Category Archives: School Media Specialist

Books, General, Public, School Media Specialist

Books in the Spotlight: March

Sometimes CMLE will highlight several books that have some factor in common. We hope they will give you ideas for your collection, or influence an activity, lesson plan, or display!

This month, we are sharing several different books that have main characters that model good qualities for young readers. This book list began as a discussion from a librarian hoping to help one of her patrons. The patron was looking for suggestions of beginning chapter books for a nine-year-old that contained characters that modeled qualities such as dependability, good time management, etc but without being didactic.

Here are some of the suggestions other librarians came up with:

Continue reading Books in the Spotlight: March →

Books, General, School Media Specialist

Book Pirates help early literacy

Don’t mess with the Book Pirates! The name sounds tough, but this organization has a great goal in mind, and works to promote literacy with kids.

This article from the LITA Blog introduces the “Book Pirates,” or as they are called in their native Germany, “Buecherpiraten.” The goal of the Pirates is to “use the combined powers of digital publishing and self publishing to empower children and young people ages 3 to 19 to tell their own story, in their own mother tongue.”

Kids (of all ages!) can make their own picture book with artwork and stories which gets published on the Book Pirates website. Then, the book is available for free download in first and second language of choice, and can be created into several different formats (tablet, regular book, etc).

It makes sense that this program has been very successful with refugee children. It provides a place to tell their story, which can then be read in their native language, as well as in their new language.

You can make your own picture book, become a translator, or just get more information by visiting their website.

Communication, School Media Specialist

An exciting award for K-8 school librarians!

 

K-8 school librarians are invited to apply now for a $5,000 ALA award recognizing outstanding humanities programming. See below for details, and email ALA’s Public Programs Office with any questions – publicprograms@ala.org. Thanks!

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School libraries are invited to apply for a $5,000 award recognizing outstanding humanities programming in kindergarten through eighth grade, the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office announced.

Nominations for the 2017 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming will be accepted until May 5, 2017. Applications, award guidelines and a list of previous winners are available at: www.ala.org/jaffarian. Continue reading An exciting award for K-8 school librarians! →

General, School Media Specialist

AASL Recommended Apps: Books: Ryan North’s To Be or Not to Be

ryan_north to be or not to beIn June 2016, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announced their 25 Best Apps for Teaching and Learning. The apps encourage qualities such as innovation and active participation, and are user-friendly.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is experienced from a whole new perspective with the use of this app. The reader can make their own plot choices, and read from the point of view of Hamlet, Ophelia, or King Hamlet. This app can help start conversations about how Shakespeare has been adapted over the years, and also about the different impacts that can be created by a change in setting and point of view.

This review from Touch Arcade gives the app five stars and explains the features in detail. The review warns the beginning may be a bit slow, but the story becomes very entertaining as you continue. This post from Steam also includes several reviews from individuals as well as a video of the app.

Cost: $5.99
Level: Middle and High School
Platforms: iOS and Android