North Central Regional Library - ebooks for Kindles!

Use your library card and download a book today @ http://www.ncrl.org/

xtranormal movie "Buy a Yearbook!"

Here's a little video I made on the xtranormal website: http://www.xtranormal.com/

fun Facebook page: this is teen

Scholastic has launched a new Facebook page you might enjoy: facebook.com/thisisteen, a place for teen readers to interact with friends and favorite authors like Libba Bray, Meg Cabot, Maggie Stiefvater, Markus Zusak and Kevin Brooks. Check it out to particpate in weekly author Q&As, event listings, book suggestions, videos, and more.
PS: sorry, but you'll have to check this site out at home, Facebook is blocked at school :-(

Be smart, be safe

Our Josten's yearbook rep, Tim Corrigan, sent this website that has some good recommendations about online safety. Anyone who participates in any type of personal publishing such as YouTube or Facebook needs to think about their safe and responsible use of technology. As we share more personal information and communication online, we all need to stop and think about keeping smart and safe. I'm going to be sharing with Mrs. Gemeinhart's 9th graders this week and discussing with them the importance of online safety, but I hope we all think about it. Another great online resource, NetSmartz, offers more information. Please take a moment to look into this serious and important topic of keeping safe online.

Question: What do you do to demonstrate safe and ethical use of online resources?

QR Codes . . . "Quick Response Codes" ????

OK, so I try to keep up, but today I feel woefully behind. I just looked at a glog about QR codes. Maybe you use them or at least know about them, but I have been in the dark. I really need to update my phone and here's another reason to do so. Anyway, if you don't know what they are, here's a great explanation, just click here. I went to an free online CR code generator and this is what I got for the CHS website. I don't know if it works or not (remember, I need to get a smart phone), but if it does, please let me know. If you are the first one to show me, I'll buy you a candy bar from Mr. G's. Update: Thanks Ian Cochrane for showing me the QR code for CHS - he was the lucky winner and got a Reese's candybar from Mr. G's on 9/13/2011!

Is your Google search the same as your friends?

Did you know many internet searches use social media data to rank a website's importance?

Watch this informative TED talk about the "invisible algorithmic editing of the web."

Summer Reading - Vacation time!!!

Prevent Summer Slide
Keep your kids in the reading habit during the break so they don’t fall behind when classes resume.

It is wise as a parent of a struggling reader to try to stop "summer slide" — the backsliding that may occur when students are out of school. Try these strategies to help your child improve her reading during the summer and beyond:

Six Books to Summer Success: Research shows that reading just four to six books during the summer may keep a struggling reader from regressing. When choosing the books, be sure that they are just right — not too hard and not too easy.

Read Something Every Day: Try to take advantage of every opportunity to read. In the morning, encourage newspaper reading — even if it is just the comics. During the day, your child can read schedules, TV guides, magazines, etc. For example, if your child watches the food channel, help him look for a recipe online. End the day by having your child read to you from the book he is currently reading. Have him rehearse a paragraph, page, or chapter before reading to you.

Keep Reading Aloud: Reading aloud benefits all children and teens, especially those who struggle. One benefit is that you can read books your child can't, so she will be building listening comprehension skills with grade-level and above books. This will increase her knowledge and expand her experience with text, so that she will do better when she reads on her own.
It’s hard to keep up a reading routine with many summer distractions. These suggestions are meant to fit into a busy schedule and to make reading fun!

(article provided by Scholastic Inc. Reprinted by permission)

More ideas:
EDSITEment's Recommended Reading List for College-Bound Students