…changing the world, one reader at a time.
Up for a lunch full of making weird sounds and laughing your head off while forgetting the entire English language? Then this online Scattergoties game might be for you! I’m always on the hunt for free games that make lunches fun for my learn from home kiddos. This version of Scattergories from swellgarfo.com (direct link […]
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I’m calling if Self Confidence Skribbl, and it might just be the most fun way I’ve ever pushed middle schoolers outside of their comfort zones to help them see just how wonderful they are. Here’s how it works: Begin by providing time for each person to make a list of 10 things they love about […]
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Recently, I’ve noticed that many of my Learn from Home students have hit a wall. It’s been almost a full calendar year since they have attended school in a physical building and regularly interacted face-to-face with a large group of people that love and support them. And for many, it’s been almost a full year […]
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Oh man, did I love Ramona Quimby as a kid. When one of my young readers begged to dive into Ramona and Her Father as our next virtual one-on-one readaloud, I couldn’t believe my luck. This reader has grown tremendously this year with the work of her dedicated team – she receives a mix of […]
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Looking for a book to add to your middle school curriculum that will spark meaningful conversation about racism, especially in schools and sports? Black Brother, Black Brother, by Jewell Parker Rhodes, could be it. Read it with… Jerry Craft’s New Kid to compare microagressions and overt racism, and open readers’ eyes to look more critically […]
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My November anti-racist read was We Want to Do More than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom, by Bettina L. Love. I experienced this book via audiobook, and then re-read the hard copy from my local library. Here is some information about the book, from IndieBound: Drawing on personal stories, research, and […]
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I’m not working in a school library this year, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve lost sight of the importance of stories. While sharing the reading that I’ve been doing to try and learn and grow this year, I keep getting the same questions over and over again: Can I read this book with my […]
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My June antiracist read was This Book is Antiracist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work, written by Tiffany Jewell and illustrated by Aurélia Durand. Here is some information about the book, from Quarto Kids: Who are you? What is racism? Where does it come from? Why does it […]
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7th and 8th grade digital book club is 2/3 of the way through The Honest Truth, a novel by Dan Gemeinhart. Last week, I wrote about one of the ways that we’re exploring identity and privilege through the novel (you can read about that here). This week, we’re taking a new angle to make a […]
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One of my summer classes this session is an online book club for 7th and 8th grade readers. While I’m eager for the chance to connect with middle schoolers after a spring semester of mostly focusing on my K-4 readers, I’ve never done an online book club before. I was excited, but worried it would […]
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