No Shhing Here

For the last couple of years, we've been using a PowerPoint Facebook page as a final product for a research unit. When we used the template last year, my students were quick to point out that the template was "old school" - Facebook has made major tweaks to the layout and design of its site, which weren't reflected in this version. This year, I finally got around to updating the template to reflect Facebook's current look. Click here to download the  new template for PowerPoint 2010 . No, it doesn't have the timeline interface (I'm not using it yet on my own personal Facebook page, so I don't feel comfortable enough trying to recreate it), but otherwise it reflects many of the recent design changes. It is hyperlinked, so when you're in "View Show" mode, you can click on "Wall," "Info," and "Pictures," and go directly to those parts of the PowerPoint - making it behaving like a traditional Facebook page. ...

I just hosted my first ever Poetry Celebration in the library. I can't claim any credit for it - it was totally the brainchild of a fabulous English teacher I work with. Her 8th grade classes just completed their poetry unit - they learned about different styles, different literary devices, completed a poetry scavenger hunt, and wrote four poems. To celebrate the conclusion of the unit, she decided to hold a poetry event. Here's what we learned to make it go smoothly: Close the library. Kids are shy enough as it about getting up in front of their peers. An extra audience of 20 noisy, distracting study hall students doesn't improve their self esteem or willingness to participate.  Review proper etiquette before the event begins. The teacher reminded the students to be respectful of their peers, and also taught them to snap when they liked something the poet was saying or at the end of the poem instead of applauding. Serve snacks. It helps the event feel more festive a...

Some of the best ideas for our book displays come from non-library sources. This month was no exception. Image from here. The inspiration? J. Crew's current window featuring accordion pleated circles. I'm digging it 'cause it's festive and special, but it's not overly sicky-sweet and cutesy. Here's our interpretation of the display:  It was a great way to use up back issues of magazines, and we had an assembly line going with study hall kids. There's a small frame on the right side of the desk (made out of rolled up magazines) with a sign that reads: Books We <3. The books we picked were just ones with pink and red covers. Here's another view: For our secondary display I found inspiration on Pintres t. I've been meaning to make paper garlands like these for my Christmas tree. Pin from this Etsy store. Here's how my version looks: It was an easy project to cut out a bunch of paper hearts and then stitch them together with my sew...