Anyone who knows me knows I'm a die hard Survivor fan - never missed an episode. So when I found this Youtube video - The Amazing Library 101 Challenge -  it whet my appetite as to the all the possibilities a librarian could use to teach students about the library with this fun challenge. Click the link to see more - it runs about 4 1/2 minutes. 

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Here's what I overheard my son tell his sister yesterday, "I can't wait for school to start, I've had enough already." Now I'm thinking, wait a minute! There's so much hype about kids not wanting to return to school -which is simply not true. I find that youngsters generally miss their routine and their friends. Do you?

Really.

Who wouldn't miss waking up early; carrying heavy book bags; studying for tests; forgetting your lunch; not liking your lunch; school picture time; receiving your pictures; sludging to school in the snow; science fair time. I could go on. So in an effort to remind our darlings that school ain't so bad have them look at the ...Read More

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It's Monday so you know what that means? It's Labor Day, AND it's also Everyday People day on Bowllan's blog. Today I'm shining a little light on ME and the article I wrote for School Library Journal Magazine, since it's hot off the press: A Wiki Gives A Worthy Book New Life. Feel free to share your thoughts about it after the holiday. Now let's sing-a-long and have a great Labor Day! We all deserve to break today.

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As we draw nearer to election 2008, I am sure teachers will be scouring the Web for resources. Summer is indeed, over! So my goal with post is tocreate a growing list of links and descriptions. You can never have too much, so feel free to add yours too.

1) This year, Google is working with the National Student/Parent Mock Election to get students of all ages excited about the November elections. Students engage in activities to learn about the candidates and issues, then cast mock ballots that ar...Read More

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One of my Jacketflap friends, Deborah Sloan, sent me the following email last week and it's too good and too yummy to keep ALL to myself. 

Hi Amy. As someone who works with librarians, I thought you'd like to know about the recent launch of  The Picnic Basket where school and library professionals taste new and forthcoming children's books with first-come, first-serve sample copies of books for kids of all ages. It's a blog full of all you can read (and write) about children...Read More

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Yes, it's back-to-school shopping time. But before you head out to buy a backpack for your kid(s), do consider a recent comment from a high school reader. 

In response to: 
The Backpack Blues
Emily commented:

I'm a highschooler, and I'll bet I carry around 25-30 pounds of books/binders in my backpack. I only weight 100lbs, so that's a very heavy load. I think textbooks should be kept at home, and a class set used in the classroo...Read More

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After reading Judith Viorst's newly released children's book, Nobody Here but Me - (Farrar, Straus and Giroux 2008) which by the way, is beautifully illustrated by Christine Davenier - I thought to myself, the title should read: Nobody HEARING Me. 

How often are our lives and ears driven by our ipods, cell phones, blackberries, laptops, cable box etc.? If it clicks, it sticks to us!

...which is why I love the message in this book. 

We plod along with these ...Read More

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If you're an educator and thinking about your next big move, a good profile may the key that will unlock that door for you. Rarely do we have time to update resumes and remember all of our accomplishments - since most days of our days are spent helping students become their best. In any event, I invited an expert -- writer and author, Ziana Bethune to my blog to share with you how to glean the BEST YOU and put it in a profile. 

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Australian teacher, Anne Mirtschin, from ejourney with Technokids is sharing on her blog some fun Web2.0 ideas (for the classroom) to learn about the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. 

Mirtschin writes, choose an online cartoon maker like ToonDoo [which is FREE & FUN] to produce a cartoon strip for the local paper depicting the highlights of the opening ceremony. 

Here's my silly "comic" strip - don't LOL - it was late last night. Unfo...Read More

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Are you an artist? Or as J.J. from Good Times used to say, an "ARTEEST?"
 
I love contests, even though I never win them. And unfortunately, this contest - this time - is just for my illustrious illustrator reader(s).  (I don't want to be presumptuous.)

Here's the deal. Last week I wrote about ...Read More

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