Updates-Booklists,Teaching and Books and Dinosaurs!

Fantasy/SciFi alert

The encountering enchantment website on fantasy, science fiction and speculative fiction has been updated with new titles
http://www.encounteringenchantment.com/New___Forthcoming_Titles.html

Language Arts/Literacy/Librarian Educators Alert:
BOOK SMARTS is a new open access ("free-to-read") journal that offers brief, informative discussion of books on critical issues in education.
The Spring 2008 Issue of BOOK SMARTS is available at
http://www.book-smarts.net

Included in this issue:
* Harrison, L. E. (2006). The Central Liberal Truth: How Politics Can
Change a Culture and Save It from Itself. NY: Oxford
University Press.
Reviewed by Edward M. Olivos, University of Oregon

* Glass, Gene V. (2008) Fertilizers, Pills, and Magnetic Strips: The
Fate of Public Education in America. Charlotte, NC: Information
Age Publishing, Inc.

* Ohanian, Susan. (2008). When Childhood Collides with NCLB.
Brandon, VT: Vermont Society for the Study of Education, Inc.

* Meiners, E. R. (2007). Right to Be Hostile: Schools, Prisons, and
the Making of Public Enemies. London & NY: Routledge.

* Norton, Bonny & Toohey, Kelleen (Eds.) (2004) Critical Pedagogies
and Language Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Danny and the Dinosaur fans
It's the 50th anniversary of the pub.llication of Danny and the Dinosaur
See http://www.sydhoff.org/

A few thoughts for teachers- Did You Know 2.0

Although it is a year old, This is a most illuminating presentation:


The link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U&eurl=http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2007/06/did-you-know-20.html

It was originally posted on http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2006/08/did-you-know.html
and was part of a faculty presentation at a school staff meeting.
Enjoy.

Great Websites for Kids!

The Association for Library Service to Children has just updated its Great Websites for Kids. Websites can be searched or browsed by subject.

See it at http://www.ala.org/gwstemplate.cfm?section=greatwebsites&template=/cfapps/gws/default.cfm

Help School Libraries in NJ!

Take Action Now to Advance School Libraries!

A draft of new School Reform Program regulations includes the following requirement:

N.J.A.C. 6A:XX-1.1 Standards-based instruction

(g) All school districts shall provide library-media services in each school building, including a certified school library media specialist and access to computers, district-approved instructional software, appropriate books including novels, anthologies and other reference materials, and supplemental materials that motivate students to read in and out of school and to conduct research.

NJASL needs your help to ensure that this requirement for school libraries is retained in the School Funding Reform Regulations.

Write to Commissioner Lucille E. Davy in support of this proposed requirement
http://njasladvocacy.pbwiki.com/f/SLMS%20Commissioner%20Letter%20Template.doc

Urge your colleagues to send letters to Commissioner Davy in support of retaining this requirement
http://njasladvocacy.pbwiki.com/f/Teacher%20Commissioner%20Letter%20Template.doc

Help all members of your school community (students, parents, staff, administrators) to write in support of this requirement


Letters should be sent to:
Lucille E. Davy, Commissioner
Department of Education
100 River View Plaza
P.O. Box 500
Trenton, NJ 08625