Summer Reading Lists, Resources for Next Year, and the Copyright Morsel

As summer approaches, it's important that students continue to read so as not to lose all of the gains that they made during the school year.  The following resources identify some of the newest and best summer reads for kids.

The Association for Library Service to Children puts out a summer reading list for 3 different elementary and intermediate grade level categories.  All Marshall Public School students will receive a copy of their age appropriate list from their classroom and/or language arts teacher.

YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) posted the 2015 Best Fiction for Young Adults list (printable version) for those students in the later middle level grades, and high school.  Share this link or make a copy for your child.

Looking for non-fiction read alouds for your students?  I came across this National Geographic Kids Symbaloo that links to several free, high interest, non-fiction read alouds that you can display on your Smart board or have students view/read/listen to these titles on their mobile devices.

Linked off of the site above is the actual website for National Geographic Young Explorer and National Geographic Explorer.  Check out all of the activities available at this site that can help enhance your life science curriculum, and for the young scientists and readers who love non-fiction animal books.

Have a great summer, and I look forward to sharing with you again in the upcoming school year.  For those interested, I will continue to blog throughout the summer months!

Copyright Morsel by Diane Konjura

I love Crash Course videos!  Here is the Crash Course Introduction to share more about what Crash Course is and how you can use these videos with your curriculum.  Today, as my last Copyright Morsel post, I am sharing three excellent videos to help you and your students gain a better understanding of copyright.  Copyright, Exceptions, and Fair Use: Crash Course Intellectual Property #3 discusses exceptions and fair use and how copyright works with the digital age we are living.  This video continues the discussion presently occurring where many are questioning copyright and creative expression in our digital world. Introduction to Intellectual Property: Crash Course Intellectual Property 1 and Copyright Basics: Crash Course Intellectual Property 2 are great introductions to understanding copyright.

Minnesota Book Awards

The Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award and the Star of the North Book Award were recently announced.   These Minnesota unique book awards are voted on by students.

The Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award is a children's choice book award, and recognizes award winning books in two different grade level divisions. The purpose of the award is to promote recreational reading by children. Students in grades 3 through 5 are able to vote on the Division I winners, and 6th through 8th grade students vote for winners within the Division II nominees.

The Division I winners are:


1st Place                          2nd Place                           3rd Place
Belly Up                           Ghost Dog Secrets             Guinea Dog
by Stuart Gibbs                by Peg Kehret                    by Patrick Jennings

        

The Division II winners are:

1st Place                         2nd Place                        3rd Place

Breathing Room              Cinder                             The False Prince

by Marsha Hayles           by Marissa Meyer            by Jennifer A. Nielsen

                      

The Star of the North Award is also a children's choice award, but recognizes the best picture book voted on by children in grades Kindergarten through 2nd.  

This year's winners are:

1st Place                                       2nd Place                             3rd Place

Moo                                               Jangles                                 I'm Bored

by David LaRochelle                     written and illustrated by       by Michael Black

illustrated by Mike Wahnoutka      David Shannon                     illustrated by Debbie

                                                                                                    Ridpath Ohi

                             

Put all of these award winning books on your and your children's  reading list for the summer

Copyright Morsel by Diane Konjura

As the last few weeks wind down in the school year this video, Copyright Basics Video, is a great overall review of copyright for teachers and high school students.  This video covers copyright, fair use, public domain and other copyright related topics.