Flip This Library: School Libraries Need a Revolution

Flip This Library: School Libraries Need a Revolution

I love this School Library Journal article, as it shares an opportunity for school libraries to do a flip, and become even more relevant in 21 century learning. As we dream of how teachers, parents and students can interact, collaborate, mark and share learning it boggles the brain to imagine! We can dream BIG!

Blessings
Pippa

Related articles

• Canada: New Report: "The State of School Libraries in Ontario" " INFOdocket (infodocket.com)
• School libraries: How important are they to learning and ... (cbc.ca)

Doin' it home school!: Study the Bible with Levi Epidode 2

Doin' it home school!: Study the Bible with Levi Epidode 2

Here is my student Levi sharing his Bible series on Youtube. Way to go Levi! You are confidently sharing the gospel with the world.

Blessings
Pippa

The Incredible Journey Book Review and Book Club/Poetry Club 2011/12

Cover of The Incredible Journey
The Incredible Journey was a favourite of mine growing up, so it was with fond nostalgia that I explored the beautiful Canadian wilderness through Sheila Burnford's eyes, at our recent book club.

If you have not read this timeless Canadian classic,  you will enjoy the adventure as experienced through a Labrador, a Siamese cat and a Bull Terrier as they set out on an incredible journey across the wilderness of northwestern Ontario.  The adventure that ensues involves wilderness survival, injuries, starvation, isolation, cold, and brutal exhaustion.  The thrill of this good tale keeps the reader riveted to catch the next turn in the plot, while the author's stunning description of the Canadian outback is mesmerizing.

Our book club members studied:  themes of the book, including survival and  loyalty in friendship, the strength of the plot, moral choices as opposed to Christian choices, the authenticity of the culture, freedom of choice, cultural symbols, author's use of literary technique and the book's credibility in terms of classics!  Wow is all I can say!  My super star book clubbers have really learned how to deconstruct books this year, and I am so proud of them!

If you are interested in being in our Book and Poetry club next year, and are between the ages of 11 and 15 we would love to include you at our meetings.  Make a time to become a cyber buddy in Christ:)

When and Where do we meet?  Starting up again in mid October we will meet every 6 weeks on a Wednesday night at 7.15 pm via Elluminate.  We go right through until the end of May.  Sessions last for about an hour..sometimes a little longer.  You need to do the participant Elluminate tutorial to become part of our group, and most of our students learn at the first session:) 

What do you need?
A good microphone headset, and time to read the books and come to meetings.
A public library card or access to a library to borrow books.
All books are reviewed by myself, and "clubbers",  for suitability and enjoyment for both boys and girls.

What do we do?  We chat about books, pray for each other and discuss literacy, suggest new books, read and celebrate our creative writing, and generally get to know each other:)

PLUS
This coming year there will be prizes at each meeting, and an author reading somewhere in that year!

I want to thank all my book club members for blessing me this year with amazing conversation, along with their supportive parents who encouraged them to fulfill their literacy goals.


Here is the list of possible reads for next year!

Fahrenheit 451.

Pilgrim's Progress.   Free E book.

Silverwing.  Kenneth Oppel.

Call of the Wild.  Jack London.

Moby Dick.  Herman Mellville.

Owls in the Family.  Farley Mowat.

The Mistmantle Chronicles

Treasure Island. Robert.  Louis Stevenson.

Mixed Up Tales of Mrs Basil Frankweiler.  El Konigsberg.

Stormbreaker.  Anthony Horowitz


I look forward to hearing from you, if you would like to sign up your students for our HCOS Book club. 

Blessings to you as you support literacy in your home.

Pippa

Halifax and PEI

Image via Wikipedia

Our HCOS staff collaborated on exploring Halifax and PEI.
So if you are planning an educational holiday here are some of our staff favourites.

1. The home of Lucy Maude Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables (Anne's house in the story was based from that home) is in PEI.   The red sandy beaches and research why the sand is red.  Canadian History museum in PEI - kids can learn all about how Canada was formed (history of the provinces etc) In Nova Scotia: You definitely want to head into Halifax for a day or two, and then Drive down to Lunenburg, Peggy's Cove, Mahone Bay - its something you can do in one day, round trip about 2 1/2 hours, but it is breathtaking with lots of ocean side stops and shopping and history.Cape Breton - do the loop and maybe even stay up there a night.  The most amazing camping/cabins ever seen in Meat Cove on the Tip of Cape Breton.
2.   Blomidon Lookout around the Annapolis Valley is amazing as well - Cape Split is a hike that takes you up to a kilometer and a half up over the ocean on this crazy cliff . 
3. Annapolis Royal - it’s a quaint little town and has a lot of neat shops and the oldest fort in Canadian history - it's called Fort Anne.
4. Truro - there is amazing rafting on the Schubenacadie River - its spectacular
5. Drive the Cabot Trail - well worth it!    Guides 
6. Fort Louisburg is a "must". Read this book which is  great to read along the way.   
7. Camping     Wonderful Family owned with an Oyster farm.
8.  Whale watching tour here.  Be sure to ask for the time when the captain does some fishing!  This was an experience of a lifetime! We did see whales but pulling up the fish (herring) watching the captain clean them with seagulls feeding, steering the boat and leaving with a bag full of fish all made the experience amazing!  
9. Alexander Graham Bell museum in Cape Breton… Then buy some traditional maritime local folk music and drive the Cabot trail.
10. Camp out on the red mud by the ocean listening to Stompin’ Tom’s “Bud the Spud”  The government buildings in Charlottetown… and then there is this really cool place with buildings made of old glass pop bottles – quirky but cool.
11. Pier 21 in Halifax – we found interesting as is museum of immigration into Canada.
12.  Sail on the Bluenose 2 – Lunenburg – have to check schedule of Bluenose 2 as sometimes sails from Halifax too.
13.  Fort Louisburg on Cape Breton – be sure to catch a Kaeli in the evening too.
14.   My favorites for PEI are: the beaches!!! Have them get a pass to all of the National parks so they can get free admission (it costs $5.00 and up for a day pass to the beach, plus this gets you into many historic sites).  In Charlottetown they do a production on Confederation every summer.   Avonlea is a must for Anne of Green Gables lovers, finding out when a ship is coming into harbor with a 500lb tuna is interesting.
15.   Peggy’s cove, Ingonish Beach,  to see a replica of the ship Hector the first ship of immigrants to land in Canada.  Here is the link to our blog archives for August 2006 (September 2006 has some things as well) when we were there.
16.  There is a historic site dedicated to a poet who wrote a poem titled Evangeline.  This site deals with the Acadian expulsion from Nova Scotia.  I would highly recommend the museum (I think its in Montgomery) which tributes the French Acadians who were expelled after the defeat of Napolean's France. Go there with reading Evangeline by Longfellow. and the experience will be enriched. I have a great assignment I use which puts Evangeline beside Mary's Magnificat and considers the biblical idea of exile.
17. There are remnants of the Titanic in the Halifax Maritime museum on the wharf (and great ice cream at Cows). ;) Consider the notion of "failed promise" - Psalm 2, Psalm 145:13

Lumosity

Image via CrunchBase

Lumosity  is a neat brain game that is receiving rave reviews in learning and brain development.   Carmen Timmermans our Special Needs Adminstrator sent this to me yesterday and I am buzzing with delight!  Thanks Carmen:) 
User friendly and nicely designed, the games are easy to use, and force you to stay visually focused.  I could feel my brain being stretched as I played the games.  Students can build their own personalized plan based on memory, attention, speed, probability and problem solving. 
There is a free seven day trial.

Please try this out and let me know what you think?

Blessings to you as you encourage your students' with healthy brain challenges!

Pippa

Learning to Change-Changing to Learn

YouTube - Learning to Change-Changing to Learn

This video is encouraging to homeschoolers.  Would you agree with what these experts in education are saying?

Typing Web. Techie Site of the Week!

 

Do you want to increase your touch typing speed, teach your youngsters how to speed type, or check your sequencing and tracking skills?  Then Typing Web is for you!  Teachers can also create their own free classroom with student access, where they can grade, track progress, and create and manage their class list.  I tried the free program, and was thrilled to see how easy it is to use, and some of the cognitive skills it tested:  my fine motor skills, my ability to remember the keys and sequencing, as well as processing speed.  My son watched and laughed:)  Back in the day of course I had a typing speed of......

As our students migrate more to the web to do their school work this is a "no- brainer for kids",  to learn the first steps of typing accuracy, along with alphabetical tracking skills. You can also get your certificate of completion at the end of the fun and games.

Blessings to you as you teach your students how to type:)

Pippa