Pledge to Make a Difference One Day at a Time

by Using myActions.org

S I D N E Y C I T Y

S C H O O L S

SHS Library News

A P R I L , 2 0 1 4 V O L U M E I I , I S S U E 8

S P E C I A L

P O I N T S O F

I N T E R E S T :

emaze

Quirky

WebCHECK

Poetry Out Loud

Why Can’t I Skip

Reading?

Paper Slide Vide-

os

For families with tweens and teens, it can be challenging to find green activ-ities that are educational, and fun for older kids. One website that offers a chance for kids to learn about conservation, take responsibility and get credit for their green actions is myActions.org, which bills itself as "The So-cial Network for the Planet. Living a green lifestyle can be accomplished by consistently practicing sim-ple things, such as disconnecting your cellphone from its power source after it is charged or turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth. Teachers can help students recognize how they can help the environment by incorporating myActions.org into their lessons. *There is also a myActions app that can be downloaded to mobile devices.

Debate Central

Debate Central is the largest FREE online collection of information targeted to high school debaters. Debate Central provides

debate speaking drills, best practices, case critiques, a debate encyclo-pedia, guides, contests, and other resources.

P A G E 2

Hot Stuff: and other things!

emaze—is an online

presentation tool for people

who want more than a Pow-

erPoint.

Quirky—is a website that al-

lows you to submit your inven-

tion ideas. If the idea is good and

you receive enough votes your

invention could then be manu-

factured and sold in stores! You

can also evaluate other peoples’

inventions for a small profit as

well!

The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation have part-

nered with U.S. state arts agencies to support Poetry Out Loud, a contest

that encourages the nation's youth to learn about great poetry through

memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public

speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.

Poetry Out Loud curriculum materials include the online poetry anthology, a

comprehensive teacher’s guide, a DVD of National Finals performances, les-

son plans, and promotional and media guides. Hard copies of materials are

free for teachers participating in the official program.

While teachers, students, and poetry lovers everywhere can use this web-

site and its free materials to organize their own contests, the official contest

is limited to the programs run by each state's arts agency. If you are inter-

ested in participating in the official program, please contact your state arts

agency. S H S L I B R A R Y N E W S

“The more that you

read, the more things

you will know. The more

that you learn, the more

places you’ll go.”

-Dr. Seuss

WebCheck—is a series of

instruments that were de-

signed for educators, web

designers, and students to

assess websites they use for

assignments and projects.

P A G E 3 V O L U M E I I , I S S U E 8

Why Reading is so Important!

Paper Slide Videos

What is a paper slide video? -One-take video method -Collaborative -Student-designed -Quickly published -Unedited / rough -Standards-based -Engages digital learners -No expertise needed -Appropriate for all grades

Materials needed: -Students who can write, draw, talk, and slide a sheet of paper -A concept -Some Paper -Pencils, Pens, Crayons, Markers -A Camera (Flip is recommended) -Optional: 3-D materials

Uses:

-enrichment activity -alternative assessment docu-ment a science project -book report -teach a concept -explain an idea

Examples of Paper Slide Videos