Ohio librarians and teachers, feel free to share these with your students!

OK, be patient, this is new for me!  I am attempting to link to the Buckeye Children's Book Award powerpoints created by my students.
These 5 powerpoints are advertisements for the 5 books nominated on the K - 5 ballot.  If you would like more information about this election, voting windows, when to nominate, requirements, visit this website: http://www.bcbookaward.info/index.htm

Bringing in the New Year http://tinyurl.com/295qz8y
Duck! Rabbit! http://tinyurl.com/2cyx3lu

Rhyming Dust Bunnies http://tinyurl.com/2cjb3ca

Mercy Watson: Something Wonky http://tinyurl.com/2ayngxh
The Mitten http://tinyurl.com/2bolf6m

Please respond about how this helps  your students, or what you have done to prepare your students to vote!

Reader's Advisory?

How do you practice Reader's Advisory?  Do you do regular book talks with classes?  Write a blog or a column for your library?  One to one at reader's point of need?  Even all of the above.  Is what you do effective, or are you looking for a change?  I do most of the things listed, and I like to, but what I am noticing now is that my students are beginning to do their own Reader's Advisory.  There are more conversations in the stacks, many more students bringing back books saying, so and so wants this book when I return it, and even more students offering me suggestions of books to purchase!  What is causing this change?  Maybe it is because I offered my intermediate teachers a chance to provide their students with book stacks, a supply of a great variety of books to stretch and broaden each student's reading diet.  Each class visited, and after a talk by me about trying new things, suggestions, and encouragement, the students took the time to make individual choices.  Each stack needed to be approved by myself or the teacher, mostly to be sure they were trying something new, not The Lightning Thief for the third time!  The first time we did this, alot of the books came back within a week, but we met again and talked some more about what we, the reader, wanted from our book choices. These books were checked out to the teacher, to be kept in class, so the students could still check out those favorites on their own card to take home and read again.  Now, conversations are happening, informal book groups are forming, and students are reading what they are checking out!
Have you tried something new that is working for your students?  Tell me about it.

The school year is galloping on!

Well, here we are in the middle of October.  How did we get here already?  I hope yours is going well.  I am working hard on integrated those 21st century skills; but I actually find myself doing more reader's advisory than ever!  Nothing beats an excited student running up to you to say, this book was great, do you have any more?  I am getting ready to start my family book club, anyone have a good idea of a classic chapter book that would span the interest of students,  K - 5?  In the past I have used, The Last of the Really Great Wangdoodles, Everything on a Waffle, Box Car Children, and The Hoboken Chicken Emergency.  I would like to find one about a library sleep over, spark any ideas?

Technology speaking, I have given my 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students the TRAILs assessment to determine what kinds of skills need to be integrated this year.  My teachers are pretty excited about this, it should make for some powerful collaborating.

I am also continuing my yearlong focus on inquiry, and thinking.  We have had some great conversations about thinking, and I feel it may be raising the quality of questions my students are posing!

I will be busy the next two weeks, getting ready for our state conference, OELMA.  Hope to see you there!