Wednesday, October 16, 2013

November Drop and READ!

Cover of "Westing Game"
Cover of Westing Game
Hi Everyone:)
It was so wonderful connecting with you all on Blackboard this month!  I was impressed with all of your technical and collaborative skills!  Thank you for the awesome discussion on the two books we read by Deb Ellis,  and also the comparison between first and third world countries.

Our next book club read is The Westing Game.  We will meet on November the 113th @1.45 pm.  Here is the link to sign into the classroom:

https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?sid=7345&password=M.568104B2445CE814E329303C879EFD



I hope you have all been able to find a copy of this book in your local library.  We have a couple ordered for the physical commons, but I could not get an e book for this one.  As we read the book I would love it if you could share on a blog,  that we have set up as a sharing space on Blogger called Global Book Reviews HCS and NDG!  I will start posting my posts there as well and then we can start asking questions and responding as we read.  In order to share a post I will need to invite you to this blog as an author?  You will need to have a gmail account to do so.   Sign into Google and set up your profile.  Please make sure you have your parent's consent! Please send me your gmail address and I will add you to the blog as an author.  Then you will be able to comment and add your own posts if you feel led to write about a particular part of the book that appealed to you:)  I will start sharing as I read the book.  At this stage I am not sure if NDG will be reading our book but this is a start and we will definitely connect on one of the books;)

  The school who shares this blog with us is to be found in Guernsey England. To find out more about their school read this article. Last year we had a wonderful collaboration re picture books in the Chocolate Lily and Kate Greenaway Awards, and then a final discussion online using Blackboard.  We also hope to involve some of our campus classmates in Kelowna in the new year.

I look forward to receiving your gmail address and whether you will be allowed to be part of this blogging adventure?  Also there will be a prize for best sharing at our next Blackboard session.  This can be sharing orally or in writing.  One of the ways book club students like to share is by writing book reviews.  So feel free if sharing on the blog or another blog to share a book review of what you are reading.  I will post to my book club blog as well under Reviews.  You might want to read some of the awesome book reviews that have gone before you;)

Many blessings and happy reading!
Mrs Davies.

Enhanced by Zemanta

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Book Club 2013/14

Welcome to all our Book club members for a 2013/14 year of reading and literary discovery!  I am so excited to meet all our new members!!  Our grade 6-8 grades will enjoy some amazing books, collaborate in a Blackboard classroom, poll and share their suggestions on Collaborize Classroom and generally learn how to deconstruct books!

Our first read for next week's discussion on October the 9th is My Name is Parvana for the grade 7/8 students and The Breadwinner (both Deborah Ellis books and available on the E Library) for the grade 6 group.  We will have a discussion on the comparison of third world countries to first world countries, in this case Afghanistan to Canada,  using the protagonist's experience as our starting point.  In our first session we will also learn how to deconstruct a novel, share Christian worldview, and suggest and vote on the next novel.  Along the way students may win prizes for participation, techie ideas, book reviews, video creation etc.  Please have a book ready to share about at the meeting?  A link to a review would be perfect!:)
Here are some ideas for possible reads:

Red Cedar choices
Racing Home:  Adele Dueck-  In 1908, twelve-year-old Erik faces the challenges of adapting to pioneer life on the Canadian prairie, saving an injured horse with the help of his cousin, and understanding what's really going on in his family. - 

Torn Apart: The Internment Diary of Mary Kobayashi (Dear Canada) by Susan M. Aihoshi 
Catboy by Eric Walters (While trying to adjust to his move from a small northern town to the heart of Toronto, Taylor becomes interested in caring for a colony of feral cats in a junkyard, but when development threatens the colony, Taylor wonders how he can help them.)
The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis

Other Grade 6/7/8 choices
Mrs Frisby and the rats of Nimh
My Side of the Mountain
Jungle Book
The Westing Game
The Incredible Journey
James and the Giant Peach
The Lightning Thief
Out of the Dust
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Holes
Lost in the Barrens
Owls in the Family


During the school year we will meet and share all things literary on Collaborize Classroom, a virtual classroom.  Here students can poll and share media with each other and encourage their reading buddies.  But next week's discussion  will take place on Blackboard Collaborate.  Please make sure that you have a good headset with microphone, and check in early about 15 minutes before we get going at 1.45 pm.  We will finish up just before 3pm.

Please click on this link to get access to the classroom.

https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?sid=7345&password=M.568104B2445CE814E329303C879EFD




Please read the following set up when entering your classroom:
If you have a LearnNowBC username and password, you may view the meeting details here.


First Time User?

  • You may be prompted to download some software which may take anywhere from 2 to 20
  •  minutes depending on your Internet connection speed. Join your meeting early if you can.
  • A microphone and headphones or speakers will allow you to participate fully in the meeting.
  • Visit the Configuration Room and use the Audio Setup Wizard before the session to make
  •  sure your computer's audio is configured correctly.

Handy LNBC Collaborate Links:



I look forward to seeing you all at our first meeting:)  Let me know if you need help with Blackboard on the Wednesday and I will come on early to help you?
Blessings
Mrs Pippa