Monday, May 2, 2011
Extra Information!
Why should you encourage a student to finish college? Watch this!
CompletionMatters Conversations: Thomas B. Watkins, Student, Guilford Tech
CompletionMatters Conversations: Thomas B. Watkins, Student, Guilford Tech
Having fun with education!
Brain Pop: Watch this video for a fun explanation on main idea!
http://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/mainidea/
Brain Pop: What is noun? Watch this video to find out!
http://www.brainpopjr.com/readingandwriting/word/nouns/
Vobcabulary: Enhance your vocabulary skills with this fun game!
http://www.funbrain.com/cgi-bin/hm.cgi?A1=s&A2=geography&INSTRUCTS=1
http://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/mainidea/
Brain Pop: What is noun? Watch this video to find out!
http://www.brainpopjr.com/readingandwriting/word/nouns/
Vobcabulary: Enhance your vocabulary skills with this fun game!
http://www.funbrain.com/cgi-bin/hm.cgi?A1=s&A2=geography&INSTRUCTS=1
Reading Response Log
Rationale
We are in a world today is rich in diversity. We need to embrace that diversity by exposing ourselves to the culture of the others around us. There are many people who have been affected by discrimination since the beginning of literature such as women and any person of color.
The African Americans in the United States today come from African ancestors. African American literature was not published in the United States until the 18th century. African Americans came to the United States mostly by slave labor. They were not taught the read or write; they had to teach themselves or find someone compassionate enough to help them.
Historically, African Americans were viewed as not being equal and their literature was published less frequently than Caucasian literature. The majority of African American literature discussed about slavery, plantations, equal rights, racism, music, families, and their daily lives. African Americans were also known for telling a lot of their stories by creating folk songs. Today, a lot of our modern music is contributed today because of the African Americans.
African American literature has played an important part in the history of American. Today, we see literature from all cultures. It makes literature so much more intriguing. A student can simply read a book sitting from her own chair to learn about slavery from a slave’s point of view or visualize a student’s story about Africa.
• Title: Henry’s Freedom Box
• Author: Ellen Levine
• Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
• Publisher: Scholastic Press
• Copyright: 2007
• ISBN#: 043977733X
• Genre: Fiction
• Library Location: Mesa Verde Elementary; Amarillo ISD
• Summary:
Henry is a slave boy who does not know his age because slaves were not allowed to know their age. Henry was not with his family because he was separated from them and was forced to work in a tobacco factory as a boy.
Henry grows up and falls in love with a fellow slave named Nancy. They have three children together.
Eventually, Henry’s own family is sold into slavery too. He is left alone without his family. He decides that he deserves freedom. He finds a crate at the warehouse he was working and realizes that this will be his way to freedom. He has doctor seal the crate shut and mails him. His journey is a difficult one that starts in Virginia. He travels by steamboat, cart, and train before arriving in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When he arrives, he realizes that is finally free.
• Personal Comments:
I love to see this view of the Underground Railroad. It shows that a person will do no matter what it takes to be free. This book reminds me of when my husband and I moved away from Amarillo. We had only been married six months but we wanted “freedom” to grow as a couple away from our families. We decided to move down by Fort Worth and it has been a wonderful experience so far. Henry wanted to gain his freedom and so did we in a different way.
• Suggested Use in Classroom:
This book is perfect in any classroom for the month of February for Black History Month. Students will get to see a story about someone being torn away from their family and struggling to gain freedom. This book could also be used when talking about the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman, or if you have a very diverse ethnic classroom.
Title: Freedom Summer
• Author: Deborah Wiles
• Illustrator: Jarome Laqarrique
• Publisher: Aladdin
• Copyright: 2005
• ISBN#: 0689830165
• Genre: Fiction
• Library Location: Mesa Verde Elementary, Amarillo ISD
• Summary:
This is story of two boys named Joe and John Henry. Joe is Caucasian and John Henry is African American. They are best friends who do everything together. The story is based in the south in 1964. At the beginning of the story, segregation is noticeable until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted. Joe and John Henry think that they can now go to the pool together. Instead of the pool allowing all students, the pool instead decides to fill it asphalt rather than letting the African Americans swim. At the end of the story, the boys are able to walk into a once segregated shop.
• Personal Comments:
This story shows the friendship between boys that is not separated by color. John Henry and Joe wanted to be friends. They did not let color define their friendship. I can relate this to my personal life growing up. When I younger, I lived in San Diego, California until I was in second grade and then we moved to Texas. In kindergarten, I sat next to a Pilipino student on one side and a Hispanic student on the other. I grew to understand that you should get along with everyone and not pick your friends by the color of their skin.
• Suggested Use in Classroom:
This would be a good book to share with any classroom when you talk about treating everyone equally. A teacher could point out that you can be friends with anyone and to not look at the color of their skin, what they wear, or how they speak. A kindergarten classroom would especially benefit from this book since that school year could be their first opportunity to see students from different ethnicities.
• Title: Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
• Author: Deborah Hopkinson
• Publisher: Random House Children's Books
• Illustrator: James Ransome
• Copyright: 1993
• ISBN#: 0689830165
• Genre: Fiction
• Library Location: Mesa Verde Elementary; Amarillo ISD
• Summary:
This book is about a young girl named Clara. Clara is a slave and seamstress. All she wants to do by reunited with her mom. She decides to make a freedom quilt with a map that will take her to her mom and she will share the quilt with others. She uses the Underground Railroad on her journey. She makes the quilt from information that other slaves gave her. She escapes and ends up in Canada where she is finally free.
• Personal Comments:
The book is written like the characters are actually talking but they are using slang words. I believe that this would make it difficult for young students to understand unless someone explained it to them and then read the book out loud to them. Overall, this is an interesting way to escape from freedom that I had not yet heard about until this book. This book also has beautiful illustrations that make you feel like you are a part of the story. It reminds me of my mom and I when she was trying to teach me to crochet. I would see my friend, Tamera with all kinds of pieces that she had crocheted such as scarves, pot holders, and blankets and I wanted to learn to make these items.
• Suggested Use in Classroom:
The book would be great for Black History month. It would also be used to talk about the Underground Railroad, to teach students about quilting, or to teach students about slavery. This book is recommended for ages 5 to 10 but I believe that ages 7-10 would have a better understanding of this book.
• Title: Pink and Say
• Author: Patricia Polacco
• Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Copyright: 1994
• ISBN#: 9780399226717
• Genre: Fiction
• Library Location: Mesa Verde Elementary; Amarillo ISD
• Summary:
The book is about two boys during the Civil War. There is a African American boy named Pinkus Aylee nicknamed Pink who is an Union soldier. There is a Caucasian boy named Sheldon Curtis nicknamed Say who is also a Union soldier.
Say is wounded in battle and Pink saves him and takes Say to his mom in Georgia. They become unlikely friends. There is one concept that Say is very happy about. He told Pink that he once shook Abraham Lincoln’s hand. Pink’s mom is killed and the boys are taken to prison where Pink is hung. Before Pink dies he says to Say, "'Let me touch the hand that touched Mr. Lincoln, Say, just one last time.”
• Personal Comments:
This book is by far one of the deepest children’s books that I have ever seen. It is recommended for late elementary grades but this would be a sad read for any age. It is a story of friendship, love, and loss. I have read a few of Patricia Polacco’s books before and this book is the most realistic that I have found. It shows you that friendship doesn’t end even in death. I loved the part about Abraham Lincoln. I think that fact brought Say and Pink closer to together.
• Suggested Use in Classroom:
This book would be good for upper elementary or junior high students when the teacher is discussing the Civil War or slavery. There are not a lot of books out there that deal with the youth, different races, and the Civil War all rolled into one. This book is able to cover many subjects and gives a realistic factor to the past.
Title: Working Cotton
• Author: Sherley Anne Williams
• Illustrator: Carole Byard
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Copyright: 1992
• ISBN#: 0152996249
• Genre: Fiction
• Library Location: Mesa Verde Elementary, Amarillo ISD
• Summary:
The book is about a young girl named Shelan. She picks cotton in California and migrates to other cotton fields with her family. She works side by sided with her family from sun up to sun down. She picks cotton with her mom, dad, and two sisters. Shelan is has become accustomed to having to make new friends everywhere she goes and doesn’t see a way out of this life. She sees herself a cotton picker forever.
• Personal Comments:
I enjoyed how this book was based on the author’s personal experiences. Instead of making up a story, the author tells about their life and life’s details from another character’s eyes. It makes the story more realistic. This book talks about cotton picking and could really relate to almost any race of people who have been migrant workers. This book talks in the slang type of speech that might make it difficult for some readers to understand. This is another book that would be good for a teacher to read aloud.
• Suggested Use in Classroom:
All of the books that I have chosen relate to African Americans. This book in particular can relate to really any race. This book would be good when speaking about child labor, African American culture, and migrant workers jobs. A teacher could talk about what jobs migrant workers do. A teacher could also talk about child labor throughout history and give other examples such as children working in factories in the 1800’s.
Recommended Websites
Brain Pop
www.brainpop.com
Fun Brain
www.funbrain.com
Poetry 4 Kids
www.poetry4kids.com
Reading Rockets
readingrockets.org
Starfall's Learn to Read with Phonics
starfall.com
Owl at Purdue Writing Lab
owl.english.purdue.edu
My Read
myread.org/index
PBS Teachers
pbs.org/teachers
www.brainpop.com
Fun Brain
www.funbrain.com
Poetry 4 Kids
www.poetry4kids.com
Reading Rockets
readingrockets.org
Starfall's Learn to Read with Phonics
starfall.com
Owl at Purdue Writing Lab
owl.english.purdue.edu
My Read
myread.org/index
PBS Teachers
pbs.org/teachers
Website Evaluations
1. Name of Web Site:
International Reading Association
2. Web Site Address:
www.reading.org
3. Copyright date and/or last update:
The copyright date is 1996-2011. The website looks like it has been updated recently.
4. Author/organization credentials:
The website does not list any specific authors of the website. the website is created and seems to be run by the International Reading Association. According to the website it says, “Since 1956, IRA has been a nonprofit, global network of individuals and institutions committed to worldwide literacy. More than 70,000 members strong, the Association supports literacy professionals through a wide range of resources, advocacy efforts, volunteerism, and professional development activities. Our members promote high levels of literacy for all by: improving the quality of reading instruction, disseminating research and information about reading, and encouraging the lifetime reading habit.”
5. Web site design and ease of navigation (this should be substantial discussion).
The website is very well constructed. The tabs on the left are self explanatory. The website has many links and it actually can be overwhelming if you are new to the site. The website link “Reading Today Daily” is one of the most interesting pieces of the website. It offers articles on Reading and interesting related topics. There are not any links to other places. The website just says that is has a “partnership with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC).
6. Your response and recommendation for use (note intended audience) (this should also be substantial discussion).
The website gives you dates of the Reading Conference coming up in May 2011. This website is great for any educator that wants to or will specialize in reading. The website would be recommended to any literacy professional or education major. The website has a lot of information packed into one place.
1. Name of Web Site:
Reading Rockets
2. Web Site Address:
www.readingrockets.org
3. Copyright date and/or last update:
The copyright date is 2011. The website looks like is updated frequently.
4. Author/organization credentials:
According to the website, “Reading Rockets is a national multimedia project offering information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help.” Reading Rockets is heavily funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The website is a large part in the education grant. Reading Rockets, PBS television programs, and professional development make up the grant.
5. Web site design and ease of navigation (this should be substantial discussion).
The website is so simple but yet so inviting at the same time. The colors that are used make this website inviting. This is one of the easiest educational websites to navigate. At the top of the front page, there are links for parents, teachers, librarians, principals, other professionals, and they even offer the link to the bilingual website called Colorin’ Colorado.
6. Your response and recommendation for use (note intended audience) (this should also be substantial discussion).
This website is great for any educator and a great help to help any student. Their motto is “teaching kids to read and helping those who struggle.” My favorite part of the website is the Classroom Strategies section. It offers help for before reading, during reading, and after reading that covers print awareness, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing.
1. Name of Web Site:
J.K. Rowling
2. Web Site Address:
www.jkrowling.com
3. Copyright date and/or last update:
The copyright date is 2006 by Warner Brothers Entertainment. The website appears to not have been updated since around 2008.
4. Author/organization credentials:
The website is all about the author, J.K. Rowling. She is a well known British author who is famous for her Harry Potter book series.
5. Web site design and ease of navigation (this should be substantial discussion).
The website was so creative! When you first enter the website, you are given the choice of the accessibility enabled version or a version from a choice of five different languages. After you enter, there are a group of interactive icons for the user to click on such as a hairbrush with extra stuff, a newspaper with news, a book with biography, W.O.M.B.A.T., a phone that lets you type in the numbers, an eraser with a question mark, everything you might want to know, rumors, links, Wizard of the Month archive, a scrapbook, and a moth that moves when you scroll on to it. The website looks to not have been updated since around 2008. It is a good website to gain information about the author J.K. Rowling but it is a bad source if you are looking for updated information.
6. Your response and recommendation for use (note intended audience) (this should also be substantial discussion).
The website is great for any Harry Potter fan, any reader, a student who is doing an author study, and any educator who is doing a study over a Harry Potter book. The website would be good for a student to use by themselves. I would recommend this website to be appropriate for any student in middle to late elementary school. The website had some information that appeared a bit “choppy” because the information seemed to be all over the place.
1. Name of Web Site:
Educators for Social Responsibility
2. Web Site Address:
www.esrnational.org
3. Copyright date and/or last update:
The copyright date is 2011.
4. Author/organization credentials:
The website is all about the Educators for Social Responsibility. They are based out of Cambridge, Massachusetts. According to the website, ESR was “founded in 1982, ESR is a national leader in school reform and provides professional development, consultation, and educational resources to adults who teach young people in preschool through high school.” Their core beliefs are establishing educational equity, insisting on high expectations, creating a positive school climate and culture, educate the whole child, and foster efficacy, create change, and social responsibility. The organization is run byeducators who are experienced that and they know how to make schools successful while the school implements new idea and supports a change.
5. Web site design and ease of navigation (this should be substantial discussion).
The website was very simple and straight to the point. It had very few links but covered all of the topics needed. It was very simple to navigate around the website. This website was my least favorite of all of the websites that I chose simply because it offered more material that you can purchase than anything else.
6. Your response and recommendation for use (note intended audience) (this should also be substantial discussion).
The website is more of a marketing strategy than anything else. ESR says that they have education professionals who are there to help. They have resources that you can buy for all ages and professional resources. The website doesn’t offer many “freebies” like some of the other websites such as Reading Rockets. The website also offers workshops and comprehensive programs. The website is good for early childhood through high school.
1. Name of Web Site:
John Grisham: The Official Site
2. Web Site Address:
www.jgrisham.com
3. Copyright date and/or last update:
The copyright date is 1995-2011 by Double Day, Random House Inc.
4. Author/organization credentials:
The website is only about the author, John Grisham. He is known for his many book titles such as The King of Torts, Runaway Jury, The Pelican Brief, The Rainmaker, the Chamber, the Client, and many more. Many of the books have been turned into movies. There have been eight movies that are based on the books that he has written.
5. Web site design and ease of navigation (this should be substantial discussion).
The website is very simple. When you open the homepage, you see the links to John Grisham’s books, bio, news and movies. The home page has reviews and a picture of his newest book called the Confession. The other links click easily and have the necessary information.
6. Your response and recommendation for use (note intended audience) (this should also be substantial discussion).
I learned that more of his books have been turned into movies than I had thought. John Grisham is great for an older reader that likes to read suspense novels. The majority of Grisham’s novels have to do somehow with the courtroom since Grisham is also a lawyer. I love to read a John Grisham book and I hope that others will read his books also. The website would be great for college or high school students to use to do a book study on an author.
International Reading Association
2. Web Site Address:
www.reading.org
3. Copyright date and/or last update:
The copyright date is 1996-2011. The website looks like it has been updated recently.
4. Author/organization credentials:
The website does not list any specific authors of the website. the website is created and seems to be run by the International Reading Association. According to the website it says, “Since 1956, IRA has been a nonprofit, global network of individuals and institutions committed to worldwide literacy. More than 70,000 members strong, the Association supports literacy professionals through a wide range of resources, advocacy efforts, volunteerism, and professional development activities. Our members promote high levels of literacy for all by: improving the quality of reading instruction, disseminating research and information about reading, and encouraging the lifetime reading habit.”
5. Web site design and ease of navigation (this should be substantial discussion).
The website is very well constructed. The tabs on the left are self explanatory. The website has many links and it actually can be overwhelming if you are new to the site. The website link “Reading Today Daily” is one of the most interesting pieces of the website. It offers articles on Reading and interesting related topics. There are not any links to other places. The website just says that is has a “partnership with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC).
6. Your response and recommendation for use (note intended audience) (this should also be substantial discussion).
The website gives you dates of the Reading Conference coming up in May 2011. This website is great for any educator that wants to or will specialize in reading. The website would be recommended to any literacy professional or education major. The website has a lot of information packed into one place.
1. Name of Web Site:
Reading Rockets
2. Web Site Address:
www.readingrockets.org
3. Copyright date and/or last update:
The copyright date is 2011. The website looks like is updated frequently.
4. Author/organization credentials:
According to the website, “Reading Rockets is a national multimedia project offering information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help.” Reading Rockets is heavily funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The website is a large part in the education grant. Reading Rockets, PBS television programs, and professional development make up the grant.
5. Web site design and ease of navigation (this should be substantial discussion).
The website is so simple but yet so inviting at the same time. The colors that are used make this website inviting. This is one of the easiest educational websites to navigate. At the top of the front page, there are links for parents, teachers, librarians, principals, other professionals, and they even offer the link to the bilingual website called Colorin’ Colorado.
6. Your response and recommendation for use (note intended audience) (this should also be substantial discussion).
This website is great for any educator and a great help to help any student. Their motto is “teaching kids to read and helping those who struggle.” My favorite part of the website is the Classroom Strategies section. It offers help for before reading, during reading, and after reading that covers print awareness, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing.
1. Name of Web Site:
J.K. Rowling
2. Web Site Address:
www.jkrowling.com
3. Copyright date and/or last update:
The copyright date is 2006 by Warner Brothers Entertainment. The website appears to not have been updated since around 2008.
4. Author/organization credentials:
The website is all about the author, J.K. Rowling. She is a well known British author who is famous for her Harry Potter book series.
5. Web site design and ease of navigation (this should be substantial discussion).
The website was so creative! When you first enter the website, you are given the choice of the accessibility enabled version or a version from a choice of five different languages. After you enter, there are a group of interactive icons for the user to click on such as a hairbrush with extra stuff, a newspaper with news, a book with biography, W.O.M.B.A.T., a phone that lets you type in the numbers, an eraser with a question mark, everything you might want to know, rumors, links, Wizard of the Month archive, a scrapbook, and a moth that moves when you scroll on to it. The website looks to not have been updated since around 2008. It is a good website to gain information about the author J.K. Rowling but it is a bad source if you are looking for updated information.
6. Your response and recommendation for use (note intended audience) (this should also be substantial discussion).
The website is great for any Harry Potter fan, any reader, a student who is doing an author study, and any educator who is doing a study over a Harry Potter book. The website would be good for a student to use by themselves. I would recommend this website to be appropriate for any student in middle to late elementary school. The website had some information that appeared a bit “choppy” because the information seemed to be all over the place.
1. Name of Web Site:
Educators for Social Responsibility
2. Web Site Address:
www.esrnational.org
3. Copyright date and/or last update:
The copyright date is 2011.
4. Author/organization credentials:
The website is all about the Educators for Social Responsibility. They are based out of Cambridge, Massachusetts. According to the website, ESR was “founded in 1982, ESR is a national leader in school reform and provides professional development, consultation, and educational resources to adults who teach young people in preschool through high school.” Their core beliefs are establishing educational equity, insisting on high expectations, creating a positive school climate and culture, educate the whole child, and foster efficacy, create change, and social responsibility. The organization is run byeducators who are experienced that and they know how to make schools successful while the school implements new idea and supports a change.
5. Web site design and ease of navigation (this should be substantial discussion).
The website was very simple and straight to the point. It had very few links but covered all of the topics needed. It was very simple to navigate around the website. This website was my least favorite of all of the websites that I chose simply because it offered more material that you can purchase than anything else.
6. Your response and recommendation for use (note intended audience) (this should also be substantial discussion).
The website is more of a marketing strategy than anything else. ESR says that they have education professionals who are there to help. They have resources that you can buy for all ages and professional resources. The website doesn’t offer many “freebies” like some of the other websites such as Reading Rockets. The website also offers workshops and comprehensive programs. The website is good for early childhood through high school.
1. Name of Web Site:
John Grisham: The Official Site
2. Web Site Address:
www.jgrisham.com
3. Copyright date and/or last update:
The copyright date is 1995-2011 by Double Day, Random House Inc.
4. Author/organization credentials:
The website is only about the author, John Grisham. He is known for his many book titles such as The King of Torts, Runaway Jury, The Pelican Brief, The Rainmaker, the Chamber, the Client, and many more. Many of the books have been turned into movies. There have been eight movies that are based on the books that he has written.
5. Web site design and ease of navigation (this should be substantial discussion).
The website is very simple. When you open the homepage, you see the links to John Grisham’s books, bio, news and movies. The home page has reviews and a picture of his newest book called the Confession. The other links click easily and have the necessary information.
6. Your response and recommendation for use (note intended audience) (this should also be substantial discussion).
I learned that more of his books have been turned into movies than I had thought. John Grisham is great for an older reader that likes to read suspense novels. The majority of Grisham’s novels have to do somehow with the courtroom since Grisham is also a lawyer. I love to read a John Grisham book and I hope that others will read his books also. The website would be great for college or high school students to use to do a book study on an author.
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