Jan
15
“As I see it, code literacy is a requirement for participation in a digital world. When we acquired language, we didn’t just learn how to listen, but also how to speak. When we acquired text, we didn’t just learn how to read, but also how to write. Now that we have computers, we are learning to use them but not how to program them. When we are not code literate, we must accept the devices and software we use with whatever limitations and agendas their creators have built into them – Douglas Rushkoff, Digital Literacy Advocate – Codecademy
Leave a comment suggesting some of your “Go-To” resources to teach coding!
Jan
5
Yesterday’s post addressed a literary New Year’s resolution practice of setting a specific number of books to read for 2021. This is a fund, collaborative class project too.
Today’s post includes a review of one of the books on my reading list from the end of 2020 and the first few days of this year.
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book made such an impression, that I ordered it mid-way through the audiobook (audiobook via Hoopla through my library). Yes, one dismissive point-of-view can be that it is depressing. Another point-of-view also is the resilience of spirit of Americans. I choose the latter p.o.v.
Jan
4
Improve upon the usual New Year’s Resolutions to forego carbs and embrace exercise, by setting a reading goal of books for 2021. According to the Pew Research Center, the average person in the U.S. reads about 12 books per year. You may decide to vary your Literary Resolution with more or fewer books, include audio and e-book titles as well. MentalFloss (2019) has a fun “test” to speculate the number of books to read.
Goodreads has the most effective reading challenge support. Goodreads combines analytics with book descriptions, reviews, community encouragement, and reviews. (See tomorrow’s post for a book review activity for you and your class.) Already, Goodreads has over 2 million readers participating in the 2021 Reading Challenge!
My Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2021
Please consider a Literary Resolution for 2021!
References
Debczak, M. (2019). This Test Will Tell You How Many Books You Can Read in a Year. Mental Floss. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/570929/how-many-books-to-read-year-test
Perrin, A. (2019). Who doesn’t read books in America? Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/09/26/who-doesnt-read-books-in-america/
Jan
2
“The foundation you stand on today was built yesterday to reach toward tomorrow.”
~Joe Bastardo, meteorologist
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the star cluster Trumpler 14. One of the largest gatherings of hot, massive and bright stars in the Milky Way, this cluster houses some of the most luminous stars in our entire galaxy. From “What Did Hubble See on your Birthday?” https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/what-did-hubble-see-on-your-birthday
Dec
29
Available from NTSA: National Science Teaching Association
“When students summarize by drawing they must form a visual representation of the information they’re trying to convey. This provides an opportunity for students to elaborate and encode the information in a personally meaningful way. In addition, drawing after reading encourages students to reflect on what they have read and allows time to process the information. In some cases, I found that students admitted reading more carefully when they knew they would have to draw. In essence, they paid more attention to what they were reading in order to be able to do the drawing activity afterward. Finally, drawing can be used as a motivational tool. My students generally found it enjoyable, partly because they felt it took less effort than having to complete a written summary.” ~Janine Elliott
National Science Teachers Association Web site: http://www.nsta.org
Dec
25
Dec
22
Look at your calendar… now imagine that w/ all you have to do, you’re also finishing your @GCU Master’s degree in Instructional Technology…Congratulations fierce/FIERCE scholars in #GCUTEC595 on finishing the final course for their degree!! @SmallwoodPGCPS @middletonsmidd1 pic.twitter.com/fWn2OTtToU
— Helen Teague (@TweetTeague) December 24, 2020
Dec
15
In this TED Talk, “How a Boy Became an Artist,” Jarrett J. Krosoczka tells how he grew up to create beloved children’s books.
As one of my grad students wrote, “Jarrett Krosoczka mesmerized his audience…and me…as he picture talked through his life from the addicted artist that was his mother through the punctuated moments his teachers and grandparents made, to significant events like art lessons and a video camera, to his first publishing, and beyond. It appears that the teachers who impacted him were the ones who gave him the skills, his first grade teacher, and the teachers who gave him the opportunity to use his creativity in authentic ways, such as the cartoonist for the high school paper.”
Hope you agree!
TED Talk Video Link: https://www.ted.com/talks/jarrett_j_krosoczka_how_a_boy_became_an_artist?language=en
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