Friday, November 8, 2013

Skype with Author Dori Hillestad Butler

Fifth graders participating in our school book club, Lit Masters, had the special opportunity to Skype with Dori Hillestad Butler, the author of the book that they recently read, The Truth About Truman SchoolThe Truth About Truman School tells the story of a school that has a problem with cyberbullying.  The book is told through different points of view and ultimately shows how cyberbullying affects multiple characters.  During our Skype visit with Butler, students were able to ask all of their unanswered questions including why she chose to end the story the way that she did and where she got her inspiration for the characters.  Students also were curious about Butler's background, how she felt about writing as a child, and what advice she had for aspiring writers.  It was a special opportunity indeed as these students were able to get inside the mind of the writer of a book that they enjoyed.  View some pictures from our experience below.






A very special thank you goes to Dori Hillestad Butler for taking the time to talk with us and share her passion for writing.


Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Anti-Bullying Google Hangout with Singer Z LaLa

Yesterday our 5th graders had a surprise visit from World Pop Singer Z LaLa.  Using Google Hangouts, students were able to listen to her anti-bullying message and hear her personal account of how difficult it was to watch her friends being bullied while she was a child.  She urged students to stand up for others if they see bullying occur while also expressing the importance of telling a trusted adult about the bullying.





At the end, students had an opportunity to ask her questions.  Most of them were curious about her singing career and where she lived.  It was an exciting thing to be able to talk one-on-one with a celebrity!



A special thank you to Z LaLa for taking time from her schedule to share her experiences.  Bullying impacts all of us regardless of geographic location, gender, or race.




Take a Google Maps tour of New London!




Students in Mrs. Young's Integrated Technology classes are partnering with schools in Saskatchewan, Canada, Sweden, and California to discuss technology related issues and collaborate together on various projects.  To help our new friends get to know us and New London better, Integrated Technology students created a Google Map tour of New London using Google Maps Engine Lite.  Classes brainstormed and researched historic places, fun things to do, and New London parks, and they added each point of interest to our class map with a short description.

Go on a virtual tour of New London by visiting our customized Google Map.  Click on the locations listed to the left of the map to tour the New London places highlighted by our students.