ALA 2012: First Post

ALA 2012* was an amazing conference. It was like a 4 day-book club with good friends! The sessions were terrific, and there were so many to choose from. I learned about upcoming books, met some wonderful authors, and found out so much about ALA. This organization offers so much to members. It's impossible to partake in it all.
Also, every librarian I met was willing to share information with me.
On the shuttle bus from my hotel, or in session rooms waiting to start, I had the most amazing conversations with librarians. Much of my learning happened as I was overhearing chats around me. When you go to a conference, you have to put yourself in places you can learn. I was alone sometimes. Sometimes I was with my Twitter friends. But all the while I was learning.

Can I share a book with you?
Here's a new book I can't wait to read!

It's called This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen. Did you read I Want My Hat Back by the same author? Then you'll want to read this one! I know I can't wait for the final product. It was at the Candlewick Press booth for display. (By the way, I read today that this is NOT the sequel to I Want My Hat Back. I think I like that.) 

What I just finished reading:

Gossip from the Girls' Room: A Blogtastic! Novel by Rose Cooper
This is a novel told in journal form, and as others have said, it looks a lot like Diary of a Wimpy Kid for girls.  I just found out about this series. I don't know if my students are aware of this book yet, but I'll find out. I predict that once I share the title at school, it will be read and read over and over. (This is based on how many times I see Diary of a Wimpy Kid around my school.) The main character, Sofia Becker, is in middle school, she has a blog and she keeps a "pre-blogging notebook". I still need to read the next two in the series!

I have so much more to share about ALA 2012. But for now, it's time to go back to reading and grad work. Have you done any learning on your own this summer?

*ALA is the American Library Association

Book-A-Day

I'm participating in Donalyn Miller's #bookaday summer reading event. I do this every summer, and I've found it a great way to keep my reading focused. I have so many bookstacks, and having a goal in mind let's me tackle them in a purposeful way.

I read this yesterday:

The Lemonade Crime by Jacqueline Davies
Published: March 2, 2011
Published by: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Jessie was moved up a grade, and now, she and her brother Evan are in the same 4th grade class. Evan had some money stolen from him (money that didn't belong to him!), and he suspects a classmate. Jessie sets up a trial on the playground to get to the bottom of things. But along the way she and her classmates learn about truth and fairness. The story is very exciting, and I enjoy Jessie's character because she is a hard worker! I also like that the chapter opening pages have definitions of terms to know.

This is the 2nd book in the Lemonade War series. I enjoyed this installment better than the first one. I wanted to see how things turned out, and there were a few surprises! I think 4th graders will especially like this book because they like to discuss fairness, and the happenings of a playground/recess are always interesting to them. (At least my students do!)

I can't wait to read the third book called The Bell Bandit.

Off to my next book!

What did you read for #bookaday today? How do you manage your reading schedule?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday, and it's time for me to link up again with Jen and Kellee over at Teach Mentor Texts. Like #bookaday, "It's Monday" helps me stay focused!

This week was my first full week of summer. I did have one presentation this week, and I have started my grad work, but I continue to read. It's my reward for hard work!

What did I read this week?

Picture books:

The Lonely Book by Kate Bernheimer

I Am the Dog by Daniel Pinkwater

Leonardo, the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems

Flight of the Dodo by Peter Brown

Giddy Up, Cowgirl by Jarret J. Krosoczka

Brownie and Pearl Grab A Bite by Cynthia Rylant

Blue Chameleon by Emily Gravett

I loved Leonardo, the Terrible Monster the most. It was a really cute story about a monster who wants to be scary, but isn't.

Graphic Novels:

Johnny Boo: Twinkle Power by James Kochalka

Johnny Boo: Happy Apples by James Kochalka

(These are super silly and fun, and they're about a ghost named Johnny Boo and his friend, Squiggle.)

Middle Grade/YA:

One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Published by: Nancy Paulsen Books (Penguin Group for Young Readers-USA)
Published: May 10, 2012

This book is one I won't soon forget. I wouldn't want to! It tells the story of Carley, a young girl in foster care and her stuggles to understand herself, her mother, and the family who has taken her in. Her life has been difficult, but she's developed ways to cope. When an incident with her mother and her mother's boyfriend erupts, she moves in with the Murphys, and she narrates her story in a voice that is true and touching. The plot and the emotion completely took over.  One for the Murphys broke my heart in a way good books usually do! You must also know that it was a late night book--the kind of book you MUST finish before you can sleep.
Read this book as soon as you can!

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
Published by: Delacorte Book for Young Readers
Published: September 26, 2006
Awards: Newbery Honor (2007); Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award Nominee (2009)

Hattie Big Sky is one of my new favorites.  It's a wonderful book about a girl who must "prove up" a homestead claim left to her by her uncle. She's lost her parents, and living with her aunt and uncle is difficult. So she journeys on her own to Montana to take up acres of land, lots of work, and her dreams. Hattie is hard-working, witty, and strong. I was so inspired by her character that after reading this book, I noticed how spurred on I was to do more in my own life! Kirby Larson's writing is so incredible and perfect it will make you wish the book never ended.

There is a sequel coming. I am as anxious for it as I am for a shoe sale at my favorite department store!!

This week I am reading:

Guys Read: Funny Business--Edited by Jon Scieszka
Maya B. - A Novel by Caroline Starr Rose
                                          
I'm also participating in #summerthrowdown. I can't let #teamteacher down. I must read!
What are you reading this week?

What Am I Reading This Summer?

Summer has arrived! The reading has begun!

What will I be reading this summer?

• I'll be reading for lots of articles and textbook chapters for my grad class. With this kind of reading, I'll highlight, use thinking maps, and take notes to comprehend the material. I'll be doing what my students do to understand the concepts. It's good for a teacher to take courses like this! It helps you understand the process your students go through as they are learning!
• I'll be reading professional books to improve my teaching. First, I'll read The Passion Driven Classroom by Angela Maiers and Amy Sandvold. (My copy is signed by Angela Maiers since she came to speak to our district last week!)

My district is hosting an online book study, so I will be earning credit hours as I discuss this book with fellow teachers on Edmodo! I'll also be reading 10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know by Jeff Anderson. I heard him speak in San Antonio and I really enjoyed his presentation. If you teach elementary language arts, I highly recommend another of Anderson's books: Everyday Editing.                                                   

But my most favorite reading of all will be my #bookaday reading. Donalyn Miller hosts a #bookaday challenge for teachers and librarians over the summer. We pledge to read a book a day for the entire summer. So far, I've managed to keep up (though it's been difficult with grad school). I've read some really good books so far! Make sure to read my Monday post where I will review two of them! Here are the titles I have on my TBR (to-be-read) pile. Most are YA titles.

• Divergent by Veronica Roth
• Floors: Book 1 by Patrick Carman
• Bluefish by Pat Schmatz
• Unstoppable by Tim Green - A SIGNED copy! :-)
• Crossed by Ally Condie
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer

My summer so far has been filled with reading, studying, presenting, and completing other literacy-related projects. I move from one task to the other. But I reward myself with #bookaday. . and I remind myself that for me, a great summer is a summer filled with good books and learning.

What professional books are you reading this summer?

How I Use QR Codes

Recently, I presented a couple of sessions on QR Codes at a district summer conference. I've been using these in my classroom for about a year.

QR stands for Quick Response, and they are similar to bar codes. One of the biggest differences---besides their appearance--is that QR codes can store a lot more information.

(Look to the right of this post to see the QR Code for this blog on the sidebar.)

My students love creating them and scanning them. Very easy to do! I like QR Stuff or QR Kaywa for creating codes. For scanning, we use the i-nigma app. It's very quick!
(Thank you, Tony Vincent from Learning in Hand for this very special tip!)

I use them in my classroom in these ways:

• to provide more information on nonfiction books

Example: I created one for The Plant Hunters.  It links to a video interview with the book's author, Anita Silvey!

• to give parents access to my contact information
• to create scavenger hunts
• to provide instant access to my class blog

Students can use them to:

• add more information to maps

Example: My students created this Texas map and used QR codes to provide additional facts on each region.

• share book reviews
• create timelines

QR codes have been around a while, and they have become yet another tool in my teacher toolbelt. When I first started out using them, I was trying to figure out how I could use them in my teaching, and I learned that their biggest benefit is that they provide quick access to resources or instant feedback on questions/checks (such as using them to have students check math problems). Next, I tried to figure out how to use them in instruction to advance the content. This wasn't easy! Should they be links to videos or tutorials? Yes. Links to audio? Yes. This was very advanced thinking! And it was then that I realized that I wanted my students to engage in this very type of thinking themselves. THEY should be the ones figuring out how to use them---whether to showcase their learning or advance content that THEY have created.

How have you used QR codes? Please share your ideas!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's a summer Monday! I'm joining Kellee and Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts in their Monday meme. Here we talk about what we've been reading during the week.

Last week was my first week of summer! But I attended some district PD sessions, so I didn't have much time during the day to read.

What I read this week:
I read two graphic novels in the Flying Beaver Brothers series by Maxwell Eaton III:

 

The Flying Beaver Brothers and the Fishy Business

The Flying Beaver Brothers and The Evil Penguin Plan

I know my students (now 5th graders!) will love these. . They are silly and funny, and I can see how kids would really enjoy them.

THE FANTASTIC SECRET OF OWEN JESTER
by
BARBARA O'CONNOR
Published by: Square Fish
Published: October 11, 2011

I also read The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester by Barbara O'Connor. This was such an enjoyable book! It's about a boy named Owen who makes a discovery of a fascinating object near his home. . and how he can't wait to try it out! But he has a neighbor named Viola who's alway interfering. He also has a bullfrog named Tooley who really isn't doing well. Plus, his family has to live with his grandfather since his dad lost his job. As if all that weren't enough, his grandfather's live-in nurse, Earlene, really doesn't like messes or noise. I loved this book because it shows the characters solving a problem together--and using all the resources they have! This book is a great adventure, and I've decided it will be a read-loud for my class next school year.

Finally, I finished Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine--- a very intense and excellent book (YA historical fiction).

What I'm reading now:
I am reading One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. Everyone's been talking about this one, so I had to get it. Neither my library nor my bookstore had a copy, so I bought it on iBooks and I'm enjoying it on my iPad. I'm hooked so far!

Finally, I'm rereading the wonderful WONDER by RJ Palacio. I felt like I devoured it the first time back during its release week. I want to appreciate it once more. If you haven't read it, pick up a copy as soon as you can!

What have you been reading?

Learning More About Twitter From Angela Maiers

Today was a busy day for this teacher!
My district started its annual summer conference this week. I love this learning time because it's an opportunity for teachers in our district to learn together.  There were many interesting sessions on technology, curriculum, and programs. I presented  a session on QR Codes with a fellow teacher from our district. Even though I was the presenter, I was learning, too! I learned about myself and what I could do. I learned about how to read an audience. I learned more about how to think on my feet, problem-solve, and anticipate the needs of others. I picked up great ideas from the kind people who came to our session, and I met some very dedicated teachers who are doing great things. I loved that part!

But the best presentation of the day was the one I attended with Angela Maiers, author of The Passion Driven Classroom: A Framework for Teaching and Learning. I've been following her on Twitter for a very long time and have always learned from her tweets. Her presentation was called "I'm On Twitter: Now What?" In this session, Maiers described Twitter in a very interesting way. She used the analogy of a barbecue, and how Twitter users were the neighbors who brought in the dishes to share with others. When you're new to the neighborhood, she explained, you're excused from bringing a dish the first time. But after a couple of barbecues, you're expected to offer something, and it should be homemade, special to you, and not store-bought! "Twitter is a community," said Maiers. In a community, you spend time with others. You connect with them by introducing yourself and replying to questions. You care about what you share. "On Twitter, your contribution matters."

So I'm thinking tonight about my contribution----especially to my own communities on Twitter.  I learn so much everyday, and I enjoy the dishes everyone else brings. But it's time for me to share more than I have been. I'm thinking about what I'll bring to the barbecue. I'm going to make sure my next dish is a good one. It will be homemade, and I'm bringing it because I care and because my Twitter PLN has always shared with me.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Every Monday, I happily join Jen and Kellee over at Teach Mentor Texts in their Monday meme called "It's Monday! What Are You Reading?" We discuss our reading for the week and preview our upcoming books.

My school year is officially over, so that means more time to read.
On Saturday, I headed over to my public library to pick up more books.
Here were my picture-book reads for the weekend:

Summer Visitors by Karel Hayes
(This one was a mini-graphic novel in PB form. It tells a funny, playful story about two families enjoying their summer! One is a family of bears!

Utterly Otterly Night by Mary Casanova
It's a musical picture book about a family of otters and their scary adventure. It's great for verbs and adverbs and it follows a great pattern & rhythm I think early readers will enjoy.

Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet by Jane O'Connor
GEM by Hollie Hobbie
Monster Mess by Lewis Trondheim (a graphic novel that looks like a picture book)
Penny and Her Song by Kevin Henkes (I finally read this one! Penny really just wants to sing her song, but she has to wait!)
Nancy Clancy Super Sleuth by Jane O'Connor (a first chapter book for early readers)

I also finally read GREEN by Laura Vaccaro Seeger:

 Reading this book is like going on an adventure. You never kn0w where each page will take you. There are wonderful cutouts on pages that are clues to the next page, too. Great for young readers! I loved this book that is all about the color green.

I also finished The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy. This is a book about the princes in the lives of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White,  and Rapunzel. The princes join forces and go on an adventure that will make you laugh out loud more than once! It's a really enjoyable middle grade book, and I can hardly wait for Book 2!

This week, I plan to finish Ruby Redfort: Look Into My Eyes by Lauren Child.
I've also had Lions of Little Rock for a while, so I need to read that. For professional reading, I must finish The Passion-Driven Classroom: A Framework for Teaching and Learning by Angela Maiers and Amy Sandvold. I'll be hearing Angela Maiers this week, so I want to be prepared.

Finally, I also finally managed to get copies of The Flying Beaver Brothers graphic novels. I can't wait to try those! 

Happy reading to everyone!

My Summer Professional Development: Designed By ME

My students 'secretly' made me this card the other day and left it for me on the board.
 Everyone signed it inside and left some very sweet notes.
I will miss them, too!

The school year came to an end on Friday. My room is completely empty since we are getting new carpet this year. All of my things are put away in cabinets or packed in boxes. I thought I'd never get it done, but I did!  Hopefully, my students are beginning a summer of play, adventure, reading, and time with their families!

So it's time to dig in to my summer PD. Besides a class and a conference or two, I'll take part in Donalyn Miller's Summer Book-A-Day (reading a book a day) and tackle some of the piles of books around my house. These books are mostly MG but there are some YA titles, too. (I have plenty of books to read, but somehow I manage to find my way to the bookstore or library to get more.) In addition to fiction, I'll be reading these two professional books:

• The Passion-Driven Classroom: A Framework for Teaching and Learning by Angela Maiers and Amy Sandvold
• 10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know by Jeff Anderson

What professional books are you planning to read this summer?

(My shoes choice this week: My orange Nike running shoes! I managed to maintain a running schedule (I only missed one day!), so I'm hopeful the habit is setting in!