Book Trailer-Piper Reed, Navy Brat

I have decided to let my library classes (grades 3-5) decide which Piper Reed book trailer will be uploaded to Teacher Tube. Two songs both seemed to fit "Piper". One is upbeat and perky like Piper and the other has a homey and family feel about it. Hmmmm, I wonder which one will be chosen. I think I have decided on my choice.

Kids will receive a score sheet that allows them to rate the music chosen for the video.

Using a scale score from 1-3 (three being a best music-video match).

Is the music a good match for the book trailer?

Does the music fit Piper's personality?

Does the music fit the tone of the story?

Choice A-Piper Reed, Navy Brat

Choice B-Piper Reed, Navy Brat

The Book Fair is here!

Joy! Joy! for every girl and boy.

Destination Book Fair:Read Around the World is here.

Ms. Murphy is frantically running both the book fair and the library.

God bless Mrs. Torres, a parent volunteer, who is donning the super hot and sweaty "Clifford, the big red dog" costume. Clifford is so loved by kids of all ages. Even the college kids that I work with were asking "where is Clifford, is he here?" I will have to see if Clifford can make a special "college visit". You simply never outgrow the book fair. It brings out the kid in everyone.

Scholastic also provides some amazing resources for librarians, teachers, parents and kids on their web site. I have been projecting a giant Captain Underpants with his cape flying behind him on one wall of the library. Alternately, I have also projected some video clips of author interviews from books that I have been promoting as good reads. My book fair is very customized and I promote both the Texas Bluebonnet nominees and the Texas Lone Star Reading list. I design my fair to appeal to the tastes of pre-schoolers up through middle school students, and I also bring in many teacher resources to help pre-service teachers start building their collection of teaching materials. It is an exhausting experience and although I have been considering canceling my spring 2010 book fair, I know in my heart that I will somehow pump myself up again and prepare to run 'Book Fair Diner" with just as much excitement as I am doing now.

Thing 16: I am a Wiki Freak

I am all into Wiki and subscribe to the free and ad-free educational wikis from wikispaces. They are incredibly easy to set up and manipulate. Wikispaces often offers free webinars in real time so you can ask and receive answers from its moderators. They have video tutorials that show step by step methods of creating wikis. The most recent webinar was a cultural education exchange webinar in which an American school collaborated with a school in Hati on a wiki. It was amazing-the learning and sharing that was taking place.

I first used wikispaces a year ago as a way to present at the ME(2) by the SEa Mathematics and Science Conference. I introduced useful mathematics web sites and online games that could serve to help strengthen students math skills by engaging them in fun, but helpful practice. My new wiki is now under construction-a Kids Book Club that I will be using to promoting book discussions, book clubs, book trailers, and book voting.

Wikis are so easy and the possibilities for their uses are practically endless. I am a such a wikifan.

Book Trailers for Bluebonnets

Today I am creating a book trailer to introduce my students to the 2009-2010 Texas Bluebonnet Nominees. When searching for book jacket images I came across a Blog devoted to the Bluebonnet awards. I hope we can compare notes. This is our first year for Bluebonnet voting. I hope our kids will be as excited about it as I am. If I finish the trailer soon, I will post it to my Book Egg Blog.