Hoopla

 My students in the Composition class introduced me to Hoopla.  Our library system offers the app for free, along with Libby and Overdrive.  These apps extend the number of books, audiobooks, and films available free.  See if your library has Hoopla.  Down load the app using your library card.  We had to stop into the library for help when the app didn’t accept our library card number.  If you have a newer TV or streaming device, such as Roku, you can add the Hoopla app and stream content on your TV.  I found it hard to search via the TV app.  However, it’s easy to search content on the tablet or phone app.  Films such as My Side of the Mountain, are available on Prime Video, but cost a fee.  Many of the same movies are available on Hoopla.  Try it!

Summer Reading Lists: High School

 I just sent out a summer reading list for next year’s Composition class.  I want the kids to read four books and watch the films to write book vs. movie reviews. I assign material in the summer to allow enough time for kids to either read or listen to the audio versions. Please note some of the books below are oriented to younger students.  I offer books oriented for grades 6-8 as well as high school level books to accommodate students with learning differences.  I’m also looking for books with terrific film versions.  Let me share several book lists at different reading levels: BYU Summer Reading List for Literature,  MODG Grades 8-12 Reading List, Seton’s Grades 6-8 Reading List, Seton’s 9-12 Reading List, Liberty’s K-8 Summer Reading List,  Liberty’s 9-12 Summer Reading List, and Kolbe’s Summer Reading List.  You may notice some overlap to the lists, such as Tom Sawyer or Little Women.  Many of these lists have Classic Literature (6-8).  My initial list has books the kids like.  Take a look and make your own list.  Get listening, reading, and watching!

Virtual Escape Rooms

 Has your family tried an escape room?  I have some virtual escape rooms: Free Virtual Escape Rooms (Escape fro Narnia) and Escape from Tardis.  Many teachers use Escape Rooms in their instruction.  Here are free samples.  Hey, even better!  Make your own DIY Escape Room. What a fun project!

Camp!

 Right now, I have camps on my mind.  I’m leading a science camp and a faith camp.  Additionally, I help with VBS. (The Faith camp is for children behind in receiving the Sacraments and runs two weeks.). Friends at a Montessori school are posting everywhere to advertise their summer camp.  Have you thought about hosting your own camp?  The Montessori School, Hilltop, has Baking and Slime Camps, along with academic weeks of camp.  I’m thinking about a French Camp in August.  There are kids who skipped French 1 and need a blast of basics.  Where do you begin?

1.  Select a theme.  Here is a recent post on my science blog about the Joy of Toys Science Camp.  Sometimes, the Science Camp title is Mad Science because it’s composed of random science labs and activities with stuff I have on hand.  Here is the Pinterest Mad Science board for ideas.  

2.  Once you have a theme, start organizing activities.  I use a spreadsheet and Pinterest.  Get in the habit of linking the activity to a specific website.  Make tabs for snack, games, activities, songs, etc.  

3. Pull supplies and organize into boxes as kits and sort them by activity.  Are you having a baking camp?  

4. Recruit help.  I rely on teens, especially experienced campers.  One family used to volunteer to come and clean up after Science Camp.  What a blessing!  

5. Create a budget.  Generally, I charge a fee for the camp materials.  Below is a budget for the Joy of Toys  camp.  I try to keep costs low so families can afford to attend.

No, hosting a camp is not easy.  But, the kids have a blast!  Give it a try!

Movie Reviews

 My Co-op Composition class decided to do movie reviews for two books: Bridge to Terabithia and My Side of the Mountain.  Two of the teens in the class recommended the books; both have movies: Bridge to Terabithia (1985), Bridge to Terabithia (2007), and My Side of the Mountain (1969).  (BTW see if your library has Hoopla, a digital service.  The kids told me about Hoopla; here are instructions to view films with Hoopla on your television.). The Co-op class is reading both books and watching all three films.  Yes, we started this project weeks ago.  Some assignments just run long.  It takes forever to get kids to all finish the books and watch the films.  Each teen is taking a different approach to the movie critique.  One teen has a ‘List of Complaints’ about Bridge to Terabithia.  Another student wants to explore whether or not Disney’s version really captures the book.  Here, here, and here are suggestions to write a movie review.  Here is a compare and contrast movie vs. book template.  Here is a ten-page template to compare the book with the movie.  Here is the Goldilocks version with questions I can use with the kids.  Eventually, we’ll finish.  Mean while the class and I will wrestle with the books’ themes and whether or not the films captured the books well.

Learning Management Systems

 What is a Learning Management System or LMS?  Many LMS software packages started as grading systems.  Eventually, they added features allowing teachers to add assignments or communicate with parents.  I have taught in both public and private schools and adjuncted at a small college.  One thing schools have in common was they change LMS or grading software frequently—one time a month after school started.   Generally, I posted grades and saved my documents separately.  For years, I maintained copies of documents in a free LMS; the website was on the class syllabus.  I used the school’s LMS du jour just for grades.

Now I use Google Classroom because I can loads docs from Google Drive.  However, there are loads of free LMS systems available if you aren’t a Google fan.  Here are 25 free LMS.  Here are even more free LMS.  I create a Classroom for every class I teach.  At the end of the school-year, you can make a new copy (with all of the documents) and archive the class with student grades.  (Yes, I do have loads of storage in Drive.)  You can add photos as you do activities to Classroom and create a digital portfolio for each subject.  My husband and I train tax volunteers, too.  I made a Classroom just for Taxes, with training slide deck, links, and docs. Try several LMS to see which one you like.  Next make classrooms for each subject—or major project.  Take pix of assignments, tests, projects, etc.  Upload these pix to your LMS.  You can share the classroom with your on-line school—complete with work samples and grades.  Better yet, train your teen to take pix and upload them.  Just like that you have a digital portfolio. 

 

Digital Story-telling

 One of the teens in my Co-op Composition class gave us a digital lesson with Klecki.  I learned that I would rather sketch than edit an image.  I gave it a shot!  The kids like to edit images. Next year, the teens who like editing are going to give tutorials to the Composition class next year.