Literacy and Technology News
February 2016
TECHNOLOGY NEWS AND INFORMATION
Expand Your "Listen to Reading" Library
Tumblebooks subscriptions range in cost from $600-$800, but can be accessed for free through the Bloomsburg Public Library. Tumblebooks Cloud junior (for upper elementary students) can be access through the James V. Brown Library. A shortcut can also be added to the iPad for quick and easy access. Please send me an email if you want some assistance putting this on your classroom iPads.
Green Screening with "Doink"
- Jess Miller
- Research presentations (animals, biographies, places)
- Book reports
- Story retelling
- Character traits
- Retelling from a specific character's point of view
- Persuasive writing commercials
- Informative writing presentations
- Narrative writing- plays
- Holiday projects (news reporters)- President's Day, Groundhog Day, Earth Day
- Math problem tutorials
Make sure you check out the Pizza Box Green Screen and the "Doink" video below. Please contact me if you'd like me to come into your classroom and do a few lessons with the green screen!
January Technology Stars
Alex Bartlett
Kelly Strada
LITERACY NEWS AND INFORMATION
Get the Story on S.T.O.R.Y.
- Lindsey Walters
Help your students understand a text's plot in grades K-5! Students can use the S.T.O.R.Y. mnemonic device and graphic symbols for:
-primary fiction story retelling
-summary writing
-understanding "the gist" of their first read
-coding and annotating text
Read the full blog entry and discover how you can implement this strategy right away!
Lancaster/Lebanon Reading Council Presents Debbie Diller!
Date: February 11th, 2016
Time: 5:00-8:00
Location: Eden Resort Inn - 222 Eden Road - Lancaster
Cost: $25 for LLRC Members/$30 for Non-Members
Interested in attending? Please see the flyer below for more information.
PSSA Released Items
PDE has new released items for 2015-2016 on their website. All new released items for math, ELA, and science have been downloaded and added to Google Drive.
The ELA released items have three of the same passages and question sets from last year's released items and one new passage and question set.
Feel free to take a look - anyone can assess using this link to Google Drive. You may want to add it to your drive to you have them when you need them! You can also find the new released items on PDE's website.
Read Across America Day
Read Across America Day is coming up! The National Education Association’s Read Across America celebration is scheduled for March 2nd. This special day promotes reading, especially among children and young adults, across the country as well as honoring
the birthday of Dr. Seuss. Take a look at NEA’s website for ideas and resources to help plan your celebration!
UPDATES
Cafe Update
Journeys Update
Audio for different Journeys materials is available using the Audio Hub on Think Central
* Student Book
* Reading Advantage Magazine
* Write In Reader
* Trade Book
* English Language Learners Newcomer Audio
Write Steps Update
READING INCENTIVE PROGRAMS
Phillies Reading Program
Email community@phillies.com or click here for more information or to sign up.
Hershey Bears Roaring to Read Program
Harrisburg Senators Hit the Books Program
Ideas Needed!
CONTESTS AND COMPETITIONS
Kids Are Authors
* Students work in teams of three or more to write and illustrate their own book
* Due March 15th
Breaking Barriers Essay Contest
* 4th-8th Grades
* Students are asked to share personal stories about how they have used Jackie Robinson's values to face their own barriers
* Due March 15th
Amazing People Portrait Contest
* Ask students to choose a famous historical figure and create a portrait, scene, or collage that tells his or her story
* Due February 9th
Fairy Tale Mash Up Art and Writing Contest
* Students create a new fairy tale by putting two of their favorite fairy tale characters together in the same place!
* Due March 11th
My Current Events Essay Contest
* Students watch a news segment or read an article about an issue affecting the world today. Then, students should write about how it relates to their life.
* Due March 31st
Fly Guy's Next Adventure Cover Art Contest
* Students decide what Fly Guy's next book should be about and create a cover for their idea.
* Due March 1st
* 2/5: Journeys Benchmark #3 data due (Grades 3-5)
* 2/5: Informational Writing scores due to Data Blender (Grade 3)
* 2/5: Opinion Writing scores due to Data Blender (Grade 4)
* 2/15: Informational Writing scores due to Data Blender (Grade 2)
* 2/26: DRA (Independent and Instructional scores due to Data Blender (Grades 1-5)
* 2/27: Letter ID (K)
* 3/1: Informative Writing scores due to Data Blender (K/Grade 1)
* 3/8-3/18: Study Island Reading and Math (Grades 3-5)
* 4/1: Journeys Benchmark #4 data due (Grades 3-5)
* 4/1: Opinion Writing scores due to Data Blender (Grade 3)
* 4/11-4/15: ELA PSSA (Grades 3-8)
* 4/15: Opinion Writing scores due to Data Blender (Grades 1-2)
* 4/18-4/22: Math PSSA (Grades 3-8)