I have been receiving the readingrocket newsletter via email for some time.  I always marvel at how many neat educational news articles they are able to share.  Of late I have also subscribed to their podcasts on visits with authors.  The podcasts are interesting and supportive of reading instruction and learning.  The second series of podcasts are really videocasts and are aimed at the teacher role.  What a great way to get top quality Professional Development.  Please go to http://www.readingrockets.org/ and begin your treasure search.  Be sure to share any other interesting finds you discover on this site by adding comments in response to this posting. 

This little film clip speaks volumes with a clever use of words and video technology.

It is found on teachertube.com an interesting new resource for educators.

http://www.teachertube.com/flvideo/696.flv

Parents, I want to alert you to a new resource for finding the right book in the Fairview LMC for your child.  If you visit www2.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/fairview,  click on the Library Media Center tab on the left side of the page.  Next to the lion you will find Booktalks.  Click on this link.  During Spring Break I started podcasing a short synopsis of a book and a reading of 2-4 pages from the book to enable students to hear what the book is like.  The book is identified with its cover photo. 

I am not going to the classrooms to booktalk for the rest of the quarter.  Rather I am giving a bibliography listing of the new podcasts that students can listen to on the website.  My goal is to do the new 315 books in our last order.  I am open to having other people, parents or students assist with this task.  It is time consuming.  but hopefully it will be a more effective way of helping students find the right book. 

The Reading Rockets site is filled with information of many different kinds for different audiences.  One section is geared for the parent.  If you have questions about your child struggling with reading, I suggest you try Kids Who Struggle which includes answers and activities to do with your child.

The May issue of Child has some very interesting articles. ” Age-by-Age guide to great magazines for kids” has some great suggestions for magazines that you may want to subscribe to for your household.  Often these magazines cover a multiple age span and will appeal to more than one child. 

The other article I would like to point out is “the Poet in Every Child.”  Parents often wonder what they can do to foster the love of creative expression in their child.  It has many neat suggestions, some you have heard I am sure, but my favorite is “discuss language.”  Find unusual words, rhyming words, well phrased language and help the child appreciate the play with ideas and words.  Not one of the suggestions costs money, just time and thought. Our children are worth this cost.

This magazine is well worth a trip to the LMC and checking it out.

I am sorry that it has been so long before I updated the news at the LMC.  Perhaps it was because we recieved over 500 books into the library collection during the month of April.  Some of the snags along the way are consuming my time in May.  However, we are pleased with the year. 

I remind you to visit the school web site and go to the LMC page http://www2.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/fairview

 I am trying to put up short video clips with quick reviews of the new books that we have received.  I probably won’t get them completed before the end of the year but will have them ready for fall.  Hopefully this will be a quick and interesting way for students to get a taste of the different books that the LMC has to offer.  Parents likewise can click on the clip and get an idea of what is available for their students.

You will also find some podcasts (audio) presented by students reviewing different magazines that the library now has on hand.  Some of them are not well known titles but are written by kids for kids.  I wonder if there would be any interest in publishing a Fairview Magazine of student work?  How to finance that undertaking is a big thought.

This Friday May 26th is the last day for checking out books.  It will take the next two weeks to get all the books returned and the overdues found and returned.  I want to thank Mrs. C and Ms. P for the great work that they do.  They also have the big job of inventorying the entire collection.  This is no little task as we have 18, 353 books/materials in the LMC.  The effort is to streamline our organization so that every item on the shelf is current, and in good condition for students to use.  My time of late has been devoted to weeding.  Until this year, I had no idea of what weeding a library was all about.  It involves removing books that are out of date, (published before 1980), poor condition, (torn and marked up), or irrelevant to the curriculum, (using pictures of a dial telephone for instance).  The weeding process also involves checking the call number to see if it fits the use intended.  Many times I find books that have never been checked out because no one would look for them on the shelf with their present call number.  The focus this year has been on making sure we have a collection of books that current, reflect new trends or interests and that appeal to all students k-8.  Now we have the materials; the next step will be to make the students aware of the materials and easy for them to access.

Don’t forget to visit the blog, Lion’s Lair for book reviews  mathnut.edublogs.org

and if you are an educator take a look at read&write  wordsetc.edublogs.org

Parents: this site is written to help you understand how to be SMART users of media with your children.  It has many tips, guidelines and suggestions for different age levels.

http://www.ciconline.org/Enrichment/parents/default.htm

It is a great site for hints in developing strategies for using the search engine efficiently.

www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Googling_Max-Exercises.pdf

http://www.icdlbooks.org/

The ICDL is a public library for the world, and the collection reflects diverse cultures, perspectives, and historical periods. It should be remembered that this collection is designed for children ages 3-13 and that some materials may not be appropriate for sensitive readers

You may access books in English or Spanish and maybe more. 

Magazines in the rack new and old
 

Crinkles
The magazine took its name from the thought that learning makes Crinkles in your brain!

It a resource filled with information about a theme/topic

From their web site “Crinkles is a magazine for children ages 7 to 11 designed to stimulate a child’s curiosity about people, places, things and events—both real and imaginary. Each issue features over a dozen articles with hands-on activities such as paper action figures, flip books, bookmarks, puppets, word puzzles and fold-up models.

Articles are researched and written by leaders in the education arena to develop children’s skills in critical thinking, independent research and study habits because, learning makes Crinkles in your brain!”
 

Appleseeds
APPLESEEDS is an award-winning magazine of adventure and exploration for kids ages 7 to 9 with fascinating stories and interviews. Kids will receive activities, maps, puzzles, recipes, and games that are related to the theme.
 

Bicycling: World’s Leading Bike Magazine
From mountain bikes to ten-speeds, let Bicycling pedal its way into your reading library. Reviews and reports on the latest bikes, first-rate instructionals from biking experts, profiles of fellow biking enthusiasts and great travel and vacation guides come in each jam-packed issue. Don’t be left in the dust. Take a ride with Bicycling and ride away a better biker!
 

American Girl
American Girl Magazine is a fun and informative publication for girls ages 8 to 12. American Girl features articles on American girls, past and present, stories by noted children’s authors, paper dolls and cut-out clothes, games and entertainment. American Girl invites creative participation from readers in many sections of the magazine including features like the advice column and opportunities to respond to monthly polls on many topics. American Girl is a colorful and engaging magazine filled with photographs and historical stories.
 

BMX Plus!
BMX Plus! Magazine is a longtime favorite among the world’s young cyclists. BMX Plus! thrives on fun and excitement! From the hot action of BMX racing to the madness of freestyle.
 

Boy’s Life
The award winning magazine for all boys, Boys’ Life is dedicated to making a high-quality magazine. Includes articles on history, outdoors, science, and much more.
 

CobbleStone
COBBLESTONE is packed with lively and compelling articles and sidebars. Historic photographs, original illustrations, primary documents, maps, activities, and contests complement the text and appeal to young readers.
 

Cicada
CICADA is a magazine for teenagers and young adults. It offers high-quality fiction and poetry dealing with the issues of growing up, leaving the joys and pains of childhood behind, and becoming an adult.
 

Creative KIDS
The nation’s largest magazine by and for kids. The magazine features stories, games, poetry, contest and art all by and for kids.
 

Footsteps
Footsteps Magazine celebrates African American history and culture. Each issue of Footsteps Magazine explores a new topic from Toussaint Louverture to slavery at Mt. Vernon to the Negro Leagues and the Civil Rights movement. In Footsteps Magazine kids learn about how African Americans lived as whalers on the high seas, as cowboys (and cowgirls) on the Great Plains, and as soldiers in the military. And each issue is chock-full of photographs, paintings, and illustrations that enliven the stories and articles. Footsteps Magazine’s readers also get recipes, activities, book recommendations, and interviews with descendants of famous African Americans.
 

Discovery Girls
Created for and by girls ages 7-12! Discovery Girls celebrates girls’ uniqueness and inspires them to believe in Themselves. “Real” girls model, write for, and help create DG. With articles on school challenges, inspiring stories, fashion and more-it’s a great resource for girls and their parents.
 

Junior Baseball
America’s Youth Baseball Magazine”, serving players, their parents, and coaches. Junior Baseball is packed with tips for players to improve their hitting, pitching, baserunning, throwing, fielding, and every aspect of the game.
 

KIDS Discover
Each issue covers one topic in wonderful detail and pictures. It is almost like a mini National Geographic for children.
 

LadyBug
LADYBUG opens the door to reading for children. Every page of LADYBUG is beautiful, colorful, and a delight to read. Each issue is filled with charming characters, games, songs, poems, and stories.
 

MUSE
Muse is a great magazine for children interested in art and/or science. Beautiful photographs, with fun and informative articles about things like how to make fake ice cream for a photo shoot!
 

New Moon
For every girl who wants her voice heard and her dreams taken seriously.
 

National Geographic KIDS
Award winning magazine that combines learning with fun. Features great stories on animals, science, technology, and awesome accomplishments of kids around the world. Plus puzzles, games, posters, and trading cards, for kids 6 & up!
 

OWL Kids
Owl Magazine is a fun and informative magazine for kids ages 9 to 13. OWL is packed with fascinating facts, amazing articles and special features on Hot Topics, Science Up Close, Weird Zone, and Talk About It. Each issue of OWL includes puzzles, quizzes, contests, and the science behind how things work. With its breaking news stories and mind-boggling puzzles, Owl Magazine is a thought-provoking and entertaining resource to help kids grow.
 

Popular Science
For the very definition of what’s new and cutting edge, look no further than Popular Science. Covering the latest developments in electronics, communications, cars, tools, aviation, space exploration, science, energy, photography and technology, this magazine is an indispensable resource for those who want to keep up with our ever-changing world
 

Ranger Rick
A favorite with older boys and girls. Each issue is packed with amazing facts, awesome photos, outdoor adventures and discoveries that help kids sharpen reading skills and develop a deeper appreciation for our natural world. A 1999 Parent’s Choice Gold Award recipient
 

Science news
Science News is the award-winning weekly newsmagazine covering the most important research in all fields of science. Published since 1922, the magazine reaches about 1.2 million scientists and general readers. Keep up on the latest scientific discoveries in just minutes a week.   

Skateboarding
The voice of skateboarding. Each issue is filled with interviews with the pros, trick tips on how to improve your skating, and worldwide coverage of skateboarding. Designed to spread the culture, each issue brings bold, inside coverage of equipment, events, personalities & techniques.
 

Spider
Children aged six to nine love this magazine and its wonderful coverage of science, history, biography, sports, travel and technology, not to mention the smile-inducing puzzles, games and brain-teasers packed into each issue.
 

Sports Illustrated for KIDS
Each month, Sports Illustrated for Kids covers sports the way kids like it. Enjoy interviews with sports heroes, hilarious comics, awesome action photos, and much, much more.
 

USA Today
 

Your Big Backyard
Filled with fun activities, simple stories and wild animals that little ones love, Your Big Backyard draws preschoolers closer to nature and gets them ready to read. Youngsters will enjoy the seasonal crafts, simple cooking recipes, fun games and other great features month after month.
 

Zoobooks.

Every monthly issue contains eye-popping color illustrations, diagrams and photos – and there’s no advertising to get in the way. Whether you’re reading to your child or your child is learning to read, Zoobooks is the perfect publication. Each issue contains interesting and unusual information about the featured animal that is both educational and entertaining.