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Book Trailers for Readers - Home Student Book Trailers

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To watch the student made trailers please click on any book cover on this page and prepare to be amazed.

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In recent years, graphic novels have exploded in popularity. They are everywhere. And kids are excited about reading them. When I look at the circulation statistics in my K-5 library, graphic novels are some of the most checked out titles. El Deafo, Star Wars: Jedi Academy, Smile, and The Flying Beaver Brothers and the Evil Penguin Plan are just a few that fly off the shelves on a regular basis. Roller Girl, a 2016 Newbery Honor Book, is another one. Based on this information, one would think that educators and parents would be wholly supportive of their students and children reading these books. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.
The Truth Behind Graphic Novels
Many parents and educators view graphic novels as glorified comic strips. They don't believe that these books are quality pieces of literature. I've had students tell me that their parents won't let them read graphic novels because they're "not real books." I've also had classroom teachers encourage their students to select "real books" and not graphic novels when they visit the school library. For all of the nay-sayers, I'd like to set the record straight. Graphic novels are REAL BOOKS. They are full length stories told in paneled, sequential, graphic format. They are NOT simply collections of comic strips. Many genres are written in graphic novel format, including fantasy, realistic fiction, historical fiction, biography, and nonfiction. They are NOT all about superheroes, nor do they all include scantily clad characters.
Creating Lifelong Readers
Graphic novels promote literacy in a variety of ways. They attract and motivate kids to read. The same titles can appeal to both reluctant and advanced readers. The illustrations provide struggling readers and ESL students with contextual clues to access the meaning of the written text. Graphic novels can offer students opportunities to read about diverse characters. As a school librarian, I want to help each of my students find a book they will love. For a variety of reasons, some students can't get excited about picture books, chapter books, novels, or poetry. However, these students may fall in love with reading if they're introduced to graphic novels. We owe it to our students to help them discover the joy of reading.
Choosing the Right Graphic Novels for Your Collections
There are many resources available to help you select the best graphic novels for your collections. The ALA's Association for Library Service to Children has compiled recommended reading lists of graphic novels, broken up by age level.

Here are some other graphic novels that are worth checking out.

I was recently awarded a grant by the Southington American Legion Auxiliary to purchase 50 new graphic novels for my library. My students were thrilled when I shared this news with them. I'm hoping this grant will shine a light on the importance of graphic novels and help the entire school community recognize the value they bring to our collection.

What have your experiences been with parents, educators, and graphic novels?

Categories: Blog Topics, Collection Development, Community/Teacher Collaboration

Tags: graphic novels

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"But that's not a real book!" - Why Your Collections Should Include Graphic Novels | Knowledge Quest

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In recent years, graphic novels have exploded in popularity. They are everywhere. And kids are excited about reading them. When I look at the circulation statistics in my K-5 library, graphic novels are some of the most checked out titles.... Read More ›

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My 11-year-old son is a reader. He would read all day if there were not other things to get done. He has always been that way and because of that, it has been a challenge to find books to keep up with his love of reading. Today I have a list of 21 series books for tween boys.

These are all picked by my very own tween boy! Many of these he has read multiple times because he loves them that much. So, if you are struggling to get your son to read, or you have a reader like me, you will want to look into these books. Hopefully you will find something your son (or daughter) will love, too!

21 Series Books for Tween Boys

How to Train Your Dragon series by Cressida Cowell

The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

The Five Kingdoms series by Brandon Mull

The Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull (He loves ALL Brandon Mull books!!)

Deltora Quest series by Emily Rodda

The Spirit Animals series (various authors)

The Seekers series by Erin Hunter

Elementia Chronicles by Sean Fay Wolfe

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

The Leven Thumps series by Obert Skye

The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

Mr. Lemoncello's Library series by Chris Grabenstein

Horrible Histories/ Math/ Geography/ Science (various authors)

Michael Vey series by Richard Paul Evans

The 39 Clues series (various authors)

Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan

Hatchet series by Gary Paulsen

The Ranger's Apprentice series by John A. Flanagan

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (if they are a more advanced reader) by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Chronicles of Prydain (also for more advanced readers) by Lloyd Alexander

That's the end of my list, but I would love to know if you have others to recommend? My son is always looking for his next exciting books to read! Do you have younger kids looking for books, too? Check out this MEGA list of Books for Young Readers.

Also, I have a book list for Tween Girls, too!

This is part of the Massive Guide to Homeschool Reading Lists Link-Up.

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21 Series Books for Tween Boys - Teach Beside Me

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My 11-year-old son is a reader. He would read all day if there were not other things to get done. He has always been that way and because of that, it has been a challenge to find books to keep up with his love of reading.

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If you use Google Drive with your students, or for your own use, you may want to share pdf files or webpages with your students for them to read.

In a traditional paper and pencil, face to face classroom we spend a lot of time teaching students to annotate text. This is a skill that we don't want to lose when students read online. There is extensive evidence about the importance of annotating text. It is part of the new common core standards. Yet, as we move toward more web-based coursework it becomes difficult for students to highlight, underline, and make notes in the margin.

These ideas ARE compatible. There are several free chrome extensions and apps that will allow you to do just that. Before we get into the specifics of a few top choices make sure you know how to sign into chrome.

At the top of the chrome window is a spot to add a user, switch user, sign in, or sign out. This is important because when you sign in, your extensions and apps will be saved. You will sign in with your google credentials, just like you sign into gmail or Google Drive.

In order to annotate pdfs or webpages, here are a few of my top options, with some discussion of each one:

Kamipdf - Let's you upload pdfs from Google Drive, your computer, dropbox, and box.net. It also has a paid subscription, but a free subscription would probably be enough for most people. When you upload a file, there are a few tools, such as split and merge, OCR, but most importantly are the annotations tools. Once you upload a file, you have the options to add text, strikeout, highlight,comment, and even add some basic drawings. A quick sample is shown here.

When you are done, you have the option to download your document with the annotations, save to google drive, or print (with or without annotations). You can use Kamipdf as a website, or as a google chrome extension.

Xodopdf works very similarly. It is also available as a website or a chrome extension. It also has an app, so that it can be used on a tablet or phone. It seems to have more options that extend across different platforms, but perhaps a few less annotations tools. Overall, they look very similar, but it depends on your personal preference. Edits and annotations can be saved to your drive, and shared.

Both of these tools are great for pdfs, but what if your students are working on a website and want to be able to highlight and annotate?I tried out a few that were ok, but I wasn't thrilled. I tried Annotate! and f1000 with mediocre results. If you want students to be able to annotate webpages, there were a few tools that I really liked!

I was really very impressed with Diigo, which allows you to sign in with a google account, an advantage to students having to remember another login. It also allows you to annotate both webpages and PDF files. The annotations are then saved to your account. However, it is NOT free. There is a free plan, but it is quite limited. See here for plans and pricing.

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For free options, Hypothesis seems quite good. You have to set up a free account, and you have to make sure that when you are on a webpage the toolbar icon is active. There were some webpages where I had trouble making it work properly, because I could not highlight the text (NYTimes.com, but I think that's more a function of the website that hypothesis. When it did work, it was impressive. You can highlight or annotate, and then you can choose to share your annotations or keep them private. You can also share them with a group, if there is a group created.

I hope this is helpful to you, and please feel free to leave a comment or email with a question. As we have moved more and more towards 1:1 technology, and away from paper and pencil textbooks, being able to interact with text is a concern. Many of my students are not strong readers, and need to practice these reading skills, within an online environment.

There are ways to do so. Do you know of others? How do you solve this dilemma in your own classroom?

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Annotating PDFs and webpages in Google Chrome - Technology Tools for Teachers

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In a traditional paper and pencil, face to face classroom we spend a lot of time teaching students to annotate text. This is a skill that we don't want to lose when students read online. There is extensive evidence about the importance of annotating text. It is part of the new common core standards.

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For many of us, our reading block lasts anywhere from 90-120 minutes every day. That time is extremely important because it is the one time during the day that is protected and uninterrupted. However, our reading block can seem like a huge chunk of time to keep students engaged. For me, the time goes by so fast because I make sure my students are engaged every second during that time. So today, I want to share a few of the ways I have found to be helpful in engaging students during your reading block.

8 Ways to Engage Your Students During Your Reading Block

1. Have a plan for how your students will interact with the content.

This also goes hand in hand with how the kids use the materials that will help them to interact with the content. Think about the process or structure you will use in which you want the kids to use the materials. I always think about how I am going to have my students interact during the activity.

You can start implementing this strategy right away! Just ask yourself these questions:

Which partner/group member is going first?

What is the order for sharing in the partnership/group?

How will the students communicate using the academic language?

Who speaks or writes first?

What are the other kids doing when it's not their turn?

Accountable talk statements have been so helpful to my students as well as myself. I like to print them in different colors so I can tell the kids that they will be using the "blue, orange, green, etc." statement during any given interaction.
Check out my Facebook Live Video (previously aired) for a more elaborate explanation of how to do this!
2. Create visual materials with your students, and display them as you go through the lesson.

As teachers, we LOVE having pretty things in our classroom. This includes anchor charts, posters, and word walls. We can easily get carried away preparing them and finding the perfect spot to put them up before we even begin our lesson. I want to challenge you to try something different.

Prepare the skeleton of your materials such as an anchor chart, and fill them with content as you teach.

For vocabulary, have the word cards written ahead of time, but add them to the word wall as you go through the lesson.

Allow your students to record and generate information with you, through use of graphic organizers, whiteboards or learning journals.

Resource: Fluency Passages
Your students will make stronger connections to the content you are teaching when they are a part of the process. When you involve your students, they have the opportunity to take more ownership of the content they are learning.
First Grade Monthly Fluency Passages Second Grade Monthly Fluency Passages 3. Make learning words fun!
I also offer first and second grade Monthly Fluency and Comprehension Passages! Be sure to check those out as well!
4. Integrate grammar throughout your reading block.
One of the main reasons why I put a huge emphasis on learning words in my classroom, is because kids often skip over words they encounter without thinking twice about their meaning. When I am reading aloud, and I read over a word that I am "unfamiliar" with, I make a big deal out of it. I show my curiosity by trying to figure out what the word means based on the context of the sentence or paragraph. I also show the kids that it is okay to use resources such as a dictionary or a kid version of "Google", etc. I will get really excited when I figure out what that word means, and I show my students my enthusiasm. I also tell my students that I plan on using that word next time I have the opportunity to do so. It is important to always model how learning new words can be a lot of fun!

Integrate the required grammar skills into your reading block. In fact, think about integrating along with every subject you teach! You can integrate grammar into just about any part of your reading block. Here are just a few examples:

When you have your kids read any piece of text, such as a poem, lyric, nursery rhyme, close read - focus on one part of speech by having your students underline or circle each word they find.

When you are going over tier vocabulary words, take a moment to let your students organize them into their journals using an interactive notebook activity or graphic organizer, and then have them write a sentence that makes sense.

5. Make ordinary skills novel by incorporating songs, games, plays, show and tell, wordless books, etc.
Resource: Interactive Grammar Notebooks

Gone are the days of finding songs and singing to students to try to teach them the song. This is such a plus for me because I consider myself 100% tone deaf. YouTube has so many videos for primary classrooms. I have a gmail account that I only use for classroom videos, and I preview and preselect the songs when I am doing my lesson planning. I usually incorporate a song into my anticipatory set or "hook" of the lesson. Having songs in the classroom is a great way to get students familiar with the content so they remember key concepts.
6. Read aloud as often as you can.
My kids loved this "Super E" Song by Mark D. Pencil on YouTube.

Here is a story you might be able to connect with. I was a brand new teacher. I was given my keys on my very first day, and I walked into my first grade classroom to get a feel for what I needed. I couldn't help but notice the abundance of books on the bookshelves. I was so excited, so I walked over to my neighbor teacher, and I told him about how thrilled I was about all the books in my classroom. He replied, "Yea, It's too bad we aren't aloud to read aloud or let the kids use them anymore."

Y'all I was heartbroken and in total shock. How was I going to get through the year without incorporating literature and story into our day? Our entire schedules were timed to the minute and there was no time for a read aloud. Fortunately, I wasn't a very good rule follower, and I snuck in a read aloud that aligned with the ELA skill each day. I don't believe I was the only one;)

Three years later, I switched school districts. This new school district encouraged multiple read-alouds daily. The difference in my students' fluency and expression was incredible. I could tell my kids were emulating my expression and voice as they read aloud. Their expression and fluency improved at a much faster rate throughout the year.

When students are able to hear an adult read text aloud, it becomes their inner voice. They are able to build upon their language skills, vocabulary, reading strategies, expression, etc. They are also able to associate reading with positive experiences.

7. Make sure the kids have a pleasant atmosphere when reading.

You don't have to get 18 pillows, 5 hand-sewn bean bags, and a Pinterest-Worthy reading nook to give your kids a pleasant atmosphere. But it is important that the place they read is warm and inviting. You could add soft music, a lamp, helpful strategy posters, student work, etc. The possibilities are endless! You want to make sure your library is accessible so that your students can find a book that is a good fit for them. Having a pleasant atmosphere and a variety of book choices are important when it is time to read independently.

8. Try to keep the same theme across the curriculum, whenever possible.

Immersing students in relative content across the day makes such a big difference! I know this is not possible depending on where you teach, but if you have any voice in what you teach throughout the year, I highly recommend tying a theme to everything you teach during the day. For example:

If your basal program text is based around ocean animals, perhaps you can check the science curriculum to see if there are any ocean science lessons, and cover those specific standards during that week or unit.

When you are planning writing or writer's workshop, select a prompt that supports the theme you are have planned for reading, science, social studies, etc.

Carefully planning your day is key, because your students will absorb more vocabulary and content if you are able to extend the content throughout the entire day, week, etc.

Hopefully you are able to apply some of these practical engagement tips into your reading block right away! I would like to invite you to my Primary Teacher Group on Facebook to discuss further how you can enhance your instructional skills during your reading block!

Thanks for reading! If you liked this post, be sure to share or pin it for your teacher colleagues! If you want to stay updated with more content from me, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Teachers Pay Teachers to keep up with the latest freebies, tips, and ideas.

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8 Ways to Engage Your Students During Your Reading Block

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For many teachers, a reading block lasts anywhere from 90-120 minutes every day. That time is extremely important because is the one time during the day that is protected and uninterrupted. However, our reading block can seem like a huge chunk of time to keep students engaged.

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Using Google Apps to Support Reading and Writing in the Classroom

Below is a webinar that I gave on August 2, 2016, with Texthelp, the makers of Read & Write for Google and Fluency Tutor. Included in this webinar at tips, tricks, extensions, ideas and more to help you better support reading, writing and research in the classroom. Enjoy!

Reading and Writing Supports for GAFE Users
(Recorded Webinar from August 2, 2016)

Slide Deck and Resources from the Webinar

Bring Shake Up Learning to Your School

Ready to shake things up in your school or at your event? Email me at Kasey@ShakeUpLearning.com , or submit this PD request form to bring Shake Up Learning to your 2016 event.

Below are just a few of the keynote presentations and workshops that I deliver across the country:

Change is the New Black: Embrace the Digital Learning Revolution(keynote)

The Teacher's Guide to Google Classroom (workshop or presentation)

Digital Differentiation with Google Apps (workshop or presentation)

The Golden Treasures of Google! The Fabulous Tools You Don't Know About! (presentation)

Blended Learning with Chromebooks (workshop or presentation)

The Social Media Secret Sauce (presentation)

About Kasey Bell

Kasey Bell is an award-winning digital learning consultant, speaker, and blogger with a passion for technology and learning. Kasey offers engaging staff development for all levels of educators, specializing in training, presentations, keynote speaking engagements, and consulting. As a skillful facilitator, Google Certified Innovator, Google Certified Trainer, and Amazon Education Thought Leader, Kasey has led a variety of digital learning workshops, including presentations at ISTE, FETC, TCEA, Google Summits, and iPadpalooza. Kasey received a Digital Innovation in Learning Award given by EdSurge and Digital Promise, in the "Sharing is Caring," category, and she was recognized as the #3 EdTech and E-Learning Influencer on Twitter . Kasey was a finalist for the 2015 Instructional Technology Specialist of the year given by TCEA . Kasey is co-leader of the North Texas Google Educator Group and has also been featured on edtech podcasts, EdTech Magazine, Edsurge and more.
Kasey's website and blog, ShakeUpLearning.com , provides teachers and educators with digital learning resources, tech tips and tricks, and classroom technology integration ideas. Here you will find great resources for Google apps, including guides and cheat sheets, mobile learning and apps, iPad tips, and social media tips for educators. Shake Up Learning, was recognized as a Must Read EdTech Blog for 2016, and a 2015 Edublog Awards Finalist for best edtech resource blog. Also , Kasey's resources and tips have also been featured on other blogs and websites including Edsurge, Edudemic, EdTech Magazine, Emerging Edtech, and more. As a blogger, Kasey uses her blog to create and share original technology integration ideas, resources, cheat sheets, and more!

Connect with Shake Up Learning

Email me: Kasey[AT]ShakeUpLearning.com

Using Google Apps to Support Reading and Writing

Below is a webinar that I gave on August 2, 2016, with Texthelp, the makers of Read & Write for Google and Fluency Tutor. Included in this webinar at tips, tricks, extensions, ideas and more to help you better support reading, writing and research in the classroom. Enjoy!

© Shake Up Learning 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

18 Challenges for Teachers in 2018 FREE eBook!

Get the FREE eBook: 18 Challenges for Teachers in 2018! Simply fill out this form and we will send you the 83-page PDF ebook.

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Using Google Apps to Support Reading and Writing in the Classroom (Recorded Webinar) | Shake Up Learning

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PinterestUsing Google Apps to Support Reading and Writing in the Classroom Below is a webinar that I gave on August 2, 2016, with Texthelp, the makers of Read & Write for Google and Fluency Tutor. Included in this webinar at tips, tricks, extensions, ideas and more to help you better support reading, writing and research ...

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HI-LO books serve struggling readers, those with a high reading interest but low reading level.

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7 sneaky ways to get students reading using technology

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We all have had students in our classroom who dislike reading. You can spot them easily during their silent reading time: staring at the wall, using the bathroom, or attempting to sharpen pencils t...

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So for three years, I write for them, and with them. We talk about opening paragraphs, and they learn how to write them with their thesis statement either as the first or last sentence. (The latter requires more skill.) They learn to use transition words, embed quotations to support their argument, consider the advantages of active vs. passive voice, vary their sentences, and many other skills, all in the hope of creating a strong argument.

The truth is lately I've come to question the point of much of this. Does the average person, once they leave school, spend a lot of time composing academic essays? Is this the best way for our students to show their learning? In some places, the academic 5 paragraph essay is hailed as the Holy Grail of non-fiction writing achievement. Yet even if a student can become a great persuasive essay writer, they're still only semi-literate, at least according to the definition of 21st Century Literacies.

A DIFFERENT BEAST

While traditional essay writing may not help alleviate this situation, I think blogging can. Here's the problem; Blogging is an entirely different beast. And one of the things I've learned about my students is that they don't necessarily transfer a skill they've learned in one area to another without difficulty, or even prompting.

For one, the paragraphing is different. The large, solid paragraphs of prose that can be found in a typical persuasive essay, can feel arduous and cumbersome to all but the most determined reader.

Instead, blog paragraphs tend to be shorter. It allows the piece to feel fluid and speeds up the rate at which your reader reads (often through the glare of a computer monitor or on a phone or tablet screen). And while the effective blogger still uses transition words, as many aren't necessary to provide the piece with a feeling of fluidity and coherence.

Sometimes a paragraph is one simple sentence, used for emphasis.

Another thing is the thesis statement. Its placement, in a blog, is up for grabs. Did you catch where mine is? Actually, I haven't written it yet. Huh?!

Blogging also requires a different voice. The way I blog isn't quite how I talk, but it's nowhere close to how I write a formal essay. Furthermore, the voice used in blogging needs to be rich, sharp and distinct, to gain an audience. And while some may argue that academic writing could stand to have a bit more color and flair, I'm not sure that's currently the accepted norm (although I wish it was).

In a formal essay, I would never use a sentence fragment. Ever. In a blog, it provides emphasis. Nor would I use slang in an essay. But here? Yep. In one of my posts, I double-dog dared my readers. Could you imagine double-dog daring anyone in an academic essay? If you try it, let me know the result.

Another thing that changes is providing your reader with evidence to support your points. In teaching the typical formal essay, I show my students how to quote directly, indirectly, and using individual words. Blogs still use direct quotes, but an indirect quote can be as simple as a vague mention and a link.

MY THESIS STATEMENT

I think blogging is the new persuasive essay - my thesis, finally.

Truth is, I love writing essays. There's something satisfying about rendering the chaos of thoughts into an elegant form. But I love blogging more. It feels like playing.

I also find it more useful. While our students will need to know how to write essays to get through university, many won't use it after that, unless they remain in academia. I think writing and persuasive thinking skills are important. However, I question the current products we require of students as proof of their learning. Most of the essays written by our students likely end up in the garbage or the computer trash can. And most are for an audience of one.

Blogging has the potential to reach and influence many. Furthermore, it has greater potential for being a life-long skill. And isn't that our goal in education? People from all walks and professions blog for the purpose of teaching, creating, and informing. A number of my recent Masters courses didn't require papers; instead, they required blogging. Why?

Because blogging is the new persuasive essay.

If we're trying to prepare our students to think critically and argue well, they need to be able to blog. It allows for interaction. It allows for ideas to be tested. And the best posts anywhere in cyberspace tend to have a point that can be argued.

I think blogging across the curriculum, not just in Language Arts, allows for both formative and summative assessment. Blogs allow us to see the progression in the development of both thinking and writing. It may actually take more talent and skill to create an interesting persuasive post (or series of posts) on the French Revolution than a traditional essay.

BLOGGING AS A SKILL

Students definitely need to understand how and why the mechanics (and style) of blogging are different.

The solution? Blogging needs to start earlier, much earlier. I read recently of a kindergarten teacher who blogs with her students. Great idea. There's a teacher in my division who does amazing things with her grade one class.

I'm not proposing that you need to do things radically different. Teach whatever you teach for Language Arts, or other subjects, but include a blog component. So if you're teaching sentence structure, teach your students to create complete sentences while blogging. Blogs, like traditional writing, need great structure. If you're focusing on capitalization or punctuation, transfer this skill to blog writing as well.

If you're teaching paragraph structure, teach students the paragraph structure required for traditional essays and that for blogs. They're different. Explain why. It's likely they won't be good at it at first. But there is merit to the quote, "Anything worth doing, is worth doing badly."

A middle years teacher at my school used to stress out when we talked about student writing. She wanted to know if she was teaching them enough. My reply: "All I need them to do is write solid paragraphs. If they can do that, I can teach them all kinds of things." Really, everything I teach is either an addition to, or a subtraction from, a solid paragraph. My work builds on her work. I don't need her to teach what I teach. That's my job. But without her previous work, mine becomes much more difficult.

The same is true with blogging. Starting from scratch with blogging in grade 10 isn't impossible. But we could do so much more if they already had the basics. In order to write well, you need to write a lot.

If you don't currently teach your students to blog, please start. Our students need you to. And if you already teach your students to blog, keep it up. Because blogging is an important 21st century skill. It's the new persuasive essay.

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So for three years, I write for them, and with them. We talk about opening paragraphs, and they learn how to write them with their thesis statement either as the first or last sentence. (The latter requires more skill.) They learn to use transition words, embed quotations to support their argument, consider the advantages of active vs.

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by Anna Gratz Cockerille

Short class periods. Moving from room to room. Limited space. Adolescent emotions. These are just a few of the challenges middle school students (and teachers) face. To be sure, teaching writing in middle school takes special planning, creativity, and patience. But it can be done, and it can be done well, even with its challenges.

The Units of Study for Argument, Information, and Narrative Writing Grades 6-8 offer curricular plans for a full, rich year of teaching middle school students to write well. The series includes considerations for these grades, including:

Topics meant to grab and keep middle schoolers' attention, such as digital presentations, investigative journalism, and argumentation.

Adaptable plans, including three full units and nine additional units, so that teachers can customize a year-long curriculum to best meet their students' needs and interests.

An increased emphasis on building independence and growing students' writing lives, including suggestions for homework and self-assessment.

Ways to tap into students' desire for peer relationships with enhanced partnership work.

In addition to these big pillars of the curriculum are hidden gems tucked into each unit. These are the teaching moves and planning tips that make the work come alive in classrooms. This week, staff developers Emily Campbell, Laurie Burke, and Heather Burns will lead the TCRWP Twitter community in sharing ideas and questions about both the big pillars and the hidden gems. Please join to learn more about the Middle School Units of Study and ways they can support students' best writing yet.

♦ ♦ ♦

Each Wednesday night at 7:30pm eastern, The Teacher's College Reading and Writing Project hosts a Twitter chat using the hashtag #TCRWP. Join @estrangcamby, @burkelf, and @header334 tomorrow evening to chat about unpacking the Middle School Units of Study for Writing.

♦ ♦ ♦

Anna Gratz Cockerille

Coauthor of Bringing History to Life (Grade 4) in the Units of Study for Teaching Writing Series.

Anna was a teacher and a literacy coach in New York City and in Sydney, Australia, and later became a Staff Developer and Writer at TCRWP. She served as an adjunct instructor in the Literacy Specialist Program at Teachers College, and taught at several TCRWP institutes, including the content literacy institute, where she helped participants bring strong literacy instruction into social studies classrooms. Anna also has been a researcher for Lucy Calkins, contributing especially to Pathways to the Common Core: Accelerating Achievement (Heinemann 2012), and Navigating Nonfiction in the Units of Study for Teaching Reading, Grades 3-5 series (Heinemann 2010). Most recently, Anna served as an editor for the Units of Study for Teaching Reading, K-5 series.

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Unpacking the Middle School Units of Study: Big Pillars and Hidden Gems

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by Anna Gratz Cockerille Short class periods. Moving from room to room. Limited space. Adolescent emotions. These are just a few of the challenges middle school students (and teachers) face. To be sure, teaching writing in middle school takes special planning, creativity, and patience.

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My second year of teaching, all the English teachers on our campus were given daily 90-minute blocks instead of 45, so I started an in-class silent reading procedure.

However, I did it all wrong.

My students, 99 percent of whom were not avid readers, were not simply going to sit and read for 10 to 15 minutes without a fight. So, they hid phones behind their books. They read the same two pages over and over again. They picked up a different book every day because it got too hard after the first few chapters. They fell asleep. They would lose their books or grab someone else's if they couldn't find theirs, setting off a highly annoying daily domino effect.

But once I learned what they were doing and started to understand why they weren't reading, I did some trial-and-error experiments until I had a successful SSR (sustained silent reading) program. Here's how I turned silent reading from a dreaded chore into something that was both beneficial and personally meaningful for my students.

Read at the same time as your students. Reading with your students during SSR time models that reading is not simply an assignment for students but is an enjoyable choice for adults too. I know every teacher has 830,000 things on their to-do list and it's tempting to try to use SSR time to take care of it, but try to make the days you read with them far outnumber the days you don't.

Use five minutes of each SSR time for student conferences. Each day, meet with a new student and discuss the book they're reading or just finished. Keep track of their reading on a spreadsheet. Think of it more as a casual conversation, making sure they are reading, enjoying and being challenged by their books rather than a "test" they need to pass.

Periodically recommend some awesome new reads. A little advertising goes a long way. Once a month, present to the class (or better: have students present them!) some books you've read and liked, even if they're older books. When you are excited about a book, it increases the demand for it tenfold. Any time I presented a stack of books to my reluctant-reader class, they were gone by the end of that class period.

Keep your students updated on what you're reading. Some teachers I know devote a little section of their whiteboard or chalkboard to keep students informed on what they're reading. I'm terrible with remembering to update things like this and know I would have the same book listed there for months, so instead, I periodically just talk to my students about my SSR book (since I have it there with me). But whatever you do, modeling that you're an avid reader can be one of the most powerful motivators for them to become one too.

Demonstrate that reading is its own reward. Once my students were more excited to read, I love to show them how rewarding it could be. Any time it was raining outside, students knew they'd get an extra five minutes (because curling up with a good book during a thunderstorm ... duh). I've also held the Finer Things Club (a tradition I borrowed from the TV show The Office) where students meet in small groups, bring their own fancy snacks/drink (that is, anything that does not coat the fingers in an orange or red film) and discuss what they've read recently using literature discussion question prompts.

Use flexible seating. I have several sets of pillows and cushions I keep in my room on a first-come, first-served basis for students to use when reading. I don't mind if they sit on the floor, either (though you do need to keep an eye out for trouble if your students aren't all sitting at desk-level). Do you have nice weather and an agreeable supervisor? Read outside one day!

Dim the lights. Even better: Turn off the lights completely and use lamp lighting (or strands of Christmas lights if you're not afraid of your fire marshal).

Get organized. Make sure there is a place for students to put their books. I would highly, highly recommend getting a mail sorter-it cuts down so much on students losing or misplacing books, and you can easily look in the slots to see who didn't put their book back. But if you can't get a mail sorter, have some kind of system in place that bunches your students' silent reading books together in bins or tubs instead of a giant shelf per class. Giant shelves are where SSR books go to die (i.e., get lost/stolen/damaged).

Make it a regular thing. It's hard to stay engaged with a book if you're not sure when you're going to be given time to read it. Commit to silent reading being a same-time-every-day thing.

Remember, these are things I learned by trial and error, so for more on silent reading from an expert, check out Steve Gardiner's Building Literacy Through Sustained Silent Reading.

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How I Made In-Class Silent Reading Work for Me - WeAreTeachers

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My second year of teaching, all the English teachers on our campus were given daily 90-minute blocks instead of 45, so I started an in-class silent reading procedure. However, I did it all wrong. My students, 99 percent of whom were not avid readers, were not simply going to sit and read for 10 to 15 minutes without a fight.

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Feeling the blues? Winter getting you down? Well, how about joining me this month with sharing books you love? Today, I want to share with you something I'm very excited about called...

We 💗 Literacy Month

Yes, original sounding I know, but it's short, sweet, and to the point. The kiddos at my school love reading, and they're doing great with our incentive program, 40 Book Challenges, and other plans the classroom teachers use, but we wanted to spread the love so to speak. Here is how it's going to work.

During the month, we are having our students complete heart shaped book reviews independently, in their classrooms, or with their parents (Pre K and Kindergarten) at home. The hearts will be printed on pink paper and will be strung throughout the halls for the children to see/read. Why? Well, these "conversation hearts" will lead to book talk about what the kids are reading, what they loved, and what they should plan to read. I can't tell you how excited I am about the event. I am hopeful that it will lead to increased reading and growth.

Student Samples

Below, here's an example of the kindergarten review. In this "student" sample, I the student drew a picture of the spider in a tree which is one of the scenes in the book.

In the example above, the student wrote about the book, Because of Winn Dixie. This one is from a fourth grade girl, and it includes more detail. The pages allow extended response down to draw and label.

Love this Idea?

So, ready to jump in and do it in your school too? No problem! I'd love to have this done at any school that's interested, and I'm sharing the materials to make it easy for you. With this freebie, please feel free to make as many copies as you need or modify the letter as you like. I included our school's parent letter as well as a blank template that you can use to create your own. Simply type up the letter in Word and print like you would on stationary. I hope we can spread the love of reading to all of our students.

A Book I Love

I'll close this post with sharing a book I love. Patricia Polacco is my all time favorite author, and the book I love most of hers is Thank You Mr. Falker. Why do I love it? Well, it is the story of many students I've taught. Patricia's story gives them hope and courage to work hard and not give up. She inspires readers that they can do anything they put their mind to, and finally, bullies are just not worth the time and energy they get. If you love this book too and would like to teach it, I do have a unit I've used with it. You can check that out with the image to the right. Have a great week, and enjoy the freebie!

Pin for Later:

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Feeling the blues? Winter getting you down? Well, how about joining me this month with sharing books you love? Today, I want to share with you something I'm very excited about called... Yes, original sounding I know, but it's short, sweet, and to the point.

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Closing the Gaps: School Librarians and the What's Hot Report

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Literacy Daily-the blog of the International Literacy Association (ILA)-features education stories, teaching tips, book reviews, and more.

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A teacher sent a letter to a publishing house asking for any spare copies of children's books for her class library. A week later she got a phone call asking, "Where should I back the truck up to?"

Studies show that kids who don't learn to read well by third grade are four times less likely to finish high school than those who have solid reading skills at that age. Reading is more important than ever today.

How do we get kids to be more proficient readers? By giving them books. Simply exposing kids to literature is one of the most effective ways of getting them reading. But because many children have families too busy to consistently dedicate time to reading with them, that duty often falls on teachers.

This is why mini libraries have become staples in many classrooms. Teachers use them to offer their students a variety of literature to get interested in, read, and even take home.

But there's a problem here. School budget constraints mean that teachers often spend their own money to fill their classroom libraries-on top of buying their own supplies-and with an average salary of $30,377 a year, things can get tight for them.

For those of you in this situation-or those of you who simply can't afford to buy books-I suggest this possibility: ask for them!

A children's literature professor, the walls of his office packed with shelves of hundreds of books, once told me that he had not paid a dime for any of them. If he saw a title he was interested in, he would send a letter to the publisher asking if they had a few spare copies of, say, Where the Wild Things Are. He'd explain that he was a professor and was eager to share the great quality of these books with his students. His office is a testament to how well this worked for him.

The people who work at publishing houses love stories, and they love sharing stories with others who will treasure them. If you reach the right person at the right time, you could just end up with a truckload of books in front of your school.

While there's no guarantee a publisher will say yes, it never hurts to ask. Give it a try! You'll be surprised how generous people can be.

Don't know where to start? Here is the Children's Choices List of 2016's most popular titles [PDF], and here is a thorough directory of children's book publishers.

Below is a sample email to send to a promising publisher, but it could also work for letters or even phone calls.

Subject line. Be specific. Spare copy of Harold and the Purple Crayon request

Address the publisher. Dear HarperFestival,

Explain your situation and make your request. Be concise! I am an elementary school teacher looking to fill my class library, but just don't have the money to afford the titles I need. I was wondering if you had any spare copies of Harold and the Purple Crayon (ISBN 0062086529) that you'd be able to send me.

Expand on your reasons for wanting this book. I remember reading the Harold books as a kid myself and how the creativity and delight influenced me. I would love to have the chance to share this with my students. Anything you can do is greatly appreciated.

Closing. Thank you so much for your time!

[Your name]
[School address]

If you do write to a publisher, let us know how it went. Or if you have tips and book suggestions of your own, we'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

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A Surprisingly Simple Way to Get Kids Reading

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A teacher sent a letter to a publishing house asking for any spare copies of children's books for her class library. A week later she got a phone call asking, "Where should I back the truck up to?"

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I-Hated-to-Read-Til-I-Read-This Booklist for Boys

Ask a boy who hates to read what he does like to do, and you'll get a surprising array of answers. Everything from playing sports to building models, to dinosaurs and animals to cars, machines, and movies - the funny ones, the sci-fi ones, and the scarier the better. So let that be your guide. Find books that plug into his hobbies and interests - books he'll want to tell his friends about - and he'll be hooked.
ADVANCED READS for tweens and teens, ages 11 up
AMERICAN BORN CHINESE by Gene Luen Yang

Three stories-one following the Chinese folk hero Monkey King, another, the Jin Wang and his struggle to fit in with his American classmates, and a third, of Danny, who changes schools to keep away from his embarrassing cousin-ultimately converge in this graphic novel about race and self-identity.

ASHFALL by Mike Mullin

Fifteen-year-old Alex is home alone when a supervolcano erupts, descending the world as he knows it into darkness, ash, and violence. All seems hopeles until he teams up with Darla, and together they fight for survival.

DEATH CLOUD (Young Sherlock Holmes series) by Andrew Lane

About to begin his summer vacation from boarding school, the fourteen-year-old Sherlock learns he has to spend the holidays with remote relatives. Before long he becomes deeply involved in attempting to solve a murder mystery, and suddenly Sherlock's summer vacation is anything but dull.

ERAGON (Inheritance Cycle series) by Christopher Paolini

Eragon comes across a mysterious polished blue stone, which soon hatches-and Eragon finds himself in charge of training a baby dragon he names Saphira. King Galbatorix, the feared and hated ruler of all Alagaësia, murders Eragon's uncle, and Eragon and Saphira flee, vowing vengeance.

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST (Fullmetal Alchemist series) by Hiromu Arakawa

This manga follows two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, whose lives-and even their own bodies-have been taken over by the dangerous powers of alchemy.

THE GOATS by Brock Cole

When kids from a summer camp strip and maroon a young boy and girl alone on an island for a night as a prank, the pair-or rather, the "goats"-decide to stay.

THE KID FROM TOMKINSVILLE by John R. Tunis

This classic author of books for boys writes of a young baseball player named Roy Tucker. The pitcher is drafted to the Brooklyn Dodgers to help the team out of a slump, but after a serious accident, Roy must find another place for himself on the team.

LEVIATHAN (Leviathan series) by Scott Westerfeld

Climb on board the Leviathan, a living airship, and join the action with two teenage heroes as they're swept up in an alternate universe version of World War I.

LOCKDOWN (Escape from Furnace series) by Alexander Gordon Smith

Lockdown is a story about criminals and thugs, about monsters and madmen, about a bunch of kids who've been thrown into the most terrifying prison ever conceived.

THE ANGEL EXPERIMENT (Maximum Ride series) by James Patterson

'The Flock', Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel are pretty normal kids-except that they're 98 percent human, 2 percent bird. And they were raised in a lab by evil scientists. And they can fly. Oh-and they've been called on to save the world.

THE MAZE RUNNER and the rest of the series by James Dashner

Thomas wakes up in an elevator, remembering nothing. He joins a group of boys who have been penned into a large walled-in area called the Glade, which opens up to a maze every morning. When the first girl joins them the next day, Thomas realizes he may be more important than he could ever guess.

THE MOVES MAKE THE MAN by Bruce Brooks

Jerome Foxworthy, basketball extraordinaire, can handle anything-he grew up without a father, he was the first black kid in his school. When Jerome meets Bix Rivers, Jerome takes it upon himself to teach his new friend all his greatest moves.

THE OBSIDIAN BLADE (Klaatu Diskos series) by Pete Hautman

Around Tucker's idyllic town of Hopewell, unearthly disks appear, suspended in the sky. Not everyone can see them, but for those who can, the disks serve as portals to other places and times. When Tucker's parents disappear, it's up to him to find them, against all the ghosts, mega-maggots, futuristic medicine and weapons that come in his path.

THE RED PYRAMID (The Kane Chronicles series) by Rick Riordan

Fourteen-year-old Carter Kane and his twelve-year-old sister Sadie Kane discover that the blood of the pharaohs runs through their veins, and they are the most powerful royal children to be born in centuries. Can they summon enough magic to rescue their father and reconcile the gods with the Per Ankh, the House of Life, before Set-the Red Lord, the evil god of chaos-destroys North America and more?

SCORPIA RISING (Alex Rider series) by Anthony Horowitz

After eight dangerous and daring missions, teen spy Alex Rider has come to his last. But this mission is like no other. The danger is greater, the stakes higher, the villains deadlier, as Alex once again goes up against Scorpia, the terrorist organization that he's fought and barely defeated twice before.

DISASTERS: Natural and Man-Made Catastrophes through the Centuries by Brenda Guiberson

Ten well-known catastrophes including the great Chicago fire, the sinking of the Titanic, and hurricane Katrina are dissected alongside detailed photographs and drawings.

SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD by Jennifer Armstrong

In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton attempted to be the first explorer to cross Antarctica by foot "from sea to sea," but he and his team never reached their objective. The ship became entrapped in ice, and the men were forced to abandon their mission and try to survive in the brutally harsh Antarctic wasteland for 19 months.

WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson

Kadir Nelson says in his Author's Note, "I chose to present the voice of the narrator as a collective voice, the voice of every player, the voice of we." It takes about a page before you figure this out, and then it feels like everyone is telling you stories about what it was like to be a Negro League player.

GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS 2012
PAGETURNERS for ages 8-12
ASTRONAUT ACADEMY by Dave Roman

Hakata Soy leaves his past as the leader of a superhero team to attend Astronaut Academy, a school on a space station orbiting Earth. He hopes to make a fresh start in life, but his heroic past keeps catching up with him.

CHARLIE JOE JACKSON by Tommy Greenwald

Charlie Joe shares the tactics that have gotten him all the way to Middle School without EVER reading a whole book. Reluctant readers ready to learn his secrets will find instead that they have just finished (and enjoyed!) an entire book.

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (Wimpy Kid series) by Jeff Kinney

Writing and drawing his stick-figure pictures in his new journal helps Greg deal with middle school, overbearing parents, and two brothers.

THE HAUNTED SCHOOL (Goosebumps series) by R.L. Stine

Tommy has a hard time making new friends at his new school. And the school is big-so big, Tommy gets lost. And that's when he hears the voices, kids crying for help, coming from beyond the classroom walls...

HERO by Mike Lupica

Fourteen- year-old Zach Harriman knows he has a pretty amazing dad. He accepts that his dad's job as a government agent with a high security clearance means that Zachary must be kept in the dark about much of what he does. When Zach's father dies in an airplane crash, Zach starts to learn just how many secrets his dad really had, including his super-hero powers-and that the powers are hereditary.

THE LIGHTNING THIEF (Percy Jackson and the Olympians series) by Rick Riordan

Percy is about to find out the truth about the father he's never met. "Lost at sea" is all his mother has ever told him. Well, Percy's father is a god. A Greek god. A real one. And that makes Percy a demigod, a half-blood, and he's now in mortal danger.

MIDDLE SCHOOL: THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE (Middle School series) by James Patterson

Middle School doesn't begin well for Rafe Khatchadorian. Between run-ins with the school bully, Miller "The Killer" and a book of rules that the school actually takes seriously, to say Rafe is disillusioned with the educational system would be understatement. And so it's totally understandable when his best friend, Leonardo, suggests that Rafe set out to break every rule in the book.

SIDEKICKS by Dan Santat

In this graphic novel romp, Superhero Captain Amazing needs a new sidekick. Enter four super pets, all vying for the coveted spot as his right-hand man... er... animal.

THE STORM MAKERS by Jennifer Smith

Twins Ruby and Simon move to a Wisconsin farm, and suffer the consequences of the worst drought in history. Enter MOSS, the Makers of Storm Society, and Simon discovers he holds powerful weather-changing powers.

SWINDLE (Swindle series) by Gordon Korman

Griffin sells an old Babe Ruth baseball carp to a memorabilia shop, where the owner gives him 120 bucks for the card, claiming it is a knockoff made in 1967. What a liar! Griffin soon sees the dealer being interviewed on TV, showing the selfsame 1920 baseball card, worth a cool million. Griffin assembles a heist team and together they plan to steal back that card.

THE UNWANTEDS and others in the series by Lisa McCann

In Quill there are three types of people: Wanteds, Necessaries, and Unwanteds. Wanteds, as their name suggests, are the most valued members of society. Necessaries are tolerated for whatever menial skill they may possess. And Unwanteds, typically those showing a flare for creativity and resistance to conformity, are put to their deaths. Or so the Quillians think.

THE WITCHES by Roald Dahl

A recently-orphaned boy stumbles upon the yearly meeting of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children while staying at a posh hotel. But wait. These are not ordinary ladies. Alas, the group is actually made up of nasty witches, who are meeting to hatch a hideous plan to turn all of the children in England into mice.

BABY MAMMOTH MUMMY by Christopher Sloan

The discovery of baby mammoth Lyuba allows for a never-before-seen inside look at prehistoric Sibera, 31,000 years later.

EVERY DAY ON EARTH: Fun Facts That Happen Every 24 Hours by Steve & Matthew Murrie

Your taste bud cells are replaced at a rate of 50,000 a day. Almost 40,000 trees are cut down every day just to make paper bags. What else happens around the Earth in the span of a day?

GREAT MOMENTS IN THE SUMMER OLYMPICS by Matt Christopher and Stephanie Peters

Relive great moments in Olympic summer sports history, especially in the games of Track and Field, Gymnastics, and Swimming.

GET THE SCOOP ON ANIMAL POOP by Dawn Cusick

There comes a time in every kid's life when poop becomes an object of fascination, and this entertaining and informative introduction to coprology, the study of feces, is sure to satisfy every imaginable scatological curiosity.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS ALMANAC 2013
TRANSITIONAL BOOKS for ages 7-10
BAD KITTY GETS A BATH and other titles by Nick Bruel

You think you have a problem pet that rules your roost? Get a load of this quintessential bad kitty, a sleek, black, rowdy ruffian who is none too happy about getting a bath. OK, that's an understatement.

THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS (Captain Underpants series) by Dav Pilkey

George and Harold hypnotize their principal, mean Mr. Krupp, and turn him into their superhero creation Captain Underpants.

DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK (Magic Tree House series) by Mary Pope Osborne

A mysterious treehouse whisks Annie and Jack to the past-and in this first novel, that means the land of the dinosaurs. But how will they get home?

DRAGONBREATH: CURSE OF THE WERE-WIENER (Dragonbreath series) by Ursula Vernon

At lunchtime in the school cafeteria that day, Danny's overly large and bright red hot dog bites Wendell's finger. By the next day, Wendell's finger has turned candy-apple red, and his back is growing hair. Sneaking into the cafeteria's walk-in freezer to investigate, Danny finds an unusual package of hot dogs with the label "Were-Wieners, a product of Transylvania."

EVERY THING ON IT by Shel Silverstein

A new collection of 30 never-before-seen poems and drawings from the remarkable writer and artist Shel Silverstein.

THE FENWAY FOUL-UP (Ballpark Mysteries series) by David Kelly

Can Mike and Kate solve the mystery of who stole the Red Sox's star player's lucky bat, right in front of everyone's noses? Each book in this series is set in a different American ballpark stadium.

HORRID HENRY (Horrid Henry series) by Francesca Simon

Horrid Henry and his neighbor Moody Margaret set out to make the grossest sludge ever glopped together.

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Katherine Applegate

Ivan barely remembers his life before the mall. He has some wonderful friends: there's Stella, the stoic elephant twice his size; there's Bob, the homeless-by-choice dog who sneaks into the mall every night and sleeps on Ivan's big belly; and there's Julia, the human daughter of George the custodian, who does her homework by Ivan's domain every evening and who shares a love of art with him. Yes, that's right: Ivan is an artist.

SQUISH: SUPER AMOEBA by Jennifer Holm

Squish is an amoeba in elementary school with a good heart but facing a lot of obstacles. A mysterious enemy is threatening our hero, as if the usual pitfalls of weird parents, obnoxious bullies, homework, and more weren't enough. Kids will really identify with this unlikely hero who has to save the world even though all he really wants to do is get through the week.

THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS by Jon Scieszka

Alexander T. Wolf would like to set the record straight. He says, "I don't know how this whole Big Bad Wolf thing got started, but it's all wrong . . . The real story is about a sneeze and a cup of sugar."

ENCYLOPEDIA PREHISTORICA by Robert Sabuda

A look at all things dinosaur, packing in facts on more than 50 species, and the six major watercolored pop-ups are spectacular.

HENRY AARON'S DREAM by Matt Tavares

Every kid has a wish-a dream for his or her own future. Henry Aaron was no exception. He wanted to play baseball, but baseball stadiums in his hometown of Mobile, Alabama in the 1940s were for "WHITES ONLY." It took perseverance, enormous talent, and courage for Henry Aaron to not only hold onto his vision, but also to make it a reality.

WEIRD BUT TRUE: 300 Outrageous Facts by National Geographic Kids

Did you know that... The world's oldest pet goldfish lived to be 43 years old? The world's longest soap bubble was as long as four school buses? On Neptune, the wind blows up to 1,243 miles an hour? The whole family will be dazed and amazed by this remarkable assortment of crazy but very true facts.

YOU NEVER HEARD OF SANDY KOUFAX? by Jonah Winter

For six years, 1961-1966, Koufax was known as the greatest lefty pitcher ever. Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer, Willie Stargell, said, "Hittin' a Koufax fastball was like tryin' to drink coffee with a fork." In high school, this Jewish kid from Brooklyn aced every sport, and soon the scouts came calling. This has to be the coolest-looking sports biography ever.

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Ask a boy who hates to read what he does like to do, and you'll get a surprising array of answers. Everything from playing sports to building models, to dinosaurs and animals to cars, machines, and movies - the funny ones, the sci-fi ones, and the scarier the better.

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Editor's Note: Amy Sylvester's creative multimedia project is just the thing for those final weeks of the school year. After reading, discussing, and analyzing a Scope play, Amy's students turn it into a gorgeous digital flipbook by recording a reading of the play and illustrating it themselves. This fun and collaborative project can be done whether or not you're a 1:1 classroom. It calls for just a few devices and some basic software. Amy and her fellow teacher Matt Mankiewicz collaborated on this project.

I do this project at least three times a year with Scope plays-which are always a big hit in my classroom. I love this project because it builds students' reading confidence and lets them stretch their creative muscles. It's also great fun! For the example project described below, I used the The Tell-Tale Heart (based on the classic Poe story) from the September issue of the magazine.

What you'll need:
any Scope play, such as this one
at least one iPad or computer per group
movie editing software, such as iMovie, or presentation software, such as PowerPoint or Keynote
audio recording software, such as GarageBand

Skills:
speaking; listening; using multiple mediums, including digital media, to visually express information

Time:
5-6 class periods: 3 periods to practice reading the play and create the pictures, and another 2-3 periods to record the play, choose music and sound effects, and put the slideshow together

NOTE: By the time students do this project, they have already read and analyzed the play in class and learned about Edgar Allan Poe.
1. Divide students into groups and do a practice run

Divide the class into groups of 8-10 students. The groups should be big enough so that each student gets at least one part. If there aren't enough parts to go around, some students can take on multiple roles.

Have students highlight their role(s) in the magazine so they can follow along easily.

Have each group read through the play once or twice for practice. By this point in the unit, they have all read the play 3-5 times before, so they are very familiar with it.

As the groups practice reading their roles, circulate around the room offering tips and advice.

2. Record the play

Once the students are comfortable reading their parts, they find a quiet spot in the classroom, gather around in a circle, and record a reading of the play.

You can use any audio recording software, but I like GarageBand because it's pre-loaded on our iPads. Since we are 1:1, I have all the students record the play on their own devices so that they each have their own recording to refer back to as the create their illustrations. If you are not 1:1, students can record on one device and then share the audio files with the group using Google Docs, Dropbox, etc.

The recording sometimes takes two tries to get it right, so this can be a little time consuming.

As the groups record, continue circulating around the room to make sure they are on the right track.

3. Create a storyboard

Students determine as a group which parts of the play they want to illustrate, considering which elements are most important and which lend themselves best to visual representation.

The students create a storyboard on Google Docs (so that it can be shared among the group members), sketching out what each illustration will look like.

Review all the completed storyboards and provide feedback to each group to help refine their ideas.

Once the storyboards are set, the students divide up the illustrations so that each student creates about three. Each group should end up with about 23 illustrations for a 10-minute recording.

I created the below document for groups to keep track of who is creating which illustrations.

4. Create illustrations and add sound effects

Students create their illustrations then scan them.

I like using iMovie to create the digital flipbook, but you can use any simple movie editing software, or even PowerPoint.

Students upload their images and organize them according to their storyboard.

At this point students also add music (iMovie has copyright-free music, but students can choose to add their own music too) to enhance the mood of the play. They can also record sound effects for extra pizzazz (such as opening a squeaky door or beating shoes against the floor to simulate clomping horses).

5. Share it out

Have each group share their finished product with the rest of the class. (Google Docs is an easy way to do this.)

Each group selects one person to talk about the group's work, walking through their process and decisions, and highlighting any challenges they encountered.

Because each recording is about 10 minutes long, it's impossible to share them all in class, so I post all the movies on Google Classroom so that students can watch everything on their own time.

6. Peer review
Assign students the task of watching 2-3 of the flipbooks and providing feedback to their peers. I think it's important for students to have an opportunity to provide constructive peer feedback. Through this process they also learn how they might approach the project differently next time.

By the end of the unit, even the most reluctant readers have become very confident because they have been so deeply engaged and feel they have ownership over the work. This translates to improved fluency, no matter the students' reading level. I am always surprised by the kids who typically don't volunteer to read aloud in class but who become very engaged and perform impressively nuanced readings. And there's a part in this project for every student-more technologically inclined students can play a larger role in editing the slideshow and the sound effects, while more artistic students can help think up inventive ways to visualize the story. Even though each group is using the same source material, I'm always astonished by the diversity of the flipbooks that students produce!

Here's an example of a finished project:

Amy Sylvester is a 6th-grade teacher at Golden Hill Elementary School in Fullerton, California.

Matt Mankiewicz, a fellow Golden Hill teacher, collaborated with Amy on this project.

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A Fabulous Multimedia Project for the End of the Year

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Amy Sylvester's fun and creative multimedia project is just the thing for those final weeks of the school year. After reading, discussing, and analyzing a Scope play, Amy's students turn it into a gorgeous digital flipbook by recording a reading of the play and illustrating it themselves.

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My post last month on Why a Makerspace isn't a Magic Cure-all for Your Problems gained a lot of notice. I've seen a vibrant social media conversation take off since then. I have heard many people say in the conversation about making and libraries that they have reservations. Many are worried about sacrificing literacy or reading when they create a makerspace. They feel that traditional library programs and values will suffer. They worry that the makerspace will replace the reading programs that they love.

But I feel like they're missing out on something - the beautiful connection that can happen between making and literacy. You don't have to give up your literature and reading programs when you start a makerspace. Rather, makerspaces can help to bring a new dimension of literacy into your library. There are so many elements and activities in makerspaces that fit perfectly into the types of library programs we all know and love.

Makerspaces can help to bring a new dimension of literacy into your library. Click To Tweet

3 Reasons Why Making and Literacy Aren't Mutually Exclusive

In my AASL Knowledge Quest post this month, I go into just a handful of the ways that makerspaces connect to and support literacy. This topic is a new passion of mine, so expect to see more posts on this topic soon. This connection MUST be made clearer if the Maker Movement is to be successful in school libraries. Starting a makerspace is not about replacing a library - it's about adding a new element, new learning space and new resources to a library. We don't get rid of all the books to start a makerspace - we engage our students through different learning styles, including how they interact with and respond to books.

How makerspaces support informational text

What tool literacy looks like and how it fits with your library makerspace

How to develop technological literacy

Diana Rendina, MLIS, is the media specialist at Tampa Preparatory School, an independent 6-12 in Tampa, FL. Previously, she was the media specialist at Stewart Middle Magnet School for seven years, where she founded their library makerspace. She is the creator of the blog RenovatedLearning.com & is also a monthly contributor to AASL Knowledge Quest. Diana is the winner of the 2016 ISTE Outstanding Young Educator Award, the 2015 ISTE Librarians Network Secondary Award, the 2015 AASL Frances Henne Award & the 2015 SLJ Build Something Bold Award. She is an international speaker on the Maker Movement and has presented at conferences including AASL, FETC & ISTE. Diana co-authored Challenge-Based Learning in the School Library Makerspace with Colleen and Aaron Graves and is also the author Reimagining Library Spaces: Transform Your Space on Any Budget.

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AASL Post: 3 Reasons Why Making and Literacy Aren't Mutually Exclusive

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My post last month on Why a Makerspace isn't a Magic Cure-all for Your Problems gained a lot of notice. I've seen a vibrant social media conversation take off since then. I have heard many people say in the conversation about making and libraries that they have reservations.

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A Mighty Girl's top 40 books for children and teens about heroic girls and women who fought for justice during the Civil Rights Movement.

From the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Greensboro sit-ins, the Freedom Rides, school integrations, the March on Washington, Freedom Summer, the Selma to Montgomery marches, we hear many stories about the pivotal events of the Civil Rights Movement, but so many are about the remarkable men in leadership positions at the time. But what of the women? What of the girls? Rosa Parks' story is a powerful and important one, but surely hers can't be the only story of courageous girls and women in the Civil Rights era.

In this post, we highlight numerous books for both children and teens that tell the stories of girls and women's contributions to the monumental events of this period and to the national movement to bring full civil rights and equality under the law to all Americans. By sharing these stories of past champions of civil rights, we can inspire the current generation of Mighty Girls to be the champions of the future.

For more books about the experience of African-American girls and women throughout history, visit our African-American History & Historical Fiction collection.

Heroes of the Movement: Biographies

From Ruby Bridges, a 6-year-old child who desegregated the first elementary school in the South, to Rosa Parks, whose refusal to switch seats on a bus is only one example of her devotion to civil rights causes, there are many Mighty Girls and women who contributed to the Civil Rights Movement. These books will teach children and teens about these heroes and their dedication to justice.

Fighting for justice: Historical Fiction

In order to understand the impact the Civil Rights Movement has had on American history, kids need to learn what life was like before these hard-fought changes. These works of historical fiction depict life during segregation, as well as the fierce resistance that civil rights campaigners and groundbreakers faced every day.

Additional Recommended Resources

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40 Inspiring Books on Girls and Women of the Civil Rights Movement

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A Mighty Girl's top 40 books for children and teens about heroic girls and women who fought for justice during the Civil Rights Movement. From the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Greensboro sit-ins, the Freedom Rides, school integrations, the March on Washington, Freedom Summer, the Selma to Montgomery marches, we hear many stories about the pivotal events of the Civil Rights Movement, but so many are about the remarkable men in leadership positions at the time.

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Readers unite! And raise a glass. It's the Silent Reading Party

A guy walks into a bar. He orders a drink, then begins reading the book he brought with him. Seated around him are dozens of people who are doing the same thing - for 90 minutes straight. In silence.

That's what one will witness when entering Hotel Rex in San Francisco - at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 5 - for the city's first Silent Reading Party.

Daniel Handler (also known as Lemony Snicket) came up with the idea one night (over whiskeys) with Dan Stone, founder and editor of Radio Silence, the Oakland magazine of literature and rock 'n' roll. Both had recently visited Seattle's Hotel Sorrento, which hosts monthly reading parties organized by Christopher Frizzelle, editor in chief of The Stranger, that city's alternative weekly newspaper. They thought, why not start a version of their own?

To differentiate their events, however, Handler and Stone decided to incorporate a charitable component. And so every month, Hotel Rex - a Joie de Vivre boutique hotel that regularly hosts Litquake events in its refined and welcoming salon - will host the readings for free, setting aside $1 from the sale of each drink (the house wine, Manhattan and Old Fashioned) for a Bay Area library. The first month's proceeds will go toward the Tenderloin Community School Library. "We're careful to make sure that 100 percent of the funds are dedicated to buy books, rather than to overhead," Stone said. "We'll also pass a jar at the end of the event if people want to give more."

The benefits of such a reading party are self-evident to Handler, who has supported librarians for the past two years with the annual Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced with Adversity. "To contribute to a worthy cause whilst doing two things you'd do anyway - drink and read - strikes me as a very easy and smooth way to be virtuous," he said. Besides, he added, "A sustained silence in a room full of people is a magical thing, and provides a sort of cozy companionship that is sometimes missing when one is reading alone with a drink in one's hand. Or so I've heard."

And, Stone noted, "An Old Fashioned goes well with a novel - especially if someone else is mixing the drink."

Stone is not sure what book he'll bring to the first reading. "It might be time to revisit 'East of Eden,' which is probably my favorite novel," he said. "Although reading Hammett in a San Francisco bar always feels right."

Handler has another genre in mind: "I am choosing between a variety of long narrative poems I've been meaning to read."

Stone said that the Seattle reading he attended, although packed, was remarkably quiet. "Besides a live pianist (we're planning to have one, too), there was almost no sound other than turning pages and the clink of ice in a glass."

About a third of the readers in Seattle were using electronic devices, Stone said. "I prefer paper," he said, "but I don't really care what people are reading on, as long as it's not making noise and as long as they're there to read."

Handler went further: "There will be a special section for partygoers who are texting and scrolling Instagram instead of reading. The section is in a grimy puddle outside."

John McMurtrie is the book editor of The San Francisco Chronicle. Twitter: @McMurtrieSF

Silent Reading Party: 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 5. Hotel Rex, 562 Sutter St., San Francisco.

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Readers unite! And raise a glass. It's the Silent Reading Party

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Daniel Handler (also known as Lemony Snicket) came up with the idea one night (over whiskeys) with Dan Stone, founder and editor of Radio Silence, the Oakland magazine of literature and rock 'n' roll. Both had recently visited Seattle's Hotel Sorrento, which hosts monthly reading parties organized by Christopher Frizzelle, editor in chief of The Stranger, that city's alternative weekly newspaper.

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A Kenilworth Junior High School student works on his novel during National Novel Writing Month. ( Courtesy of Laura Bradley)

Writing can be a challenge for anyone staring at a blank screen, faced with creating something from scratch. Making the leap to writing a novel can seem like a daunting task, but for English teacher Laura Bradley, assigning her students to write a novel every year is now part of how she teaches English to middle school students. The Young Writers Program at National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) has helped make that possible.

"This has been a huge game changer," said Bradley, who teaches at Kenilworth Junior High School in Petaluma, California.

Students do the bulk of their writing in November, which is the designated month of NaNoWriMo, but Bradley sets them up for success by building in planning time beforehand. In preparation, students identify their novel's genre, create characters, craft conflicts and outline the plot. Students are free to choose their topics and develop their main characters. They set a word count goal on the NaNoWriMo site to determine the length of their novel - the range for the entire novel is between 10,000 to 25,000 words for Bradley's students.

When November 1st rolls around, students start writing. They use both class time and homework assignments to write their novels. Writing a novel isn't just an assignment for her students; Bradley writes a novel alongside her students and Kenilworth's principal has also participated. NaNoWriMo is a school-wide project for all students in the eighth grade and Bradley likes the project because it's a big, challenging goal that lets kids stretch their skills and engenders a deep sense of accomplishment.

"They have to make so many writerly decisions during NaNoWriMo that they develop very very quickly in their writing skills and in their confidence," said Bradley in a Facebook Live interview with MindShift. "By midway through NaNoWriMo, they say things like, 'I have never written something so long before and I'm not even close to being halfway done with my novel.' So their confidence grows by leaps and bounds because they devote so much time to writing."
CONNECTED LEARNING
When Bradley started using NaNoWriMo six years ago, students were writing by hand. She then applied for a grant to acquire a laptop for each student. The laptops have made everything easier; student can write more quickly, look up resources online, and connect with other students engaged in the NaNoWriMo challenge. Participants receive pep talks by email and can see videos by other students and published authors, like John Green.

"When I can show them a video by John Greene - who's one of their favorite authors - and he talks about NaNoWriMo, suddenly a class assignment is not like school anymore. It's an assignment that famous writers do that people all across the world do. My students are able to join into that international community," Bradley said.

Students can even publish their books using CreateSpace and sell them on Amazon, which owns CreateSpace. Bradley keeps students' novels in her classroom library, and Petaluma's local bookstore, Copperfield's, hosts author events where the students can read excerpts from their novels.

Bradley said teaching kids how to write a novel was a huge leap for her because she had no experience as a novelist herself.

"I love to teach writing, I love to read, but I have never considered myself a novelist. It's not a form of writing that I ever thought I could attempt. So how could I possibly teach it to my students?"

The NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program already had curriculum and workbooks available for free. They also connected novel writing to Common Core State Standards. All of the eighth graders at Kenilworth Middle School participate in NaNoWriMo, including English Language Learners. Teachers adjust the assignment to meet the needs of each student.

"Don't let anyone tell you that this is not Common Core because it is about the most real world writing challenge that we could ever give our students," said Bradley. "It's really what we should be doing in English class."

How Writing Novels Expands Students' Expectations of Themselves

Author

Ki Sung

Ki Sung is the senior editor of MindShift. Prior to joining MindShift in 2014, she was a digital news trainer at NPR.

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How Writing Novels Expands Students' Expectations of Themselves

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Writing can be a challenge for anyone staring at a blank screen, faced with creating something from scratch. Making the leap to writing a novel can seem like a daunting task, but for English teacher Laura Bradley, assigning her students to write a novel every year is now part of how she teaches English to middle school students.

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For Ashley Alicea, a third grade teacher at W.J. Gurganus Elementary School in Havelock, North Carolina, audiobooks have been most transformative for those kids who hate to read. "It almost seems to open up a world of reading for them," Alicea said. She encourages kids to make a movie in their minds while listening-to visualize the story they're hearing. Absent the need to decipher each word, reread for content, and then picture the story, these struggling readers listening to stories soon fall for the book itself, and are able to participate in class discussions about plot and character. Many kids go on to read the books after hearing them read aloud. And audiobooks help all readers improve their fluency: Alicea sometimes plays a paragraph, and invites her students to read it aloud and try to match the narrator's pacing, tone, and expression. "Every modality and learning type can benefit from audiobooks," Alicea said.

Audiobooks and podcasts are popular ways of bringing stories to students, and each mode brings something unique to the class. William Weil, who with his wife founded the audiobook steaming service for schools, Tales2Go, said that even kids surrounded by articulate adults benefit from hearing the complex words and sentences found in novels and nonfiction; correct usage is often lacking in ordinary conversation. Further, audiobooks come with "transcripts"-the book itself-which help support literacy. Finally, advances in digital technology allow teachers to bring audiobooks to the classroom without depending on dated cassettes or CDs: the site Tales2Go allows teachers and schools to buy instant, simultaneous, and unlimited access to audiobooks, letting students listen to stories on multiple devices.

Podcasts have their own virtues. Monica Brady-Myerov, who provides NPR podcasts to teachers through Listenwise, said that hearing real people tell their stories triggers an emotional reaction among listeners. "Empathy comes from listening to other people tell their story, which improves learning," she said-the same reason author Malcolm Gladwell gave for starting his own podcast: to "move people emotionally." Also, unlike audiobooks, which started on paper and were written to be read, podcasts are created to be heard. "That's what moves the story along-the flow; it sounds better," she said. Podcasts also often have the advantage of being shorter. What most podcasts don't have, versus audiobooks? The editors or publishers who provide oversight. "A lot are provided by people who are just interested in the subject," she said. This is fine, Brady-Myerov adds, except that the "tsunami of podcasts" makes it harder for teachers and parents to discern the legitimate from the looney.

For teachers eager to introduce audiobooks and podcasts to their classroom, the following compilation of stories have been recommended by educators and individuals cited in this post:
Audiobooks
Preschool-second grade
Creepy Carrots, by James Naughton
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, by Mo Willems
Dynamite Daniels, by Nikki Grimes
Frog & Toad, by Arnold Lobel
Mercy Watson, by Kate DiCamillo
Magic Treehouse Series, by Mary Pope Osborne
Year of the Dog, by Grace Lin

Elementary level
What Elephants Know, by Eric Dinerstein
Turtle in Paradise, by Jennifer Holm
Bud, Not Buddy, by Christopher Paul Curtis
The Watsons Go to Birmingham, by Christopher Paul Curtis
H.O.R.S.E. A Game of Basketball and Imagination, by Christopher Myers
Echo, by Pam Munoz Ryan
Five, Six, Seven, Nate! By Tim Federle
The Witches, and BFG, by Roald Dahl
Deep and Dark and Dangerous, by Mary Downing Hahn
Ghetto Cowboy, by G. Neri
The War That Saved My Life, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Home of the Brave, by Katherine Applegate

Teenagers
All American Boy, by Jason Reynolds
Anna and the Swallow Man, by Gavriel Savit
Nimona, by Noelle Stevenson
The Darkest Part of the Forest, by Holly Black
Eleanor & Park: A Novel, by Rainbow Rowell
The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green
Podcasts
But Why? - From Vermont Public Radio, starting with questions asked by young children. (Do bumblebees have hearts?)
Earsnacks - An exploration of various topics, using kids' voices, expert opinions, and music.

Welcome to Nightvale - A dark and funny exploration of the fictional town of Nightvale.
The Radio Adventures of Eleanor Amplified - From WHYY in Philadelphia, this show follows young journalist and adventurer Eleanor, who goes from space to sea. With sound effects, lots of voices, and music.

Lore - Soon to be a TV show, this podcast examines the origins of vampires, witches and other grim historical tales.
Serial - From NPR's This American Life, these podcast series examine two dramatic events: the murder trial of Adnan Syed, and the disappearance of Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl from his unit in Afghanistan. (Adult content and language.)
Mortified - Adults reading from their teenage diaries, with much embarrassment and humor. (Adult content and language.)
RadioLab - From NPR, documentary-style examinations of real events and problems, told with music.
Revisionist History - From Malcolm Gladwell, close looks at historical events that were either overlooked or possibly misinterpreted.
Are there other audiobooks we should know about? Please add to the list in the comments section below.

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How Audiobooks Can Help Kids Who Struggle with Reading

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For Ashley Alicea, a third grade teacher at W.J. Gurganus Elementary School in Havelock, North Carolina, audiobooks have been most transformative for those kids who hate to read. "It almost seems to open up a world of reading for them," Alicea said.

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Have you struggled to find apps for kids that are worthwhile and educational? I know that I have and I was determined to find the best apps for kids to build literacy skills. When it comes to technology for kids, there is a lot to choose from. It has been a very long process, but I'm super excited to share the worthwhile ones with you.

First, I want to talk a little about the role of technology in literacy instruction. I think that apps, videos, podcasts, audiobooks, and music all have their place in our children's lives. They should be used in moderation and with adult interaction. And, they should never replace daily reading of books you actually hold in your hands.

With all technology, there are a lot of subpar and worthless options. But, if you do some digging, you can find some great options. So which apps did I find that were the best? Let's dive in and take a look.

Best Apps for Kids to Build Literacy Skills

Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Book Apps
Metamorphabet
I discovered the Metamorphabet app when I served as a judge for the Cybils awards this year. My 3 year-old was immediately drawn to it. Each letter of the alphabet (capital letters only) transforms into images of words that begin with that letter. A sprouts antlers, transforms into an arch, and ambles across the screen. My son loves I which becomes an iceberg with an igloo. The iceberg opens and shows two kids bouncing a ball. When you touch the ball and press, the ball inflates.

You can progress through each letter of the alphabet in order by touching the star in the top right corner or touch the top left corner to select the letter you want. It's a very clever and artistic app. The focus is a bit more on the story side vs the teach the letters of the alphabet side.
Astro Cat
Astro Cat was the 2016 Cybils app award winner. Kids learn all about the solar system by earning medals while they read and learn. It is highly interactive and packed with facts that kids read on their own. When the child is ready, they can take a Jetpack Challenge by answering true or false questions. This would be a fun app for kids who are reading independently and enjoy non-fiction.
Reading Rainbow Skybrary
Do you remember watching Reading Rainbow when you were young? Now your kids can enjoy it too. Skybrary is full of hundreds of books and video field trips. You can try it for free.

Word Work
Montessori Crosswords
Montessori Crosswords is packed with so many learning options. Practice can include cvc words, ccvc & cvcc words, words with digraphs or you can focus on a particular sound. You can also set font choices, the number of letters displayed, force spelling from left to right and so many more features.

A word is pronounced and a picture appears first. There are white boxes to show how many letters are in the word. The letters needed are highlighted below and the child drags the letters to spell the word. When the child touches the letter, the letter sound is heard. When the word is built, you hear it sounded out and then the whole word is read. There is a bit of animation play time after each word which you can also adjust from 7 seconds to 2 minutes. There is also an option to manipulate the letters and build your own words.

I like that there aren't a lot of distracting bells and whistles with this app. It's great to use for building words especially if you don't have the money for a set of Montessori alphabet letters. And, you can track progress in the app to see which words your child has worked on while using the app.
Endless Reader
Endless Reader was an instant hit with my kids. Kids practice building and reading high-frequency words. First, the word is introduced, scrambled, and then the child builds it back together using a model. One thing I wasn't crazy about is that when you move the letter, it makes a sound and the sounds aren't always crisp authentic sounds. It's important that extra phonemes aren't added. Check out this video for the correct way to pronounce sounds. Then, the word is pronounced again and a visual cue to help you with the word is displayed. Next, kids drag high-frequency words to a sentence. The sentence is read to the child and a short little animation occurs. My kids felt like they were playing a game and I was excited that they were learning along the way. There is a free sample version you can check out before investing in additional packs.
Starfall Learn to Read
Starfall Learn to Read app is the same content that you can get on a desktop computer for free. Kids play by building words, listen and/or read a story using the words they built and then work on a literacy skill.
Hale's Tale
If you are looking for something interactive and systematic, but not overwhelming then Hale's Tale should hit the mark. I was so appreciative that the music in the background wasn't overwhelming and actually complimented the work the kids are doing. Kids start on an island visiting different buildings and sections to solve letter sound tasks. My 5-year-old loved to use the metal detector to find sounds and then dig them up from the ground. It has just the right amount of fun and playful rewards to keep kids engaged.

Handwriting
Trace It, Try It
Becky at This Reading Mama has a new Handwriting app called Trace It, Try It that she sent me to check out. I was super excited because I was already a fan of her word work apps. One of my favorite features of this app is that the kids have to form the letters correctly (top down) instead of how my son insists on writing most of his (bottom up). I'm already seeing him taking this new habit into his pencil and paper writing.

Writing and Storytelling
My Story Book Creator for Kids
Kids can create their own books with the My Story Book Creator for Kids app. They can choose to draw or use the sticker stamps for illustrations. They can type the text for each page and record the story with audio.
Lego Movie Maker
We have been using the Lego Movie Maker app weekly. It is so easy to use and perfect for storytelling. Kids create their own stop motion videos and can add sound effects and music. I love this app and it's free!

I've got more apps to share with you soon. Do you have a favorite app not on the list? I'd love to hear about it.
Related Posts Best Audiobooks for Kids Literacy Podcasts Kids Songs That Build Literacy Skills P.S. For more great book recommendations and literacy ideas sign up to receive our newsletter each week.

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Best Apps for Kids to Build Literacy Skills

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Have you struggled to find apps for kids that are worthwhile and educational? I know that I have and I was determined to find the best apps for kids to build literacy skills. When it comes to technology for kids, there is a lot to choose from.