Final Reflection

When I think back to the beginning of this course and how nervous I was when I learned that we were focusing on technology, I am shocked. This course has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and into the world of technology and use tools I would not have known about or tried on my own. I feel as though I have gained so much knowledge during these past weeks on how I can incorporate technology into not only my future library, but also my classroom instruction.

Having used and learned so many different technology tools and apps it’s hard to narrow down which ones I enjoyed using more. My students are at the age where social media is EXTREMELY important to them and they are always talking about Vine videos, so I’ve always wondered about it secretively but never tried it until this class. I enjoyed creating my Vine and my Animoto for my assignments. I found both to be enjoyable and fun but also easy enough for me to understand how to use as a first time user. Having easy access, being able to manage and seeing how a tool can be used throughout content areas will always score major points for me. I also find myself being a mix of a visual and auditory learner, so being able to visually see things and hear like watching a movie or television was a big plus for me. I enjoyed working on my Vine video so much I attempted to make one for my class this upcoming school year, so I hope they get a laugh out if it as much as I do.

If I had to choose the most difficult assignment in this course, it would have to be the Infographic that was created. While I can definitely see how it could really be beneficial for a visual learner or even a kid who wants to create their own copy with their own artistic drawings, this assignment was the most difficult for me. I think trying to take so much information and pick apart the most important aspects and then turn it into a visual that can be easily read and understood stressed me out to a certain degree. I found myself getting frustrated with my work and how to properly place certain words or graphics. In the end I was happy with what I created, but after reading other blogs I saw people who were able to do more amazing things with their infographic than I did.

I believe that with technology playing such a big role in students’ lives it is important to find something that as educators will stick with them and help them to learn in the best way possible. I think all of the tools leaned about could be beneficial to individual learners in their own way, but I do see more of the QR codes, YouTube videos, and Twitter being more appropriate for my learners. I think YouTube will be a great resource for engaging videos, tutorials, and also getting students involved by doing something that appeals to them. QR codes which I had previously used for Math can be used in a completely different way than I had thought of. I think it would be great to use as a tool to give students and parents information, resources, handouts without the copies. Twitter is going to be amazing this year to help me with summarization and reading skills. I can’t wait to try it with my kiddos.

As a librarian I know my role will be to guide and teach others how to properly use and manage these wonderful tools and show how it can influence the learning. As a librarian I know I will need to be knowledgeable, so I think it will be important to be willing to try new things that are out the comfort zone in order to have an impact on students and create change in how skills are taught. This overall was an incredible class and I can’t wait for the day to be able to take everything I learn and apply it.

Media (is) the message?

Technology is everywhere in the world we live in and continues to progress as the years pass by. Does technology influence student learning? This is the debate that has been going on between Clark and Kozma for years. Clark believes that media is a way to deliver instruction and will not influence learning and student achievement while Kozma believes that there is a relationship between media and learning.

I agree with Kozma and believe that his argument does a better job at recognizing how 21^st Century learners learn.  I believe that how and what we learn can and is influenced by the media and that through technology students are able to have greater achievement. Kozma makes a valid point and discusses how technology changes over time, which means it is important as librarians and educators that we take the time to understand how this impacts future generations of students. Over time, as technology changes so have the way students learn and grow. As educators, we are now living in a 21^st century world where learners have used technology from a young age and have grown up with the knowledge of how to use technology in a way that best supports them. They’re lives have been emerged with technology and influenced by the media and resulted in them being referred to “digital natives” as they are more aware of the differing technology and its benefits.

Learners have grown up with having access to books, computers, television, Ipads, smart phones, and internet connections that they can use for communication with others, gaining information and entertainment. With the ability to have access to these devices, they are able to use webcams, apps, social media sites, and access the news, pictures, magazines, videos, and more. Media allow users to learn information through books, computers, television, and other multimedia applications.

The topic of technology was brought up recently while discussing with some fellow educators and I can’t help but think of how much technology has truly influenced this generation of learners. Children are learning more things from the internet and television than I have ever seen before beginning as babies, who are learning words, how to read, their colors. My friend’s daughter loved her Baby Einstein videos growing up and does a better job at working her mommy’s smartphone than she does it without needing an instruction book.  Adults who may not have grown up with some of the same technologies are also learning with technology on how to cook a meal, change a car battery, or even solve a math problem. Different types of media and technology also have an advantage in the classroom as they help learners learn new skills like computer programs and basic skills, help to reinforce the content area skill that is being taught and can allow a learner to think creatively when addressing a higher order question.

Media is going to continue to change and impact the way people learn as the years pass. I love how there are different programs and technology resources that I can access to learn material or my students can access for educational purposes to help their learning progress. Media is important and will continue to be an important piece that is integrated into the daily lives of educators and learners as technology continues to progress. It will be important for me as a librarian to teach and give support to those who need help integrating technology and understand that media has an influence on the learning that takes place.

Resources:

Kozma, R.B. (1994). The influence of Media on Learning: The Debate Continues. School Library Media Quarterly, 22(4). Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslpubsandjournals/slr/edchoice/SLMQ_InfluenceofMediaonLearning_InfoPower.pdf

The media debate. (2012,August 30). Retrieved from http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/The_media_debate

Podcasts

I was able to explore using podcasts and listening to different podcasts  this week. I have some experience using podcasts, but still find it a bit overwhelming to do. There are alot of things to consider when making a podcast, like time, the audience, and the material. It still takes me some time to write out my script, so it can be recorded for the podcasts and not too long so they aren't boring. I like the idea that podcasts can be downloaded at anytime to be listened to by anyone. Through exploring the various websites, I think I've found some great examples of how podcasts can be used in the classroom like helping with teaching a new concept and lecturing. I think using a podcast would be a fun way to use technology and great for kids to download and listen to at home when doing homework or in a station to review concepts. The students can also do a podcast as a biography project or whatever they put they're minds to! The downfalls to a podcast for me would simply be having the technology available and time for the kids to create one.

SoundCloud- This site gave a free trial and was easy to use. The user can search for other's music and soundclouds to listen to. It is user friendly and gave a good amount of time for recordings. 

AudioBoo- This was an app that you can download and create a free account for. I liked that they give you suggestions for what you may want to follow. It was simple to record a 10 minute podcast and publish and I think students will definitely enjoy using. 

Podomatic- Very easy to sign up with my Facebook account! You are able to search through other people's creations, but you upload your file from your computer to save.

I chose to use Garage Band for this post simple because it is something I have used in the past and worked best for me. However, during the school year I think I would use AudioBoo as I felt this was more user friendly for students. 

Check out my podcast on the order of the planets that can be used for Science. 

Cartoons and Comics

ToonDo

I found ToonDo to be fairly simple to navigate once I went through the instructions for how to begin my comic. It took some time to make the comic due to trying to position and place my characters and words. I liked having everything located at the top, so I could see the different choices of backgrounds, characters, etc. I think that the characters differing between people and animals would make this site interesting for children and appeal to them. When I finished my comic it took me some time to save, but I'm not sure if it was simply because of my computer. I liked being able to use different backgrounds in each panel at my choosing. I think I would gear this comic towards younger students even though anyone can use this site due to the type of characters presented.

Pixton

This site was free with registration, but I think to really get the best comics you would have to later buy an upgrade. I also went through the beginning instructions and found this to be easier for me to navigate than the others. Also, saving this comic didn't take a lot of time and was done quickly. I really liked the ease of this site and the variety of characters, backgrounds, and panelings. The one thing that I did like alot was being able to change my character's faces and not having to change the position or change the position if I wanted to. I think older students would really enjoy this site as it seems geared more for that upper elementary/secondary group.


 Make Beliefs Comix

I really liked that I did not have to sign up for an account for this and could simply go tot the site and make a comic. I think this would be great for kids, especially if they can't remember a login. The site like the others was also easy to use, but even without reading the beginning instructions.However, because I didn't read any instructions I was unaware that I could scroll through the speech bubbles and character expressions instead of choosing whatever was given on the screen. I had to delete twice, but once I understood it was simple to use. I didn't like that I didn't get much variety like I expected, but I liked how easy and simple it was to save my work.

In the future

I think I'd like to use comics now after getting the chance to play around with them for this assignment in my classroom. The kids enjoy making them on the Ipads, but I have never incorporated them into my lesson. I can see myself using Pixton or Make Beliefs Comix more to help retell a story, focus on theme, biography project,  or just allowing kids to have a Fun Friday activity.

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

YouTube

I love searching through the numerous videos on YouTube for educational and personal purposes. YouTube provides instructional videos, entertainment and viewers choice to anyone who chooses to search through it. I love using the videos to serve as a hook to my lessons or even re explain a method to students. There are several different channels that provide this for students and educators. Through my search I was able to find tutorial videos that will help students with research, citations, learning about their school and their amazing library programs.

1.  The NHS Library
           a.  Helpful:  Getting Started with the NHS Library Website-  I think this video would be helpful for students to learn how to access the school’s website, how to login and find the school resources.
           b.  Appealing: Tiger Visits the Norman High Library I can see students viewing this video simply because it uses the school’s mascot and will intrigue any viewer because they want to see what Tiger will do. Once viewing, they will get a chance to see all the things Tiger likes to do in the library like read a book, meet with friendly staff, and play games with friends.

2.  The Unquiet Library
           a.  Helpful: Citing a Digital Image in Easy Bib- This is a great tutorial video to help teach students how to cite images.  I still find citing pictures to be a difficult concept, so this tutorial is a great help.        

b.  Appealing:Creative Commons Licensing: What is it & Why Should I Care-This video will appeal to students because of its upbeat music, use of color and quick images that give information about the topic of creative commons.

3.  Pikesville HS Library
           a.  Helpful: 2014-15 Course Advisement – Although it is an old video I think this would be helpful for students because it gives information on the school’s courses available to students. It shows how to register for classes for the upcoming school year and would be great if updated every year as new classes are made.

           b.  Appealing:  Hip Hop Day@ The Panthers Library-  This is a fun video for students to be able to see themselves on video participating in a school event. It also shows how the school library is used for other sources and get kids excited to be in the library.

 
4.  BBMS Media
           a.  Helpful:  Creating a Website Citation -  This video shows students a step by step how to in creating a citation for a website that can be accessed at school or at home for reference.  
           b.  Appealing: Hotline Overdue Drake Library Parody- I think this will have kids entertained. It is a great student created music video that reminds students to turn in their overdue books to the library set to popular music and dance moves.

Animoto

Animoto is a free resource tool that educators can use to integrate into the classroom. I used it to create a book trailer for one of the most popular books read in middle school using text and picture.  Students can use Animoto to create their own book trailers, use for class projects, a video book summary, and short film.

QR Codes

Using QR Codes is a fun way to promote technology and BYOD in the school setting. I have used QR Cods for an interactive lesson that gets kids out of their seats and collaborating with others in the classroom. I created a QR Code for this assignment to view my book trailer, but they can be used in other ways in the classroom and library to promote the school website and library website, book scavenger hunts, book reviews with video of author readings, and classroom lessons.

My book trailer was done on the book:  The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman. Synopsis and book cover provided from Goodreads.

They say if you stare at him long enough, you can see what’s written on the wall behind him. They say a lot of things about the Schwa, but one thing’s for sure: no one ever noticed him. Except me. My name is Antsy Bonano—and I can tell you what’s true and what’s not, ’cause I was there. I was the one who realized the Schwa was “functionally invisible” and used him to make some big bucks. But I was also the one who caused him more grief than a friend should. So if you all just shut up and listen, I’ll spill everything. Unless, of course, "the Schwa Effect" wipes him out of my brain before I'm done....

Instagram, Vine, and Screencasts

Technology is fun, exciting, and something that isn't widely used in the classrooms. It may seem intimidating and a strange concept to someone who has never used it before, but the tools and apps mentioned below are a great way to integrate technology into any lesson.  

Instagram

Instagram is just one great way educators can use social media in the classroom and library. This generation of students are already familiar with Instagram and know how to snap and add photos of things that you assign for them do and add to the popular app. This app can be used in a number of different ways as there are other apps that can be used with it to use text and music. Instagram can be used to keep parents up to date on what is going on in their child’s education. Teachers are able to post assignments or activities that they have completed, can use it to spotlight student work and achievement, and use it for classroom lessons. Librarians could use Instagram to promote the library happenings, showcase the book fair and other community events, entice readers with new books in the collection, and more. The schools could use this to post photos of school events and programs like Awards night and Black History Program. Instagram is a great tool and I enjoy using this app from time to time especially around the holidays to share pictures with friends.Above you can see how the school librarian used Instagram to generate a buzz and show students teachers read too!  Here is a photo that I posted to my Instagram over this July 4th weekend.

Vine

This is a site that I have heard several of my students talk about and actually seen post videos to, but have never taken the time to actually understand it.  I knew that the app allowed for the user to create and share short videos that were comedic, entertaining, or informative.  This app was not difficult to sign up for and only asked me to use my email or Twitter. I think the app itself will be great for educators to use and share with students, especially to give them something different to view and a new method of learning. This app would be great to use for a hook or attention grabber to a lesson because of how quick the videos are. Students could take information they learned and make a video as an exit ticket to summarize what they took from a lesson. It is easy and to learn and a great way to showcase work, use with a vocabulary lesson, and bring attention to the library collection.  The only thing I might be wary about is the type of videos my students find as there is a vast range of videos and no true filters. Here is a video I made to showcase books that students chose during the school year to checkout in class or the library. 

Screencast-O-Matic

Screencast-O-Matic is a tool that allows users up to 15 minutes of recording time. Considering kids have a short attention span, I found this to be plenty of time if I am using it to help teach or instruct kids. This would be an excellent tool for teachers to post step by step videos for students, other teachers or parents. It could be used to show parents how to access an online site and especially at the beginning of the year after open houses, so they can access the Student Handbook and AUP forms, or test links. Students can view videos for homework, so they have a tool to reference that covers the lesson taught that day or catch up on something if they were absent. It also can be helpful for other professionals who may have missed a faculty training or need a reminder or a new educational app. It did take me some playing around to get the hang of talking and navigating and I still have a lot more learning to do before it’s perfected. I decided to do a video of how to navigate the districts databases for the upcoming school year as I had several students this year forget where to go and their log ins. Here is the video I made to hopefully use this school year and save me the headache from repeating myself. 

Infographics

Before this post if I was asked to do an infographic or even describe it, I would not have had a clue. However, I will say that this school year I did use them as resources to help with my lessons, but had no clue they were called infographics. The tutorials, articles, and podcast helped me understand how beneficial and valuable this tool is and how it can be used in the classroom and library. I like the idea of taking all the information I read or give to students and condensing it into a way that students can truly focus on the important information and use graphics to appeal more.

After signing up and playing around with EASEL.LY, PIKTOCHART, and INFOGR.AM, I ultimately decided to use EASEL.LY because I actually was able to navigate the app more EASILY than the others. I decided to focus on social media in the workplace as I thought it might present great information I can take back to my job for the school year. 

http://www.easel.ly/browserEasel/3976753

Blogs and Blog Readers

Hello Readers,

This week I wanted to talk to you about the opportunity I had learning about information regarding blog readers and feed reader apps. All of this was new to me, as I am not a blogger and have just ventured into this new world and learning lots of cool things the more I explore. One thing that I think we all know by now is that the internet is filled with information just waiting for us to learn about and can often times be a bit overwhelming. That’s where the feed reader apps come in to help clear up some of the confusion we may feel when searching blogs for information.

After careful deliberation and spending hours searching, I decided to join Feedly for several valid reasons. First, Feedly is FREE to join, you can’t get any better than that. It allows me to easily navigate and search the blogs that I want to follow and save by inputting what I am looking for in the search tool. I can easily read the font and understand the format without any extra or unnecessary details and steps. The search tool displays a graphic and quick description of the blog which is great. Feedly, offers a way to save articles that I can view and come back to and also allows me to share content through social media. It basically takes everything I want and wraps it into a nice, neat little package for me!

I decided to highlight 5 of the blogs that I decided to follow through my search on Feedly and Tumblr:

Mighty Little Librarian

I must tell you that this was one of the first blogs that caught my eye and it was mainly because of the blog’s title , Mighty Little Librarian. Considering that I am bit on the short side, I absolutely fell in love with the name of this blog that belongs to Tiffany Whitehead, the new school librarian at Episcopal School of Baton Rouge in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She is a presenter, avid reader, and technology geek and I absolutely love it. Her past posts have been about her wonderful and innovative ideas that she used at her former school as a middle school librarian. Even though I fell in love with the name, I decide o follow because I really enjoyed her posts about proper library procedures featuring the students from her school and her thoughts on how she would like to replace the Dewey Decimal System in the library. I liked that in one of her older posts she refers to how she would categorize her fiction books then as more categories were introduced she updated he categories, which shows that she really wants her readers to stay current. I am a big fan of projects and with my current school always pushing cross curriculum activities, I enjoyed gathering and reading information on the 6^th grade project she collaborated with using the book “Wonder”. I look forward to possibly using the same format and tools in my own library one day.

Awful Library Books

This site also caught my attention because of the name Awful Library Books. As I searched through the site I realized the sole purpose is to help librarians weed out books that just shouldn’t be in the library for kids. I liked the comment used for the caption of the title that states “hoarding is not collection development”. As I am currently taking a collection development class and have taken a course that spends a lot of time discussing the importance of weeding out books in a collection, I found the caption to be amusing. I think the site would be great for someone who may consider themselves a hoarder or even a new librarian who is coming into a situation where the previous librarian was and they need help starting the “weeding out” process. This blog gives insight to why certain books are “awful” in hopes that a school library can be revamped.

YA Book Blog Directory

This YA Book Blog Directory  site is awesome for a lover of YA books like myself. It gives a list of links to book blogs that feature the latest book releases and book reviews. Students who choose to follow this bog site and book lovers can spend several days trying to explore this site and all the information it holds. It is truly a book lovers’ gold mine.

Library Displays

Elaine Pearson is the Librarian at Horowhenua College in Levin, New Zealand and works towards creating innovative ways to promote library books with her Library Displays blog. I work at a Title 1 campus and often need ways to be creative with a low budget, so her blog is great as she gives great ways to display books in the library using a limited budget. She gives links to articles and websites and also tips to generate a great display to showcase books that have been “forgotten”. With a low budget, the books in her library aren’t the newest, so she tries to find ways to get readers hooked on the existing books in the school, which I think can benefit all school librarians.

Alafaya Library

The Alafaya Library used great ideas for interactive displays that I found while searching “Library Displays” on Tumblr. They used a lot of great library displays connecting current pop cultures to different genres of books.  Some of the ones I really liked were the If You Liked This…TV Edition and the display featuring all red books. I think that a lot of these ideas and the way they tie in crafts will spark an interest in any reader and may also spark an idea in teachers to motivate reading in the classroom.

I got so inspired, I decided to create a  Tumblr Account, check it out!

Facebook Pages and Twitter

Facebook Search

I logged in to the cool, new site that everyone on campus was gushing over back in 2004 not knowing that it would one day be a site that takes over social media. What I saw as a web based yearbook for my friends and I has now become a tool that helps to promote learning and engage digital learners.  Around the world many educators and schools are using Facebook to connect with one another and stay current with the ever changing society we teach in. So, the question is, what is a school librarian to do in order to stay current with today’s culture and digital age? Why, have a Facebook page of course, to promote your school’s library.

While I was searching through Facebook for school library pages, I was able to find a few updated school library pages that had great photos and good ideas. The majority of the elementary schools that I found use Facebook pages to give book information and recommendations, ways to promote reading at home, eBook information for parents, and how to check out books from home. The times students can visit the library, articles for parents to read on different topics, such as ways to encourage reluctant readers, and pictures of the great things that happen in the library were also showcased on the Facebook pages. One school’s page that I truly enjoyed used it to show how much they appreciated their librarian and what she means to them. Polly Ryon Middle School Library used their page to showcase the kids’ technology activities in a “Show Off Day” that showed the demonstrations kids created using code and spotlighted their STEM creations. I thought this was really exciting because I was able to have my first taste of coding this school year and the students at my school and we ALL loved it!

I think like almost everything when you deal with technology, it will always have its advantages and disadvantages. Some of the advantages I feel about having a Facebook page to promote the school library are that it might draw in more students who may not frequent the library once they see pictures and read comments online. Facebook will help to showcase the learning that takes place everyday to people who may not always get to see what goes on inside the library. Librarians can use the page to post student work to invite parents to see a glimpse of their student’s learning and give support to parents with hectic schedules and keep them up to date on the calendar of events such as book fairs, technology night, author visits, and etc. The page can also share tips with students and parents, give relevant resources and links, promote new books and allow students to give reviews and share their thoughts.  Some of the disadvantages may be that some librarians may feel that students will not feel the need to visit the library if everything is online. Also, if students are able to make comments on the library’s page then those comments will need to be supervised and require more work on the librarian’s part in addition to maintaining the page and keeping it current and fresh.

Twitter

I personally am not a huge fan of Twitter’s site for my own personal life, but I do understand how it can be beneficial for teachers, librarians, and parents.  While searching through postings I was able to find great articles that mentioned different instructional tools that can be used in class and showcased some cool professional developments that I wouldn’t mind checking out. I was able to really see how a few of the leaders like Jim Lerman @jimlerman promotes STEM learning and some good reads they promote on their Twitter pages. I was really interested in checking out some new books for summer reading before heading back to school in the Fall and now I have what I think is a fabulous generated list. On his page he also tweeted an article on the 10 Tools for More Interactive Videos that gave some different ways that might engage learners more than a Power Point presentation.  I feel that Twitter may be a better choice for librarians to promote the events and happenings in their libraries than Facebook based on the postings I have seen and the commentary and retweets.

We are not escaping social media anytime, so we might as well ride the digital wave and see where it takes us!

Bloom, Schrock and Prensky

21st Century Learners: Digital Natives

Technology is not a thing of the past, but a thing of the present. It continues to change just as the role of the educator, librarian, and administrator do in a school setting. The idea of learning and how students learn also continues to change and grow as the majority of our students have grown up with technology according to Beloit College’s Mindset List( Beloit, 2015). In order to understand 21^st Century learners we first need to realize that students were born using, knowing, touching all of these different aspects of technology that some of us are just now learning how to use as tools in the classroom. Gaming, social media sites, apps, and online reference tools have continued to make technology a part of their daily lives and they no longer learn in the way of their parents.

Across my district, the clip from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,  where the economics professor stands before a room of bored, unenthused students trying to lecture, has become the prime example of what ineffective teaching is. I immediately refer to this in my mind as I listened to Marc Prensky because this is what lecturing is to the 21^st Century Learner who would rather have a hands on approach utilizing technology than being lectured in class. Prensky’s presentation tells us that 21st Century Learners are most engaged and involved in the learning process when they are able to share, search, learn and communicate through technology. Wit technology continuing to change then it is an educator’s role to be open to those changes and rethink of the ways technology can be utilized in their lessons. As a librarian it is important that they are the advocate for their school library program and for incorporating technology to help close the technology gaps between educators and student learners in order to better support student achievement.

As an educator, I want what I believe all educators want, which is to have students who are so deeply engaged and involved with their learning that they are able to find connections and meaning to what they are taught. So, if this is what educators are wanting, then why are we not engaging them in the way they learn best? I agree with some parts of Beloit College’s Mindset List and how learners today have grown up in this new and different world using technology and where educators now need to learn new vocabulary to communicate effectively with students of today. So, if learners have grown up in this world of technology, why are we not implementing more ways to incorporate technology, like B.Y.O.D.-bring your own device?

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy (Churches,2009) which has changed throughout the years of education is based on the changing needs of the learner and how to use tools of technology to facilitate learning. I enjoyed reading how the updated Bloom’s allows readers to understand how H.O.T.S can be integrated into different aspects of technology to better interest and relate to 21^st Century learners. Prensky states in his presentation that technology for a digital native is and should be part of the foundation upon which learning is built, not used as a tool. I see technology as a tool for learning and as a foundation piece for learners of today because of how meaningful and popular it has become. I remember being a student in the mid 90’s-2000s and being excited over using an overhead and learning Power Point, which is something that is now considered outdated and boring to digital natives. However, it was a tool that I needed to learn to use and help me throughout my education. 21^st Century learners are not the same and I believe that we are moving into a time where technology will become more of a foundation as different generations in the field of education continue to learn more about it.

Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything, (Schrock, 2011) provides great information on different apps that can be applied for the differing Bloom’s Levels and I think would be important to share with administrators to explain why certain apps and games should be used. Her Web 2.0 Apps Graphic is something that I am interested in sharing with others on my campus to show how it utilizes Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy with apps most educators are aware of. As technology and the way students learn continues to change then it is important to find ways to maintain a supportive school environment where everyone can learn. I think that a school librarian would continue to care about the changing technological world in order to be a source of reference for classroom teachers and learners to help learning continue to be meaningful and exciting.

A Big Guy Took My Ball!

Willems, M. (2013). A big guy took my ball! NY: Hyperion

Summary:
Gerald and Piggie will always be the best of friends. Despite their complete opposites, Piggie is a cheerful, careless character and Gerald is a grumpy, cautious elephant they enjoy hanging out with one another. Piggies becomes devastated when a big guy takes her ball, but thankfully Gerald is big too. The only problem is, will Gerald use his size to help Piggie  get her ball back?

Once Upon An Alphabet

Jeffers, O. (2014). Once upon an alphabet. New York: Philomel Books.

Summary:
A silly and stimulating text that involves the alphabet. The letters of the alphabet are used everyday when people speak and write word, so why not in this book. An inventive text that uses 26 letters and is 112 pages of artwork and collections of words to make a storybook that has a story for all the letters. 

Meet the Dullards

Pennypacker, S. (2015). Meet the Dullards. New York: Balzer + Bray.

Summary:

A dull and boring family is who we meet in this funny text. A dry sense of humor, bland food to eat everyday, no excitement in the home will drive anyone crazy and want to shake things up a bit. So, while Mr. and Mrs, Dullard enjoy living their life a bit dull, their children Blanda, Borely, and Little Dud have different ideas for their dull lives. 

Rodeo Red

Perkins, M. (2015). Rodeo Red. New York: Peachtree Publishers.

Summary:

A true book on sibling compromises and rivalry. Rodeo Red is a little cowgirl who is sure the little addition in the family is gonna get the boot. However, she soon realizes that her parents are absolutely in love with Side Swiping Slim and can't get enough of him. She does everything she can to make sure she keeps her best friend, Rusty, the hound dog away from the horrible clutches of Side Swiping Slim. 

It’s A Book

Smith, L. (2011). It’s a book. NY: Roaring Brook

Summary:

This story is pure comedy as adults may feel monkey's growing frustration while trying to explain to the donkey that a book is not a piece of technology. After donkey continues to ask about the features he just does not seem to understand that a book does not share the same functions or features of an electronic device.  Donkey continues not understanding until he decides to pick up a book and read it for himself.  The realization that the world has evolved into one where ordinary devices and tools are now misunderstood is comical to all readers.

Visual Element:  Composition

There isn’t anyone thing that singles out what makes this book such a good story. The author uses few colors, lines, and shapes to show how important the characters and plot are to the story.

Evaluative Criteria:  Theme

In It's a Book, the story has a simple theme that addresses how books have increasingly become outdated to the younger generations due to evolving technology; however it does not need a lot to be entertaining. The story is a memorable one that explains how a book is still a good source of entertainment and shows its value even without the bells and whistles of current technology. The story uses simple dialogue between its characters and is humorous conversation that will have its readers laughing. 

Paper Bag Princess

 Munsch, R. (2012). The paperbag princess. NY: Annick Press.

Summary:

Elizabeth is a brave princess who goes after the dragon who dares to take the prince before they are wed.  She is determined to rescue and save the prince but in the process ends up with nothing to wear but a paper bag.  After rescuing the prince she discovers that the prince is ungrateful and realizes she doesn't need him afterall.

Visual Element:  Lines

The Paper Bag Princess shows expression in the use of lines to show characters emotions and feelings in the story. The princesses’ exasperation, the dragon’s flight, and the happiness the princess feels at the end of the story as the sun sits on the horizon.

 Evaluative Criteria:  Character

The princess in the text changes the traditional role of the main character in a fairy tale.  The princess is not rescued by a prince, does not wear beautiful, expensive gowns and does not live in a luxurious castle. Also, at the end the princess does not end up with the wealthy, good looking prince, but happier by herself. 

Book Trailer

My Teacher is a Monster

Brown, P. (2014). My teacher is a monster. NY: Little, Brown Books forYoung Readers.

Summary:

Every child believe that their teacher is a monster and this story is no different. Our main character  believes that his teacher is really a monster because of her strict discipline and corrections she makes with his behavior.  However, after they happen to encounter each other one day outside of school, the little boy begins to believe that maybe she is human after all.

Visual Element:  Line

Lines help to give the basic shapes such as triangles, circles, rectangles that are used to depict trees in a park, hills that are climbed, and etc. in this story about a little boy who believes that his teacher is a monster. Lines are also useful in the story to help show the distance of flying objects like the paper airplane in the classroom or when the hat is flying in the wind. 

 Evaluative Criteria:  Illustration

Bobby and his teacher continue to show a typical student teacher relationship throughout the text. The author does an amazing job of depicting their relationship and dialogue through the use of speech bubbles, and wonderful illustrations. The story is well written and shows wonderful uses of symmetrical graphics and shapes. The pictures allow the story to continue to move forward and show through little uses of varying color the general setting for the story. The white space shows and gives the reader the illustration of a classroom. 

This Is Not My Hat

Klassen, J. (2012). This is not my hat. Boston, MA: Candlewick.

Summary:
What happens when you take something that doesn't belong to you? Well readers will learn a valuable lesson about not taking what doesn’t belong to you in this story.  When a  little fish takes a hat from a much bigger fish he thinks that he has gotten away with the hat, but the illustrations show what the little fish cannot see.

Visual Element:  Color

The dark colors used for the black of the deep sea, the mixture of browns, tans, specks of white, and forest shades of green blend together to draw reader’s attention. The author is consistent throughout the pages of this silly story to convey the little fish’s thoughts and the whale’s thoughts. The colors also allow the reader to feel as though they are seeing this happen at the bottom of the sea or ocean and readers who have questions, who have prior knowledge or even struggle can visualize and see the realistic attributes of each page.

  Evaluative Criteria:  Theme

This little story helps to teach young readers that we should not take things that do not belong to us. After a little fish steals a small hat that he feels fits him perfectly from a large, whale he tries to justify his actions on why he stole the hat. The book does not come out and say that you should not steal, but it can be implied throughout the text. Young readers will be able to see how upset the bigger fish is about his missing hat and can hopefully understand how they can make others feel if they take something that is not theirs. 

The Three Pigs

 Wiesner, D. (2001).   The three pigs.  NY:  Clarion.

Summary:

Weisner combines an interesting twist on a classic story using fun images and text to make it appealing to readers.  in the text,the author sends the pigs on the adventure of their lives like nothing we've ever seen before.  Readers  are taken on a whirlwind ride using a different range of media to portray the three pigs adventure to escape the wolf.

Visual Element:  Composition

The composition unifies all the elements in the illustrations found in The Three Pigs. The overall story is transformed from a fictional text to a realistic world. The author has allowed colors and lines to show the pigs and how they change from traditional, to cartoonish, to three-dimensional, graphics that appear to come alive depending on the setting of the page.

 Evaluative Criteria:  Plot

The plot is one of the most irrational and exciting that I have seen in a picture book. The pigs fly on a paper airplane across pages and settings that move the action forward in the story. They crash land into different fairy tales and nursery rhymes making this story quite the adventure. The overall plot of the pigs trying to escape the big, bad wolf is a story told across generations. This book puts a nice and unique spin on the traditional telling.

Mirror, Mirror

Singer, M.  (2010). Mirror, Mirror.  NY:  Dutton.

Summary:

A book of poems of well known stories uses an unique style in this written version. Two poems are paired side by side that have a similar theme, but both poems deliver a message that is the total opposite of its counterpart.  Readers will enjoy reading this topsy-turvy book and enjoy differing points of views.

Evaluative Criteria:

Visual Element: Shape

The use of shape allows the illustrator to combine two pictures to look like one to match both poems. Each illustration in the text is able to complement the structure of the text through the use of shapes. On one page of text there is a poem written in one column, and then the other side of the page shows the poem in reverse. The pictures match the poems, and the shapes continue from one side of the page to the other. For example, the shape of the wolf's body continues to be formed by the leaves and trees, or the evil queen’s face is shown by the hills on the other page.

Evaluative Criteria:  Style

Mirror, Mirror is a fairytale written in poetic form that uses a unique style of writing.  The poems give two perspectives of the featured classic fairy tales in the form of reverse poetry. One poem is written on the left side and the same poem is written on the second side in reverse. Although these are the same poems, the reader is able to see two different points of view on the story. For example, in Longing for Beauty, the first poem is talking about how the beast can love Beauty and the second poem is talking about how the Beauty can love a Beast.