LibraryRoom401

The American Museum of Natural History: a world-class treasure around the corner

2011-12-16T19:40:00.000-08:00

Photo by Chris Gibson of AMNH Beyond Planet Earth Exhibit

Last week on December 9 I attended my very first Educator Evening at the AMNH. It was on a Friday night, and it was free. How could I resist? The American Museum of Natural History is conveniently located on 81st Street at Central Park West. From our school MS80x, you take a D train and then the C train. It stops right at the museum's door.
This particular Educator Evening event celebrated AMNH's newest exhibition Beyond Planet Earth: The Future of Space Exploration.
After working all day, I was greatly surprised to find an elegant reception complete with cool live music, chilled wine and hot hors d'oeuvres. I ran into some old friends, and gathered some resources and flyers for the science teachers in my school. I really hope my teachers and students will take advantage of this amazing resource.

This YouTube video may not be accessible on school computers.

Jade Green

2011-07-01T07:03:00.000-07:00

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Jade Green is a classic ghost story set in the late 1800s, complete with an old house, intrigue, and creeping body parts.

After her parents die, fifteen-year-old Judith Sparrow is forced to live with her elderly Uncle Geoffrey. Judith soon discovers Uncle Geoffrey's house is haunted by a ghost. Judith also discovers Geoffrey's 40-year-old son is a leering cousin who is jealous of her.

Judith's adventures become more complicated as she meets young handsome Zeke.

I highly recommend this fun yet spooky ghost story!

March is Manga Madness Month in Room 401!

2011-02-16T09:30:00.000-08:00

The library now has some really cool and new books, including Kinds Draw Manga by Christoper Hart. To commemorate these new titles, I'm organizing a Manga poster contest for the month of March. Students can draw and submit their poster to the library. The art must be original, and the Manga poster must promote reading. See Ms. Gibson for more details!

Read read read on facebook

2011-01-08T15:10:00.000-08:00

When I read a book, I need complete peace and quiet. I always end up reading alone in my room. Television, music, and conversation distract me. Reading is a solitary activity.

But on Facebook I've joined a group that is anything but solitary. I've joined Paul Hankins' group The Centurions of 2011: 111 Books by January 2012!

People in this group talk about books they are currently reading, the books they've read, and make recommendations. And because there is a social element here, I'm determined to read my 111 books by the end of this year.

2010-11-12T19:26:00.001-08:00

MS 80x Library 2010 2011 program goals

View more presentations from Middle School 80x.

Good Teaching

2010-09-28T07:18:00.000-07:00

Septembers bring the promise of new work, new experiences, and new insights for students and staff. This year is no exception, especially with at least 17 teachers who are new to the MS 80x community. They are new to the building, and not necessarily new to teaching.

So when I came across this article

Good Teaching: The Top 10 Requirements, I had to share this with everyone.

I hope you will find this as helpful as I have.

Back to School PowerPoint Template for Teachers

2010-08-31T18:44:00.001-07:00

Here is a very handy tool for my very busy teachers!
When our students' parents come to our Back To School Night, you can use this PowerPoint. All you have to do is to modify the slides and add your own info.
Boom! It's all done!
I also want to tip my hat to http://www.thedaringlibrarian.com/ for your inspiration!

Back 2 School PowerPoint template for teachers

View more presentations from Middle School 80x.

My First Read-a-thon!

2010-08-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

Okay folks,
I've been thinking about organizing a read-a-thon for my school community, but first, I'm going to PARTICIPATE in my very first read-a-thon. This one is organized by some cool people at Dewey's Read-a-Thon Blog. This particular read-a-thon is a 24-hour read-a-thon, on October 9. To get the scoop on how to participate, click here.

In my next blog post, I'm going to list the titles of some reading material set aside for October 9.

Walter Dean Myers: Sunrise over Fallujah

2010-07-31T18:47:00.000-07:00

When I first picked up this book to read, I did it because I can't read just "chic" books. I have to read titles that I can talk about with my male students. But I was surprised how much I really loved this book.
The story is told in first person by Robin "Birdy" Perry. He just graduated high school in Harlem New York City. Instead of going to college like his father had hoped, Robin joins the Army.

Birdy's unit is deployed to Iraq. There, he learns how to get along with his new comrades. He also learns to deal with his own fears with the battles in his heart, his mind, and with the war.

I highly recommend this book! And yes, we have a copy in the school library.

The Changeling, by Cate Tiernan

2010-07-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

      Imagine you are 17 year-old girl in high school, and you just discovered your parents are your adoptive parents, and that you are a blood witch...a witch by birth.
      Well, that's what happens to Morgan, in Cate Tiernan's 8th volume of Sweep.
Morgan also discovers that her biological father, a powerful witch, is still alive, and he wants to kill her. Well why not? Morgan is very powerful. She just doesn't know it yet!
      Morgan's father is an evil Woodbane witch who had killed her biological mother when Morgan was still an infant. When Morgan realizes her father's evil ways, she wonders if she too is evil.
Morgan confronts her own identity (is she a good witch or a sinister witch?), AND she is asked to save a coven of other witches...
      Oh did I mention, Morgan is in love with Hunter.
He's a good witch. And he's handsome.

Don Quixote Read-a-thon

2010-03-25T06:06:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome back!

If you want to join us April 23 for International Day of the Book, we will be reading Chapter 1 of Don Quioxte. And guess what! You can read it in your native language.Just click on the picture of the globe and you will find links to Don Quioxte in English, Spanish, Hindi, Albanian, and Chinese. I'm still trying to find a Bengal translation...

International Day of the Book April 23, 2010

2010-03-14T18:35:00.000-07:00

Did you know that April 23 is International Day of the Book? This date coincides with the anniversary of Miguel de Cervantes' death. The Instituto Cervantes New York (ICNY) will hold its Annual Multilingual Reading of Don Quijote de la Mancha. Students, ages 6-16, are welcomed to take part in this event, a read-a-thon of Don Quijote in many languages: Spanish, English, etc.

I've book marked translations of Don Quijote (only Chapter 1) in several languages. It would be fun to organize a read-a-thon in our library on this date.

More information of this event will be posted shortly.

We're in the 21st Century Already

2010-03-11T19:20:00.000-08:00

The newly-designated Library Commons Room 401 will be a space that encourages creativity and discovery, and inspires students and staff to work with information in all formats. We live and work in a digital environment. Students need and deserve a 21st century education and learning environment. With this, our learning community will be invited to learn the necessary skills to live, work, and thrive in the 21st century.To learn about these necessary skills we need for the 21st century, please click here.

Here in the Library Commons Room 401, we embrace these four core values: Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Community. Keeping these four core values in mind, we will continuously strive to meet these five challenges:
1. School libraries are knowledge centers, not information places.
2. There will be evidence-based practice here.
3. We will build partnerships and teams.
4. We will engage Web 2.0 tools to develop deep inquiry.
5. We will re-imagine school libraries.

We are social learners. We value social experiences that blend communication and learning. Authentic understanding and knowledge are constructed through personal experience and reflection. This is why the Library Commons Room 401 aims to be the hub of inquiry. This is the place where the entire school community can learn, create, teach, and network.

sources:
Dr. R. Todd
B. Sinclair

Welcome

2009-12-09T16:07:00.000-08:00

The renovation of our library in room 401 is nearly complete. To commemorate the grand opening in January 2010, I've decided to give our blog a much-needed make-over. Please come back often to see how our blog evolves.