SSPP Reads

www.ssppreads.wordpress.com

2010-10-08T05:13:00.001-07:00

Visit our new site on Wordpress!

2010-06-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

It's been great writing on Google's blogspot, but now SSPP Reads has moved to Wordpress. Check it out!

You can find all the familiar links but in a more user friendly design. The pages at the top are Front Page, About, Learning Differences, Lifelong Learning, and Contact. As in the past, there will be weekly blogs updated on Wednesdays during the school year. During the Summer Months blogs are updated less frequently.

Let me know what you think.

The picture was taken on a recent visit to Washington, D.C. It's Pierce School on Maryland Avenue NE, now morphed into Lofts. Gigantic flower sculptures adorn the perimeter of the building. Wonder what the school was like back in the day.

Working on a New Design

2010-06-22T16:39:00.000-07:00

SSPP Reads will travel over to Wordpress in its new incarnation. Check it out! I think you will find it easier to navigate as links are posted as pages at the top rather than along the right side. All the blogs and links have been transferred to the new site--the magic of Internet! While not fully up and running, it's there for you to peruse, comment on, and send feedback (see Sidebar for email link.)

In other news of interest, I was reading the current issue of Reading Today, a bimonthly member publication of the International Reading Association on a plane ride to Washington, D.C. The headline, Stopping Summer Slide, was an eye-grabber. RT linked to the guest column of Ron Fairchild, CEO of National Summer Learning Association, in the Washington Post, Preventing Summer Learning Loss.

According to Linda Gambrell, past president of the IRA and Education Professor at Clemson University states, "There is abundant evidence that summer reading loss is one of the most important factors contributing to the reading achievement gap between students from high socioeconomic families and low socioeconomic families." Some quick summer tips for parents/guardians from Professor Gambrell in the Reading Today article are:

Schedule weekly trips to the public library to pick out books they want to read.
Have your child select some library books they would like you to read aloud.
Encourage your child to read in bed--some parents/guardians even allow their children to stay up later if they are reading in bed.
Purchase an inexpensive camera and notebook. Have your child create a picture journal of summer experiences.

An Ocean of Summer Reading at the San Francisco Public Library is a good place to start.

Happy Reading and check out our new blog!

Graphic from SFPL An Ocean of Summer Reading

Hot Time Summer In The City!

2010-06-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

Here are tips for Summer Fun and Summer Reading for kids and families in the San Francisco Bay Area. SSPP Reads will maintain periodic updated posts throughout the summer returning in August with a new look.

Museums

Randall Museum summer classes and camps
California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park
De Young Museum Children and Families Calendar
Zeum, San Francisco Children's Museum
Bay Area Discovery Museum
Exploratorium--Museum of Science, Art and Human Perception
San Francisco Airport Museum
The Contemporary Jewish Museum
Cartoon Art Museum--Beetle Bailey and Mort Walker tribute
San Francisco Cable Car Museum
Asian Art Museum
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) Family Sundays

Reading

SS. Peter & Paul Summer Reading
San Francisco Public Library--An Ocean of Summer Reading
Top Ten Summer Reading Lists for Kids and Teens
National Public Radio Summer Reading for Kids
Barnes and Noble Summer Reading earns free books
Amazon Summer Reading for Kids and Teens
Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge
Reading Rockets Launching Young Readers
National Endowment for the Humanities Summertime Favorites
Strategies for Summer Reading for Children with Dyslexia
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D) Summer Fun Reading

Nature

The Presidio Events and Calendar
Golden Gate National Recreation Area for Kids
Tilden Nature Area in East Bay Parks
California Coastal Cleanup Day
National Park Service Accessibility
Beach Wheelchairs beach sites
San Francisco Zoological Society Children's Programs
Bay Nature Exploring Nature in the San Francisco Bay Area

Camps: Scroll to the bottom of this blog for a list of summer schools and camps.

The next post of SSPP Reads will be around the time of the Summer Solstice, June 21.

Happy Summer and Happy Reading!

Graphic from flickr.com/photos/kentgoldman/872056073/sizes/l/#cc_license

The Gulf Disaster, Day 36

2010-05-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

In the May 5, 2010 blog, Spill, Baby, Spill, the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico was discussed. Oil is still gushing from the Macondo Project in the Mississippi Canyon Block 252, a joint project of Beyond (British) Petroleum (65% share), Andarko (25% share) and MOEX 2007 (10% share). The oil is gushing at a rate of 200,000 gallons daily (or 5,000 to 100,000 barrels of oil per day). Multiply that over the 35 days since April 20, the day of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion that sank the rig and caused the subsequent environmental disaster. The amount of oil has now reached six million gallons according to Coast Guard and BP estimates.

What does this oil number mean in the big picture?

11 men died in the initial explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig
22,000 personnel of BP, government agencies, and private companies are working in the Gulf area on containment
1.8 million feet of containment boom and 990,000 feet of absorbent boom have been deployed
22% of Gulf of Mexico federal waters is closed to fishing
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there were 5.7 million recreational fisherpersons who took 25 million fishing trips and commercial fishing harvested over one billion pounds of fish and shellfish in the Gulf in 2008
20,680,000 barrels of oil per day is consumed in the US
8,457,000 barrels of oil per day is produced by the US
1,165,000 barrels of oil per day is exported by the US
8.35 tons of oil equivalence is consumed by each US citizen per year
2 relief wells are currently being drilled and will take three months to complete according to BP sources as the oil continues to gush
333 birds found dead and 44 birds have been captured according to the International Bird Rescue Research Center as of May 24, 2010

See Deepwater Horizon Response Unified Command for more detailed information. See the Boston Globe's The Big Picture for news stories in photographs.

Graphic from flickr.com/photos/usfwssoutheast/4616090619/sizes/o/in/photostream/#cc_license

Teen Writing Contest At SFPL

2010-05-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

This looks like a lot of fun--the San Francisco Public Library is sponsoring a teen writing contest that just opened on May 15, a Vampire Writing Contest! Check this out:

Are you a teen writer inspired by Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series? SFPL will be holding a vampire themed creative writing contest for teens. Whether you write fan-fiction, short stories, poetry or stories in verse, submit your vampire-inspired work and you could win the ultimate Vampire Gift Basket! Winners will also be invited to read their work at a celebration at the Main Library.

Contest Guidelines:

All entries must be original and unpublished works
Must be between the ages of 12 and 19
No more than 3 submissions per person.
Limit of 2,000 words or less.
By entering the contest, participants give permission to SFPL to publish winning entries. They may also be posted on the SFPL Teen Blog.
Winners are responsible for traveling to the Main Library to accept their prize

Meyer's Twilight Series is not like the vampire stories of old. Read Days of the Living Dread: Twilight encourages literacy and racial tolerance by Alicia Rudnicki in Examiner.com.
Check out Go with the Flow! Teen Summer Read 2010 for additional literacy stimulation this summer for teens. And for families, get free passes to family fun through SFPL.
Vampire entries accepted from May 15 through July 1 by 6:00 pm. See SFPL Teen Blog for details.
Graphic from
amyletinsky.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/twilight.jpg

Supreme Court of the United States Reprise

2010-05-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Our post of July 15, 2009 featured information about the Supreme Court of the United States and the process involving the President's nomination of a Justice and the ensuing Senate Judiciary Committee hearings surrounding a nomination. That process brought Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the third woman and first Latina to serve on the Supreme Court in its history. This week President Obama nominated another woman, Elena Kagan, Solicitor General of the United States. Should she be confirmed, there will be three women and six men on the Court. Of these nine, six are Catholic and three are Jewish.

That post is reprinted today with the notable change being the new nominee.

Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! so opens a session of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). Take a virtual tour and immerse yourself in history and tradition.

Article III of the United States Constitution calls for the establishment of a Judicial Branch of the federal government, but the specifics of a Supreme Court were spelled out in an act of Congress, the Judiciary Act of 1789. That Act provided for the highest court in the land to have six justices, of which one would be the Chief Justice (from US Constitution Online).

Why the interest now in SCOTUS? President Barack Obama has nominated Solicitor General Elena Kagan to take the place on the court of retiring Justice John Paul Stevens. Her nomination hearings are conducted before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington D.C. The committee members will recommend confirmation or not recommend confirmation of Judge Sotomayor to the Senate. The Senate then will vote to accept the recommendation of the committee.

The Oyez Project consists of concise case overviews, Justice biographies, and multimedia features like the Virtual Supreme Court Tour cited above. It also has Oyez Baseball, where the Supreme Court is likened to a baseball team to explain its workings. Check it out!

Some books of interest include: Our Supreme Court by Richard Panchyk (Chicago Review Press, Inc.); The U.S. Supreme Court by Anastasia Suen (Picture Window Books); Marshall, the Courthouse Mouse: A Tail of the U.S. Supreme Court by Peter W. Barnes & Cheryl Shaw Barnes (VSP Books); The Supreme Court by GeoffreyM. Horn (World Almanac); Chico by Sandra Day O'Connor (Dutton Children's Books); Thurgood Marshall : Civil Rights Attorney and Supreme Court Justice by Mark Rowh (African-American Biographies); The Nine Current Supreme Court Justices: Colorful Info for Curious Minds by W. Frederick Zimmerman (Nimble Books); and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court Justice by Carmen Bredesen (People To Know).

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/hlrecord/4595798714/sizes/o/#cc_license

Spill, Baby, Spill

2010-05-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

In the wake of the monumental environmental disaster unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico, it's time we learn more about how deep water drilling for oil is carried out, why it is done, and who does it. The Macondo Project in the Mississippi Canyon Block 252 (MC252) in the Gulf is spilling oil at the rate estimated at anywhere from 5,000 to 210,000 gallons per day. The oil is coming from 5,000 feet below the the surface of the ocean. The Gulf is rich in oil, in fact the world's deepest drilling oil rig is located there--operated by Shell Oil, the Perdido platform--8,000 feet below the ocean surface.

The cost for clean up is upwards of $7 million daily, more as the environmental damages mount. MC252 is owned by Beyond (British) Petroleum (65% share), Andarko Petroleum Corporation (25% share) and Mitsui Oil Exploration (10% share). See the Boston's Globe The Big Picture for photos; see opinion piece Spill, Baby, Spill by Holly Moeller--The Inevitable Consequence of Oil Dependency--in MIT's newspaper, The Tech.

Some students may have a particular sensitivity to this environmental debacle. We can look to Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences for understanding and insight. Naturalistic intelligence was added in 1999 to the original seven intelligences. Education Professor Leslie Owen Wilson of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, explains in her blog, Newer Views of Learning:

Naturalistic intelligence deals with sensing patterns in and making connections to elements in nature. Using this same intelligence, people possessing enhanced levels of this intelligence may also be very interested in other species, or in the environment and the earth. Children possessing this type of intelligence may have a strong affinity to the outside world or to animals, and this interest often begins at an early age. . .Often this is due to their highly-developed levels of sensory perception.

National Geographic for Kids has a blog, Giant Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico, that may be of interest to students. Also, PBS Kids has a blog, The It's My Life Blog for tweens, blogging on The Gulf Coast Oil Disaster. A keyword search of the children's materials at the San Francisco Public Library turns up a few books on oil spills and drilling for oil.

Graphic from flickr.com/photos/gsfc/4563297509/sizes/o/#cc_license

Assistive Technology

2010-04-28T03:40:00.000-07:00

Assistive technology (AT) is "any device, piece of equipment or product system that helps people with disabilities fully participate in the workforce and in the communities," as defined by Disability.gov, a federal Web site that contains disability-related resources. The Alliance for Technology Access may also offer some guidance through the maze as a way of promoting use of AT among children and adults.

The National Center for Learning Disabilities, LD.org, offers thorough explanations, information, and links (such as the E-ssential Parents Guide to AT) to a slew of topics that LD students and their families will find useful.

Great Schools is a national nonprofit aimed to "guide parents to become effective champions of their children's education." There are many informational articles about AT, check out AT Tools for Reading. You can also browse by grade level, and look for AT tools for math, writing and listening.

An overlooked benefit of AT is its help in reducing the stress often experienced by students with LD explains LD.org in their Overview of AT. Make technology part of your back to school planning. Learn about AT possibilities, familiarize yourself with AT laws and services that can benefit your child.

Graphic from uvm.edu/~cdci/tripscy/images/aim-triangle.png

Education Revolution 2010

2010-04-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

What a great event, the second annual Education Revolution at AT&T Park in San Francisco. EdRev 2010, sponsored by Parents Education Network (PEN), is, according to PEN Founder Dewey Rosetti, "a comprehensive array of guides, resources and tools of all kinds to launch students who learn differently or sustain those students on their paths to success." Featured guest speakers included Dr. Ned Hallowell, Director of The Hallowell Center in Sudbury, MA and author of 18 books on various psychological topics including Driven to Distraction and Delivered to Distraction among others; Youth Speaks Poet Brandon Santiago; and Jonathan Mooney, Founder and President of Project Eye-to-Eye, a mentoring and advocacy non-profit organization for students with learning differences.

I picked up lots of referrals for tutoring, summer camps, summer schools, and also visited the Livescribe and Recording For the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D) exhibits. It was a full day. I think the highlight was listening to the SAFE high school student panel discuss their experiences with learning disabilities/attention disabilities--truly heroes on a long journey.

A fun link to check out is SparkTop.org. It offers kids who learn differently opportunities to explore their own creative juices.

SparkTop.org is run by the Professor Garfield Foundation (PGF), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the FREE delivery of fun, engaging educational content. Jim Davis, creator of Garfield the Cat, had to overcome asthma and a stutter as a young child and feels that ALL of us have some challenge to overcome as we learn. SparkTop was originally created by Schwab Learning, formerly a program of the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation. In January, 2008, PGF was selected to care for the SparkTop.org site.

Graphic courtesy of http://www.parentseducationnetwork.org

Wildflowers and Poetry

2010-04-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

Writing about wildflowers and poetry during National Poetry Month seems like a natural. Canadian born author Ruth Heller (1923-2004) lived in San Francisco for seventy years and wrote and illustrated nonfiction books for children using rhyme. She believed that children could grasp big ideas and was one of the first authors to combine beautiful illustrations in nonfiction books for children. Several series of books by Heller are still widely available including Designs for Coloring, How to Hide (Reading Railroad) books, World of Language, and World of Nature. Heller's writing is strongly influenced by Dr. Seuss and Gilbert and Sullivan and has a rich rhythm and rhyme.

Curriculum Choice, a blog created by home educators has a list and explanation of the eight titles in Heller's World of Language Series, "Each book defines the part of speech, discusses its parts and intricacies, and provides examples in a poetic, rhyming text. Beautiful artwork graces the pages, bringing the ideas to life. Merry-Go-Round, A Book of Nouns begins by defining nouns."

NOUNS name a person, place or thing. . .a damsel, a forest, a dragon, a king. These NOUNS are all COMMON, and they're very nice, but PROPER NOUNS are more precise. King Arthur is this person. This place is Camelot. PROPER NOUNS are capitalized. COMMON NOUNS are not.

So, while you're writing your own poetry, you might pick up a few of the language series books and learn more about being a word smith, perhaps painting your own poetry in richer hues.

Graphic courtesy of D. Garthwaite, Wildflowers at Land's End, San Francisco

Happy Easter!

2010-03-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

SS. Peter and Paul Salesian School has a few days off to celebrate Easter and Spring, so SSPP Reads will take a few days respite and return April 14, 2010. Until then, here are a few favorite blogs to check out.

Check out the upcoming Education Revolution at ATT Park in San Francisco on Saturday, April 17, 2010. EdRev 2010 is sponsored by PEN and Student Advisors For Education (SAFE).

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/aussiegall/3431275844/sizes/o/#cc_license

Alice In Wonderland

2010-03-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll was a favorite story of my older sister when we were growing up, especially the Annotated Alice. I, however, enjoyed the 1951 animated Disney version a lot. But, boy did I have nightmares for years as I dreamed of falling through the rabbit hole! With Tim Burton's Disney 3D Animated Alice In Wonderland (PG) making box office records (grossing $265 million so far), a revisit of this classic is in order. See the official trailer here.

The featured graphic above, Jose de Creeft's bronze sculpture (1959) in New York's Central Park, depicts Alice atop a giant mushroom joined by The Mad Hatter, The March Hare, The Cheshire Cat, The White Rabbit, Dormouse and Alice's cat Dinah. In my search for all things Alice, I came across the Lewis Carroll Society of North America. LCSNA was founded in 1974 and is an organization of admirers of all ages of Lewis Carroll. They are currently planning Carrollian events to celebrate the 150th anniversary, in 2015, of the publication of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

The Disney Archives has a section devoted to Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland. This 75 minute animated feature was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture. Who can forget The Unbirthday Song by Mack David, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston or I'm Late by Bob Hilliard and Sammy Fain?

The English National Ballet performs Alice In Wonderland to a Tchaikovsky score, though last danced in 2007. Other bits of news about Alice in Wonderland can be found on Lauren Harmon's Alice Links including a dramatic audio presentation of the complete work on Wired for Books, and a virtual display of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by the University of British Columbia. The Adventure Begins with a look at the illustrators of Carroll's classic.

And finally, a keyword search "alice in wonderland" at the San Francisco Public Library turns up 151 entries in children's materials.

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/72213316@N00/3211698770/sizes/l/#cc_license

United States Census 2010

2010-03-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

"This is your official 2010 Census form. We need your help," writes the Director of the U. S. Census Bureau. We are asked to fill out the form and return it by mail promptly so that Census results can be tabulated to:

decide the number of representatives each state has in the U.S. Congress
determine the amount of government money each neighborhood receives for services for children, the elderly, roads, hospitals, schools, emergency services and more

The Census is taken every 10 years as required by the U.S. Constitution in Article I Section 2. It counts every resident in the United States, citizen and non-citizen alike. President Theodore Roosevelt asked Congress to convert the Census Office to a permanent agency in 1902 and it remains so to this day. Interesting facts culled from the 2000 census include:

281.4 million people live in the US
33.87 million people live in California
5.7 million children live with a grandparent
75.2 million people are enrolled in school from nursery school through college
52 million people over age 5 speak a language other than English at home as reported in the 2005 American Community Survey (ACS), a project of the US Census Bureau
36.28 million residents report some Irish ancestry in the 2008 ACS

Federal law protects our privacy and keeps our answers confidential (Title 13, United States Code, Sections 9 and 214) for 72 years. The answers cannot be obtained by law enforcement or tax collection agencies. Our answers cannot be used in court. Our answers cannot be obtained with a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

Go to the US Census Bureau website to explore fun and games, lesson plans, history, and of course data.

Graphic from http://www.lowcountrytoday.com/images/newsimage/2010-Census-Logo-Red-08.jpg

National Women's History Month 2010

2010-03-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

International Women's Day 2010 (March 8) marks the 100th anniversary of this public acclamation of the value of the work women do. Begun in 1910 at "the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, a woman named Clara Zetkin proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day, a Women's Day, to press for their demands for justice for women." 2010 has witnessed increased participation of women in the highest seats of power and influence internationally--as political leaders, doctors, scientists, educators, stateswomen, athletes, artists, businesswomen, and environmental activists to name a few.

National Women's History Project celebrates its 30th Anniversary here in the United States. NWHP was founded to give witness to "the diverse and historic accomplishments of women by providing information and educational materials and programs." The theme for Women's History Month 2010 is Writing Women Back Into History.

One place to look is the Library of Congress's American Women Home Page, a gateway to LOC's resources for the study of Women's History and Culture in the U.S. PBS also has materials available on line at Not For Ourselves Alone, a film by Ken Burns and Paul Barnes about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. There is also a Kids Page and Teachers Page aligned with the film.

The San Francisco Public Library keyword search women's history in children's materials gives us 51 resources, a far cry from the early days of NWHP 30 years ago. Check out NWHP's Resource Center and find Biographies of many women, Honored Latinas and Black History Month noted African American Women resources.

The National Park Service also has a comprehensive site devoted to American women who made history and helped shape our country.

Talk to your mom, grandma, auntie and get their stories. Write the story down and you too will be writing women back into history. Send your story to this blog and I will publish it!

Graphic fromhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/41188800@N00/384374626/sizes/o/#cc_license

39 Clues and Edward Tulane

2010-03-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

In preparing for our annual celebration of Dr. Seuss's birthday and NEA's Read Across America, I try to update my own reading of juvenile literature. I came across two excellent books I couldn't put down--The 39 Clues Book 1: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan (Scholastic Books, 2008) and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick Press, 2006).

From The 39 Clues website you can join Amy and Dan Cahill on their search for the 39 clues. I had no idea how exciting the search would be and found myself reading through the entire book hoping to solve the puzzle. The Cahills are the most powerful family the world has ever seen. Amy and Dan hunt the world over to solve the mystery and guard their family's power.

The Books 1-7 of the #1 bestselling series are available (through Scholastic Press). Read The 39 Clues books to follow Amy Cahill and her brother Dan as they travel the world to hunt for the Clues. Each of the ten books comes with six game cards, reveals important information about the Cahills, and most importantly, unlocks one Clue! Three more books will be on sale in 2010 including Book 10 which will be available on August 31, 2010.

Kate DiCamillo may be more popularly known as the author of The Tale of Despereaux (Candlewick Press, 2003), released in theaters by Universal Pictures in 2008, and soon available on DVD. The Edward Tulane story is fantastic, a tale of love, loyalty, false pride, loss, . . .I could go on. It's written for youngsters, but the storyline will appeal to all ages.

How did I come across these books? 39 Clues was recommended by Children's Choices 2009, a project sponsored by the International Reading Association and the Children's Book Council and Edward Tulane, winner of countless awards, was spotted by this blogger as an American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2007.

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmcordell/3323160929/sizes/l/#cc_license

NEA's Read Across America 2010

2010-02-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

Make a pledge to celebrate reading every day, but especially on National Education Association's (NEA's) Read Across America Day celebrated annually on or around March 2! SS. Peter and Paul School will join for its fourth year in this national event on Friday, March 5. NEA shares the history and excitement of the day: In May 1997, a small reading task force at NEA came up with a big idea. "Let's create a day to celebrate reading," the group decided. "We hold pep rallies to get kids excited about football. We assemble to remember that Character Counts. Why don't we do something to get kids excited about reading? We'll call it 'NEA's Read Across America' and we'll celebrate it on Dr. Seuss's birthday." And so was born on March 2, 1998, the largest celebration of reading this country has ever seen.

NEA has not stopped with one day of reading, but endorses building a true nation of readers. In fact, Read Across America keeps the spotlight on reading all year long by supporting such events as Teen Read Week, Drop Everything and Read Day, and International Literacy Day. This year, NEA takes a greener look at reading, launching NEA’s Lorax Student Earth Day, April 22, with resources and grants for educators.

Some fast facts from NEA:

Women buy 68 percent of all books
The median household income for book buyers is $41,600—compared to $35,300 for all adults
$1.7 billion is spent annually on textbooks
One-third of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives
Sixty-three percent of adults report purchasing at least one book during the previous three-month period
Customers 55 and older account for more than one-third of all books bought
Approximately 56.5 percent of all households reported purchasing at least one book

And last, check out the reading lists generated for NEA's Read Across America Day to the right of this blog. Happy Reading and Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

NEA's Read Across America used with permission http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/Seuss1.jpg

Gung Hay Fat Choy 4708!

2010-02-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

More often than not in western societies, we acknowledge Chinese New Year, where perhaps more accurately it is Lunar New Year and so it is again. Gung Hay Fat Choy! Happy and prosperous Lunar Year of the Tiger 4708! All over the world, the lunar new year is celebrated, most notably by the Chinese and Vietnamese, but also by people of Macau, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, and Thailand. Additionally cultures with historical connections to China including Korean, Tibetan, Bhutanese, Mongolian, and Japanese celebrate the lunar new year. Countries with large populations of ethnic Chinese also celebrate lunar new year such as Australia, Canada, and the United States.

In San Francisco we are treated to one of the "top ten parades in the world" sponsored by Southwest Airlines under the direction of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. The parade has entertained its audiences since 1860. This year, the parade will be held on Saturday, February 27, 2010 beginning at 5:15 pm. You can purchase bleacher seat tickets for an up-close and personal eye-popping view at the parade link.

But, back to the tiger. What are the qualities of those born in the year of the tiger? According to the Open Computing Facility (OCF) at the University of California, Berkeley, ". . . known for their fiery passion, daring, and fearlessness, Tigers are universally respected and revered for their courage by both friends and foes. The fearlessness of Tigers makes them the symbol that wards off the three main disasters of the household, namely fire, thieves and ghosts."

A keyword tiger search at the San Francisco Public Library in Children's Materials results in 210 titles. A few that look interesting include: Tigers by Valeria Bodden (Creative Education, 2009), Lions, Tigers and Bears: Why are big predators so rare? by Ron Hirschi (Boyds Mill Press, 2007), Tiger's Blood by Laurence Yep (HarperCollins, 2005), and Tigers at Twilight by Mary Osborne (Random House, 1999).

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/canopic/3270256023/sizes/l/#cc_license

Black History Month 2010

2010-02-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

A year ago SSPP Reads looked at the early history of Black History Month originally Negro History Week created by Carter G. Woodson, an African American historian, scholar, and educator, in 1926. In fact, in our side bar linked to Social Studies is the Carter G. Woodson Book Awards established by the National Council for the Social Studies, NCSS. I first came across this award a few years ago when reading an article in Today's Catholic Teacher (Peter Li Education Group Publishers) on the subject of getting boys to read, Read, Boys, Read, by Dr. Pamela J. Farris and Dr. Pamela A. Nelson.

I was pleasantly surprised to find yet another great article in the January/February 2010 issue of Today's Catholic Teacher, also by Dr. Farris, Celebrating a Culture: Black History Month. Dr. Farris is a Professor of Education at Illinois State University. In this article, Dr. Farris provides suggestions for grades K-12: From the early struggles of slaves and the abolitionists through the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s to today, Black history must be presented accurately and with respect.

This week's blog will list recommended reading from the article with a brief overview of the focus for grades K - 8 as explained by Dr. Farris.

Primary Grades--Students in K-3 should become aware of the Civil Rights Movement and also of the contributions of African Americans.

The Story of Rosa Parks ( P. Pingry, 2007)
The Story of Abraham Lincoln (P. Pingry, 2007)
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom (C. Weatherford, 2006)
The Story of Ruby Bridges (R. Coles, 1995/2004)
Through My Eyes (R. Bridges, 1999)
Martin's Big Words: The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. (D. Rappaport, 2002)
Freedom on the Menu (C.B. Weatherford, 2004)

Intermediate Grades--Students in 4-6 must be exposed to more than the brief history book entry about the significance of slavery.

Nettie's Trip South ( A. Turner, 1995)
Henry's Freedom Box (E. Levine, 2007)
Freedom Summer (D. Riles, 2001)
Goin' Someplace Special (P. McKissack, 2001)

Middle School--Students in 6-8 are sensitive to what is fair and seek social justice.

Read and discuss hate crimes, in particular the story of Emmett Till's murder. A young adult novel based on the story is Mississippi Trial (C. Crowe, 2002)
Getting Away with Murder (C. Crowe, 2003) is an informational book on the subject

Other areas of interest include sports (examine the history of African Americans as coaches); African Americans and the Arts (jazz greats Louie Armstrong, Duke Ellington; opera singer Marian Anderson--when Marian Sang by P. M. Ryan, 2002); African American Inventors and Leaders (George Washington Carver, Booker T. Washington, Madame C. J. Walker, Eli McCoy, Otis Boykin).

Finally, a closing remark by Dr. Farris on teaching:

What did I learn today? What does it mean? How can I use it? These three questions keep us on our toes as teachers, just as our students do. Teaching is a joy and a challenge. Relish those teachable moments that arise in your classroom. And cherish your students, for they hold the future in their hands.

Graphic fromhttp://www.hmsdc.com/ds/images/B10BLACKs.jpg

The 100th Day of School

2010-02-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

Here we are again, the Hundredth Day of School! Children do enjoy anticipating and reaching the hundredth day. This year at SS. Peter and Paul Salesian School, the hundredth day falls on Thursday, February 4. Kindergartners have been counting the days, bundling straws, and exploring the ones and tens place as they are developing their number sense.

What is the significance of the day? According to Family Math at the University of California, Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science, a math focus such as in the Family Math Program "on developing problem-solving skills and building a conceptual understanding of mathematics with hands-on materials" is fundamental to the belief that "all children learn and enjoy mathematics."

Everyday math for young children involves counting a wide variety of objects, and sorting and classifying them according to their attributes, topics addressed in earlier blogs. But, don't we all continue to sort and classify as we grow and learn--our own desk/workspace, the glove compartment of our car, the kitchen utensil drawer at home, or our hand held tech gadgets?

The Hundredth Day of School is fun, too. Jump rope 100 times, push a jelly bean 100 cm with your nose, string 100 pieces of Cheerios, count out 100 pieces of popcorn, play with your children for 100 minutes, read books with a math theme, the activities are endless.

Some books you might enjoy that are recommended by the California Department of Education Literature for Science and Math : Two Ways to Count To Ten: A Liberian Folktale retold by Ruby Dee, Seven Eggs by Meredith Hooper, Emily's First 100 Days of School by Rosemary Wells, How Tall, How Short, How Faraway by David A. Adler, Ask Albert Einstein by Lynne Barasch, and The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins.

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/laceybordeaux/4241658/sizes/l/#cc_license

Relief for Haiti

2010-01-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

Students in the Seventh Grade at my school put together a list of organizations providing support for Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010. Following is the list the students compiled. From the youngest to the oldest, the littlest to the biggest, we can all help. The image above was taken by Olav Saltbones of the Norwegian Red Cross. In it we see Dr. Arthur Halvorsen, nurse Tove Gunleiksrud and midwife Aline Gagnon at surgery just after delivery of the first baby at the field hospital at the General Hospital grounds in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Graphic from flickr.com/photos/ifrc/4292192749/sizes/l/#cc_license

What to Tell Kids About Haiti

2010-01-20T05:54:00.000-08:00

"If people don't have an opportunity to deal with their emotions, the response can turn into anger rather than social responsibility," says Linda Cameron, Associate Professor at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. "You have to help kids find ways to respond positively," as reported on CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada's national public broadcaster.

Prof. Cameron and Carleen McGuinty, a policy adviser at World Vision Canada, a Christian relief organization, make these recommendations:

Make kids feel safe
Help them cope
Be informed
Get involved, respond

The USGS sponsored Earthquakes for Kids, gives accurate, understandable information about earthquakes. Kids Around the World, a site created by the National Peace Corps Association, gives background information about the history and culture of Haiti. Talking to Children About Earthquakes and other Natural Disasters is challenging. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) produced the resource link above to help adults work through the tragedy with children and teens.

Some news sites of interest include The New York Times, CNN Haiti Earthquake Coverage, NPR, and PBS Newshour.

How to help involves money at this point. If you donate, be sure you trust the organization. Reputable relief organizations/funds include: Doctors Without Borders, American Red Cross, Google Crisis Response, UNICEF, Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco, Salesians of Don Bosco, among others.

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/dfid/4283982753/sizes/o/

Differentiated Instruction

2010-01-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

Last week's blog focused a bit on multiple intelligences, a cognitive theory first presented by Howard Gardner in 1983. This week we take a peek at differentiated instruction--how learning differences and learning styles are addressed by teachers in today's classrooms. Educator, researcher and past president of the National Association for Gifted Children Carol Ann Tomlinson in an article What is differentiated instruction? (Readingrockets.org) explains,

Differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. Whether teachers differentiate content, process, products, or the learning environment, the use of ongoing assessment and flexible grouping makes this a successful approach to instruction.

Back in 1956 educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom worked with colleagues and developed a taxonomy or classification of intellectual behaviors necessary for learning. Bloom's Taxonomy has been widely used in education since. In the 1990's a new group of cognitive psychologists led by Lorin Anderson, updated the taxonomy "reflecting relevance to 21st century work" (Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA).

Dr. Tracey Hall of the Center of Applied Special Technology (CAST) offers guidelines that make differentiated instruction possible for teachers to attain:

Clarify key concepts and generalizations
Use assessment as a teaching tool to extend versus merely measure instruction
Emphasize critical and creative thinking
Engage all learners
Provide balance between teacher-assigned and student-selected tasks

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/

Multiple Intelligences

2010-01-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

Howard Gardner has questioned the idea that intelligence is a single entity, that it results from a single factor, and that it can be measured simply via IQ tests. . . challenging also the cognitive development work of Piaget. Bringing forward evidence to show that at any one time a child may be at very different stages for example, in number development and spatial/visual maturation, Howard Gardner has successfully undermined the idea that knowledge at any one particular developmental stage hangs together in a structured whole. (infed.org/thinkers)

You may have heard of the concepts, but, how does this apply to your child's school experience? Seven distinct intelligences emerged from cognitive research and defined by Gardner, a professor at Harvard, in 1983 in Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences-- linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal. Another intelligence has since been added, naturalist intelligence. Educator Roger Hampton believes the

Multiple Intelligences pedagogy implies that teachers teach and assess differently based on individual intellectual strengths and weaknesses. Teachers structure learning activities around an issue or questions and connect subjects. Teachers develop strategies that allow for students to demonstrate multiple ways of understanding and value their uniqueness.

How do you rate your intelligence? What is your learning style? It's important that kids learn through their strengths while recognizing their areas of challenge.

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/2179121221/sizes/m/

Happy New Year 2010!

2009-12-30T18:40:00.000-08:00

Where does the time go? Happy New Year and great reading experiences in 2010! Each year I try to plan a new approach to improve my outlook on life and become a better person. Here are a few of my favorite things to work on through the year:

Read some good books, for fun, and for my own ongoing education. A few places to look are those great reading lists from the International Reading Association/Children's Book Council--Children's Choices and Teachers' Choices
Walk more, so this year I am going to use a pedometer and really take note of increasing my daily exercise
Visit a museum or science academy on a regular basis. I do enjoy visiting the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. I plan to also see the King Tutankhamun exhibit at the De Young Museum before it leaves March 28, 2010
Learn to use the Livescribe Smart Pen effectively
Attend a professional development seminar, workshop, or presentation to become a better teacher
Organize my family photos (a long neglected project)
Use my car less and public transit more

What are your plans for the coming year? When teaching in the classroom I used to have my students write a letter to themselves in January about their hopes and dreams for the coming year. I would collect the letters and save them to mail back to the students the following January. It was amazing, even for first graders, to see how they had grown over the course of the twelve months.

Happy New Year!

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/taylar/4123132561/sizes/m/

Board Game Gifts

2009-12-16T05:34:00.000-08:00

I recently read an article in the San Francisco Chronicle which reviewed board games of 2009, and it got me to thinking about the positive experiences children learn while playing board games. There are traditional games like Monopoly, Candy Land, and Chutes and Ladders, but there are also many other games that imbue cooperative learning that are fun and beautifully crafted. Below are a few favorites.

Roads, Rivers, and Rails by Ravensburger, "whose products (from website) offer a springboard to personal development and self discovery. They teach an awareness of community and family and do not promote violence; they cultivate taste and appreciation of quality."
Snails Pace Race, Ravensburger
The Enchanted Forest, Ravensburger
The Sleeping Grump, Family Pastimes
Puzzles are great sources for teaching cooperation, developing listening and speaking skills, and spending meaningful time with those you care about

Don't forget to teach your children how to play chess and checkers. Card games are also fun and a deck of cards goes a long way in the stockings--get According to Hoyle to refresh your card game rules and teach kids Hearts, Casino and Pyramid Solitaire to practice basic addition facts.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and see you after the Winter Holidays.

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/meganpru/57943941/

Winter Wonderland

2009-12-09T19:28:00.000-08:00

Winter Wonderland, a 1934 holiday classic (music by Felix Bernard, lyrics by Richard B. Smith, popularized in 1946 by both the Andrews Sisters with Guy Lombardo and by Perry Como) is not only a favorite winter tune, but often describes our own personal winter joys. This past week has seen snow at the 500 foot level in the San Francisco Bay Area. Rain is on the way and residents and meteorologists alike are hopeful our third year of California drought will end.

Water conservation tips are available from local water districts: San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD), and Santa Clara Valley Water District.

But, what of El Niño and La Niña? According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA,

El Niño is a disruption of the ocean-atmosphere system in the Tropical Pacific having important consequences for weather and climate around the globe. And La Niña is associated with cooler than normal water temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean, unlike El Niño which is associated with warmer than normal water.

And does this have anything to do with climate change? Lots of questions for the inquiring mind. Keyword search climate change at the San Francisco Public Library children's materials turns up 13 results. The same keyword search at the California Academy of Sciences turns up 1,340 matches. You might be interested in the United Nations Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, COP15, taking place from December 7 -18.

And with that, here's Bingo singing Winter Wonderland.

Photo Western Bluebird on Mt. Hamilton: Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP

Tis The Season To Be Jolly

2009-12-02T06:39:00.000-08:00

December is upon us and Christmas is fast approaching. The decorations in the retail market have been up in some places since before Halloween, and lighted trees are appearing in windows overnight. Budgets are tight and stress may be mounting. What to do? Following are a few tips, books, and DVDs to ease your way and your children's way through the holidays.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, AAP, offers safety tips for families and kids over the holidays. Families with children who have ADHD/ADD have added stresses and can take a look at Abby Deliz' article, Helping ADD Children Cope During Holidays. Parents/Guardians and children need to check their attitudes during the holidays. John Riddle has tips for both grownups and kids at keepkidshealthy.com.

What about a good read for the holidays, curled up by the tree, snuggled into a warm bed? Check out the public library! A keyword search for Christmas or winter holidays, at the San Francisco Public Library brought up more than 1,000 book titles; Christmas DVD brought up over 20 available titles. Want more movies? Amazon.com has a Classic Family Christmas Movies List of more than two dozen titles.

Below are a few sites that feature lists of recommended books for kids about the winter holidays.

Elizabeth Kennedy at About.com gives tips before you purchase as well as some recommended titles
Check out the Chicago Tribune's 18 New Holiday Books for Children
The Children's Book Council has new, Hot Off The Press books and a Seasonal Showcase list
KidsReads.com features a Holiday Roundup of book titles
Amazon has generated a list of books for kids by age group
Don't forget the comic books, Aaron Albert of About.com has the Top Ten Comic Book Christmas Gifts for Kids

Fa la la la la la la la la!

Graphic from http://z.about.com/d/collectdolls/1/0/y/G/santaround.jpg

Remember The First Thanksgiving, 1621

2009-11-25T08:01:00.000-08:00

Plimouth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts, is a living museum that features life as it was back at the time of the Wampanoag people celebrating with the newly arrived Pilgrims a successful harvest in 1621. Become a historian and investigate what really happened at this important event. Meet the native people and the new settlers. See how they lived, what they ate, how they socialized. Find out about family life and childhood.

Additionally, the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, has comprehensive Thanksgiving Books for Children and Native American Children's and Young Adult recommended reading lists.

You might also be interested in the works of Alexander Korman, artist of the featured graphic, an oil on canvas of the Plimouth Plantation.

Graphic from http://www.alexanderkorman.com/images-big/46.jpg

Reprise--Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

2009-11-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

I first wrote of this traditional Thanksgiving tune last year. My own daughters learned this song in grade school and for many years I taught it to my first grade students. I thoroughly enjoyed teaching students about The Green Corn Harvest, Pilgrims, Wampanoag Indians, and sharing thanks among our school community. We all enjoyed a rousing sing-a-long of Over The River as we closed our First Grade Thanksgiving. Following is the blog of a year ago:

"Over the river and through the wood," the start of the classic Thanksgiving Day song, tells the story of happy anticipation as the family trots fast on a horse drawn sleigh to grandmother and grandfather's house for turkey and pumpkin pie, hurrah! While many of us sing along to the tune, few of us recall the author, Lydia Maria Child. From About.com, Jane Johnson Lewis writes:

Originally published in Flowers for Children, Vol. 2 in 1844, the poem was titled A Boy's Thanksgiving Day, now generally known as Thanksgiving Day or Over the River. Lydia Maria Child was one of the earliest American women to earn a living from her writing. She was known in her time as the writer of one of the most popular domestic advice books, The Frugal Housewife, later renamed The American Frugal Housewife. She later published other popular advice books, including The Mother's Book and A Little Girl's Own Book. Her earliest novel, Hobomok, was one of the first American novels to depict pioneer life. It was also notable for its sympathetic portrayal of a Native American hero.

When Maria (she detested the first name Lydia) turned to anti-slavery writing with her An Appeal in Favor of that Class of Americans Called African, much of her devoted audience turned against her. She later edited the Anti-Slavery Standard and wrote a series of anti-slavery tracts. She edited the autobiography of ex-slave Harriet Jacobs. After the Civil War, she edited and published The Freedmen's Book for education of newly-freed slaves.

Other topics of interest to Child included a survey of the history of the world's religions and inspirational essays. In several later books, both fictional and political, she returned to issues of justice for Native Americans and African Americans.
Graphic from http://www.smart-central.com/HolidayPages/overtheriver.htm

Building Bridges

2009-11-11T05:50:00.000-08:00

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) operates seven toll bridges across San Francisco Bay. The Oakland San Francisco Bay Bridge has been in the news daily in recent months, so building bridges has become topical in the lunch room and the classroom. We're learning quite a bit about eyebars and S-curves as we develop our bridge engineering knowledge during the Bay Bridge's ongoing seismic project.

For me, I gladly dusted off a favorite bridge book, The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hilgarde H. Swift and Lynd Ward (Voyager Books Harcourt, Inc.), the story of the building of the George Washington Bridge across the Hudson River. A few years ago during a visit to my sister's family in New Jersey, I finally experienced first hand the little red lighthouse nestled below the massive engineering accomplishment of the bridge. I can see why Swift and Ward wrote the story! I took several photos of the lighthouse and inserted them in a pocket inside the cover of the book, bringing them out to show the children whenever I read the story aloud. The photo makes the story seem so real and gets us all talking about bridge experiences.

Here are a few more bridge stories you might enjoy.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson and Donna Diamond
Humphrey the Lost Whale by Wendy Tokuda and Richard Hall
Bridges Are To Cross by Philemon Sturges
Pop's Bridge by Eve Bunting
Building Toothpick Bridges by Jeanne Pollard
Mississippi Bridge by Mildred D. Taylor
Hardy Boys--The Mystery of the Spiral Bridge by Franklin W. Dixon and R. H. Tandy
Nancy Drew--The Haunted Bridge by Carolyn Keene
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce
Troll Bridge, A Rock 'n' Roll Fairy Tale by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple

Happy Reading!

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/caribb/2834739942/sizes/m/#cc_license

PEN: Parents Education Network

2009-11-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

Parents Education Network has really taken off here in San Francisco.

Founded as a grassroots organization in 2003 by parents whose children have learning and attention difficulties, and who individually struggled to find the information, services, and expertise to help their children succeed academically. PEN parents did not want other parents to experience the isolation and frustration they encountered. They came to believe strongly that parents and educators must work collaboratively to help LD children.

Today, PEN boasts of wide support in public, private and parochial schools. Its Speaker Series and Special Workshops are well designed. Its student off-shoot, SAFE--Student Advisors For Education--has published a book, Read This When You Can, produced a number of videos, offers support groups to teens with LD and speaks at a variety of venues. SAFE, with PEN, sponsors the annual ED REV 2010, held in ATT Park in San Francisco in the Spring. TEN, or Teachers Education Network, also has sprung up under the PEN umbrella.

I encourage parents/guardians, students and their families to check out this great community resource. Don't have a PEN in your area? Contact PEN in San Francisco for help and inspiration to start your own. Collaboration is the ticket in helping students with learning difficulties.

For more information, contact PEN at:

281A- 16th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94118

415.751.2237

pen@parentseducationnetwork.org

Graphic from http://www.weconnectnow.net

Parent Teacher Conferences

2009-10-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

Parent Teacher Conferences are held throughout the United States in elementary, middle school, junior high and high school. Sometimes once a year, sometimes more often. The purpose of the Parent Teacher conference is to build a partnership between family and school to support the learning needs of students. What can you do to prepare yourself for a conference? A few tips offered by Colorin Colorado, a bilingual site for families and educators of English language learners, include: be on time, be yourself, stay calm, ask for explanations of anything you don't understand, ask the most important questions early in the conference, respectfully discuss differences of opinion, create an action plan, thank the teacher for meeting with you.

How can you prepare for your conference? According to Family Education Network, here are some ways:

Talk to your child--what subjects are his/her best? Which ones does he/she like the least? Ask your child if there is anything he/she would like you to talk to the teacher about?
Reassure your child that you and the teacher are both interested in helping him/her learn.
Write down some questions you have before the conference. Parents/guardians and teachers both get a little nervous, and, many conferences are tightly scheduled, so you want to use the time wisely.
You may have more questions or concerns you would like to discuss than time allows, so ask to make another appointment for a longer period of time.

And from the Kansas National Education Association, find out what you as a parent/guardian can do at home to help your child do well at school. Before you leave, summarize the plans you and the teacher made to help your child. This eliminates the chance of misunderstanding. Parent/guardians are the primary educators, and teachers are there to help.

Graphic from https://hillcrest.dvusd.org/files/Parent%20Teacher%20Conferences.gif

Speech and Language Development

2009-10-21T00:01:00.001-07:00

According to LD Online, The World's Leading Website on Learning Disabilities and AD/HD:
Language is often described in two ways: expressive language and receptive language. Individuals with LD (learning disabilities) often have difficulty with both expressive and receptive language. There is a strong relationship between language and learning disabilities.

Children with difficulties in understanding or receiving language and/or expressing themselves orally or in the written word are not alone. How does a parent or teacher identify students with language difficulties? LD Online does provide a wealth of information on every facet of learning disabilities and may be a good start. Early identification of speech, language delays and disorders is key. ASHA, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association is another valuable site. They recommend:

Children identified as at-risk or high-risk, such as those from neonatal intensive care units, should be tested early and at regular intervals. Other risk factors include:
Diagnosed medical conditions like chronic ear infections
Biological factors like Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Genetic defects like Down syndrome
Neurological defects like cerebral palsy
Developmental disorders like delayed language
Children with no high-risk features should be evaluated if their speech and language is not similar to other children of the same age

Parents ask, "Lateblooming or language problems?" ASHA says, "Certain factors may increase the risk that a late-talking child in the 18- to 30-month-old age range, and with normal intelligence, will have continuing language problems." See ASHA's informative article explaining receptive language, use of gestures, age of diagnosis, and progress in language development.

To wrap up from the National Dissemniation Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCHY) posted on LD Online:

Speech and language disorders refer to problems in communication and related areas such as oral motor function.
A child's communication is considered delayed when the child is noticeably behind his or her peers in the acquisition of speech and/or language skills.
Speech disorders refer to difficulties producing speech sounds or problems with voice quality.
A language disorder is an impairment in the ability to understand and/or use words in context, both verbally and nonverbally.
Because all communication disorders carry the potential to isolate individuals from their social and educational surroundings, it is essential to find appropriate timely intervention.

Graphic from http://tj008.k12.sd.us/images/100yrs.gif

October 17, 1989--Loma Prieta Earthquake

2009-10-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

October 17, 1989, the Big One, the Loma Prieta Earthquake. 6.9 on the Richter Scale, this World Series Quake was named for the Loma Prieta Peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains, near the epicenter. The Pacific and North American plates abruptly slipped on their common boundary—the San Andreas Fault—but didn’t rupture to the surface. Computer animation of the aftershocks is available here through the Open Video Project.

Considerable damage occurred throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, especially in San Francisco and Oakland. 66 people died, over 3,757 were injured, and the cost came to $10 billion.
Today, residents of the San Francisco Bay Area are reminded daily of nature’s power as we watch and wait for the reconstruction of the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge which was damaged in 1989. "The seismic retrofit, which will ultimately reinforce and rebuild each section of the bridge, is perhaps no less ambitious than building the original bridge," according to The Bay Bridge Seismic Safety Project site.

Be prepared for a major earthquake. How? See the USGS site for tips. Attend one of The Big Rumble neighborhood resource faires in San Francisco and other participating cities including: Cupertino, Foster City, Hercules, Menlo Park, San Jose, Santa Rosa, and Sonoma.

Earthquake Resources for Kids:

San Francisco Public Library keyword search earthquakes
Volcano & Earthquake Eyewitness book by Susanna van Rose
Earthquakes by Seymour Simon
USGS for Kids
Portland State University History for Kids
PBS Dragonfly TV Earthquakes
Be Red Cross Ready for Earthquakes

Graphic from http://boxer.senate.gov/i/features/1906/lomaprieta_marina.jpg

Maurice Sendak, Author and Illustrator

2009-10-07T23:02:00.001-07:00

My first encounter with the books of Maurice Sendak was as an adult when my daughters were in kindergarten. Their gifted kindergarten/first grade teacher would gather the children on the rug and get their attention by chanting, "Waiting once, waiting twice, waiting chicken soup with rice." All the kids would join in and then take in a deep breath and exhale as they settled down. I have been a fan ever since.

Chicken Soup With Rice is an enchanting poem about the months and seasons of the year. A small book in size for small hands to cherish. Of course, Where The Wild Things Are must top many favorite book lists. Who can forget, "they gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes." Max was every bit the hero who returned to the loving security of his family after a bit of exploring on his own.

Sendak of course was also a fabulous illustrator of his own books as well as for others. The Little Bear stories of Else Holmelund Minarik became even more special with the endearing drawings of Sendak.

Brundibar, coauthored with Tony Kushner, is read by Maurice Sendak on the Rosenbach Museum and Library of Philadelphia website courtesy of the New York Times. In San Francisco, the Contemporary Jewish Museum sponsors Sendak on Sendak--a retrospective of over 100 pieces of his work on exhibit through January 19, 2010.

There's much to learn from this creative soul.
Graphic from flickr.com/photos/minipixel/2610543362/sizes/m/#cc_license

National Fire Prevention Week

2009-09-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

The first great fire in San Francisco originated on Christmas Eve, 1849 at Dennison's exchange on Kearny between Clay and Jackson Streets. Before a bucket brigade could be formed the fire was through the roof and spreading to surrounding buildings. By the time it burned itself out, fifty buildings were gone at a loss of one-and-a-half million dollars. The destructive blaze awakened the people to the great danger the City was exposed to from fire and finally established its own fire department. During that eighteen month period at the dawn of the Gold Rush, San Francisco was destroyed by fire six times, each time following the example of the mythical Phoenix, the City would rise anew from its smoldering ruins. GuardiansofTheCity.org/sffd

It's no small wonder San Franciscans take seriously fire prevention and sound advice from the SFFD. The week of October 4 - 10, 2009 is National Fire Prevention Week. School children around the country learn how to be fire safe and families are encouraged to plan for emergencies. Here in San Francisco we are reminded of our fragile existence as we soon commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake (more about that in a future blog).

Several informational sites geared to kids and fire safety include:

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips
Apples 4theTeacher Fire Safety book list
Team Up With Sparky, National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA)
Safety Related Books and Websites from ReadWriteThink.org
San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) keyword search fire prevention book list
Sparky the Fire Dog
United States Fire Administration for Kids
Guardians of the City Museum and Memorial

Stay fire smart! Don't get burned.

Graphic from http://southfiredistrict.com/images/FPW2009.jpg

Johnny Appleseed Day: September 26

2009-09-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

The Johnny Appleseed post from a year ago has received much interest which begs the question, what is so special about this popular American folk legend? Following are several categories you might find helpful in this ongoing celebration of a simple man on a simple journey.

Biography: According to the Library Of Congress This Day In History,

Jonathan Chapman, born in Leominster, Massachusetts, on September 26, 1775, came to be known as "Johnny Appleseed." Chapman earned his nickname because he planted nurseries and individual apple trees across 100,000 square miles of midwestern wilderness and prairie—resulting in settlers' planting their own orchards. The first record of Chapman's presence in the Midwest dates to 1801 when he was known to be on the Ohio River transporting bushels of apple seeds from western Pennsylvania for his nurseries. Chapman's first apple-tree nursery was along the Allegheny Valley in northwestern Pennsylvania; he then ventured into central and northwestern Ohio and to eastern Indiana. Chapman scouted routes that he thought pioneers would settle and planted his seedlings ahead of the new settlements.
Apples: Washington State Apples, Apples (Samoset Elementary, Florida), Pies, Home Orchard (University of California, Davis), Apples and More (University of Illinois Extension).

Reading Selections: Johnny Appleseed by Stephen Kellogg, Johnny Appleseed by James Howard Kunstler, Johnny Appleseed (First Biographies) by Lola M. Schaefer, The Story of Johnny Appleseed by Aliki, and Johnny Appleseed: The Legend and the Truth by Jane Yolen.

The Allen County Public Library of Fort Wayne, Indiana shares a comprehensive list of Johnny Appleseed books in conjunction with the annual Johnny Appleseed Festival held in Fort Wayne.

Videos/Audio CDs: Disney's American Legends, Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales and Legends, Rabbit Ears Treasurey of Tall Tales Volume One, American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborne, William Tell and Other Stories by Oxford University Press,

Printables/Interactives: Apple Juice (AJ), National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Games for Kids, Crafts for Kids from DLTK, Weekly Reader's Johnny Appleseed, Johnny Appleseed Junior Ecology Club, University of Missouri ethemes, and

Houghton Mifflin Apples Page.

Festivals: Fort Wayne, Indiana; Crystal Lake, IL; Sheffield, Pennsylvania; Lisbon, Ohio; Wayne County, Ohio; Apple Festivals Around the World

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/hafsacreations/1204874394/sizes/m/#cc_license

Standardized Testing On The Horizon!

2009-09-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

Annual fall standardized testing is soon upon us here at SS. Peter & Paul Salesian School in San Francisco. The tips listed in the graphic above are good advice. We also suggest a good night's sleep throughout the week of testing. The Department of Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of San Francisco utilize the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) or the IOWAs. These timed, norm referenced tests provide educators with

Diagnostic information. . . Remediation strategies can be developed based on the information from fall testing. Used properly, these results offer a predictable glimpse of which students are most at risk of not meeting academic performance goals. . . Fall testing allows districts to effectively use test results in a collaborative way. Once a fall-to-fall testing schedule is established, district administrators can easily look for longitudinal patterns in student achievement. These patterns can be used to focus professional development strategies or determine instructional areas that need additional resources. . . (See FAQs)

SSPP faculty doesn't generally give homework during testing week, and students often have some time on their hands to catch up on reading, math review, and for junior high students, working on their research papers. Getting enough sleep, and maintaining a balanced, healthy diet and exercise program go a long way to successfully performing in the tests.

Test taking tips include:

Always read the whole question carefully. Don't make assumptions about what the question might be.
If you don't know an answer, skip it. Go on with the rest of the test and come back to it later. Other parts of the test may have some information that will help you out with that question.
Don't worry if others finish before you. Focus on the test in front of you.

Good Luck!
Graphic from http://www.itselementary.com/Test-Taking/Test-Taking-Tips-Cards/

Attributes

2009-09-09T23:12:00.000-07:00

Youngsters come home from school with flash cards, vocabulary words, and spelling words. What do you do with all the pieces? How do you organize the information in a way that simplifies your child's efforts at studying? You look at the attributes of the words and commence your sorting and classifying! Attributes belong to a person, thing, group, etc.; a quality, character, characteristic, or property. So, your first grader's spelling words might be one syllable, short a, three or four letter words. These are all attributes that may be applied to the list of words. For the younger student, many of these words are often referred to as word families, such as -at word family that includes cat, sat, rat, bat, flat, that, and so on. But word sorts can be a helpful tool for the older student, especially as science and social studies vocabulary increases.

What else might you do with vocabulary words? You can sort these by parts of speech (noun, adjective, verb, adverb, prepositions), or by base words and prefixes and suffixes. Many students are learning and reviewing base words in the initial selections of the Houghton Mifflin reading program.

One tip for organizing the growing collection of word cards, get some boxes to place the cards in. Decide your attribute and place the cards that match the attributes into those boxes. Besides looking for the short vowels for beginning readers, it's also interesting to line up your words by number of letters in each word.

As we sort and classify we learn the attributes of our words and give a boost to our developing fluency. It's fun!

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/textile_fetish/2399059937/sizes/o/

Sorting and Classifying

2009-09-02T06:42:00.000-07:00

School is in full swing, students are adjusting to earlier bedtimes, parents/guardians are off to a running start trying to keep up with homework obligations and extracurricular activities. So, here we go!

Both as a classroom teacher and now as a reading specialist, I encourage children and their families to read. I must say it is disheartening to encounter students who announce they did not read during the summer. Truly it is a disservice to these children that caring adults did not insist on daily reading time. Perhaps with the new school year beginning, family members can promise to each other a time to read together. If children can see their parents/guardians read, they will learn by example that reading is important. Reading Is Thinking!

What else can we do to nourish those dendrites? Children, young and old, enjoy collections--whether it is the latest tune for their iPod or Ben 10 toys--collecting, sorting and classifying helps us figure out the world, see patterns, organize ideas both concretely and abstractly, develop number sense, and engages the imagination. I remember one year I asked students to bring in an acorn or two if they were out on a hike or traveling about the countryside. San Francisco doesn't have the climate for the mighty oak. One family was quite excited on Monday morning and had delivered a cardboard box full of acorns, or so they thought. In reality, it was a box of pinecones. They got a bit confused and we enjoyed working through the confusion! The great part of the mix up was that we could then classify and sort pinecones and acorns and it became a great learning experience.

What do you collect? Do you bring a part of your collection to sharing day at school? Do you talk about your collection on talking sharing days? Do you write about your collection? More next week on sorting and classifying.
Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/lukeas09/3485494909/sizes/m/

School Days and Golden Rule Days

2009-08-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

SSPP Reads celebrates its first anniversary! Thanks for joining this ongoing dialogue promoting reading in our daily lives. I really encourage you to check out some of the links to the right of this posting, they range from book lists to parent networking to learning disabilities. I try to keep them updated and look forward to your feedback. You can reach me by clicking on e-mail me near the top of the right column.

The American Academy of Pediatrics presents its annual Back To School Tips for kids and adults including:

Making the First Day Easier
Back Pack Safety
Traveling To and From School
Eating During the School Day
Bullying
Before and After School Child Care
Developing Good Homework and Study Habits

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) also has words of advice for parents during this time of transition:

Getting a new school year off to a good start can influence children’s attitude, confidence, and performance both socially and academically. The transition from August to September can be difficult for both children and parents. Even children who are eager to return to class must adjust to the greater levels of activity, structure, and, for some, pressures associated with school life. The degree of adjustment depends on the child, but parents can help their children (and the rest of the family) manage the increased pace of life by planning ahead, being realistic, and maintaining a positive attitude.

So, what do you say?! Have a great year! School is fun!

Graphic from http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/894673.jpg

Summer Wrap Up 2009, Part 2

2009-08-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Continuing on last week's Summer Wrap Up 2009 theme, following are some interesting, free videos to expand your knowledge and just have fun. Be sure to check the closed captioning icon if available, so that you can read the words while they are spoken over the videos.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, BrainPOP, funded by FWD Media, Inc., creates animated, curriculum-based content that supports educators and engages students. It does offer some free movies covering such topics as Asthma and Yo-Yo Ma,.
NASA Multimedia Video Gallery offers a wide array of space science videos for your developing astronomical knowledge. NASA Television is also available on YouTube.
PBS Kids offers new videos every week for the younger reader including Curious Georgie, Clifford The Big Red Dog, and Sid, The Science Kid.
Storyline Online, presented by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, offers many books read to the viewer by an adult using the actual book including Stellaluna by Janelle Cannon , Thank You Mr. Faulkner by Patricia Polacco, and Brave Irene by William Steig. See if you can name any of the famous readers!
National Geographic for Kids offers a wide selection of videos, some full length, some 3 minutes, all are well worth a look.
PBS American Experience series, produced by WGBH Boston, features over 200 films. Watch full films online, download teacher’s guides, go behind the scenes, and learn more about your favorite films. While on the American Experience site, check out The American Experience for Kids, Wayback--U.S. History for Kids.

THIS JUST IN from the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD): The U.S. Department of Labor launches redesigned Disability.gov web site. Check that out, especially the Education links.

Well that's it for this summer. Be rested, energized, prepared with your summer reading assignments, and have a great 2009-2010 school year.

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/alasam/2473024612/sizes/m/

Summer Wrap Up 2009, Part 1

2009-08-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

A variety of literature has made its way to my computer and my desk. Following are a few pearls you might want to explore. I start with some book award sites then to some interesting literacy activities you might enjoy.

The Jane Addams Children's Book Awards are given annually to the children's books published the preceding year that effectively promote the cause of peace, social justice, world community, and the equality of the sexes and all races as well as meeting conventional standards for excellence.

Founded in 1966, Reading Is Fundamental is the oldest and largest children's and family nonprofit literacy organization in the United States. RIF’s highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age 8. Through community volunteers in every state and U.S. territory, RIF provides 4.5 million children with 16 million new, free books and literacy resources each year.

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is presented every year, the largest international children's and young adult literature award in the world. The award is presented to authors, illustrators, storytellers and those active in reading promotion work. The award may be presented to a single recipient or to several, regardless of language or nationality. The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is administered by the Swedish Arts Council.

The Ezra Jack Keats Book Award was established in 1985 to recognize and encourage authors and illustrators new to the field of children's books. The Ezra Jack Keats New Writer and New Illustrator Awards are given annually to an outstanding new writer of picture books for children (age 9 and under) and are presented jointly by the New York Public Library and the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.

Upcoming literacy events:

International Literacy Day sponsored by UNESCO traditionally observed annually on September 8, focuses attention on worldwide literacy needs. More than 780 million of the world’s adults (nearly two-thirds of whom are women) do not know how to read or write, and between 94 and 115 million children lack access to education.

The 1,000 Lights for Literacy Fund sponsored by the International Reading Association, empowers teachers to make positive change by giving large grants to teachers to power classroom literacy programs. Grants will be awarded each year for amazing and bold literacy programs created by classroom teachers.

In 2006, Jumpstart created Read for the Record, an international campaign to bring preschool children together with valued grownups in their lives to read the same book, on the same day, in communities all over the world. In 2008, nearly 700,000 readers shared the classic children’s tale, Corduroy by Don Freeman. This year, Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar will be read on October 8, 2009.

To draw attention to the remarkable variety of writing we engage in and help make writers from all walks of life aware of their craft, National Council of Teachers of English(NCTE) has established October 20, 2009, as the National Day on Writing.

Next week I will share some links to engaging videos. Graphic from http://www.harley.com/art/abstract-art/images/(monet)-wheatstacks-end-of-summer.jpg

Dog Days of Summer

2009-07-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

We've heard of the dog days of summer, those hot, sultry days during July and August, but where did the name originate? We go back to ancient times and astronomy, and look at the stars. Sure enough, we see Sirius, the Dog Star. From the University of Texas McDonald Observatory we learn:

Thousands of years ago, the star made its first morning appearance a little earlier in the year. From ancient Greece and Rome, it showed up at the start of summer's heat -- a time that could bring disease and famine. Since Sirius is known as the Dog Star, this time of year was known as the Dog Days -- a time that hardly brought rejoicing.

We, however, can rejoice at the knowledge we have gained since those early times about the universe. Check out the Hands-On Universe , an educational program available from the University of California's Lawrence Hall of Science, visit the Morrison Planetarium at the California Academy of Sciences and take a simmulated trip through the universe. The Academy has also put together a comprehensive reading list for kids focusing on astronomy. Check that out! The Kids Astronomy website from the Kids Know It Network, providing free educational learning sites for children, also looks interesting.

And, about these Dog Days, did you complete your summer reading, the first day of school is just around the corner!

Graphic from http://spacewatch.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/sirius.jpg

Butterflies

2009-07-22T10:30:00.000-07:00

According to The Children's Butterfly Site, maintained by the Big Sky Institute at Montana State University:

Despite their small size, butterflies and moths are some of the World's most wondrous animals. Their beauty, seemingly miraculous metamorphosis, and apparently carefree flight all spark our imaginations.
Butterflies and moths go through complete metamorphosis--egg, larva (caterpillar stage), pupa (chrysalis stage) and adult. These four stages demonstrate a transformation that for children, is magical. There is a wide range of butterfly sites in addition to The Children's Butterfly Site named above, to guide the student in learning about these wonderful insects--National Geographic for Kids, San Diego Zoo Animalbytes, The Butterfly Website, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Bay Nature, The San Francisco Zoological Society Insect Zoo, and Butterflies and Moths Site.

There are also great books explaining the science of butterflies:

My Butterfly Book by Melissa Stewart (Smithsonian Books)
From Caterpillar to Butterfly by Deborah Heiligman (Let's Read And Find Out Books)
My, Oh My A Butterfly! by Tish Rabe (Cat In The Hat Books)
Painted Lady Butterflies by Donna Schaffer (Life Cycles Books)
The Beautiful Butterfly Book by Sue Unstead (Beautiful Bug Books)
Butterflies--Peterson Field Guides For Young Naturalists by Jonathan Latimer and Karen Stray Nolting (Houghton Mifflin Books)
Where Butterflies Grow by Joanne Ryder and Lynne Cherry (Lodestar Books)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (Philomel Books)

Not to be missed, the annual migration of over 25,000 Monarch Butterflies that over-winter in Natural Bridges State Beach and the Monarch Grove Sanctuary of Pacific Grove from mid-October to late January!

Graphic from http://www.digital-images.net/Showcase/Anise_Swallowtail_X4356.jpg

Supreme Court of the United States

2009-07-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! so opens a session of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). Take a virtual tour and immerse yourself in history and tradition.

Article III of the United States Constitution calls for the establishment of a Judicial Branch of the federal government, but the specifics of a Supreme Court were spelled out in an act of Congress, the Judiciary Act of 1789. That Act provided for the highest court in the land to have six justices, of which one would be the Chief Justice (from US Constitution Online).

Why the interest now in SCOTUS? President Barack Obama has nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor to take the place on the court of retiring Judge David Souter. Her nomination hearings are conducted before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington D.C. The committee members will recommend confirmation or not recommend confirmation of Judge Sotomayor to the Senate. The Senate then will vote to accept the recommendation of the committee.

The Oyez Project consists of concise case overviews, Justice biographies, and multimedia features like the Virtual Supreme Court Tour cited above. It also has Oyez Baseball, where the Supreme Court is likened to a baseball team to explain its workings. Check it out!

Some books of interest include: Our Supreme Court by Richard Panchyk (Chicago Review Press, Inc.); The U.S. Supreme Court by Anastasia Suen (Picture Window Books); Marshall, the Courthouse Mouse: A Tail of the U.S. Supreme Court by Peter W. Barnes & Cheryl Shaw Barnes (VSP Books); The Supreme Court by GeoffreyM. Horn (World Almanac); Chico by Sandra Day O'Connor (Dutton Children's Books); Thurgood Marshall : Civil Rights Attorney and Supreme Court Justice by Mark Rowh (African-American Biographies); The Nine Current Supreme Court Justices: Colorful Info for Curious Minds by W. Frederick Zimmerman (Nimble Books); and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court Justice by Carmen Bredesen (People To Know).
Graphic from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Sonia_Sotomayor_in_SCOTUS_robe.jpg/480px-Sonia_Sotomayor_in_SCOTUS_robe.jpg

Earthrise From The Moon, July 20,1969

2009-07-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

Forty years ago the first human beings set foot on the Moon. "This photo of Earthrise over the lunar horizon taken from the orbiting Command Module (Columbia) is one of the most famous images returned from the space program, although even the (Apollo 11) astronauts--Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, command module pilot; Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., lunar module pilot--cannot remember who actually took the picture."

Neil Armstrong's first words, "That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” were heard on radio and television, and the first steps of Astronauts Armstrong and Collins were viewed on television by nearly half a billion people world-wide.

After spending 21 hours, 38 minutes, 21 seconds on the lunar surface, Armstrong and Aldrin left a plaque on the Moon stating:

HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH

FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON

JULY 1969 A.D.
WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND

You might want to learn more about this tremendous human achievement. Check out Popular Mechanics which has compiled a book list of Apollo 11 for adults and children. PM also has a thorough retrospective of the 40th Anniversary on their site. Not to be outdone, National Geographic highlights Moon Exploration and a Timeline of Space Exploration. A keyword search "Apollo 11," of the San Francisco Public Library, children's materials, pulls up 13 sources.

Look too at NASA's For Kids Only site as well as its Apollo 11 40th Anniversary celebration site, Celebrate Apollo: Exploring the Moon, Discovering Earth. Seymour Simon's site gives a comprehensive list of science links as well as a list of his own work.

Your family may enjoy Homar Hickam's memoir Rocket Boys, about growing up the son of a coal miner in the West Virginia town, Coalwood, and becoming a NASA engineer. This memoir was later made into the movie, October Sky.

Graphic from http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/images/a11earthrise.jpg

Fourth of July, Happy 233rd Birthday!

2009-07-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

As a youngster growing up in San Francisco, my sisters and brothers and I with our neighborhood friends put on quite an extravaganza in our backyard reenacting songs and dances from Yankee Doodle Dandy (Director Michael Curtiz, 1942) starring James Cagney as George M. Cohan. It was our way of celebrating the Fourth of July. My sister Rose choreographed all of it. We invited all the parents, charged an admission fee, and had a great time. Much of the rest of the day was spent hoping the fog would lift and our Piccolo Petes, sparklers and various fireworks bought in nearby San Mateo County would light up our street with color and sparks. As the night celebrations came to a close we would go indoors, drink hot chocolate with marshmallows, and watch for the umpteenth time, Yankee Doodle Dandy, usually broadcast once a year to mark the Independence Day holiday.

Fireworks and other events still mark the Fourth throughout the country, though this year it seems many communities are cutting back on the expense due to the economic downturn. Yankee Doodle Dandy can be rented or purchased to view any time you want. Read Write Think, lesson plans made available through the International Reading Association (IRA), the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and Marco Polo (Thinkfinity), put together an Independence Day Book List.

The fog still rolls into San Francisco Bay like clockwork in July.

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/51482812@N00/183419547/sizes/m/

Eat Your Vegetables!

2009-06-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

"Gardening with children, from toddlers to adolescents, opens new windows in a world dominated by technology," so says Organic Gardening in a recent post about Gardening With Kids.

First Lady Michelle Obama advocates gardening, healthy eating and exercise for all, especially for our children. See the Sesame Street youtube video, Michelle Obama's Healthy Habits, produced by Sesame Workshop. Other videos of interest are At The White House: Garden-To-Table Is Elementary and eHow's How To Start a Vegetable Garden.

Another interesting source to learn more about gardening with children is through Associated Content, an open content network. See their Three Vegetable Garden Projects Kids Will Love.

Notes from the Windowsill, an annotated bibliography of children's books enjoyed by adult readers, has a comprehensive listing of books for young readers and older adolsecent readers on gardening, both fiction and nonfiction.

No outdoor space to call your own? A list of San Francisco Community Gardens gathered by San Francisco Garden Resource Organization, SFGRO, might lead you down a garden path of renewed sense of appreciation for nature and living healthy.

So, get out there, wear a hat, use sunblock, and enjoy the fun and nutrition of growing your own vegetables. Mother was right, eat your vegetables!

Image from http://foundsf.org/images/2/24/Potrero-hill-garden_0491.jpg

Father's Day and Summer Solstice

2009-06-17T17:53:00.000-07:00

Jon Scieszka's interview about reading, growing up with five brothers, boys and reading, and more lends itself to celebrating Father's Day and Summer Reading! Mr. Scieszka (pronounced SHEH-SKA) was named the first National Ambassador for Young People's Literature by the Library of Congress in 2008.

He hopes to . . .encourage parents and teachers to support whatever reading their kids want to do. People say, "All my son will read is Captain Underpants," or "My son is crazy about shark books, is that O.K.?" I want to be the person to say that’s really O.K., as long as he’s motivated to want to read.

Scieszka's books include: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, The Frog Prince Continued, The Stinky Cheese Man, Math Curse, and Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Almost True Stories of Growing Up. See his Guys Read, "a web-based literacy program to help boys find stuff they like to read."

Speaking of dads, Reading Rockets extols the uniqueness of dads: "Dads are great. They fix broken toys, sing silly songs, and open our eyes to the wonders of the world around us. But most of all, they give us lots of love." They put together a Fabulous Fathers book list for children through age nine. Reading Rockets also has exclusive video interviews with top children's book authors and illustrators. Check it out!

A search of San Francisco Public Library keyword fathers day gives an extensive list of more than 40 books available in children'a materials.

Disney Online, through their Kaboose website, also has put together a thematic list of books for dear old dad and you to share on his day and throughout the year.

This year of course, Father's Day falls on the first day of summer, the longest day of the year, the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. We'll see 14 hours of sunlight! Enjoy the day with daddy-o.

Graphic from http://www2.scholastic.com/content/images/flash_promo/teacher/ba_jan08_jon_scieszka_ambasssador.jpg

Summertime and the reading is easy!

2009-06-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

School is almost out for the summer and teachers are handing out their summer reading lists. It seems everyone is trying to get kids to keep reading this summer! National Public Radio (NPR) recommends books for kids. The New York Times Company through its website About.com lists on Children's Books, Top Ten Summer Reading Lists 2009 for kids and teens. Amazon books also has recommendations to peak your student's interest. San Francisco Public Library's Summer Reading Program, Read It and Green It, is up and running, and they too, have a recommended reading list for young people.

Most schools recommend summer reading for their students; some, especially at the high school level may have one book for all students, staff and faculty to read; others, usually elementary and middle schools, make summer reading a requirement, and offer titles by grade for their students. Susan Larson, Book Editor of the New Orleans Picayune-Times, reports on summer reading and offers this insight from Kaycee Eckhardt, a reading teacher at the New Orleans Charter Science and Math Academy,

It's all about creating a culture of reading from the beginning. Statistics show that students who read over the summer months have improved reading levels, but students who don't have their reading levels decrease significantly. We ask our students to keep reading logs, do book talks, write letters to the author, and if they're not reading over the summer, there's just so much more work to be done in the fall.

Susan Larson recommends the following book resources for families:

What to Read When: The Books and Stories to Read with Your Child -- and All the Best Times to Read Them, by Pam Allyn (Avery). This is one of the best guidebooks to children's reading I have ever seen. Along with selections for every stage of a child's reading life, from brith to ten, Allyn offers the 50 great themes in children's literature ( from "Adoption" to "Feeling a sense of Justice: Changing the World" to "Loneliness" to "Sleepovers"), with selections for developing, emerging and mature readers in every category. Her writing is joyful and her enthusiasm is contagious. Her web site is constantly updated.
The Ultimate Teen Book Guide: Over 700 Great Books, edited by Daniel Hahn and Leonie Flynn, introduction by David Almond (Walker). New Orleans' Maple Street Book Shop's Cindy Dike says it's one of the most up-to-date guides; it includes a nice mix of grown-up and young adult books and is a good reference for reading at a difficult age.

The New York Times Parent's Guide to the Best Books for Children: 3rd Edition Revised and Updated,by Eden Ross Lipson (Crown, Three Rivers). An essential resource by the late, great New York Times children's book editor.

So, what are you waiting for? Books, magazines, journals, newspapers; pick one up and read!

Graphic from http://www.oldmustybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/children_reading.jpg

Star Light, Star Bright

2009-05-27T22:54:00.000-07:00

Stargazing tips from StarDate Online , a production of the University of Texas McDonald Observatory and is part of the Observatory's public education and outreach. This week's tips, below, make for interesting nights.

May 28, 2009--As night falls, look to the right of the Moon by about the width of three fingers held at arm's length for the Behive star cluster, which is in the constellation Cancer. It looks like a hazy patch of light. Binoculars reveal many individual stars.

May 29, 2009--Regulus, the brightest star of Leo, the lion, stands a little to the upper left of the Moon as darkness falls this evening. It shines white with perhaps the slightest hint of blue.

May 30, 2009--The planet Saturn follows the Moon across the sky this evening. Saturn looks like a bright golden star a little to the upper left of the Moon at nightfall. The true star Regulus is to the right of the Moon.

May 31, 2009--Rasalhague, the brightest star of Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer, arcs high across the south tonight. The star is entering the final stages of life. Like the Sun, it will end its life as a hot, dense cinder called a white dwarf.

June 1, 2009--Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer, climbs across the south on June nights. One of its stars, RS Ophiuchi, consists of two old stars. One of the stars occasionally erupts, making the system shine much brighter than normal.

June 2, 2009--Barnard's Star, the second-closest star system to Earth, is in the constellation Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer, which crosses the southern sky tonight. Although it is only six light-years away, it is so feeble that you need a telescope to see it.

June 3, 2009--The stars that mark the heads of Hercules and Ophiuchus, which are visible in the east this evening, are close together. Each bears an Arabic name that means "the head." In Hercules, it is Ras Algethi (head of the kneeler); in Ophiuchus, Ras Alhague, (head of the serpent charmer).

See popular children's author Seymour Simon's books on space.

Graphic from http://stardate.org/images/gallery/sun5.jpg

Read Now!

2009-05-20T20:41:00.000-07:00

The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) announced nominees for the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Awards. IBBY is a non-profit organization which represents an international network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together.
The Hans Christian Andersen Awards are presented every two years by IBBY to an author and an illustrator whose complete works have made an important and lasting contribution to children's literature. IBBY National Sections from 33 countries made their selections.
Some of the nominees include from Brazil, Author--Bartolomeu Campos de Queirós; Illustrator: Roger Mello. From China, Author--Liu Xianping; from Greece, Author--Loty Petrovits-Andrutsopulou; Illustrator--Diatsenta Parissi. From Ireland, Author--Eoin Colfer; Illustrator--P.J. Lynch; from Mexico, Author--Alberto Blanco; Illustrator--Fabricio Vanden Broeck. From Serbia, Author--Zoran Božović; from Switzerland, Illustrator--Etienne Delessert and from the USA, Author--Walter Dean Myers; Illustrator--Eric Carle.

One way you might consider sharing these materials is through reading activities recommended by the National PTA to FamilyEducation.com, a foundation funded in part by textbook publisher Pearson Education, Inc. Many of these activities can especially come in handy during the summer months ahead.

Check out the International Reading Association's ReadWriteThink.org site for interactive student materials, such as Flip-A-Chart for building vocabulary; Graphic Maps for reading and writing activities; and Literary Elements Map for older students in prewriting and postreading activities.

Graphic from http://www.utpjournals.com/bookbird/Welcome%20to%20IBBY_files/katze2.jpg

Take a Stand! Lend a Hand! Stop Bullying Now!

2009-05-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

What is the definition of bullying? According to Stop Bullying Now! a campaign against bullying from the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA),

Bullying happens when someone hurts or scares another person on purpose and the person being bullied has a hard time defending himself or herself.

Have you ever bullied? Take the quiz from Stop Bullying Now! and consider that

All over the country, in all types of neighborhoods and schools, there are all types of young people who bully others. Bullying is serious business. It causes young people a lot of pain, and it can affect their ability to do well in school and their general happiness.

Recommended books for the bullied and bullies, their families, teachers, and friends can be found on the Stop Bullying Now! site on the adult page catalog of resources. Following are a few that look especially interesting: Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain by Trevor Romain; Gloria Rising by Ann Cameron; Stick Up For Yourself by Gershen Kaufman , Lev Raphael, Pamela Espeland; Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco; Don't Feed the Bully by Brad Tassell; and Hot Issues, Cool Choices by Sandra McLeod Humphrey.

You can stop bullying. Here are some tips for kids. And parents/guardians,

Whether you are a parent, health and safety professional, teacher or school official, or someone else who interacts with young people everyday. . . . learn more about bullying and ways to deal with, reduce, and prevent it. . . The more we all know about this issue, the more we're all able to help.

Graphic from http://stopbullyingnow.gotdns.com/StopBullyingNow/img/Template/sbn-logo.gif

Get Caught Reading!

2009-05-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

Get Caught Reading is a nationwide campaign to remind people of all ages how much fun it is to read. May is Get Caught Reading month, but the campaign is promoted throughout the year. Get Caught Reading is supported by the Association of American Publishers (AAP). Launched in 1999, "Get Caught Reading" is the brainchild of former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder, President and Chief Executive Officer of AAP, the industry association representing book publishers. She saw the opportunity to spread the word about the joys of reading through an industry-supported literacy campaign. Because of research indicating that early language experience actually stimulates a child's brain to grow and that reading to children gives them a huge advantage when they start school, we hope to encourage people of all ages to enjoy books and magazines and to share that pleasure with the young children in their lives.

See Look Who's Been Caught Reading posters!

The American Academy of Pediatrics supports early reading experiences:

Pediatricians prescribe reading activities along with other instructions given to parents at the time of well-child visits. The President of the Academy, Dr. Robert E. Hannemann, stated: "We strongly recommend daily reading to children from six months of age."

Check out some of the recommended reading lists on the side bar of this blog: Children's Choices 2008, Teacher's Choices 2008, Author Jon Scieszka's Guys Read, and the Carter G. Woodson Award List for social studies literature.

Happy Reading!

Graphic from http://www.nfls.lib.wi.us/one/images/GetCaughtReading.gif

What Is H1N1 (swine) Flu?

2009-04-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Under a plate magnification of 37,800X, this colorized transmission electron micrograph (TEM) above, depicted the A/New Jersey/76 (Hsw1N1) virus, while in the virus’ first developmental passage through a chicken egg (Graphic from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Image Library)

What is Swine Influenza? Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza that regularly cause outbreaks of influenza among pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates among pigs. Swine influenza viruses may circulate in swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks among swine herds occur during the late fall and winter months similar to humans. The classical swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930. http://phil.cdc.gov/phil/details.asp?pid=10143

For more information check out the CDC, your online source for credible health information, which has up to the minute information about H1N1(swine) flu. Stay informed.

In a CDC H1N1 (swine) Flu Podcast (released April 25, 2009), Dr. Joe Bresee, with the Influenza Division, describes swine flu - its signs and symptoms, how it's transmitted, medicines to treat it, steps people can take to protect themselves from it, and what people should do if they become ill.

Earth Day

2009-04-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

The 39th Anniversary Celebration of Earth Day is April 22, 2009 and it began in San Francisco, California! Today it is a world wide celebration of Earth, our home, and a reminder to individuals, communities and countries the care for Mother Earth is a shared responsibility. Hot topics internationally include climate change, energy use, water as a human right, hybrid and electric cars, green building, clean air, and organic farming, among others. Reading from lots of sources--books, magazines, newspapers, and the Internet--helps us to figure out our place in this important conversation about our future.

So, for starters, here is a beginning list of possible reading materials.

National Geographic Society has books for kids.

United States Environmental Protection Agency has a book list for kids.

Earth Day Network has a plan for greening K - 12 schools in the US in a generation.

Our federal government also has a website, EarthDay.gov.

Even Disneynature is joining the wave of saving our Earth with their new movie Earth, opening fittingly on Earth Day, April 22, 2009.

The San Francisco Public Library has a recommended reading list of Green Eco titles, part of its effort to provide to the community resources for a greener way of life.

There's always something of interest in Today in American History presented by the Library of Congress.

A special thanks to our own school community--our PTO for Going Green at our Spring Fundraiser, and to faculty members who facilitated our school composting efforts during our lunch periods. And finally, you might want to take a peek at the Peregrine Falcon Nests with cameras, situated about the San Francisco Bay Area provided by grants from PGE in San Francisco, City of San Jose in San Jose, and Oracle Corporation in Redwood Shores in support of the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group.

Graphic from http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050421/050421_earthDay_hmed_10a.standard.jpg

San Francisco Earthquake April 18, 1906

2009-04-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, April 18, 1906, stretches the imagination as to understanding the widespread destruction of our fair city. Natural disasters throughout our shrinking planet have let us to better able comprehend the impact such horrors present to human beings. We can recall most recently the earthquakes of Abruzzo, Italy on April 6, 2009, and in the Sichuan Province of Central China on May 12, 2008, Hurricane Katrina and the Levee Breaks of August 2005, and the Indian Ocean Tsunami of December 26, 2004.

The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco is gathering more data, spearheaded by Gladys Hansen San Francisco City Archivist Emeritus and Curator of the Museum,

In response to repeated requests through our website we are setting out to compile a new and more accurate account of those affected by the 1906 earthquake. We want information on everyone who was here at the time, both survivors and those who perished.
See the Great Register to share your family history and to read about what it was like at the time. Selections young readers might enjoy include: The Great Quake by Beth Geiger (National Geographic Explorer Journal, April 2006), The Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 by Bryan Brown (Junior Scholastic Journal, March 27, 2006), Shake, Rattle and Roar! (Junior Scholastic, March 27, 2006), If You Lived at the Time of the Great San Francisco Earthquake by Ellen Levine, The Earth Dragon Awakes by Laurence Yep, and A Song for Sung Li by Pamela Dell. These are all available at the San Francisco Public Library searched with keyword San Francisco Earthquake.

How prepared are you? Check out with your family San Francisco's 72hours.org for advice on how to prepare your family for natural and human made disasters.

Graphic from http://www.consrv.ca.gov/cgs/geologic_hazards/earthquakes/PublishingImages/FIRE_96_10x5t.jpg

Happy Easter!

2009-04-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

A very happy Easter and will return next Wednesday.

Graphic courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpixels/3368793248

April--Celebrate Poetry

2009-04-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Thought I would set up some handy links to some great how to write poetry for kids. Teachers may want to use these interactive graphic poetry organizers to kick off National Poetry Month.

Poetry forms from the Educational Technology Training Center
Interactive poetry tools and lessons from South Jersey Academy
Diamante poetry form from ReadWriteThink.org
Acrostic poetry form (also from RWT)
Scholastic Publishers Writing With Writers such as Jack Prelutsky (Grades 1 - 4), Karla Kuskin (Grades 4 - 8), Jean Marzollo (Grades 2 - 5) and an interview with poet Nikki Giovanni
I Am interactive poetry template

Some poet websites for further exploration of poetry:

Graphic from http://www.flickr.com/photos/poets/3323530200/sizes/m/

Birds and Spring, Tra La

2009-03-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

Citizen science is a way for you to learn about birds, science, and conservation by participating in real scientific studies. As a partnership between the public and professional scientists, we make up one of the world's largest research teams! www.birds.cornell.edu
Youth celebrate urban birds as local birder and SSPP student Frankie Lewis can testify. Cornell University's Ornithology Lab once again offers young birders opportunity to learn about urban birds, those birds in their own neighborhood.

My current interest is in pigeons--there is a nest with two pigeon eggs in the lightwell outside my bathroom window in San Francisco's Sunset District. Through Project Pigeon Watch I discovered that pigeons are truly good parents--have you ever seen a baby pigeon? Probably not as their parents don't let them wander off until they are full grown. And all this time you couldn't think of a nice thing to say about pigeons. Courtship behaviors are quite interesting. Did you know they mate for life? Feral pigeons display courtship behaviors throughout the year although they are more likely to mate in late winter and spring. Once a pair has formed a "bond" they will stay together for life. www.birds.cornell.edu/pigeonwatch
What's so special about pigeons? There are up to 28 morphs or colors of pigeons! See the Project Pigeon Watch video to learn more. So, what to read? For fun there are the classic Mo Willems Pigeon books. But, for serious birders, you might want to start with Birds of San Francisco and the Bay Area by Chris C. Fisher and Joseph Morlan (Lone Pine Publishing 1996). Check out birdwatching.com for a comprehensive list of reading material.

Graphic from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pigeonwatch/your-questions/photos/ROCPIG_3000x2000_Roseanne%20CALECA.jpg/image_preview

Swallows Return to Capistrano

2009-03-18T22:10:00.000-07:00

March 19, the Feast of St. Joseph, marks the traditional date those in Capistrano, California, celebrate the return of the fascinating migratory bird, the Cliff Swallow. The beautifully illustrated classic, Song of the Swallows by Leo Politi (1949), was the 1950 Caldecott Award Winner. Politi tells the tale of a young boy preparing the Mission garden as he anxiously awaits the return of the swallows. The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. (ALA.org)
The American Library Association maintains a list of award winners dating back to 1938.

Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) make an annual migratory journey of 6,000 miles-- between Argentina in the winter and California in the summer. Their return to Capistrano is celebrated at Mission San Juan Capistrano every year, even as the cliff swallow has been losing ground to development in the area and fewer numbers return to the Mission. According to legend the birds, who have visited the San Juan Capistrano area every Summer for centuries, first took refuge at the Mission when an irate innkeeper began destroying their mud nests (the birds also frequent the Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo). The Mission's location near two rivers made it an ideal location for the swallows to nest, as there was a constant supply of the insects on which they feed, and the young birds are well-protected inside the ruins of the old stone church. (Wikipedia.org)

Animal DiversityWeb, a site sponsored by the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology and the Lab of Ornithology at Cornell University are must see links for budding zoologists and ornithologists.

Other science news, the Vernal Equinox is soon upon us. Happy Spring!

Graphic from http://images.swaptree.com/images/books/09/0689711409.jpg

Kids and The Economy

2009-03-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

It's not just the hour change to Daylight Saving Time that has folks tired, it's the economy. . . day after day on the TV, Internet, radio, podcasts, and on and on. Maybe it's time to come clean and talk dollars and sense (!) with our students. Explain supply and demand, stimulus, depression, recession, unemployment, money and banking, and maybe even their allowance.

One place to start is Econ for Kids at Rutgers University. They have compiled a comprehensive Bibliography of Children's Books that cover Economic Concepts or Scholastic Publishers on-line Kid's Economic Glossary. The Nebraska Council on Economic Education offers these tips to help parents teach children about economics:

- Sometimes parents are too quick to solve problems for children. Help children
think through the possible outcomes or consequences of their daily choices.
- Let young children learn about personal finance by making their own earning and spending decisions. If they have to earn the money, they will have a better appreciation and understanding of the saving or spending outcomes.
- Provide children opportunities to work and incentives to save. Offer rewards for
attaining savings goals and explain howa the savings makes it possible to do big things. Consider running a family bank where children deposit money, earn interest and make spending choices.
- Bring children grocery shopping and teach about buying, comparison-shopping and saving.

Don't forget to take a look at the U.S. Department of the Treasury--its history and purpose explained at their education site.
Graphic from http://blog.lehighvalleylive.com/today_impact/2008/10/large_kids-money-lessons.jpg

March: National Women's History Month

2009-03-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

The National Women's History Project (NWHP) began as a grassroots organization in Santa Rosa, California in 1980 and has become national institution committed to writing women back into history.

Today, the NWHP is known nationally as the only clearinghouse providing information and training in multicultural women’s history for educators, community organizations, and parents-for anyone wanting to expand their understanding of women contributions to U. S. history. . .Recognizing the achievements of women in all facets of life – science, community, government, literature, art, sports, medicine – has a huge impact on the development of self-respect and new opportunities for girls and young women. (NWHP.org)

So, who inspires your mom, sister, cousin, aunt, daughter, grandmother? Read, Write, Think , a partnership of the International Reading Association (IRA) the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and Verizon Foundation, has well researched lessons ready for teacher use in all aspects of developing literacy. While much of the material is suited to the classroom, there are parts of these lessons that can be utilized by parents/guardians and their children to further literacy development. The lessons on National Women's History Month are well worth a look and include links to NWHP, Time for Kids, and the My Hero Project.

The Library of Congress has a homepage for the study of Women's History and Culture in the United States. LOC's Today in History is always an interesting read. The San Francisco Public Library also marks Women's History Month with several events titled Women Making Waves.

Graphic from http://www.nwhp.org/images/poster_new_small.jpg

NEA's Read Across America

2009-02-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

NEA's Read Across America celebrates the 105th birthday of Ted Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, on March 2, 2009. At Sts. Peter and Paul School, we join the festivities on Friday, March 6 with volunteer readers from our school families and community reading to small groups of students for 45 minutes. After our read aloud, students, volunteers, faculty, staff and parents sing happy birthday to Dr. Seuss and share birthday cake provided by our devoted Parent Teacher Organization.

Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school." (NEA.org)
Dr. Seuss was a cartoonist and writer, World War II veteran and Oscar winner. Since 2006, the ALA Geisel Award is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. Theodore Geisel would say:
A person’s a person no matter how small. . . Children want the same things we want: to laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained and delighted. (ALA.org)
The 2009 award winner is Are You Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems, author also of the pigeon books (Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog, Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late, among others).
Graphic courtesy of http://www.ccboe.net/Teachers/christiansen_mi/images/4DD2C5009805438896FD5E164D87A417.jpg

Rain

2009-02-18T20:00:00.000-08:00

Rain. It pours, then stops as suddenly as it arrives. Rain. It's one of those great aha! moments when you teach children that our water is as old as the Earth, the same water dinosaurs drank, no new water. The child then becomes part of an ongoing, uninterrupted history. Then of course, lots of discovery and learning about the water cycle, weather, temperature, the states of matter, and so it goes.

Droplet and the Water Cycle an interactive game produced by NASA for kids looks interesting. Lots of great books using rain as the setting, such as Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett or Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain, a cumulative tale by Verna Aardema. The Cloud Book by Tomie DePaola explains clouds and Seymour Simon explains even more in his science themed books including such titles as Weather, Tornadoes, Storms, and Hurricanes among others.

So curl up with a good read on a wet afternoon and enjoy.

Graphic from http://www.troy.k12.ny.us/faculty/dibarij/earth%20science/earth%20science%20images/watercycle.gif

February: Black History Month

2009-02-11T17:52:00.000-08:00

Black History Month began in 1926 through the efforts of Dr. Carter G. Woodson,

Born to parents who were former slaves, he spent his childhood working in the Kentucky coal mines and enrolled in high school at age twenty. He graduated within two years and later went on to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard. The scholar was disturbed to find in his studies that history books largely ignored the black American population (See Infoplease.com).

February was chosen because of two men born in February who are significant to African American history, President Abraham Lincoln and Abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

Biography.com presents a comprehensive look at African American history including an interactive timeline, biographies, notable icons, the Harlem Renaissance, the Apollo Theatre and more. The Coretta Scott King Book Awards, selected by the Coretta Scott King Task Force of the American Library Association's Ethnic Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT) honor authors and illustrators of African descent. The St. Paul Minnesota Public Library has created a recommended reading list for children, teens, young adults, and adults on the theme of African American History.

Graphic from http://www.diversitystore.com/ds/images/products/BrookeWOODSONEMAIL.jpg

Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1865

2009-02-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

What is greatness? At the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., one feels greatness is sitting right in front of you. The artistry is magnificent in the scultpure and the monument, but you feel you are right there with the great man himself, President Abraham Lincoln. No wonder the United States is moved to honor him with our first President, George Washington, on Presidents Day.

February 12, 2009, marks the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Honest Abe. Commemorations of all sorts are planned in many communities throughout the U.S. For more information check out the White House website's biographical information on past presidents. Northern Illinois University has a digitized Lincoln Project. Abraham Lincoln Online also offers comprehensive information about Lincoln, including a look at President Lincoln's daily journal, The Lincoln Log. Abraham Lincoln's speeches are readily available in student text books as well as online. Check out the Library of Congress website, Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration 1809-2009: Live the Legacy, for biographic information, speeches, and more. The LOC's Today in History is always informative.

The My Hero Project , part of the ALBC Live the Legacy project, recommends reading for young adults and Children's Literature at the Education and Social Science Library of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign also provides a reading list about the great man himself.

One, Two Buckle My Shoe

2009-01-28T18:13:00.000-08:00

Many school children enjoy counting the days of school and anticipate getting to the hundredth day of school. At SSPP, our 100th Day falls on February 2, 2009. Calendars, counting, shopping, classifying, sorting, categorizing, computer games, mp3 players, cell phones, and on and on, numbers and mathematics are everywhere. Many teachers try to incorporate writing and reading in their math curriculum. The California Department of Education has available on line recommended literature in science and math --search a subject area, such as technology or computers, counting or algebra, and you will be pleasantly surprised at the varied list of available literature.

Young readers might enjoy Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker or Chickens Aren't The Only Ones by Ruth Heller. How Much Is A Million? by David Schwartz and The I Hate Mathematics! Book by Marilyn Burns are for all students. Holes by Louis Sachar and The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster are titles older students find engaging.

You also might want to check out the Lawrence Hall of Science Family Math program at the University of California, Berkeley.

Graphic from http://www.ruralramblings.com/blog/uploaded_images/HEN-2-chicks-784085.jpg

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

2009-01-21T17:17:00.000-08:00

More often than not in western societies, we acknowledge Chinese New Year, where perhaps more accurately it is Lunar New Year. Many parts of Asia, including Bhutan, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, use the western or Gregorian calendar for day to day activities, but the Chinese calendar is still used for marking traditional holidays, such as the Chinese New Year.

Lunar Year of the Ox 4707 begins on January 26, 2009 and lasts 15 days ending with the Lantern Festival. Named one of the world's top ten parades, the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco is the largest celebration of its kind outside of Asia. The Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco , established in 1965, focuses its attention on and appreciation of contributions made by Chinese and Chinese Americans in art, history, and culture in the United States.

To learn more, check out Asian American Literature: Bibliography and Internet Sources compiled by Brenda Hoffman of James Madison University in Virginia. Or perhaps at the San Francisco Public Library a recommended list--Our Asian Heritage: Children's Books on the Asian American Experience--might be of interest. Some of my favorite authors are Laurence Yep, Allen Say, Ernie Wan, Bette Bao Lord, and of course for the older reader Amy Tan.

Graphic from http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_216/1197028975858hOw.jpg

Inauguration 2009

2009-01-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

Inauguration Day, January 20, was established by the Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified on January 23, 1933. Initially, the founding fathers set the term of President and Vice President to begin on March 4, appropriate perhaps for the 18th century, but not the 20th. The first president and vice president to benefit from the change was President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Vice President John N. Garner, but not until their second term in 1937. Their first inaugural was March 4, 1933. The Twentieth Amendment also delineates the terms of office for members of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The oath of office will be administered to President Barack Obama by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John G. Roberts, Jr. Much of the festivities, pomp, circumstance and events are organized by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.

The National Book and Literacy Alliance has put together a comprehensive website for kids explaining the presidential inauguration and the White House. Check it out! And, don't forget to read!

Graphic from http://farm1.static.flickr.com/47/194272812_11efb04e67.jpg

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2009-01-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically... Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Morehouse College Student Paper, The Maroon Tiger, 1947

As January 19, 2009 arrives, the national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we are encouraged to think about American history, from where we have come and to where we are going. In 1994, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating the King Holiday as a national day of volunteer service. What are you doing to serve your family, school, community or country? Dr. King, a true national hero, promoted peaceful protest against the harsh reality of racism, and ultimately gave his life while advocating for the rights of the African American community in the United States. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Dr. King in 1964, a powerful statement to Americans and to the world.

Coretta Scott King, widow of Dr. King, passed away in 2006. In her advocacy for human rights she also supported the need for young people to read and learn about African Americans from African American authors. The annual Coretta Scott King Book Awards present us a highly reputable list of titles that promote understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples and contributes to the realization of the American dream.
Graphic from http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn217/billyspnyc/martin_luther_king_jr.jpg

New Year's Resolutions

2009-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

And again a new year. Happy New Year, good health and good reading! Maybe you can squeeze into your busy schedule more reading time, or perhaps monthly visits to your local library. What about a special outing to hear a story teller or poetry slam or puppet theater? Special time with a caring adult promoting literacy is a plus for child and grownup. Find out what's happening at your local library, in San Francisco you can check out this link. Poetry slams may inspire your pre-teen or teenager, check out Youth Speaks. Or, independent and even chain book stores have special read alouds for children with guest authors.

SSPP Reads in the past has promoted the Children's Book Council reading lists, American Library Association reading lists, and Teachers' Choices and Children's Choices book lists by the International Reading Association and the Children's Book Council. Scholastic books continues to provide both online and in the classroom inexpensive books for purchase. Ask your teacher to set up a regular book order for your child's class.

I promised myself I would read for enjoyment this year and so am in the the midst of J.K. Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Scholastic Books, 2008) and Bird Brain Teasers--Puzzles, Games and Avian Trivia by Patrick Merrell (Storey Publishing, 2008).

Graphic courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/carowallis1/3084451431/

SSPP Reads

www.ssppreads.wordpress.com

Working on a New Design

Hot Time Summer In The City!

The Gulf Disaster, Day 36

Teen Writing Contest At SFPL

Supreme Court of the United States Reprise

Spill, Baby, Spill

Assistive Technology

Education Revolution 2010

Wildflowers and Poetry

Happy Easter!

Alice In Wonderland

United States Census 2010

National Women's History Month 2010

39 Clues and Edward Tulane

NEA's Read Across America 2010

Gung Hay Fat Choy 4708!

Black History Month 2010

The 100th Day of School

Relief for Haiti

What to Tell Kids About Haiti

Differentiated Instruction

Multiple Intelligences

Happy New Year 2010!

Board Game Gifts

Winter Wonderland

Tis The Season To Be Jolly

Remember The First Thanksgiving, 1621

Reprise--Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

Building Bridges

PEN: Parents Education Network

Parent Teacher Conferences

Speech and Language Development

October 17, 1989--Loma Prieta Earthquake

Maurice Sendak, Author and Illustrator

National Fire Prevention Week

Johnny Appleseed Day: September 26

Standardized Testing On The Horizon!

Attributes

Sorting and Classifying

School Days and Golden Rule Days

Summer Wrap Up 2009, Part 2

Summer Wrap Up 2009, Part 1

Dog Days of Summer

Butterflies

Supreme Court of the United States

Earthrise From The Moon, July 20,1969

Fourth of July, Happy 233rd Birthday!

Eat Your Vegetables!

Father's Day and Summer Solstice

More Summertime Reading

Summertime and the reading is easy!

Star Light, Star Bright

Read Now!

Take a Stand! Lend a Hand! Stop Bullying Now!

Get Caught Reading!

What Is H1N1 (swine) Flu?

Earth Day

San Francisco Earthquake April 18, 1906

Happy Easter!

April--Celebrate Poetry

Birds and Spring, Tra La

Swallows Return to Capistrano

Kids and The Economy

March: National Women's History Month

NEA's Read Across America

Rain

February: Black History Month

Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1865

One, Two Buckle My Shoe

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Inauguration 2009

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

New Year's Resolutions