Local Artist Feature - Hillary Barboni

My principal, Hillary Barboni, is also an AUTHOR and ILLUSTRATOR!

She has taken her love and passion for animals especially  weimaraners (a breed of dogs) to write and illustrate two children's books.

Her first book was Joshua Finds a Home which is based on a true story.  Her second story is  My Lucky Penny.  I have heard her read both to students at our school.  I value these special times for the students to see and know an author.   I can't pick a favorite because they both has equally touching stories. 

Her books are available are available on Amazon in paperback or kindle.  Mrs. Barboni donates part of the profits support animal shelters as well.

Joshua Finds a Home

My Lucky Penny

Want to learn more about weimaraners?

Waimaraner Information

Book Fairs Companies

So let us talk book fairs...pros and cons as well as alternatives.  If you click on each company name, it should take you to the company's webpage!

Scholastic Bookfairs
PROS:
   Industry favorite
   Chairperson support - free signage, free table clothes, fancy cases for books, bags for merchandise,  clip art and fair files
   Online shopping
   Registers that take credit cards are provided
   50% profit or more in Scholastic Dollars (based on last years sales - this would be $3000 in  STEAM products for the new makerspace in the library)

CONS:
   Prices of books
   Excessive amount of non-book items available at a book fair - Klutz kits, expensive pens, diaries, etc...
   Big corporation - staff are continually changing so notes and requests are lost/overlooked - I am on at least my 4th home office representative in 9 years
   Focus on pop topics for books not award winning books

Reading Warehouse:
PROS:
   Large selection of non-fiction titles
   Just books and pencils
   $3 paper backs, $5 hard back books, and small selection of premium books
  Credit cards taken online only
  Small company
  Great customer service
  30% profit depending on size of fair (Last year I made $1100 from this fair)

CONS:
  No signage, table clothes, cases - just boxes of books
  Self set up - need lots of tables
  Must run a traditional cash box
  Slower re-stocks than some companies


Werner Books: (only available in Erie and Crawford counties in Pennsylvania)
PROS:
   Set-up assistance including signage
   3 for $5 books as well as selected regular priced merchandise
  All new books
  Small, local company
  25% if taken in books - 20% if taken as a cash out option

CONS:
   No credit processing unless representative is present
   No non-book items
   Local only
   Traditional cash box only
   Limited restocks
  

  I have used Scholastic for 9 years, Reading Warehouse for 2 year, and will be trying Werner books in May/June for the first time.

  Each has its pros and cons!

What companies do you use for book fairs?  What other options am I missing?

Scholastic Book Fair

This week, my educational aide and I have been busy preparing for our Scholastic Book Fair. The theme was "Bookaneer - Where Books are the Treasures".  Basically, a really fun PIRATE THEME!

 

So we went all out and had fun!  My educational aide read these fun two pirate books to the students.



In addition, she did pirate activities to decorate the outside of the library for the book fair.  Kindergarten and First grades did paper plate pirates complete with an eye patch.  The Second, Third, and Fourth graders made jolly rogers our of popsicle sticks or craft sticks.  This allowed us to upcycle the popsicle sticks pieces left over from the bone bridges!  Nothing goes to waste.

Fun paper plate pirate

Paper plate pirate before the eye patch

Another pirate

Jolly Rogers out of craft stick, paint, and foam skull/crossbones

4th graders hard at work

View of whole book fair

TREASURE A GOOD BOOK door decor

More Jolly Rogers, the book fair goal chart!

Pirate plates hanging in the tree

More pirates in the tree

In addition, the teacher wish list buckets have pirate themed pictures.  Look for more updates next week on our profits and what cool things STEAM is getting from book fair profits!

Halloween fun

 TRUNK OR TREATING

Yesterday, our local elementary school had a TRUNK OR TREAT event.  Think of it as trick or treating in a parking lot with cool decorated trunks!  My kids were able to go around together with minimal adult support. 

Well, after some late night Pinterest searching, my family decided to skip all of the usual ideas.  We picked "Curl Up With a Good Book" as our theme!

My 9, 6, and 4 year old did 90% of the decorating and set up.  I made the big blue sign.  It looked awesome with all of the stuffed animals, blankets, pillows and books.  In addition, I handed out book marks to all of the participants as well as SMARTIES! 

 

Trunk or Treat 2016

 

Partner reading

 

More animals reading

 

 COSTUME FUN

Another fun activity is our yearly "special area" costume extravaganza.   We have done the SUPER TEACHERS, TEENAGER MUTANT TURTLES, SEASONS with Mother Nature, and 2016....the FIVE SENSES!
We love our job and seeing the 500 surprised student faces each year
What should we dress up as next year????

Year 4 as the FIVE SENSES
Art teacher was sight
Music teacher was hearing
Physical education teacher was the "runny nose" for scent
Librarian was the touch (the back has a sensory board)
Life Skills teacher was taste

 

 

Myself as the sense of touch

Sensory board with all different textures

Year 1 as SUPER TEACHERS
2013

 

Year 2 as the Teenage Mutant Turtles

2014

 

Year 3 as the Seasons and Mother Nature 

2015

Bone Bridges and Day of the Dead

I am trying to tie my lessons together between library and STEAM.  I want to be a librarian with a STEAM classroom which is very different than a STEAM classroom in the library.

Literacy is a key piece to my programs this year.  Miss Sally read Funny Bones: Posada and his Day of the Dead Calavaras with many of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders.  From personal connections, she was able to tie in additional information and culture!  In STEAM, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders made "BONE BRIDGES".  In Art, students in 3rd grade are doing a Day of the Dead project.  Our goal is to make the children more culturally aware.

I found this awesome new book through the PA Young Reader's Choice Awards program.  It is a nominated title for 2016-2017.  More information on these books and how to vote can be found their wiki space page - PA Young Readers Choice Awards OR through the Pennsylvania State Library Association webpage - PSLA.

Want to learn more about Day of the Dead - check out these two websites
 National Geographic Kids OR National Geographic

Onto the cool STEAM project...BONE BRIDGES.  I found this idea thanks to Pinterest and Teachers Pay Teachers.   Here is a video explaining the project.   

 

Check out the author and blog here -  Bone Bridge blogger

I gave the students 30 q-tips, 5-6 pipe cleaners, unlimited craft sticks, drinking straws, glue sticks, and scissors.  In groups of 3-5, the students had 30 or so minutes to construct a "Bone Bridge".  Many groups were wanting more time to improve on the plan.  I was so impressed to see the creativity.  Getting along with others is one of the biggest challenges...how do you disagree politely, how do you involve everyone, how to deal with disappointment when your idea fails, etc... This activity helped to shape the students as thinkers and problem solvers, but also work on collaboration skills.  

What would I change for next year?

1. Bring in tables to work on and permit the use of white glue not glue sticks.

2. Give each group a paper plate to build on to make moving the project easier

3. More time to share, measure, etc...

4. Improved display case display...more levels, better signage, etc...

Here are some of the completed Bone Bridges from the camera...I will add more pictures on Monday from the display cases!

This is what team work looks like!  Hand in Hand working together

Can you make a "Bone Bridge" at home and share your creation in the comments? 

Local Author Feature - Tina Curtis

Connections are essential in teaching...

One connection that I have made is with a local author named Tina Curtis.

She has written many books on local history surrounding Wattsburg, Waterford, and Union City.
  
My students loved doing a book club on Hannah's Heaven several years ago.  I am still hoping to do a book club with Jill's Journey.  Recently, she wrote a Cat in the Basket.

I wanted to  add her awesome new book to the Wattsburg Elementary Center.  She was kind enough to autograph it for the elementary library.

My educational aide was so excited to read the book with the students.  She quickly told fond stories of playing in the basket factory where the book is set as a child.  Plus, she made the connection to have the students in first grade make a basket out of paper and color a cat to go in the basket.  The students loved talking about this story with my educational aide.

It is awesome to see the story to come to life.

Here is more local history information and links to some of Tina Curtis' books. 
Hannah's Heaven

My daughter's basket and colorful cat.

The book's cover

UPDATE FROM THE AUTHOR:
A Cat in a Basket can be purchased At Greenfield Basket Factory on Monday-Friday 7-3:30. They are $15 and baskets can also be purchased. We have many baskets that come in Christmas colors. 
Greenfield Basket Factory

I am going to do a monthly feature on a local author.  Look for Hillary Barboni's as my November featured author!

E-books/Online Reading

The industry is booming with ways for students and adults to read on any device from a phone to tablet to personal computers.  So what are some of the best FREE choices out there?

Earlier this week, a co-worker introduced me to EPIC.  Create a FREE teacher account, track student data, and more!  EPIC

I found one on Free Technology 4 Teachers blog called ZING!  It has many of the same features at the same cost as EPIC!  ZING

Who has used either one?  Comment below on your pros/cons!  

I also find great online books on HOOPLA.  I can get to this FREE through my library with a public card.  Hoopla also has educational movies like Bill Nye the Science Guy.
http://www.erielibrary.org - then look at the resources on the right!

Other fun reading websites:
Story Line - read by the screen actors guild
International Children's Digital Library
Unite for Literacy
Project Gutenberg - classics
Storia - this involves buying books through Scholastic - there is a charge for most of this site!

Any other favorite e-reading websites or apps? 

Happy E-READING!!!! 

First 4 weeks of STEAM

September has flown by in my new STEAM classroom and in general.

My educational aide, the title math teacher, and myself are finally all knowing who is doing what and when (or getting so much closer).

What have the students learned/completed?
Grades 2 - 4 completed these activities 
1. Sinking/Floating
2. Buoyancy
3. Bill Nye the Science Guy (thanks to Hoopla through our public library)
    HOOPLA
4. Simple Machines - check out this fun online game 
    SIMPLE MACHINES GAME
5. Computer logins
6. LEGO challenge cards (from Teachers Pay Teachers)

Grades K and 1
1. Sinking/Floating
2. Buoyancy
3. READ Three Billy Goats Gruff and Goldilocks
4. Engineered bridges for the Billy Goats and chairs for Goldilocks - thanks to LakeShore Learning products
   LAKESHORE
5. Math activities including patterns, colors, counting, etc...

What have been the challenges?
Construction of tables and set up of a computer lab while still teaching  in the same space
Computer log in changes
Communication/curriculum alignment with other teachers
Developing a new program with limited resources!

Successes:
1. Students/parents are LOVING the program (or this is what I am hearing)
2. Stepping out of my comfort zone to teach in new innovative ways
3. Increased visibility of library/STEAM programs by administration
4. New fun lessons


Grade K creating color block patterns 

 KEVA PLANKS TOWERS and INCLINE PLANES

 

LEGO CHALLENGE

 

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Simple machines folder game

STEAM when there is no "T"

Oh TECHNOLOGY!  Oh TECHNOLOGY

What do you do in a STEAM classroom without computers?

What do you do in a STEAM classroom with very few supplies?

GET CREATIVE!

The first 3 weeks were on boats, buoyancy, floating/sinking!  Thank goodness for a patient educational aide, borrowing LEGOS from the art teacher, Bill Nye the Science Guy, and free resources from our public library through HOOPLA.

Today I planned a three week unit on simple machines.  Low tech and high learning are the goals!

I now can rattle off more information than I ever knew about boat, displacement, and more.

Look for pictures of our boats, LEGO challenge, sinking/floating and more...the camera card is at school and I am home for the weekend.

So look for TECHNOLOGY updates...until then...my STEAM is more of SEAM classroom :)

When is the TECHNOLOGY coming????
My current mantra is "The tables are coming, The tables are coming"  like Paul Revere might say....
The company said that it should take about 21 business days to ship out the order.  21 business days feel like FOREVER.  I am 7 days into this waiting period.  Then they will ship out to us.


UPDATE AS OF 10/1
WE HAVE COMPUTERS, POWER, and IT IS WORKING!

First STEAM project

Week 1 in the library was all about learning what is STEAM, internet safety, and finally trying out a science/engineering project.

After projectors not working, buckets being too small, courtyard not having a spigot to get water, not enough pennies, the aluminum foil boats worked as a kick off project!

Helpful hints to fellow STEM teachers:
1. Have 100 pennies per group
2. Purchase pre-cut sheets of aluminum foil. I found mine at Gordon Food Service (GFS)
3. Find a big space to build and float the boat
4. Dog/kiddie pool makes a fun, large place to float boats and add pennies

Where did I get this idea?  I went to the Pennsylvania State Library Association conference.  I attended a break out session.

2nd, 3rd, and 4th used this website/video
Kara and Winston
1st grade watched this video
Smartie the Penguin

STEM vs. STEAM

I love acronyms.  They can make writing something longer so much shorter.  But educational ones can be confusing, used with ease by educators, and confusing to community people.  Over the past two weeks, I have been working on switching my brain to STEAM vs STEM.  In addition, Wattsburg Elementary Center will be offering STEAM as one of the "specials" along with art, gym, music, and library. 

First what does STEM stand for?
    SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, and MATH
What does STEAM stand for?
    SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART, and MATH

Where did this start or where can I find more resources?
STEAM
Article

What are your thoughts on STEM vs. STEAM?  Any other great resources or articles?

Later this week look for information on my students first STEM project!