of learning format for today's diverse students.  Our students learn in so many different ways, need a variety of accommodations and modifications, and have access to new and changing technology every day.  As educators, we need to meet them where they are so that we can show them how to be successful and functional adults in this world they are creating.

References: 

Robinson, D. (2017, September/October). Universal Design for Learning and School Libraries. Knowledge Quest- Beyond the Horizon. (Volume 46, 1). 

The UDL Guidelines. (2021, October 15). UDL. Retrieved April 23, 2022, from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

Avoiding Copyright Infringement

 Avoiding Copyright Infringement

Check out this guide to learn more about Copyright Infringement.

Copyright Guide

Historical Fiction Book Reviews

 

 

Brubaker Bradley, Kimberly. 2015. THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE. New York: Puffin Books. ISBN: 9780147510488

Plot Summary: Set in London during World War II, young Ada is not only fighting to survive a war being fought around her, but also battles a mother that doesn’t want her.  Ada’s mother is embarrassed by Ada’s crippled foot and keeps her locked in their one-bedroom apartment day in and day out.  Ada spends her time taking care of her brother, Jamie. When Jamie leaves, Ada decides it’s her turn, too.  Susan Smith is forced to take the two kids in where Ada begins to learn the true meaning of the word “home.”  While there, Ada learns how to read, ride a pony, and watch for German spies.  Ada and Jamie are enjoying their new life with Susan when they are forced to return to London with their abusive mother who quickly returns to her old ways of abuse and anger.  Bombs in the city and country reunite Susan, Ada, and Jamie and they conclude that this war saved all of their lives.

 Critical Analysis: It’s obvious why this story is a Newbery Honor book.  Bradley offers a moving story of a young girl battling what some would consider the unimaginable and manages to make it out of a terrible situation.  Religious themes along with abusive relationships and finding one’s place in the world guide the reader through an incredible World War II story. 

            Touching on the disability issue is important for young adults. Schools today are full of diverse kids.  Realizing there’s more to kids than what meets the eye is important.  Our main character still manages to take care of her brother while battling her disability and feeling the wrath of her abusive mother.  She was strong, brave, and resilient.

The only concern I can see with this book is amount of violence that might be too mature for some readers.  The abusive mother is an issue that might scare or make some young readers nervous.  Understanding what was going on during World War II and why innocent people had bombs dropped on their homes could be difficult for some readers.

Review Excerpts:

Kirkus Starred Review: “Set against a backdrop of war and sacrifice, Ada’s personal fight for freedom and ultimate triumph are cause for celebration.”

Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review: “Proving that her courage and compassion carry far more power than her disability, Ada earns self-respect, emerges a hero, and learns thot e meaning of home.”

 Connections: The War that Saved My Life could be great start for readers to do some research on not only World War II, but what has happening to children during this time.  A lot of students look at historical events as boring.  A story like this where the main character is a young child gives a connection for a lot of readers to begin learning about the past. 

            Students might also want to continue their adventures with Ada in Bradley’s novel The War I Finally Won.  Bradley picks up right after the events in the first novel and adds some new enticing characters.

 

 

Holm, Jennifer. 2006. PENNY FROM HEAVEN. New York: Random House Children’s Books. ISBN: 9780329646608

 Plot Summary: Penny is a young girl navigating adolescence all while trying to figure out how her father passed away.  Since her father died, so long ago that Penny barely remembers him, she is the only family link between her mother’s and father’s feuding families.  Her father’s family is a large Italian family who are not strait-laced versus her mother’s family who are very conservative to the point where Penny’s mother is afraid that she will get Polio from the lake.  Penny befriends all her family members, including the uncle that lives in his car, and starts to accept her mother’s new boyfriend along the way.  Along the way, she develops her own ideas and beliefs of life, death, and mortality. 

 Critical Analysis: Another Newbery Honor, Penny From Heaven gives young readers a story in which they can relate.  Even though it is set in the 1950’s, the concepts of feuding families, a close family member’s death, and struggling with your own beliefs are what a large percentage of our young adult population struggle to process during adolescence.  Since Holm’s uses her personal experience when sharing this story with the world, readers are more likely to connect to her characters and events.

 Review Excerpts:

Kirkus: “Holm has crafted a leisurely, sprawling period piece, set in the 1950s and populated by a large cast of offbeat characters.”

Goodreads: “And Holm tells it with all the richness and the layers, the love and the laughter of a Sunday dinner at Nonny’s. So pull up a chair and enjoy the feast! Buon appetito!”

 Connections: This book can lead to research and discussions on the Italian-American Internment, which isn’t spoken of in a lot of history classes or books.  Students could check out books like Una Storia Segreta: The Secret History of Italian American Evacuation and Internment During World War II by Lawrence Distasi or The Unknown Internment: An Oral History of the Relocation of Italian Americans During World War II by Stephen Fox.  Students hear a lot of about Jewish people being moved to camps and being forced to leave their homes, but may be unaware of events similar to this that occurred in the United States. 

            Penny’s mother’s fear of contracting Polio from the lake could spawn some Science research on this disease from the past including how it was contracted, results when you got it, and how scientists created the vaccine.

 

Frost, Helen. 2020. ALL HE KNEW. New York: Macmillan Publishing Group. ISBN: 9780374312992

 Plot Summary: Henry is a young boy who is growing up in the 1930’s and 1940’s and becomes deaf due a fever at the age of four. His school labels him as “unteachable,” and he’s sent to an institution where he is treated very harshly.  While at the institution, Henry is introduced to Victor, an objector to World War II and is offered a job at the institution as a replacement for being drafted into the war.  Victor sees more of Henry and realizes he is far from “unteachable.”  Readers are privy to different viewpoints when the author offers writing from Henry’s sister who speaks of the struggles to just visit her brother due to finances.  Victor helps Henry see that things can change for the better.

 Critical Analysis: Frost offers a new way of sharing rarely heard historical events through free-verse poems therefore combining Historical Fiction with Poetry.  Most young adult readers will find this to be an easier read because of the writing style.  A lot of World War II lessons and books don’t showcase what happens to those who might resist the war.  Frost’s story offers another perspective into what was going on during this time period besides Jewish concentration camps.  It does serve as another look into not judging someone based on a disability or learning difference.

 

Review Excerpts:

Kirkus: “An engaging, emotional read that tells an important story—with caveats.”

The Horn Book: “This is a quick read, full of historical richness and glimpses of the cruelty and abuse so common in the institutions of the era.”

Connections: Readers can find a connection to the very popular novel Inside Out & Back Again by Thannha Lai.  Lai’s book is written in very similar form, through the free-verse poetry, which makes both books very easy reads.  Both use child characters that young adult readers can easily relate and learn about possible historical events.

            Readers may also find interest in American Sign Language after reading this award-winning novel.  Students might even seek out deaf people within their communities to interview and get a clearer picture on what life is like for the deaf.

 

Reilly Giff, Patricia. 1997. LILY’S CROSSING. New York: Delacorte Press. Audio Book: Narrated by : Mia Dillon. Audio Book Released: 2008.

Plot Summary: This is a story about Lily and her friend, Albert, who come together in mutual grief and they help each other during the summer in the 1940’s.  Lily lives with her father and grandmother since her mother passed away when she was when she was very young.  The story starts with the end of the school year and Lily looking forward to the summer.  Her father has to leave to go fight the war overseas, and Lily’s friend Margaret moves away, which leads Lily to Albert.  Albert shares his stories with Lily of being a refugee from Hungary. Albert tells of his sister that he longs for who was left behind because she had Measles and couldn’t escape with him.  Lily and Albert form a strong bond and continue their friendship at the end of the story.

 Critical Analysis: I enjoyed the actual story and themes throughout the story, but the audible version wasn’t the best.  Mia Dillon’s reading was a little slow to start and the voice was a little monotonous.  As the reader works through the story, Lily’s habitual lying comes into play as it puts some people in danger.  She also is a recurrent daydreamer.  For young adults, these are two qualities that young adults can relate.  Giff does a great job of showing her readers World War II experiences through the eyes of a young adult along with common adolescent life.

 Review Excerpts:

Publisher’s Weekly: “Exceptional characterizations and a robust story line turn this WWII homefront novel into far more than a period piece.”

Compass Book Ratings: “This is an insightful and lovely story that brings both the pain of World War II and the innocence and shelter of childhood to life at the same time, in a way that only Giff can do.”

 Connections: This book is a great discussion starter for not only the importance of friendship, but also learning how to handle loss at a young age.  Not only is Lily learning to live without her mother, but has to deal with a close friend moving away and her father leaving her to go fight in a way.  Important questions of how she handles the losses and changes can be discussed along with what else could she have done in these situations.

 

 

Podcasts and Podcast Platforms

 Podcasts and Podcast Platforms

By Laura Matte and Stevens Kahn

The following podcast applications help create informative and entertaining podcasts. 

The reason for reviewing is to provide users with an idea of the current availability and help users make informed decisions.

Anchor.fm 

An essential aspect of a good podcast application is its usability, namely mobile compatibility, accessibility, design, format, and color scheme. Anchor’s mobile compatibility is top-notch because it has apps for ios, android, and the web. Conveniently, a user can work on the app from the web, and their work will be available on the mobile application or vice versa. Next, regarding accessibility, Anchor has a viewer, or reader, for those with particular visual needs. Anchor’s design is well-organized, meaning there are easily identifiable sections and categories with minimal tabs. Likewise, the text format uses a spaced font that is easy to read. The color scheme is smooth with solid purple, white, and black colors, which helps to read the text more clearly.

One of Anchor's best features is that it allows integration into the Spotify app, one of the most popular applications for podcasts and music. After saving the podcast, it is automatically available on Spotify, making it accessible to millions of viewers. Similarly, Anchor automatically allows the user to make money on their podcasts and view users by geographic location, gender, number of plays, age, and types of listening platforms that the user is using.

There were few to no challenges to this application. However, the web page did error out after I finished my podcast without saving my recording. Luckily, the site recognized the error, and it saved my podcast.

The qualities of this application include logging in quickly, recording a quality-sounding podcast with background music, and finding the recording area with almost no issue. Despite the one error, I have to say this is a high-quality application well suited for students looking for a quick and high-caliber recording.

Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout is a podcast platform that is very user-friendly.  Buzzsprout was very easy to sign up for a free plan which allows uploads of up to two hours each month.  The platform also offers options to make your podcast site a little more personal with different colors and different backgrounds. 

The tabs at the top of the site offer a new user some guidance in sharing his or her podcast in different podcast directories in order to get more listeners along with options to entice sponsors to offer monetary help. For new users like me, the “Resources” tab at the top was most helpful with articles about podcast statistics and a complete guide on how to start a podcast.  I’ve been a listener of podcasts, but have never created one before.  Buzzsprout offers some great ideas for a new podcast creator.

Simplecast

Some users might consider the dashboard of Simplecast to be a little too simple and not very eye-catching.  However, for a new podcast creator this might be more beneficial.  When a venture like creating a podcast is brand new, the more simple the better.  The dashboard gives you options for publishing your episode and uploading your podcast if you want it to be seen elsewhere.  There is a great list of how to get started when first creating when you scroll towards the bottom of the home page along with designing and managing your podcast.  Due to its simplicity, most users may not be as attracted to this platform.

Where to find educational podcasts

Personally, I listen to my podcasts through my Podcasts app on my iPhone. I have gone to the search button and typed in “Education” along with being more specific with topics like “lessons” or “library.”  

Feedspot has a list titled the “50 Best Educational Podcasts” that includes “The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast.”  I highly recommend this podcast for all educators.  Jennifer Gonzalez interviews various educators on a wide range of topics including lesson plans, classroom arrangement, mental health for teachers, and how to handle different behavior issues.

I’ve also utilized discoverpods.com.  This site offers different lists for the top podcasts in almost all topics including best comedy and best motivational podcasts.  You can search “education” or be more specific in your search with whatever educational issue you are completing research on.  I found this site to be even more useful when I found the tab at the top for “Podcaster Resources.”  Here, the user will find podcast equipment, podcast statistics, and how to start a podcast.

Another site that can be useful to find some educational podcasts is teachercast.net.  This site is filled with resources for not only listening to educational podcasts, but also with resources to utilize the podcasts within the classroom walls.  You can browse the directory of podcasts, or search for a more specific topic.

Podcast

The following podcast was recorded using the Anchor podcast application. It informs podcast listeners about the first successful lending library in the United States called The Library Company of Philadelphia. 

https://anchor.fm/stevens-kahn/episodes/The-Library-Company-of-Philadelphia-e1gua4h

 

Cartoons and Comics

 With the rise of graphic novel popularity in schools, comics are a new option for students to show learning material and to share personal stories.  Check out these comic creation sites to use.

Fotojet

   I found Fotojet to be not as user friendly as other sites.  There is an option to sign up for a free trial period, but you still have to enter credit card information. This might deter some people, but you can cancel at anytime.  The amount of templates offered didn't seem to have a very wide variety.  However, once you type in your credit card information, you get access to more templates and creation options.  When creating my comic, I found it very easy to search for and add photos into my comic creation.  

Pixton

    

    Pixton is the comic creator that I enjoyed the most.  After you create an account, you are given lots of options including lesson ideas, Comic School (how to make comics), create a class photo, rubrics and assessments, printables and much more.  The user is given a step by step guide to show you how to create a comic written in a comic form.  As you are creating, it's very easy to move and add characters, change the background, and add more panels to your comic strip.  If you add speech bubbles to the characters and you move the character around, the speech bubble follows the character.  I had fun searching the different characters and all the different character poses. I was also impressed with the variety of backgrounds you can add to your comic. The possibilities seemed pretty close to endless on this site.

MakeBeliefsComix

     This wasn't my favorite comic creator site, but it wasn't my least favorite.  After you create your account, there are eleven tips written out on how to get started with your creation.  For the not so creative users, like myself, this site gives you already made comics that you just add words to or fill in the blanks.  This was helpful to a user like me because this is the first time I have ever created comics.  This site was a little hard to navigate at first because finding where to start was a little tricky, but once I played around a little I was able to find some cool tools.

Using Comics and Cartoons in Schools

  As much as I am not a fan, personally, of comics, I can see how these would be useful in the classroom and in a library setting.  As I mentioned before, graphic novels are one of the hottest trends among young adults and kids right now.  Students find them easy to read and are entertained by most of the plotlines.  If a writing form like this gets kids interested in reading and writing, then educators need to utilize it.  Teachers can have kids create comics showing what they learned about a topic.  Students would find this more entertaining then taking a test and would put more effort into a nice finished product.  This is where teachers could use Pixton and the premade rubrics and assessments in order to see the skills their students have mastered.  Comics also give students a creative outlet to express a real-life issue that they might be dealing with, but may not be able to express in a verbal conversation.  As educators, we may not always like the newest trends, but it's important for us to meet our scholars where they are in order to help them grow.

Nonfiction and Biography Book Reviews

 

 These book reviews have been completed for a Sam Houston Masters in Library Science Program. 

 Sheinkin, Steve. 2012. BOMB. New York: Macmillan Publishing Group. ISBN: 9781250050649

 Plot Summary: Sheinkin offers the story of the atomic bomb through different perspectives.  The reader sees the time of World War II through spies, scientists, and military personnel. At the time, chemists are discovering that the uranium atom can split into two when placed next to radioactive material.  The original chemists realize that this new atomic bomb can create worldwide destruction, especially in the hands of certain people.  The different character perspectives offered in this story share their own races to try and build the atomic bomb before Hitler utilizes this new discovery.

Critical Analysis: I think what is most enjoyable about this book is that it is set as a thriller story. The reader is so involved to see who will create the atomic bomb first and then what will happen if this new discovery gets in the wrong hands.  Not only does Sheinkin offer a great plotline, but the reader is also privy to actual history.  Sheinkin offers actual photographs throughout the story and ends his book with a source list and an incredible annotated bibliography to guide the reader towards the facts.

The only minor complaint and issue I can see with this book is the number of characters.  Since Sheinkin tells the story from various perspectives, the reader may have a little trouble keeping track of each character’s viewpoint.  Placing each character within the entire plotline can be confusing at times.

 

Review Excerpts:

Horn Book: “Sheinkin here maintains the pace of a thriller without betraying history (source notes and an annotated bibliography are exemplary) or skipping over the science.”

Goodreads: “This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon.”

Connections: Bomb would be an excellent introduction for secondary students a World War II unit.  Since the story has such a thrilling plotline, students will immediately become interested in the stories to share.  Groups of students could research further the creation of the atomic bomb and attempt to answer the ending question of if we should still have the atomic bomb.

Sheinkin created a follow up to Bomb with his book Fallout: Spies, Superbombs and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown.  Students could continue their research with this novel and a familiar author.

 

Murphy, Jim. 1995. THE GREAT FIRE. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780439203074

Plot Summary: Murphy shares incredible nonfiction personal accounts that tell the story of the one of the greatest disasters in American history- the great fire of Chicago in 1871.  The fire forced over 100,000 people to leave their homes in hopes to escape the fire. Murphy shares the stories of various survivors to retell the story among them the couple who owned the barn where the fire started, a widow who saved her five small children and elderly parents, a twelve-year-old girl, and others.  Murphy’s readers get a true insight into what happened during and after that fateful disaster.

Critical Analysis: Readers will become more immersed in the details of this historic event while learning from different perspectives. Murphy not only offers the survivors’ stories, but does a good job of including historical photographs.  He shows maps of the city to explain why the fire spread and shows photographs of the aftermath.  Murphy’s underlying theme of even when disaster hits, people will struggle but will also triumph through.

Review Excerpts:

Kirkus: “With his conclusion that the tensions between the haves and the have-nots in large cities continued for decades, eventually culminating in the civil unrest of this century, he puts the incident in perspective, giving it stunning immediacy for contemporary readers.”

Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review: “This volume, beautifully printed in sepia tones, contains historic photos, engravings and newspaper clippings on nearly every page.”

Connections: When readers engage in this book, they will soon discover that there is a connection between the richer and poorer sides to Chicago. Scholars can dig deeper into the why of how this fire started and spread.  Was there more wood structures that caused the fire to spread in certain areas?  Did the wealthy have access to easier escape routes? 

Scholars might enjoy other historical books written about this event like the I Survived-The Great Chicago Fire by Lauren Tarshis or Chicago’s Great Fire: The Destruction and Resurrection of an Iconic American City by Carl Smith to locate other perspectives.

 

 

Fleming, Candace. 2005. OUR ELEANOR: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT’S REMARKABLE LIFE. New York: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division. ISBN: 9780689865442

Plot Summary: Fleming introduces this incredible first lady and her story through pictures, timelines, letters, and magazine articles in a way that most readers have never seen Eleanor Roosevelt.  She begins with an introduction sharing how she jumped at the chance to write a biography on this iconic American lady.  She tells the story of how she visited her hometown and heard stories of a close family friend to guide her in writing a biography that gives a full picture.  Readers are walked through all areas of Eleanor’s life including childhood, her marriage, her life as a mother, life in the White House and after leaving the First Lady spotlight.

Critical Analysis: Fleming uses the look of a “scrapbook” to tell Eleanor Roosevelt’s story which includes professional photographs, but also shares smaller artifacts such as her school report cards.  This “scrapbook” style makes this biography very easy to read and enjoy. The reader will feel like he or she has been immersed into the true story of this iconic First Lady.

 Review Excerpts:  Goodreads: “ …, Our Eleanor gives us a remarkable perspective on a remarkable woman, and presents to a new generation an Eleanor to call its own.”

Publisher’s Weekly (Starred Review): “… Fleming allows readers to draw their own conclusions; they will come away with an understanding of a woman who shaped her times and left a lasting imprint on the future.”

Connections: This scrapbook style biography will invite students to read more biographies.  The ease of looking through pictures and artifacts make the reader feel more confident in reading historical documents.  Readers will also enjoy Fleming’s scrapbook style in Benjamin Franklin’s Almanac.  Students might also enjoy the “Who Was Series” of Eleanor Roosevelt for further information.

 

 Kerley, Barbara. 2008. WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE?. Illustrations by: Fotheringham, Edwin. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780329701574

Plot Summary: This biographical picture books shares the story of Theodore Roosevelt’s oldest daughter Alice.  The author walks you through her life beginning at birth when her mother passed away just a few days after she was born.  She seems to be an unruly child and always seems to attract the wrong attention until she gets older.  Her famous father may have had trouble keeping up with her antics, but Alice grows into a reliable woman who travels often to represent her country well.

Critical Analysis: A lot of readers may not consider a picture book to be a great example of a biography, but What To Do About Alice? defies initial expectations.  Readers get a look into the life of a historical figure that may not otherwise be noticed.  Most historians have focused on Alice’s father, Theodore Roosevelt.  The reader learns about a young girl who defies odds such as losing her mother, leg braces, and learning how to live in the world’s spotlight as the President’s daughter. 

Fotheringham’s illustrations show the playful side of Alice and keep the reader engaged throughout the story.  On one of the pages, Kerley shares that Alice “helped” her stepmother by taking care of her stepsiblings while the picture shows the kids sliding on mattresses.  Even though the illustrations are simple, Fotheringham does a great job of depicting the actual historical figures.

 Review Excerpts:

Kirkus: “Sprinkling her account with well-chosen quotations, she outlines Alice Roosevelt Longworth’s childhood and its increasingly outrageous hijinks, as well as the loving (if sometimes exasperating) relationship she enjoyed with her renowned father.”

Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review: “It’s hard to imagine a picture book biography that could better suit its subject than this high-energy volume serves young Alice Roosevelt.”

Connections: This book could spark some research into how families handle living in the White House.  When a person gets elected President of the United States, it’s not just the President that has a life changed.  The family, which can include children, will have life-altering moments.  Rebecca Behrens wrote a novel called When Audrey Met Alice where Audrey, a current First Daughter, finds a diary of Alice while living in the White House. Students could use both books to further explore the life of a First Child.

 

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

 Videos and QR Codes in the Library

    YouTube has become a hotspot for kids, young adults, and adults to access information at the drop of a hat.  You can learn about your hobbies, how to fix almost any car part, view movie trailers, and find out educational information.  

    Librarians across the world are beginning to use this resource to their advantage.  Librarians can use it to show how to complete simple library tasks like checking out and returning books along with research skills.  Some librarians have allowed students to create their own tutorials and library activities.  This allows students to express their creativity skills while offering a service so their fellow classmates can learn specific skills.

Check out The Unquiet Library on YouTube

    Students will find the Video Tutorial of Finding CC Images Using Compfight very helpful.  Students like to create their own videos to share projects and other fun information and need to know how to find safe images to use.  Check it out!

    

    A video on this YouTube channel that students will enjoy is the Importance of Choice for Igniting Student Passion and Learning Through Research Projects.  Students who go to the school can relate to a classmate that they know when learning about how she took her passion of photography and used it to showcase a serious issue, PTSD.  Students can learn how to channel their creativity and bring an important issue to the forefront at the same time. 

Another great YouTube channel is Pikesvillehslibrary.

    A video that students will find useful here is 2013-2014 Registration Process. Secondary students can go through a long process when trying to figure what classes to choose and how to properly get signed up.  As long as the process doesn't change dramatically, students can refer back to the video each year. Check it out!

    A video that students will really enjoy is the Avid Pimp My Binder 2012.  Not only is it a little silly, but it shows students some great information on keeping a binder organized.  It offers some basic organizational skills in a humorous presentation that students will enjoy.  Check it out!

Another great YouTube channel is bbmsmedia.

    A very useful video on this channel is Noodle Tools- How to Create a Book Citation.  As students progress through high school and then to college, citing sources within a paper becomes a common task.  Students need to know how to do this properly so that they can give credit when needed and how to use these citations in technology presentations as well.  Check out this tutorial!

    There are quite a few enjoyable videos on this page that the students have created themselves.  One that I think students would particularly enjoy is the Luke Skywalker Has Overdue Books.  The students took a popular movie and made it to show something that needs to be done in the library which is turning in books on time.  You'll definitely want to check this out and the other parodies created by the students on this page.

QR Codes

    Another new technology tool that has recently become more common is the QR Code. These are very easy to create images that allow access to hundreds of resources.  QR Code Scanners are easily scanned on your cell phone.  Students can use it to access websites that teachers want their students to utilize.  They have become so common that even restaurants are using them for the customers to scan menus.  QR Codes allow for more social engagement and entertainment when meeting an educataional goal at the same time.  Teachers and librarians can use them for students to access educational games, how to videos, and book trailers.  

    Check out of the most popular poetry novels right now: Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai.

Amazon offers a short summary of this excellent novel:

"Inside Out and Back Again is a #1 New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor Book, and a winner of the National Book Award!

Inspired by the author's childhood experience as a refugee—fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama—this coming-of-age debut novel told in verse has been celebrated for its touching child's-eye view of family and immigration.

Hà has only ever known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope—toward America.

This moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing received four starred reviews, including one from Kirkus which proclaimed it "enlightening, poignant, and unexpectedly funny."

Check out my book trailer for this book by scanning the following QR Code.