CYSD Reading

Here is the site for you when having studnets watch YouTube videos or other videos. You can watch video and take notes at the same time to the right of the video. All notes are synchronized to the video and save to Google Docs. Would work with YT for Education videos on student network

"Get your students thinking independently with open-ended quiz questions for every book"

"I was recently in a third grade classroom and was struck by the presence of rules that were posted for how to have a conversation. The poster said, "Each person must contribute to the discussion but take turns talking. Ask each other, 'Would you like to add to my idea?' or 'Can you tell us what you are thinking?' Ask questions so that you understand each other's ideas. Say, 'Can you tell me more about that?' or 'Can you say that in another way?'""

Great website for boys about writing haiku, enjoying nature, and letting your voice be heard. (Girls can enjoy this too! Write your own "galku")

"At its core, the six-word memoir teaches us to be concise but also introspective. Try describing yourself in six words. Not easy, right? So, for English teachers, the six-word memoir is a great way to get students to focus on getting a point across in as few words as possible. Students have to choose words precisely since they can't waste any. The six-word memoir teaches all of us writers a critical skill: words are valuable and have meaning -- don't waste them. "

It begins with a story start. A story start is the first chapter of the book. The rest of the story is up to you. The story start could be written by a professional writer, a teacher, you or your classmates, or maybe even a celebrity! You write your version of Chapter 2. Take the story where you like. The only limits are your imagination and a word count. At the same time, other BoomWriters will be writing their own version of what happens next. Submit your entry. When you're done (and before the deadline), you submit your entry for review. If it's accepted, you'll get points and BoomDollars. You'll use BoomDollars to purchase accessories for your Boomer avatar. Vote, Vote, Vote! You and the other BoomWriters vote on the entry you think is the best. Of course you can't vote for you own entry, and you won't know whose entry it is you're voting for. You may be able to vote more than once, which is good, as voting also earns you points and BoomDollars. Did you win? If so, then your entry becomes the official Chapter 2 of the book. If not, don't worry because there will be many more chances for you to win. It's a book! The competitions continue until the book is finished. Then, *Boom!* you're a published author! The end result? A real book that you, your friends, family, and the whole world can buy. Imagine that, a book with your name in it that you helped write.

"The TeachingAuthors are six children's book authors with a wide range (and many years) of experience teaching writing to children, teens, and adults. Here, we share our unique perspective as writing teachers who are also working writers. Our regular features include writing exercises (our"Writing Workouts"), teaching tips, author interviews, book reviews, and more."

Great collection of nonfiction ebooks from National Geographic Explorer. They are free and can be read independently or read aloud with text help. Great for the SMARTBoard!

Downloadable writing paper for individualized needs

"Parents often ask us to suggest good books for their kids -- ones that will engage, entertain, and maybe even enlighten them. So we've scoured our recommendation lists and consulted with teachers, librarians, and book critics to assemble what we consider essential titles for your home bookshelves or to download to your ereader, smartphone, or tablet. From the classics to more recent must-reads, fantasy to funny, we have more than 150 great book suggestions for your kids and teens, from bedtime stories to chapter books to true literature, and more. Just search our themed categories, and you'll find all of our picks arranged by age groups."

Letter P.A.L.S. is a school-based National Reading Project focused on helping students strengthen their reading skills through weekly, engaging practice! The project is facilitated via dynamic, high-interest, online interactive reading adventures, where the content is delivered in letterform from age-specific, theme-related, fictitious pen pals. Thus, drawing the reader into the world of the writer and providing a one-of-a-kind engaging, motivating reading practice session. Each letter is personalized with the student's name, 3-4 pages in length, professionally written, beautifully illustrated, tells a complete story, and reviewed by reading specialists for age appropriateness. The Letter P.A.L.S. reading experience is further enhanced by the addition of supplemental activities, such as word searches, crossword puzzles, etc., and extra peripheral components, such as 3D glasses, magnifying glasses, puzzle pieces, etc., to bring maximum engagement and the most meaning out of each theme-related reading experience.

"In our new survey, WeAreTeachers discovered how classroom libraries are changing as well as what must-have books teachers are using year after year."

"UNSTOPPABLE: LESSONS FROM HISTORY'S HEROES Guide students to read about historical role models and use their text skills to identify attitudes that can strengthen their lives."

Bummed that we missed this one, but the webcast is recorded and can still be used with these lessons as if you were viewing it live.