Yearly Archives: 2017

Books

Episode 111: Holidays

Ariel, Mary, and Angie

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Welcome, everyone, to Books and Beverages! This week we are discussing Holidays! We love to celebrate, and take any opportunity to do so; and in this episode we look at all kinds of holidays and an associated book or two. We will all learn about new holidays and some new books – exploration and celebration is always fun!

We are the Central Minnesota Libraries Exchange, and we support all types of libraries. This is our book group podcast, where we discuss different genres of books each week, while we all sit in our comfy chairs and drink our beverages. And you are, of course, an important part of this book group. So if you do not already have a nice beverage please go get one, so you can join the experience.

Who is joining our reading group this week? This week we welcome back frequent book group guest Ariel Kirst, from Great River Library System!

Reading about holidays is a great way to explore new cultures, to add to your current celebrations, and to just enjoy yourself with the fun of holidays! (Not all the holidays are positive and fun; but all are times to set aside your daily routine and to focus on some new ideas.)

We are going to share a book suggestion for each of these holidays, with a variety of genres and age ranges represented, and all will be on our website in case you cannot take notes right now. We love to celebrate, and we love to read books; and this was so fun to assemble to this week’s discussion!

Check out our full information page for all the holidays and books!

Books

Book Suggestions: Everything, Everything

We love to read books, and to talk about books. Check out our entire series here! Need more book chatting and suggestions in your life? Listen to our Books and Beverages podcast!

I recently finished Nicola Yoon’s book The Sun is Also a Star and really enjoyed it, so I thought I’d read her first book, Everything, Everything. I’m about halfway through and enjoying this one, too! YA romance can be tricky and this one is definitely dramatic, but it’s hard not to admire Madeline’s need to experience life, no matter the risks! Plus, she loves books, so we know she’s a good one. :)The book has fun little illustrations throughout too, which add to the world of the story. It’s a quick read and I think I know how the story will end, but I’m excited to see if I’m right!

“My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.”

 

Conference, Guest Blogger, Tech

Report from TIES Conference: Jason Menth

This is a guest post from Jason Menth, STEM Integrationist and Culturally Responsive Teaching Coach at Talahi Community School. Need a scholarship to attend a conference or participate in Professional Development? Apply today! 

I can’t thank CMLE enough for the opportunity to attend and present at the TIES conference in Minneapolis. TIES is an educational technology conference where educators all around our nation come together to connect, develop, and share ideas to advance our students. The theme this year was “What’s Your Story?” With two powerful and impactful keynote speeches from Ken Shelton and Jennie Magiera, I got a new fire to share the story of our students. Over half of the students at Talahi are English language learners and have emigrated from other countries. With our amazing students we have such rich stories at our fingertips to share with our school and community. Educators also understand how a child’s upbringing impacts their experience at school both academically and socially. Being in the role as STEM Integrationist I have the resources to bring these stories to life while also teaching lessons on public speaking, video production, and the purpose of building community.

I also had the chance to present how we incorporate STEM activities in the classroom. My presentation took place in the “playground” area of the conference. This is a place where presenters bring their gadgets and resources they use at school for others to experience and hear how they are implemented. I was very busy with interested professionals and had a chance to create new connections, share our resources, and pick up a few new activities to try. I could go on and on but to say the least this is my favorite conference to attend because of the personality of the conference. The environment was conducive to learning, networking, and sharing knowledge. Most presenters are from our home state and understand the demographic of our schools. I know my students will feel the immediate impact of my new knowledge.

School Media Specialist, Tech

AASL Recommended Apps: Google Expeditions

Last summer, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announced their Best Apps for Teaching and Learning 2017. The apps encourage qualities such as creativity and collaboration, and encourage discovery and curiosity.

The app Google Expeditions works together with a mobile device/tablet and a viewer, and allows teachers to share 360 virtual reality experience with a whole classroom of students at the same time. The teacher’s device is the “guide,” and the other devices that are connected are the “explorers.” The explorers can see all the images for a large collection of prepared expeditions, which also include written details of the images being shown. A quick tip from the app: “On the guide’s device, the teacher can see where all of the students are currently directing their attention. The teacher, or guide, can direct students’ attention to a specific part of the image by holding their finger on that spot. Students will then see an arrow in their viewer indicating the direction they should look.”

Level: Elementary +
Platform: iOS | Android
Cost: FREE

This review from Common Sense Education includes feedback from teachers as well as lessons ideas to use with the app. Or check out this review from an educator who writes about his experience trying out the app in his classroom!

CMLE, Communication

Taking a short break – but the podcast goes on!

Hybrid vacationWe are taking a little time off next week, to get rested and recharged for the upcoming 2018 excitement! So many great library things will be happening , we can’t wait!

Never fear – we are not completely abandoning you! Our Books and Beverages podcast will come out on its usual Tuesday, Dec. 26. This episode will look at the Holiday genre, and we will be looking at a book (or two) for a bunch of different holidays. Thank you to Ariel from Great River library, for being our Guest Host for this episode!

Enjoy your own end-of-year festivities, and we will see you in January!