March 9, 2014

7 More Series for Fans of Divergent -- Must have!

Thanks to +Mandi Ehman for this great board, and to +Jason Epstein for the pin.


Ms. Burton Shows Us How She's Creating a Children's Picture Book, and #WRAD14 Wrap-up



As part of our school's World Read Aloud Day celebration, professional artist and our Middle School art teacher Heather Burton did a presentation about she's creating a children's picture book.

Ms. Burton's son Conner, who is the main character of the book, read the latest draft of the book to us. How cool is that?

We learned a lot!

Ms. Burton was kind enough to allow us to record her presentation to the Photography class.





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The presentation topped off a week of World Read Aloud activities:
  • A padlet wall answering the question: "What is your earliest and fondest memory of someone reading aloud to you?" [wall, blog post]
  • A hangout with +Matthew Winner, creator of the WRAD14 Blogging Challenge, and Rosie Sutherland, a King Kekaulike student who didn't learn to read until she was 10. [hangout, blog post]
  • A read-aloud to kindergarteners in Litchfield, Massachusetts. [video, blog post]

This was the first time we participated in World Read Aloud Day!

Will we participate next year? You bet!

Happy reading aloud!

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March 6, 2014

Reading "Too Many Mangos" -- Sharing the Aloha with Kindergarteners in Litchfield, Minnesota


Dear Kindergarteners, 

I had a lot of fun reading Too Many Mangos* to you for World Read Aloud Day! 

Thank you for letting me record and share it.



I have been thinking more about your question about what mangoes taste like, and these are more words I would use to describe the taste of a mango.
The green mangoes are crunchy and slightly sour .
In addition to being juicy and succulent and sweet,  ripe mangoes have the texture of a peach.

Here are some photos about the things we talked about. 

This is what the eight islands of Hawaii look like on the map.

I live close to Kahului on the island of Maui.
Yes, we have coconuts.


Picking coconuts in Hana, Maui.
Yes, it does snow in Hawaii!

It snows on Maui. And on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the island of Hawaii too.

Here's a website to find out how many miles there are between Hawaii and Minnesota.

I forgot to mention to you that I visited Minnesota a few years ago to attend a school librarians conference. How could I forget?


I love the trees in Minnesota!

Minnesota has something that Hawaii doesn't -- trees that change color in the fall. Gorgeous!

Thanks again for letting me read to you. And a very special thanks to Mr. Swenson for inviting me and for tweeting a picture of me reading to you.

And I took a screenshot of Mr. Swenson and you in the hangout. :D


Happy reading!

As we say in Hawaiian, A hui hou! (until we meet again)

Mahalo,

Ms. Lindsay from Maui, Hawaii
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P. S. I tried the mango from South America and pickled it with shoyu and vinegar, just like Mr. Wong likes it, but with pepper instead of chili pepper water.

Half-ripe mango with shoyu, vinegar, and pepper

It's almost as good as a backyard Maui mango. 


I can hardly wait until summer, when mangoes will be in season. :)


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*Too Many Mangos is written by Tammy Paikai and illustrated by Don Robinson.


["Raising Our Voices" 4th and last Blog Challenge for WRAD14] 

March 3, 2014

"What is your earliest or fondest memory of someone reading aloud to you?" SEABURY READS

For World Read Aloud Day, March 5,

Seabury Hall students, teachers, staff, parents, and alumni answer the question:


"What is your earliest or fondest memory 
of someone reading aloud to you?"




http://padlet.com/wall/seaburyreadsWRAD14


Note to Seabury writers: 

     •Just your first name is okay.
     •You can add a link, image, or webcam photo to your post.
     •Your post will appear on the wall after approval.
     

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March 1, 2014

Blogging Challenge for World Read Aloud Day, Week #3: A Snapshot of My Reading Life





These photos are of children in our library. 

The toddlers at the top are learning to love books and reading.

The sixth graders at the bottom love books and reading. 

These children give me hope for the future.


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