Digital Reading

Welcome to an overview of the Primary Library's Digital Reading Choices.

Please review each of these short links, and send me the 3 point analysis I ask for below. 

Fun Fact: Michele will visit your classroom or lead a lesson in the library that reviews any of these websites whole class! I often do such a whole class lesson with you in September because it helps iron out First Time Logging In issues and procedures. 

The following websites are managed by VCSD and all students will have access:
Myon
PK LifeScience
PebbleGo

The following websites are hosted by our BOCES and need to be accessed with the password "victor" :
InfoBits Screencast, InfoBits Link 
Britannica Screencast, Britannica Link 

The following websites are external to Victor. The teacher will need to do setup and students will need to be guided into adding them to Classlink. 
Basic RAZ 
Epic
ReadWorks.org 

Bonus: 
Big 3 Overview: Differences between RAZ, Myon, and Epic
How to search the bookroom for topics & levels
How to open an ebook from our catalog

In order to receive credit, you will need to send me an email linsem@victorschools.org by Aug 31 explaining which website you are planning on using whole class as an introduction to chromebooks and why, and which website you'd like to put independent learners on and why. You will also show a screenshot of something that was new learning for you. Here are two examples:
Ex: 1
Michele, I am planning on launching the year with Myon because I can ask the kids to use it as homework, and I am putting independent learners on PebbleGo because I like the emphasis on nonfiction, yet it also has motivating games. Attached is a screenshot of me exploring National Geographic Animals because I had never been to that website before.
Ex: 2
Michele, I am planning on launching the year with Epic because I like the selection of books and the interface. Independent learners will be using RAZ because I want to really interact with the assignments there. Below is my screenshot of the advanced search on RAZ because I never knew I could look for genres of materials like Readers Theatre scripts.

Again, there should be 3 items in order to get credit.
1. What product do you want to introduce your whole class to in September and why did you choose it?
2. What OTHER product will be your starting point for students who need 1:1 digital work and why did you choose it?
3. A screenshot of something that was New to Your Brain. NOTE: most keyboards have a print screen button in the upper right hand corner "prt sc" or phones can use a handswipe or tablets can use a double-button press. If you need help taking a screenshot, please email me.

KidLit Book Club

Welcome to KidLit Book Club.
You are going to choose what to read. Please select texts of approx. 100 pages. For instance, you may read 4 picture books, 2 early chapter books, or a longer novel. They should be things that are new-to-you. You may read them in any format--audio, ebook, or print. My book this summer is Aru Shah and the End of Time by Chokshi.

Here on the blog, please post what you've chosen to read so that others in the course can see and share. Please login to blogger so your comments are labeled or put "This is Michele" in the text of your book announcements and reviews because it posts as Anonymous and I won't know who completed the work. You are encouraged to read the blog comments and add your own to anyone else's... that's the "club" part of the course. However, peer comments, aside from your summary, are not required.

When you finish, post your review. It should include:
a one sentence gist that mentions the main character and main plot thrust,
a one sentence opinion as a reader-perhaps a favorite part,
and a one sentence opinion as a teacher-perhaps with a comment about teach points or the type of reader you'd rec the book to.

If you read 4 picture books, yes you do this for every book.
If you read 2 short early-reader chapter books, you'll submit 2 reviews.

Ex Book Report: Little Red Riding Hood by Perrault. A little girl encounters a trickster wolf in a historical fairy tale. I really enjoyed the way the suspense builds, but was surprised by the abrupt ending with the odd way the wolf dies. I would not choose to read this out loud but would recommend it to kids who want edgier, spookier reads (that really aren't all that bad).

My Last Year Book Report:
Making Mistakes on Purpose was absolutely hilarious and bizarre in the tradition of classic British madcap adventures. The lighthouse-boarding-school houses the unflappable Ms. Rapscott, her 2 assistant corgis, and 5 female charges, each of which has an arc. They often cross paths with their compatriots in the boys school on the mountain as they journey To the Top through many other funny community characters. Because of this intense cast, I find this book best as a read aloud for grades 3-5. The characters are 9, but the amount of peril and independence they face makes them feel more like 12. The book has a slow start and I wasn't a fan of the slow writing at the end, but OH! the adventure in between... It's a LITERAL take on metaphors so would be great to reinforce them, and the characterization of each different strong-willed girl was superb. What keeps me from rec'ing this book as a Must Read is the length... it's super long. Took me days to read and I'm like lightning. However, it's full of life lessons like how to make friends, recover from hurt feelings, and take matters into your own hands... it has gobs of discussion material great for the fall.

Link to Last Year's Club

Screencasting

Screencasting is when you can record your desktop and/or your face in order to share instruction digitally. 

Please watch this video first (filmed on Screencastify), then this video next (filmed on Loom). 

In order to receive credit, you will choose one of the two Chrome extensions and create a screencast you can use in September. Share it with me: linsem@victorschools.org or post the link in the comments below if you are willing by Aug 31. You will need to either login to Blogger or type your name alongside the link as the comments post as anonymous otherwise. I think seeing other people's examples is always useful. If you look elsewhere in the blog at my other class on digital reading, you will see several examples of how I'm using screencasts to show people how to use new websites. 

Please reach out by email if you need help.