Let's Scoop.it!

This week's technology tool for class is www.scoop.it - here is a how-to of instructions..

CREATE ACCOUNT:
1. Choose "join free."
2. You may join through facebook, twitter, or linkedin.
3. You may join without using those accounts, however, you will not be using the full sharing capabilities of scoop.it.
4. Enter information (name, email, pw, verification.)
5. Picture uploading is optional.
6. Confirm through your email.

CHOOSE TOPIC:
1. Choose an interest from the list or create your own.
2. Choose the green tab, "create your first topic," on the right sidebar.
3. Name your topic and select language.
4. Choose keywords, separating them with commas.
5. Choose the "create a topic" tab.
6. Follow the directions to add the scoop.it bookmarklet if you wish to curate on the fly!
7. Choose the "start curating" tab.

CURATING:
A. Scoop.it offers 100+ suggestions.
B. Scroll through the suggestions and choose articles by choosing the green "scoop.it" tab.
It will automatically pull over into your topic page!
C. You may browse the web and use your bookmarklet to fill your page.
D. You have the choice to annotate, share or simply publish.
E. Logout when done.

 

Review in the New SLJ!

School Library Journal, September, 2013

My review, "Aliens in Disguise: The Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast"

I still get a thrill when I see the latest issue of School Library Journal in the mailbox! I reviewed the audiobook, "Aliens in Disguise" by Clete Barrett Smith this time. Even though it is part of a series it can definitely stand on its own merit. Students will delight in this story that positions two middle-schoolers as the ones inadvertently left in charge of a bed and breakfast for aliens. Potential video projects abound: perfect for student-made book trailers! Check it out!

It's All About Networking...

In my LBSC 642 class, "Integrating Technology into Learning and Teaching," we are encouraged to expand our twitter list, familiarize ourselves with fellow librarian bloggers and become connected to others who are pursuing careers in library science. As I added blogs to my bookmarks in IE and names on my "following" list in Twitter, I stumbled across a valuable list entitled "100 Helpful Blogs for School Librarians and Teachers." It can be accessed at http://www.edudemic.com/2012/07/librarian-blogs/. What a great reference! Now, if only I could find the time to read all of them!

Literacy Center at Middletown!

After much research, time and effort, Middletown Library now has its own literacy center! The Friends of Middletown generously funded the beginnings. I thoroughly enjoyed finding activities that we could buy that would support and encourage the literacy skills of even our youngest patrons: print awareness, print motivation, vocabulary, narrative skills, letter knowledge, and phonological awareness. Here is a preliminary photo of our area:

 

Multnomah County Public Library's website describes literacy skills like this... literacy skills in the library. In each activity box I included a laminated card that describes how best to use the items and extension activities for home. It was great to see families use this area today at Middletown!

In spite of torrential morning downpours and threats of tornados, we had an incredible turnout for preschool storytime on Thursday morning! About 40 children and 26 adults were here for "Crocs and Gators" day! After our opening song, one little girl stood up and threw her hands in the air, calling out, "Miss Terri, I'm here!" We all had a good chuckle with that - she must have thought I couldn't spot her in the crowd! It was a delightful morning and "The Three Little Gators" was a captivating book. I used props with it: a rock, some sticks, and a bag of dirt. (Each little gator is trying to get away from the "Big-Bottomed Boar" as he works hard to bump over each gator's house!) Great day in Middletown!

School Visits & Beyond!

My seventh and final school visit is over - Middletown Elementary School was our destination. I spoke with 104 students! It has been an intensive few weeks and now my schedule can start to get back to "normal."

Thursday morning's storytime was on "travel." Our first story was Ann Jonas' "Round Trip," a book that continues the narration upside down once you think you are at the end of the story! After I turned the book upside down and was reading into a couple of pages, one 4-year old called out, "I gotta get me that book!" The grown-ups started laughing and it was all I could do to keep reading - that, in a nutshell, is a successful storytime:)

Sharing Summer Reading with Schools!

This week I am in the midst of sharing the public library's summer reading program with local schools. I eagerly volunteered to go out into the community again. Last year was my first year to participate in this and what motivates me? It is pure fun! It takes me out of the library setting and lets me meet all of those children that I wish I saw on a regular basis who are either too far, too busy or too uninterested to come to our library. Sure, I recognized some of the students as regular patrons but most of them have not been to our library. Yesterday's visit was to the Middletown United Methodist Children's Center. Fortunately my teenage daughter was available to help me - we had fun with 125 preschoolers! We sang songs (thank you, Natalie, for your guitar-playing), learned sign language, read books, and, of course, talked about "Dig into Reading."

 

The best part of the day? 

As we were loading the car with our props, 

Natalie overheard a little girl that had been at one our programs. 

She asked her mother who was picking her up from school, 

"Can we go to the library today or tomorrow?" Fabulous!