Sunday, April 8, 2012

Summer Reading Ideas

Summer Reading Games, Ideas and Fun2012

Vocabulary Games

Alien Vocabulary Game (Tier 3 Testing Words) (or Chutes and Ladders) Use this free tier 3 academic vocabulary game to build test readiness. The game is designed to be a fun way to build academic vocabulary using a game students already know. A number of "CAMO Aliens" (ladders) and "Blues Aliens" (or "chutes") are pictured on the board, each connecting two specific board squares. The object of the game is to navigate one's game piece from the start (bottom square) to the finish (top square), helped or hindered by CAMO Aliens and Blues Aliens, respectively. Any time you land on an alien you have to draw a new card! If you land on the CAMO Aliens and answer the vocabulary question correctly you beam to the next highest CAMO Alien plus the move allowance on the card. If you land on the Blue Alien and get the question wrong you beam down to the next lowest Blues Alien. If you are on a Blue Alien and answer correctly you stay put until your next turn.

The game is a simple race to the top using the RBC Vocabulary Flash Cards, and is popular with children.

Vocabulary Game Cards Reading
Vocabulary Game Cards 1st
Vocabulary Game Cards 1st B
Vocabulary Game Cards 2nd
Vocabulary Game Cards 3rd B
Vocabulary Game Cards 3rd
Vocabulary Game Cards 4th
Vocabulary Game Cards 4th B
Vocabulary Game Cards 5th
Vocabulary Game Cards 5th BVocabulary Game Cards 5th 6th

Math Vocabulary Game Cards
Vocabulary Game Cards1st
Vocabulary Game Cards 2nd
Vocabulary Game Cards 3rd
Vocabulary Game Cards 4th
Vocabulary Game Cards 5th
Vocabulary Game Cards 6th
Vocabulary Game Cards 7th
Vocabulary Game Cards 8th

HARD GAME CARDS
Power Words 4th Grade Reading Vocabulary
Power Words 4th Grade Reading Vocabulary II
Literary Device
Idioms
Metaphor and Simile
Poetry

Science Vocabulary Cards
Science 4th and 5th Grade
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

New York Summer Reading Program 2012

New York Summer Reading Program 2012 

Free Summer Reading Programs at local NY Libraries. 

Brooklyn Public Library Buffalo and Erie County Public Library
Judy Zuckerman Kathleen Goodrich
Ass’t Dir., Neighborhood Services Youth Services Consultant
10 Grand Army Plaza 1 Lafayette Square
Children's and Family Services Buffalo, NY 14203
Brooklyn, NY 11238 phone: (716) 858-7194
phone: (718) 230-2236 fax:(716) 858-7515
fax: (718) 230-2784 goodrichk@buffalolib.org
j.zuckerman@brooklynpubliclibrary.org

Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System
Brooklyn Public Library Valle Blair
Andrea Vaughn Youth Services Consultant
Coordinator, Central Library Youth Services 106 West Fifth Street
Neighborhood Services Jamestown, NY 14701
10 Grand Army Plaza phone: (716) 484-7135 ext. 234
Brooklyn, NY 11238 fax:(716) 497-1148
phone: (718) 230-2232 vblair@cclslib.org
fax: (718) 230-2784
a.vaughn@brooklynpubliclibrary.org

Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System
Julie Weaver
Brooklyn Public Library Outreach and Youth Services Coordinator
Rachel Payne 33 Oak Street
Coordinator of Preschool Services Plattsburgh, NY 12901
10 Grand Army Plaza phone: (518) 563-5190 x 18
Brooklyn, NY 11238 fax: (518) 563-0421
phone: (718) 230-2233 wever@cefls.org
fax: (718) 230-2784
r.payne@brooklynpubliclibrary.org

Finger Lakes Library System
Annette Birdsall
Brooklyn Public Library Youth Services Coordinator
Sheila Schofer 119 E. Green Street
Coordinator of Young Adult Services Ithaca, NY 14850
10 Grand Army Plaza phone: (607) 273-4074 ext. 27
Brooklyn, NY 11238 fax: (607) 273-3618
phone: (718) 230-2237 annette@flls.org
fax: (718) 230-2784
s.schofer@brooklynpubliclibrary.org

Four County Library System Monroe County Library System
Starr LaTronica Tonia Burton
Youth Services and Outreach Manager Children's Services Consultant
304 Clubhouse Road Rochester and Monroe county Public Library
Vestal, NY 13850 115 South Ave.
phone: (607) 723-8236 ext. 350 Rochester, NY 14604
fax: (607) 723-1722 phone: (585) 428-8151
slatronica@4cls.org fax:
tburton@libraryweb.org

Mid-Hudson Library System
Christina Ryan-Linder Nassau Library System
Youth Services & Community Connections Renee McGrath
Coordinator Youth Services Manager
103 Market Street Uniondale, NY 11553
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Rochester, NY 14604
phone: (845) 471-6060 ext. 235 phone: (516) 292-8920 ext. 230
fax: (845) 454-5940 fax:(516) 481-4777
clinder@midhudson.org renee@NASSAULIBRARY.INFO

Mid-York Library System New York Public library
Wanda Bruchis H. Jack Martin
Assistant Director Asst Dir for Public Programs & Lifelong
1600 Lincoln Avenue Learning
Utica, NY 13502 455 Fifth Avenue
phone: (315) 735-8331 ext. 233 New York, 10016-0122
fax: (315) 735-0943 phone: (212) 340-0851
wbruchis@midyork.org fax:(212) 340-0988
hjmartin@nypl.org

Mohawk Valley Library System
Sue Rokos
Youth Services Consultant
858 Duanesburg Road
Schenectady, NY 12306
phone: (518) 355-2010 ext. 226
fax: (518) 355-0674
srokos@mvls.info


Queens Borough Public Library Southern Tier Library System
Sarah Hinkle Lorie Brown
Assistant Coordinator of Children's Services Youth Services/Interlibrary Loan
Programs & Services Department 9424 Scott Road
89-11 Merrick Boulevard Painted Post, NY 14870
Jamaica, NY 11432 phone: (607) 962-3141 ext. 209
phone: (718) 990-0882 fax: (607) 962-5356
fax: (718) 297-3404 brownl@stls.org
shinkle@queenslibrary.org

Suffolk Cooperative Library System
Queens Borough Public Library Barbara Moon
Vikki Terrile Youth Services Consultant
Coordinator of Young Adult Services 627 N. Sunrise Service Rd.
Program and Services Department Bellport, NY 11713
89-11 Merrick Boulevard phone: (631) 286-1600 ext. 1352
Jamaica, NY 11432 fax: (631) 286-1647
phone: (718) 990-5151 bmoon@suffolk.lib.ny.us
fax: (718) 297-3404
vikki.terrile@queenslibrary.org

Upper Hudson Library System
Mary Fellows
Ramapo Catskill Library System Manager, Youth & Family Services
Randall Enos 28 Essex Street
Youth Services Consultant Albany, NY 12206
619 Route 17M phone: (518) 437-9880 ext. 228
Middletown, NY 10940 fax: (518) 437-9884
phone: (845) 343-1131 ext. 240 mary@uhls.lib.ny.us
fax: (845) 343-1205
renos@rcls.org

Westchester Library System
Robin Osborne
Southern Adirondack Library System Director, Office of Community Connections
Jennifer Ferriss 540 White Plains Road - Suite 200
Youth Consultant Tarrytown, NY 10591
22 Whitney Place phone: (914) 231-3237
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 fax: (914) 674-4185
phone: (518) 584-7300 ext. 219 rosborne@wlsmail.org
fax: (518) 587-5589
jferriss@sals.edu

Westchester Library System
Francine Vernon
Coordinator, Library-Youth Connections
540 White Plains Road, Suite 200
Tarrytown, NY 10591
Phone: (914) 231-3242
fax:(914) 674-4185
fvernon@wlsmail.org


New York State Library Pioneer Library System
Karen Balsen Ellen Reynolds
Youth Services Liaison Public and Outreach Services Librarian
CEC 10B41 2557 State Rte. 21
Empire State Plaza Canandaigua, NY 14424
Albany, NY 12230 phone: (585) 394-8260
phone: (518) 486-2194 fax: (585) 394-1935
fax: (518) 486-5254 ereynolds@pls-net.org
kbalsen@mail.nysed.gov

Queens Borough Public Library
Nioga Library System Daniel Nkansah
Thomas Bindeman Coordinator of Chilrden's Services
Director Program and Services Department
6575 Wheeler Road 89-11 Merrick Boulevard
Lockport, NY 14094 Jamaica, NY 11432
phone: (716) 434-6167 ext. 24 phone: (718) 990-0716
fax: (716) 434-8231 fax: (718) 297-3404
bindeman@nioga.org dnkansah@queenslibrary.org

North Country Library System Queens Borough Public Library
Emily Owen Christian Zabriskie
Youth Services Consultant Assistant Coordinator of Young Adult Services
22072 County Route 190 Program and Services Department
Watertown, NY 13601 89-11 Merrick Blvd
phone: (315) 782-5540 ext. 245 Jamaica, NY 11432
fax: (315) 782-6883 phone: (718) 990-0825
eowen@NCLS.org fax: (718) 297-3404
christian.zabriskie@queenslibrary.org

Onondaga County Public Library
Amanda Travis Queens Borough Public Library
Member Library Liaison Lambert Shell, Ph.D.
447 S. Salina Street Director of Programs and Services
Galleries of Syracuse Program and Services Department
Syracuse, NY 13202 89-11 Merrick Boulevard
phone: (315) 435-1825 Jamaica, NY 11432
fax: (315) 435-1881 phone: (718) 990-8657
atravis@onlib.org fax: (718) 297-3404
lshell@queenslibrary.org


PLEASE LIST FREE SUMMER READING PROGRAMS IN YOUR AREA!

Free fun lessons and activities for teachers and students.

Summer Reading Boot Camp: "Sample Daily Schedule"

Summer Reading Boot Camp Philosophy: Awaken or reawaken the desire for learning, let the light of wisdom and reason shine in. Solemnity and literacy are distant visions for some teachers on day one, yet the seed is planted rigorously, feed constantly, and blossoms over the 20 plus days. 
KEEPING STUDENTS BUSY WITH FAST PACED LITERACY ACTIVITIES ALL DAY! 

Summer Reading and Its Effect on Reading Achievement!
Jumping 40% points in Mean Reading Scores in 20 Days!
27% on Day ONE, 73% on Day Twenty!
Reading Boot Camp is a free open source reading intervention program designed to turn around an entire school in just 20 days! Teaching every child in your school to read in twenty days is not only radical but saves thousands in program cost. Turning the reading establishment on its head and saving a lost generation is a radical idea. Spending education budgets on great literature for students, instead of reading software, basal readers, reading intervention programs, and teacher in-service training is a radical idea. Insuring that all students have a real future is just a pipe dream if we stay on this path of chasing reading rainbows. Teaching ten years in high-poverty schools, with over 85% of the students at risk, has taught me we have lost our way and the establishment is broken. We buy into every program that comes down the pike promising success, yet here we are failing our most needy students. Putting great literature, poetry, and books in children’s hands is the foundation of Reading Boot Camp, not predigested workbooks, endless teacher-made photo copies, and needless busy work.  Reading Boot Camp is back to basics with a sledge hammer to the outsider. Students find it rewarding and fantastic!

PLEASE LIST FREE SUMMER READING PROGRAMS IN YOUR AREA!
 
New York Summer Reading Programs
Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels:
Location: New York, NY, USA

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

HARRY POTTER GAME: GOBSMAKED

HARRY POTTER READING COMPREHENSION GAME, GOBSMAKED!

Have your children stand or sit on their desk so they are facing the teacher. Start at either end of room and give the first child a Harry Potter Reading Comprehension question. They answer the question with the who, what, where, when, why, or how with detail showing knowledge of the readings. When students cannot give an answer to a question they say “GOBSMAKED” and must sit down. Students that answer correctly get a Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and the game continues for that student. Continue the game until you are down to one child! The last child that has answered all the vocabulary gets a small bag of popcorn or other treat. Every child that answers a hard vocabulary question correctly gets a jelly bean plus a, pretzel, stamp, or a sticker. Hard question include academic reading vocabulary, plot, theme, word play, irony, antagonist, protagonist, imagery, and symbolism, etcetera. They love this activity and it's a great review of the literature and a great opportunity to teach complex literary concepts. We start with a mix of easy and hard questions to get the kids excited and ready to read the challenging books... I ask my students at the beginning of reviews if they want a hard, medium or easy question to give every child a bite of the Harry Potter apple! 

PLEASE SHARE YOUR IDEAS FOR READING COMPREHENSION GAMES!
Posted by at 4 comments:
Labels:

Monday, May 16, 2011

Motivating Students to Read!


Motivating Boys and Girls to Read!

In an age of hyper invasive media, how do you motivate your kids to read?

Harry Potter, The Golden Compass, and The Dangerous Book For Boys will get many kids inspired and hooked on books but others need a stronger inducement. Boys being the hardest to get excited about reading are all intrigued when I bring out my collection of RPG books. The games are all played in the imagination of the players. The games encompass a vast range of interest, science fiction, historical. fantasy, and my favorite D&D reminiscent of Lord of the Rings.
     More on RPG games and books, "A role-playing game (RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development. Actions taken within the game succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines.
     There are several forms of RPG. The original form, sometimes called the pen-and-paper RPG, is conducted through discussion, whereas in live action role-playing games (LARP) players physically perform their characters' actions. In both of these forms, an arranger called a game master (GM) usually decides on the rules and setting to be used and acts as referee, while each of the other players plays the role of a single character." Wiki
 
Games are a fun way to reach and motivate struggling readers.
Links to game rules I use with my students

Magic the Gathering Rules Fantasy
Axis & Allies: D-Day (8.6 MB) History
Axis & Allies: Pacific (3.2 MB) History
Diplomacy Rulebook -- 2008 Edition (4.1 MB) Social Studies
Battle Cry (3.8 MB) Civil War History
Risk 2210 A.D. (4.1 MB) Science Fiction 
Cosmic Encounter (1.5 MB) Science Fiction
Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition Rules 

More games  to come!
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Motivating Students to Read!

Motivating Boys and Girls to Read!

In an age of hyper invasive media, how do you motivate your kids to read?

Harry Potter, The Golden Compass, and The Dangerous Book For Boys will get many kids inspired and hooked on books but others need a stronger inducement. Boys are the hardest to get excited about reading yet all students are intrigued when I bring out my collection of RPG books. The role playing games are all played in the imagination of the kids. The games encompass a vast range of interest, science fiction, historical, fantasy, and my favorite Dungeons & Dragons reminiscent of Lord of the Rings. The books scream to be read and savored as precious objects. Students that have taken no interest in reading or books will transform into arcane erudite scholars to glean the meaning from the pages.
     More on RPG games and books, "A role-playing game (RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development. Actions taken within the game succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines.
     There are several forms of RPG. The original form, sometimes called the pen-and-paper RPG, is conducted through discussion, whereas in live action role-playing games (LARP) players physically perform their characters' actions. In both of these forms, an arranger called a game master (GM) usually decides on the rules and setting to be used and acts as referee, while each of the other players plays the role of a single character." Wiki
 
Games are a fun way to reach and motivate struggling readers.
Links to game rules I use with my students

Magic the Gathering Rules Fantasy
Axis & Allies: D-Day (8.6 MB) History
Axis & Allies: Pacific (3.2 MB) History
Diplomacy Rulebook -- 2008 Edition (4.1 MB) Social Studies
Battle Cry (3.8 MB) Civil War History
Risk 2210 A.D. (4.1 MB) Science Fiction 
Cosmic Encounter (1.5 MB) Science Fiction
Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition Rules 


More games  to come!
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Summer Reading List


Summer Reading List

Summer Reading Book List: 1st Grade Reading list, 2nd Grade Reading list, 3rd Grade Reading list, 4th Grade Reading list, 5th Grade Reading list, 6th Grade Reading list, Middle School Reading list, and High School Reading list.

10 Weeks of Fun: RIF’s Summer Reading Calendar
Summer Reading Activities Book 42pp PDF
Importance of Summer Reading White Paper
Summer Reading List K-6
Summer Reading List National Zoo K-12
Summer Reading List Scholastic K-8
Summer Reading List II Just Read K-8
Summer Reading List Middle School
High School Summer Reading List
Summer Reading Challenge Game

"A Smarter Summer"

Simple Tips to Promote Summer Learning
Sneaking In A Smarter Summer

By Former U.S. Education Secretary Richard W. Riley
 
"No more pencils, no more books!
No more teachers' crazy looks!"

Are your kids looking forward to summer vacation? Great! But don't toss out those books and pencils yet -"summer fun" doesn't have to mean "dumber fun"! Exercising kids' brain muscles all summer brings big benefits in the fall. And not exercising them can mean a loss of hard-earned skills.

A wise parent or caregiver can sneak a lot of learning into those lazy, hazy days. The good news is you don't need a lot of extra time or cash to give your kids a smarter summer. The trick is to make a game out of learning every day. Here are a few ideas: Challenge younger children to find letters of the alphabet on everyday items like street signs, cereal boxes, or newspapers. By asking "How many A's can you find?" you also exercise counting skills. Have an older child practice math by using grocery coupons to calculate the final price of items on your list. Challenge the child to guess the weight of produce before reading the scale, and to compute the correct change at the checkout. Any daily reading, yes, even comic books, is good for your child's brain. A librarian can help your child select books on any topic-baseball or butterflies, horses or hurricanes. The secret is for the child to choose the subject, so that it doesn't feel like homework and he or she is truly reading for pleasure. Writing weekly letters to a pen pal or distant friend won't feel like schoolwork, especially if the contents are strictly private! And older kids won't care that crossword puzzles boost spelling and vocabulary, if you make it a game while traveling or cooking dinner. Have kids "paint" their names with water on a hot sidewalk, then watch the letters disappear! To sneak in some science, have kids guess how long it takes for wet footprints to evaporate, then time it. Challenge them to guess the melting time of ice cubes. Drop items in a pail of water to see if they sink or float. Have children record all guesses and results, and reward the "players" with frozen treats. For more sly science fun, find two similar, healthy plants. Have your child water one, but not the other, for a week or two, and observe daily. Make a leaf tattoo by gently clipping a small paper shape onto a large leaf. Remove the shape after a week. Discuss the results and have the child write it up to share the experiment with family members. Help your child make his or her own storybook. Make funny drawings, or glue photos of family members onto silly magazine pictures. A younger child can dictate the story; older children can write it themselves. Let creativity rule! America Reads, at the U.S. Department of Education, is giving away a free, colorful poster with PBS TV star Arthur on the front, and fun reading and writing activities on the back. When the activities are finished at summer's end, the child receives a certificate of accomplishment. Now that's a summer celebration!

Once you banish the boredom of "dumber summers", you'll be sneaking in the most valuable lesson of all-never take a vacation from learning!

To make this a bright and brainy summer, call (877) 4ED-PUBS and order your child's free Arthur Activity Poster in English or Spanish. For more activities, ask for free brochures, called Summer Home Learning Recipes, to suit your children's ages. (To order materials online, go to www.ed.gov/pubs/.) For more guidance on reading and other learning subjects, call (800) USA-LEARN, or go to the America Reads Web site atwww.ed.gov/americareads/.

Summer Reading Pledge
It is time for me to get into reading gear,
Because summertime is very near.
Reading is always fun,
Whether I do it in the shade or in the sun!
It is very groovy to read,
And 60 minutes each day is about what I need.
The library is where I can borrow books for free,
And I will find one that is near me.
I will learn a new word each day,
But I will still find time to play.
I will read a book to a family member and to a friend,
Before the summer comes to an end.
And when it is time to go back to school,
I will already know that books are cool!

SIGNATURE:
________________________________
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Redshirting Kindergarten


A few parents use public schools as day care so starting sooner the better. Our school starts two or three weeks before other schools in our area and parents enroll kids for those three weeks to save on day care in all grades! That is the flip side to maximizing student potential. Open enrollment makes it a free for all for some parents and a big stress on the kids. We have up 40% turnover some years. The kids usually know they are in the class for the short run and have no motivation to participat­e fully. By the way all administra­tors, parents, and teachers say they are doing what is in the best interest of students when interviewe­d!
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)