"Genius Hour in the classroom is an approach to learning built around student curiosity, self-directed learning, and passion-based work. In traditional learning, teachers map out academic standards, and plan units and lessons based around those standards. In Genius Hour, students are in control, choosing what they study, how they study it, and what they do, produce, or create as a result. As a learning model, it promotes inquiry, research, creativity, and self-directed learning."

"The French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has received a lot of attention after the recent attacks at their office. Some of the criticism directed at Charlie Hebdo is uncalled for and inaccurate. This website tries to explain the cartoons within the context they were published so that they may be better understood."

"People may sniff, but the best of these Generation Y re-tellings bring the writing of the past back to vivid life" Some interesting reflections on new approaches to a few classics, with links to five of the best.

An interesting article that looks at teaching critical thinking but in a way that shifts the ownership for the questioning to the students. The ap[proach empowers them to think at higher levels but at the same time there is support provided with the question stems

15 of the books suggested as good reads for men. They include both new and classic novels.

An interesting list of novel and short stories

"Digital storytelling is one way for students and teachers to share their knowledge. This page includes links to support the use of digital storytelling for both teaching and learning. "

How to teach text structures for better reading comprehension and improved retention. Teachers of history, science, and other subjects are now expected to weave literacy instruction into their teaching of content. But how should they do that? What are the most effective ways to help students learn to read challenging content-area texts? This article breaks down the research behind explicit teaching of text structures and includes a video that shows how to do it (Great for content-area literacy)

Kathy Schrock's page features some wonderful links to many sites that help to explain the key literacies that are part of today's literacy landscape. Well organised under clear headings, these offer a great resource for educators and offer many opportunities for classroom inclusion.

This infographic features six kinds of readers together with a short description on each. When I looked at the categories I find that I am a bit of a cross between a couple of these.

Spezify is a visual search engine. It gives related concepts at the top of the page and then finds images, definitions, quotes, symbols and sites related to the specified search. To limit some of the results you can click on the tools icon and take out some of the social networking sites. NOTE: Some of the search results may include 'M' rated content.

Online-Research-Methods. Infographic. It offers a range of research platforms to use with students. Instead of just using Google and Wikipedia, students can try out some other specific search engines to look for specific information. The infographic could also be used to assist in teaching students about how to evaluate websites and assess the credibility of web content.

A few suggestions about how you can obtain the best search results possible when doing a simple web search.

"One of the essential parts of the digital citizenship I have been long talking about in this blog is about digital footprints. Students need to know that whatever they do or create online leaves behind a trail or digital breadcrumbs that others can trace. This "others" can be anyone from prospective employers, to college admission boards, anything you do online should be vetted by a critical lens and if "you don't want your parents to know about it then better not do it"." There are also a few things you can do to limit some damage.

A useful discussion about online identities.

"Today's school library uses an increasing number of digital resources to supplement a print collection that is moving more toward fiction and literary non-fiction. Supplemental resources, including streaming video, online resources, subscription databases, audiobooks, e-books, and even games, round out the new collections. Despite the best efforts of even the hardest-working librarians in the best-funded libraries, there are many challenges to going digital." Links to free, full text and PDF versions

""Vancouver has done is the opposite to most school districts. It's gone against the grain," Tomassini said. "Librarians are the perfect people to help schools transition into the information age. It made sense to highlight what Vancouver has done. We wanted to create a blueprint for other districts to follow.""