Summer is definitely the time to relax and unwind. One of the biggest perks of summer is the extra leisure time to read. Why not use this opportunity to get a head start on next year's Battle of the Books list?
The official state list has been published. Check-out these great titles from your public library or from our Overdrive collection:
Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs
Boys Who Challenged Hitler, The by Phillip Hoose
Drowned City by Don Brown
Freak the Mighty by W.R. Philbrick
Hidden Oracle, The by Rick Riordan (GA Middle Nom)
House of the Scorpion, The by Nancy Farmer (Newbery Honor)
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Long Way from Chicago, A by Richard Peck (Newbery Honor)
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Ms. Bixby’s Last Day by John David Anderson
Mysterious Benedict Society, The by Trenton Lee Stewart
Night Gardener, The by Jonathan Auxier (GA Middle Nom)
Old Yeller by Fred Gipson (Newbery Honor)
One Half from the East by Nadia Hashimi
Peak by Roland Smith
Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff (Newbery Honor)
Savvy by Ingrid Law (Newbery Honor)
Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper
Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk (Newbery Honor)
20. Year in the Life of a Complete and Total Genius, A by Stacey Matson In addition, watch this Animoto video to preview each title. Please visit the Battle of the Books page off of the DPMS LMC website to learn more. Happy reading!
Not sure what to read this summer? Luckily there are plenty of great, new titles out there that will pique all interests. Check out the presentation below to view my personal recommendations as well as find out more about the Brown County Library's summer reading program, Overdrive summer reads, and Sync's free summer audiobooks.
Students in our relatively newly formed poetry club have been excited to share their passion with others since the group's formation. I thought that Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 27 provided a great opportunity to connect this group with others, both outside and inside DPMS, who share a common passion.
Upon entering school on April 27, random students were greeted with inspirational and wise poems posted to their lockers. Poetry Club members spent weeks scouring the web, searching for poems that they felt would speak to the student body. Most students enjoyed this fun surprise. I especially enjoyed hearing stories throughout the day about students who personally connected with the randomly placed poems. Poetry has power to speak to everyone in different and meaningful ways!
During the day, Poetry Club members also had the opportunity to do what they loved the most: share their poems with others who enjoyed poetry equally as much. I set-up two Google Hangouts with middle schoolers from Vero Beach, FL and Mayville, WI. After brief introductions, students took turns reading their original poems. Time for Q&A afterward gave students a chance to talk about music, books, video games, and school activities.
During both sessions, DPMS students begged to "Hangout" with these students again. Despite geographical distance, poetry has the power to connect even the most diverse groups of people.
It has been an exciting year at DPMS, and I cannot believe that in just over a month it will be over. While I am proud of many accomplishments this year, one that I am most excited to share is our implementation of guided inquiry learning across the content areas. Last summer, I traveled to Rutgers University with a wonderful team to learn more about Guided Inquiry Design from the creators of the model themselves. During a three day intensive training, we delved into all things Guided Inquiry as we learned about the model's intricacies and the best practice strategies for immersing our students into this type of learning. The result was an enthusiastic commitment from our team to incorporate this model into an array of content area units.
Through our work this year, we have redesigned units in ELA, Science, and Social Studies to include elements of Guided Inquiry Design. Two units that I am especially proud to share are from 7th grade Social Studies. Students studied both Ancient China and modern day Africa while following the entire GID process from beginning to end. After being immersed in the content and exploring a variety of related research topics, students wrote their own research questions about a topic that interested them.
As final products, students studying Ancient China created virtual museums while those studying Africa created public service announcements. Both projects showcase deep content learning as can be seen from the projects linked on both Ancient China and Africa websites that I created to share all student work.
What did our students think of learning this way? I was curious, so I grabbed a few students and conducted my own interviews. Watch the video below to hear how much our students loved learning through Guided Inquiry Design.
From April 10-13, DPMS will celebrate National Library Week by offering a variety of activities. From Monday-Wednesday during SRT, students can participate in each day's planned activity. Throughout the week, all students will have the chance to win prizes by finding secret "Lucky Reader" books. (You will not know if you find a Lucky Reader book until you check out). All students who check out a book this week may also enter to win one of six autographed books. Check out the flyer and video posted below to view more specific details.
It's no secret that I am a huge proponent of global collaboration. As 21st century global citizens, it's essential for our students to engage in experiences that expose them to diverse groups of people from different parts of the world. Modern technology not only allows for quick and easy communication, but it also allows for a multitude of collaboration opportunities. Partnering with seventh graders from Hillsboro Middle School in Hillsboro Township, New Jersey, students worked in small groups to create collaborate Ancient Egypt ABC books.
Prior to working together, it was important for the students to meet and learn a little bit about one another. Their initial meeting took place as a Mystery Hangout where the students attempted to guess one another's physical locations by asking questions that could only be answered with yes or no. A followup Hangout was necessary to allow the students time to ask more personal questions about their respective schools, cities, likes, and dislikes. Since these students were basically strangers to one another, it was important for them to build a bit of a personal connection prior to working together toward a common goal.
The next step in the process involved planning. Since it was not feasible for students to speak directly with one another during every step of the project, we set up a collaborative group Voicethread to allow for asynchronous communication. With Voicethread, students could quickly and easily add their own webcam, text, and audio comments and listen to comments left by other students when their schedules allowed.
Finally, it was time to create the ABC books with Google Slides. Students added relevant information to their assigned slides in order to produce one comprehensive ABC book.
This project was an engaging way for students to not only engross themselves in Ancient Egypt and with new technologies, but it also provided an opportunity for real-world virtual collaboration. This is what 21st century learning is all about!
The winter storm headed our way wasn't going to stop a group of seventh graders who had been preparing for this day for almost three weeks. Today was poetry slam day, and these students were anxiously waiting to share their poems with other seventh graders from Hillsborough Middle School in New Jersey. After all of the writing, electronic sharing, commenting, and practicing, it was time to finally meet this other group of seventh graders with whom they had been working since the project's beginning.
The project idea blossomed this past fall when I connected with HMS's wonderful technology specialist, Mary Ellen Davis. We began brainstorming ways in which we could connect our students throughout the year across various grades and subjects. When we both discovered that our seventh graders studied poetry in November, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for a collaborative project.
At DPMS, I turned this activity into what we call a "stretch." Stretch activities are created for our advanced students who benefit from more acceleration than what is offered in the regular classroom. Prior to this project, each ELA teacher identified a group of students who either expressed interest in writing poetry or who displayed exceptional writing talent. Once identified, students met in the library during part of their ELA class periods to work on specific poetry activities designed by me, our literacy coach, and our talented and gifted teacher. Students completed this work in addition to the work that they were still expected to complete in their regular ELA classes. All participating students were required to write at least five original poems from the bank of activities that we shared with them.
Once their poems were complete, it was time to share. Using Voicethread, students shared slideshows of their poems to a collaborative DPMS/HMS group. Voicethread was the perfect platform for allowing our students to communicate asynchronously with the HMS seventh graders. Students were expected to provide either text, audio, or webcam comments on at least two poems from five different students. The feedback that they received helped them revise their poems in preparation for our slam.
The final part of this project was the best part: the slam! While participation was optional, most students elected to perform a poem of their choice. To prepare, we watched several examples of slam performances and discussed the importance of movement and voice inflection. On the big day, we rearranged our library to look more like a cafe, dragged our TEDx stage out from the back room, and served cookies and hot chocolate. These students deserved a reward! Through Google Hangouts, DPMS and HMS students took turns performing their poems.
At the end, a winner was chosen from each school using a shared Google Form. HMS students awarded Tyler's performance of "The Crossroads" as their favorite.
Our students were buzzing with excitement after I announced the winner. Some students enjoyed this experience so much that they decided to band together and form our school's first ever poetry club! I can't wait to see what they create next!
Have you ever dreamed of writing your own novel? For a creative group of seventh graders, their dream may become a reality. Ten students from Mrs. Lambert's ELA classes will meet in the LMC every Tuesday to participate in NaNoRiMo. During the month of November, these students have set goals to write a specific amount of words with the hope of finishing a novel by the end of the month.
To kick off NaNoRiMo, and to help our students think critically about their writing, we Skyped with author Margo Sorenson. Margo began by sharing various tips for our writers. She especially focused on how to create strong characters, the planning process, and the elements of an engaging story. She even shared some of her first and final drafts to remind students about the importance of revision.
Students had many questions to ask afterward. This was a great opportunity to learn some trade secrets from a professional writer! Students wanted to know things such as how to come up with names for characters, where to find story ideas, and Margo's biggest struggles as a writer. After our call ended, students were buzzing with excitement about what they learned and about finally diving into NaNoRiMo.
Stay tuned for updates from our NaNoRiMo group during the month of November. I look forward to seeing what these exceptional students create.
During the past couple of weeks, seventh graders in Mrs. Krebsbach's and Mrs. Allen's Social Studies classes traveled to different parts of the US and Canada by connecting with other classrooms through Mystery Skypes. Once the game was over, and when time remained, it was fun to ask getting-to-know you questions such as "How many students are in your school?" and "What is the weather like in your city?" We had a GREAT time meeting students from different locations!
Eighth graders had the unique experience of being able to speak with geologist, David Waldo, about the controversy surrounding fracking. During their current inquiry unit on alternative energies, students have been researching some of the different energy sources currently used- solar, wind, nuclear, geothermal, hydropower, coal, and natural gas, to name a few. To introduce the students to the often controversial topic of fracking, we turned to the excellent service, Nepris, which quickly paired us with industry professional Waldo. Waldo shared his expertise about the fracking process, its impact on the environment, and how this source of energy compares with others. Students were also able to ask questions following his brief overview on the topic. At the end, students had a broad, inside perspective on the topic.
I recommend Nepris to anyone wanting to connect students with STEM industry professionals. A connection was as simple as posting a request and waiting for a response. Best of all, students gained a real-world perspective from an expert in the field.
We are excited to officially celebrate Teen Read Week next week! Students can stop in the LMC during SRT to participate in a selfie station (complete with props) and learn how to make a light up bookmark. In addition, we will be taking nominations for the first ever DPMS Top Read Award. Nominate your favorite title to win the big prize.
For every activity that you participate in next week, your name will be entered into a raffle for exciting prizes including: gift cards, posters, and Scholastic Book Fair gift certificates. The more you try, the more entries you will receive!
Today we kicked off our celebration of the Global Read Aloud by meeting one of our partner schools via a Mystery Skype. Eighth graders in Mrs. Meyer's and Mrs. O'Hearn's classes used their geography skills to correctly identify our partner school's location. It was certainly fun learning more about the differences between the "big" city of De Pere and the "small" city of Campbellsburg, Indiana (population 573)! We look forward to connecting with them during GRA to discuss Orbiting Jupiter.
A few weeks ago, on May 27, I was able to participate in one of the most amazing experiences of my professional career. Thanks to the brilliance of my coworker, Josh Gauthier, De Pere Middle School hosted its first ever TEDx event- TEDxDePereMiddleSchool. During our event, 20 selected students and five community members gave the talks of their lives from our very own stage in the LMC based on the theme "my unique contribution to the world." TEDxDePereMiddleSchool was a day filled with so many highs as these students amazed me with the passion behind each of their messages. The variety of topics- everything from girls in stem to redefining the word "nerd"- showed not only that middle school students care deeply about the community and world in which they live, but it also showcased the great heights our students can achieve when we push them to discuss subjects that engage them.
If you were not able to view our event via our livestream link, you can still view all of our student and community talks on YouTube. I hope that you will be just as inspired by them as those of us who were physically in the audience.
While preparing for this event was a huge endeavor, it was worth every extra minute spent planning, coaching students, and organizing the day. Our students got to be the stars, and as an educator, nothing could have made me prouder.
Summer vacation is almost here! In three short (school) days, we will all be free to relax. sleep, and enjoy the leisure activities that we do not have time for during the busy school year. For me that means tons of reading! If you are like me, you may be looking for some book suggestions to fill that precious relaxation time. Lucky for you, there were so many great books published in the past year. While I may not yet have had time to read them all, I have plenty of fun summer reads to suggest to fill any downtime that you may have!
In the presentation below, you will find not only great summer reading suggestions, but also information on how to download ebooks and audiobooks 24/7 from Overdrive and Follett Shelf, more about the Brown County Library's summer reading program, and a link to SYNC's free audiobook program. I hope that you will take advantage of these great opportunities!
I would love to hear your summer reading suggestions as well as learn more about what you are reading this summer. Leave a comment below or send me an email at dyoung@depere.k12.wi.us.
Summer is the perfect time to begin preparing for next year's Battle of the Books competition! The official list has been published, and there are some exciting titles just waiting to be read. Here are the books that have been selected for the 2016-17 school year by the Wisconsin Media and Technology Association:
Alabama Moon by Watt Key
Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Auggie and Me: Three Wonder Stories by R.J. Palacio (GA Intermediate)
Booked by Kwame Alexander (GA Middle/Junior High)
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Young Reader’s Edition) by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan (Newbery Honor)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Heat by Mike Lupica
House Arrest by K. A. Holt (GA Middle/Junior High)
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse ( Newbery)
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson (Newbery Honor)
The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana (GA Middle/Junior High)
Untwine by Edwidge Danticat (GA Middle/Junior High)
The War That Saved My Life - Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (Newbery Honor)
Most of the titles can also be checked out electronically through Overdrive. A collection of available BOB titles has been added to the bottom of the Overdrive homepage.
Get a jump start on the competition this summer and read, read, read!
Are you looking for some great free reads this summer? Do you have a device and want to access books 24/7 from the comfort of your home? Look no further than Overdrive!
You can access our DPMS Overdrive collection from our LMC online resources page. Enter your student ID number to browse hundreds of ebooks and audiobooks.
Books can be read on any device using the Overdrive app or in your web browser using an Internet-linked device.
Between June 1-30 only: Overdrive provides free access to eight titles through their Overdrive Summer Read program. You can find these titles listed at the top of our digital library homepage after signing in. Act fast! These titles will no longer be available after June 30.
If you have not yet given Overdrive a try, take some time to explore it this summer. Your library is right at your fingertips without ever having to leave the house!
Next week your LMC will be transformed into another exciting Scholastic Book Fair. Even more exciting than the fall fair: this is a BOGO fair! All items will be buy one, get one free. Stock up on some great summer reading favorites both old and new. Here's a little glimpse at what you will find beginning Monday.
The book fair will be open each day from 7:45-3:30 and on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 3:30-9:00.
Who doesn't love free stuff? Each summer SYNC audiobooks offers a free summer audiobook giveaway program from May-August for teens ages 13 and up. This year SYNC is giving away 30 high interest, popular titles that can be downloaded to a smartphone, tablet, or any other device with the Overdrive app installed. Once downloaded the audiobooks are yours to keep and listen to at your leisure.
To see each week's free audiobook pairs, visit SYNC. You will need to provide your name and email address prior to downloading any of the free titles. Your downloaded books will go directly onto your Overdrive bookshelf, so make sure that you are signed into your Overdrive account as well.
Click here to view the complete list of free titles and find out when they will be available for downloading. You can also sign up for email and text alerts to be notified when new titles are available.
Don't let this great opportunity for FREE audiobooks pass you by!
This has been year of new beginnings- a new staff, a brand new group of students (who continue to amaze me), even a new library automation system, collection, and curriculum. All of these changes have been rewarding and exciting. In particular, I have been most excited about collaborating with many passionate, risk-taking teachers. Specifically, working alongside Literacy Coach, Peggy Rohan, I helped to implement the guided inquiry model into research units on Mesopotamia, fracking, and the Native American mascot controversy. This model emphasizes a more student-centered approach to learning as students go through stages of immersion, investigation, intensifying research, synthesizing information, and publicly sharing their learning.
Our journey into guided inquiry began with what I refer to as "The Great GID Experiment." When seventh grade Social Studies teacher, Cara Krebsbach, approached Peggy and me for new ideas on how to teach one of her first units on Mesopotamia, we jumped at the chance to introduce guided inquiry. The guided inquiry approach not only forces students to think at a higher level and work more independently, but it also allows students to make more choices, collaborate, and dive deeper into the research process- skills that are essential for all 21st century learners. While introducing guided inquiry during the Mesopotamia unit was a fantastic experience, there were many lessons learned along the way. This week Peggy and I are sharing our story with a larger community through the 52 Weeks of Guided Inquiry blog. Organized by Guided Inquiry Design author, Leslie Maniotes, each week features guest bloggers from around the world who are sharing their stories about using the guided inquiry model. Our journey into guided inquiry has been challenging, engaging, frustrating, but ultimately rewarding. It has been exciting to share our story with the world and receive feedback from others who can relate to our experience.
Please check out our story and those of many others by visiting the 52 Weeks of Guided Inquiry blog. We would love to hear your feedback about what we have done so far!
