Tuesday Teacher Tips November 5, 2013 Picture Book Month, Journey, and iPads in Primary Education

These were the tips I sent out to my teachers today. If you have time, you really should spend time on the blog Mr. Andrews Online - which I discuss below!

To promote Picture Book Month,
I'm using little call outs
taped to some of our favorite picture books

Celebrate Picture Books This Month

November is Picture Book Month. Each day of the month, at the website Picture Book Month, you can read thoughts by featured picture book authors and illustrators.

You will also find activities related to picture books, and a calendar of suggestions by clicking [here].

Check out the Picture Book Month video [here], and see how many of the picture books featured you have read to your class.

Journey

What if you could draw a magic door and escape to anywhere you wanted to go? Where would you go?

In the wordless book, Journey, by Aaron Becker, a lonely girl does just that.

The illustrations fantastically capture beautiful scenes and the power of imagination.

This would be a perfect book to share with students as inspiration for writing.

See the breathtaking book trailer [here] & Aaron Becker’s amazing website [here]. On the website, there is a documentary about the making of the book, which might be interesting to share with students.

iPads in the Primary Education

If you are stuck on how to use iPads in your classroom to enhance skill instruction, you have to check out Mr. Andrews Online by clicking [here].

The blog’s author, David Andrews, who you can follow on Twitter, by clicking [here], has so many good ideas that you really need to make it a point to revisit often.

In one particular post, Andrews details how students used a number of different apps (some paid, some free), to study World War II.

Check out the post [here]. In the entry he describes students using: iThought (paid app), QR Codes (free), Sonic Pics (paid app), Strip Designer (which looks amazing), Pages, Keynote, and Silent Film (paid app), Creative Book Builder (paid app), iMovie and Pic Collage (free).

You really have to read the post to see the examples of the awesome student learning and work that resulted from the process.

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