Michael Hearst makes his children’s book debut with ‘Unusual Creatures’.” His definition of said species? “An animal that looks, sounds, smells, or acts in a way that makes you stop and say, ‘Whoa, dude!’ What’s up with that?”
NCTE Roundup, Two
By on December 3, 2012 Leave a Comment
If your school or public library is looking for some ideas for teen programming, the following sessions from NCTE’s recent annual conference are bound to inspire you. While most of the presenters focused on older teens, their programs can also be adapted for middle schoolers. And there are many more sessions that can be explored on NCTE’s 2012 website, such as But I Hate Poetry, Using Signal Words in Graphic Novels for Sequence and Cause/Effect, or Ah Ha Allusions!—Pop Culture Allusions & Dystopian Literature, to name just a few.
Nick’s Picks | Celebrating World Languages Through Books
By on December 3, 2012 Leave a Comment
In this month’s column we celebrate our multilingual world by showcasing audio and video recordings in a variety of languages from the TeachingBooks.net collection. ¡Disfrute!
Consider the Source: Two Is the Thorniest Number
By on December 3, 2012 Leave a Comment
In his latest Consider the Source column, Marc Aronson uses the recent presidential election as a jumping off point to discuss the different ways that American history is viewed.
Clustering and the Common Core
By on December 2, 2012 1 Comment
Achieving the level of complex thinking in the classroom required by the Common Core standards can feel overwhelming, particularly when students will be reading, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing in this capacity throughout the day.
The Public Library Connection: The new standards require that public and school librarians pull together | On Common Core
By on December 1, 2012 10 Comments
Now, more than ever before, collaboration between public and school librarians is critical. As we strive to be at the center of the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in our schools, strong relationships with our local public librarians can make all the difference in the world and provide us, our students, and our school colleagues with tremendous advantages.
While public and school libraries differ, our common patron base of children gives both groups fertile ground [...]
Stories for Winter Nights| Listen In
By on December 1, 2012 1 Comment
Cold winter weather provides the perfect setting for putting on headphones to listen to a good book. For over 50 years, Search Institute, a nonprofit organization, has worked to improve the lives of young people by examining and offering ideas to combat risky behaviors and determining what kids need to succeed. They were early adopters of the adage “It takes a village to raise a child,” believing that the entire community must band together to help [...]
On the Radar: Top Teen Picks from the Editors at Junior Library Guild: Two Parts Make a Whole: Using Graphic Novels in Your Common Core Classroom
By on November 30, 2012 Leave a Comment
If you’re looking for official justification for the purchase of graphic novels, look no further than the Common Core State Standards. In grades 6-12, students will be required to apply the Reading standards to a variety of text types, including graphic novels. For mature readers, this fall’s releases offer stories of war, madness, gangs, and failed dreams. Young adult patrons will have much to think and talk about after reading these selections.
NCTE’s 700-plus Sessions Deliver on Tech, Lit, and the Common Core
By on November 29, 2012 Leave a Comment
Amid the sparkle of bling and sounds of cha-ching, visitors to Las Vegas, NV, last week caught sight of thousands of educators from around the country wending their way through Metro Golden Mayer Grand complex toward its conference center for the 102nd annual National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) convention November 15-18.
NCTE Round Up, One
By on November 21, 2012 Leave a Comment
Over the next few issues of SLJTeen, I’ll be posting brief summaries of many of the sessions I attended at the annual National Council of Teachers of English annual conference, held in Las Vegas, Nov.15-18, 2012. Hand-outs for many of the sessions are available from the NCTE 2012 website. This round up includes sessions on nonfiction resources for English teachers, literacy efforts for incarcerated youth and adults, and faeries in young adult literature.
Consider the Source: The Mandate
By on November 20, 2012 2 Comments
In the wake of the destruction wrought by Sandy, Marc Aronson emphasizes the importance of the Common Core standards as students and teachers discuss the link between the recent hurricane and climate change.
On the Radar: Top Picks from the Editors at Junior Library Guild: Graphic Novels and the Common Core
By on November 12, 2012 Leave a Comment
If you’re looking for official justification for the purchase of graphic novels, look no further than the Common Core State Standards. In grades 6 to 12, students will be required to apply the Reading standards to a variety of text types and formats, including graphic novels. Today’s graphic artists and writers provide a plethora of titles for beginning readers to adults. Check out these new titles that will strengthen your collection and thrill your readers.
Wondering how to put Common Core into practice? It’s easier than you think.
By on November 8, 2012 11 Comments
This fall, as we’ve traveled around New York State doing workshops for librarians and teachers on the Common Core State Standards, we’ve been living and breathing the new education standards.
Consider the Source: On the Common Core Trail
By on November 6, 2012 Leave a Comment
Here’s Marc Aronson’s latest report from Common Core land. Two weeks ago, he was on the road for four days along with Sue Bartle leading Common Core (CC) workshops. They learned a lot—much of it encouraging.
SLJ Summit 2012: Nonfiction Authors Address the Common Core
By on November 5, 2012 Leave a Comment
At the School Library Journal Summit held October 26-27, authors Deborah Hopkinson, Barbara Kerley, Steve Sheinkin, and Sally M. Walker came together to share their views on their work and how they can address Common Core principles as they conduct research for their books.
Common Core Will Stress Already Inadequate E-rate Funding
By on November 5, 2012
The E-Rate program, which is responsible for the funds dedicated to connecting schools and libraries to the Internet, is unable to keep up with high demand., and schools’ needs are only becoming more urgent with the advent of the Common Core Standards.
Forensic Scientists at Work | Noteworthy Nonfiction (For Older Readers)
By on November 5, 2012 Leave a Comment
New titles point to the tantalizing clues left by ancient remains, and the painstaking work of geologists, archeologists, and physical and cultural anthropologists, as they search for and consider evidence, draw conclusions, and re-examine theories in light of new information and technologies.
Severed Limbs, Devil’s Hairs, and Boys Turned into Beasts | A Delightfully Grimm Approach to Fairy Tales
By on November 5, 2012 Leave a Comment
Blending modern-day sensibilities with an avid appreciation for the source material and an endless knack for inventiveness, two novels by Adam Gidwitz, make sound starting points for examinations of folklore.
Population Shifts Through the Centuries | Nick’s Picks
By on November 5, 2012 Leave a Comment
Throughout the ages, individuals and groups have migrated, emigrated, fled, and been forcibly removed from their homelands. When teaching about the movement of people through history, books can offer students a variety of perspectives.
Does Character Matter?
By on November 2, 2012 1 Comment
In “How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character,” Paul Tough challenges the notion that academic achievement rests primarily on the types of cognitive skills measured by IQ tests. Could it be that success is, in fact, more dependent upon non-cognitive skills or character traits such as social intelligence, gratitude, optimism, and curiosity?
