Bradbury School Library Sources

All of us - adults, teens, and children - enjoy a scary chill:  the anticipation of a creaking door opening in slow motion, waiting for someone - or something - to walk through, and then a wind gust slamming that door shut.  BANG!  What better time of year to indulge in stories that make our spines tingle than Halloween?  So bring them on - ghosts and ghouls, wizards and witches, haunted houses and black magic.

Panels of 11-year-olds in schools around the country and the world selected the best answer from the explanations chosen as finalists from the more than 800 contest entries. The winning video is below.

Simple images in kids speak on Learner Profiles and attributes.

Online Safety and Animoto movies and ebooks!

Writing handouts for home- useful to download/include as a PDF in a parent newsletter...

Getting kids to really focus on what exactly they are searching for, and then be able to further distill idea into a few key specific search terms is a skill that we must teach students, and we have to do it over and over again. We never question the vital importance of teaching literacy, but we have to be mindful that there are many kinds of "literacies". An ever more important one that ALL teachers need to be aware of is digital literacy. I could go off in many directions on this, but for the purpose of this post I'm focusing strictly on the digital literacy of searching.

 So here's some light-hearted musings on what I DON'T hear from the great inquiry teachers around the world with whom I am so fortunate to work.   

As a PYP ICT Facilitator, I wanted to make the learner Profile and Attitudes more connected to the use of Information and Communication Technology in the classroom.  To do this, I created posters, which are displayed in the computer lab at our Elementary campus.

I've compiled several "The Best…" lists that share sites where you can learn about the geography, data, languages, and holidays of different countries around the world. Those resources are important, but I think it's like learning the words, but not the music, of a song. So I thought I'd develop a separate list just focused on helping students learn about the cultures of different countries, and would love to hear additional suggestions.

Booktalking is one of the most effective way to get kids reading.  Entice young readers to open a book … engage their interest … invite them into a story.

Booktalks -- Quick and Simple

The greatest transformation in key classroom relationships:  the relationship of the students to their work, the relationship between students and other students, and the relationship of students to the process of assessing and reflecting upon their own work.

Loved this video-- Call me maybe parody: Read it Maybe

Now like Kondi in the book who sat under the shade of a tree in Malawi and built his Galimoto,  Mr. Ntubanga has set up a welding shop under a tree in Dar es Salaam.  And like Kondi he has followed his dream with determination and perseverance and has created a real working car from scaps of metal and other findings.

Great example of using I PICK to help students locate a good fit book.

Good citation and infographic instructions

There are many free digital tools available to help students efficiently sift through an overwhelming abundance of web content to find the relevant and reliable information they need. This post will explore some digital resources to provide educators with tools to help all students become savvy searchers and independent learners.

Seriously looking at this resource...

MY FAVORITE photo editing tool.

Great for scanning the ideas and having students comment on it...