MAES / SES
April / May 2013
Volume 10 Number 4
Winners of the Golden Archer Award Announced
The students of Medford Area and Stetsonville Elementary Schools voted earlier this school year and, along with other young Wisconsin readers, have selected three of their favorite authors to win the state’s Golden Archer Award for children’s and young adult literature. Since 1996, the award has been sponsored by the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA). Award winners were announced at the association’s spring conference in Madison in early April.
The primary age students chose Blackout by John Rocco. Intermediate age students selected Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney, a sequel to last year’s winner Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth, the 2011 winner, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, the 2010 winner, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw, and the 2009 middle school winner Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley’s Journal. Middle school and junior high readers selected Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins .
Students at both Medford Area and Stetsonville Elementary Schools cast their votes in choosing the Golden Archer winners. At the primary level, the first and second graders at Medford Area Elementary chose Happy Pig Day by Mo Willems as their favorite; Stetsonville Elementary students chose A Ball for Daisy by Christopher Raschka as their favorite . The third and fourth graders at both schools followed the state in choosing Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever as their favorite at the intermediate level. The winning titles in the elementary school library media centers are now marked with Golden Archer seals to note this special distinction.
The Golden Archer Award was the brainchild of Mrs. Marion Archer, an author in her own right and instructor of children’s literature at UW-Oshkosh in the 1970s. Her students asked why adults chose the winners of most children’s literature awards. Mrs. Archer and her assistant in the Educational Media Center of the university’s library, convinced university authorities to sponsor the students’-choice award. They contributed fifty dollars each and mailed nomination forms to every elementary school in the state.
More information about the award may be obtained at www.wemtaonline.org. Click on Golden Archer Award.
District Teams Compete in Statewide Battle of the Books
As was mentioned in an earlier newsletter, selected fourth grade teams at both MAES and SES were preparing for the 2012-2013 Statewide Battle of the Books competition sponsored by Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA).
The competition was recently held via the Internet at a time during the week of February 18-22 that was convenient for the teams. Teams of four members were allowed 30 minutes to answer 25 regular questions and 5 tie-breaker questions based on the 20 titles selected for this year’s competition. Teams in the elementary division (Gr. 4-6) competed via a website that provided pull-down menus of titles and authors to select. The website access allowed teams to know their score as soon as their 30 minutes were up.
This year, the elementary division had 161 teams around the state competed, the middle school division (Gr. 6-8) had 124 teams, and the high school division had 80 teams.
Out of a possible 375 points, the Medford Area Elementary School team earned 240 regular points with 15 tie-breaker points; the Stetsonville Elementary School team earned 195 regular points with 6 tie-breaker points.
Mrs. Jennifer Shipman, District Gifted and Talented Coordinator, coached a team of Medford Area Middle School students in the elementary division (Gr. 4-6). This team earned 195 regular points and 9 tie-breaker points. The middle level (Grades 6-8) team coached by Mrs. Shipman earned 285 regular points and 9 tie-breaker points.
Mrs. Pat Eloranta’s high school team earned 210 regular points and 15 tie-breaker points.
Thank you to the teams for working so hard and representing your schools in the competition!
To learn more about the Statewide Battle of the Books or to learn the results of this year’s competition, go to:
http://www.wemtaonline.org/
Common Sense for the Common Core
http://www.scholastic.com/commoncore/index.htm
This new website, posted on Scholastic's website, presents a host of materials to help parents and educators help students succeed in school. Although much of the site is devoted to Scholastic products, the Free Resources section provides Common Core-ready classroom lessons, teaching tips, videos, and a nonfiction booklist. The site is certainly worth looking at.
"Science Bob"
http://www.sciencebob.com/index.php
This creative science website is great for teachers, as well as for parents and kids to look at together. It includes kid-safe science videos that offer interesting edu-tainment for classroom use.
The students of Medford Area and Stetsonville Elementary Schools voted earlier this school year and, along with other young Wisconsin readers, have selected three of their favorite authors to win the state’s Golden Archer Award for children’s and young adult literature. Since 1996, the award has been sponsored by the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA). Award winners were announced at the association’s spring conference in Madison in early April.
The primary age students chose Blackout by John Rocco. Intermediate age students selected Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney, a sequel to last year’s winner Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth, the 2011 winner, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, the 2010 winner, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw, and the 2009 middle school winner Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley’s Journal. Middle school and junior high readers selected Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins .
Students at both Medford Area and Stetsonville Elementary Schools cast their votes in choosing the Golden Archer winners. At the primary level, the first and second graders at Medford Area Elementary chose Happy Pig Day by Mo Willems as their favorite; Stetsonville Elementary students chose A Ball for Daisy by Christopher Raschka as their favorite . The third and fourth graders at both schools followed the state in choosing Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever as their favorite at the intermediate level. The winning titles in the elementary school library media centers are now marked with Golden Archer seals to note this special distinction.
The Golden Archer Award was the brainchild of Mrs. Marion Archer, an author in her own right and instructor of children’s literature at UW-Oshkosh in the 1970s. Her students asked why adults chose the winners of most children’s literature awards. Mrs. Archer and her assistant in the Educational Media Center of the university’s library, convinced university authorities to sponsor the students’-choice award. They contributed fifty dollars each and mailed nomination forms to every elementary school in the state.
More information about the award may be obtained at www.wemtaonline.org. Click on Golden Archer Award.
District Teams Compete in Statewide Battle of the Books
As was mentioned in an earlier newsletter, selected fourth grade teams at both MAES and SES were preparing for the 2012-2013 Statewide Battle of the Books competition sponsored by Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA).
The competition was recently held via the Internet at a time during the week of February 18-22 that was convenient for the teams. Teams of four members were allowed 30 minutes to answer 25 regular questions and 5 tie-breaker questions based on the 20 titles selected for this year’s competition. Teams in the elementary division (Gr. 4-6) competed via a website that provided pull-down menus of titles and authors to select. The website access allowed teams to know their score as soon as their 30 minutes were up.
This year, the elementary division had 161 teams around the state competed, the middle school division (Gr. 6-8) had 124 teams, and the high school division had 80 teams.
Out of a possible 375 points, the Medford Area Elementary School team earned 240 regular points with 15 tie-breaker points; the Stetsonville Elementary School team earned 195 regular points with 6 tie-breaker points.
Mrs. Jennifer Shipman, District Gifted and Talented Coordinator, coached a team of Medford Area Middle School students in the elementary division (Gr. 4-6). This team earned 195 regular points and 9 tie-breaker points. The middle level (Grades 6-8) team coached by Mrs. Shipman earned 285 regular points and 9 tie-breaker points.
Mrs. Pat Eloranta’s high school team earned 210 regular points and 15 tie-breaker points.
Thank you to the teams for working so hard and representing your schools in the competition!
To learn more about the Statewide Battle of the Books or to learn the results of this year’s competition, go to:
http://www.wemtaonline.org/
Common Sense for the Common Core
http://www.scholastic.com/commoncore/index.htm
This new website, posted on Scholastic's website, presents a host of materials to help parents and educators help students succeed in school. Although much of the site is devoted to Scholastic products, the Free Resources section provides Common Core-ready classroom lessons, teaching tips, videos, and a nonfiction booklist. The site is certainly worth looking at.
"Science Bob"
http://www.sciencebob.com/index.php
This creative science website is great for teachers, as well as for parents and kids to look at together. It includes kid-safe science videos that offer interesting edu-tainment for classroom use.
MAES / SES
February / March 2013
Volume 10 Number 3
David LaRochelle Visit Excites Students and Staff
On January 28 and 29, Minnesota author and illustrator David LaRochelle visited with kindergarten through fourth grade students at Medford Area and Stetsonville Elementary Schools. Both students and staff enjoyed his presentations, where he stressed that anyone from age 5 and older who writes is an author, even though they may not have a published book.
LaRochelle shared with the students a story he wrote while in second grade, complete with spelling mistakes (including misspelling his own name!). Listeners were entranced as he told a story while illustrating it. During his visit, David LaRochelle enjoyed viewing artwork related to his books created by students during art class and readers theater performances of his book The Best Pet of All presented by third graders.
For more information on David LaRochelle, visit his website.
http://www.davidlarochelle.net/index.html
Third and Fourth Grade Students Vote in Golden Archer Award Program
In the last newsletter, it was reported that the first and second grade students at Medford Area and Stetsonville Elementary Schools had voted in the selection of the 2012-13 Golden Archer Award. The Golden Archer Award is an award given to the author of a children’s book. What is special about the award is that it is chosen by school children in Wisconsin.
Recently, the students in third and fourth grade voted in the intermediate division category of the award. The students at both schools chose Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney as their favorite. Their vote totals, along with totals from other participating schools, will be sent to Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA). Winners will be announced at the WEMTA Spring Conference in April.
Pronounce Wisconsin
http://www.sco.wisc.edu/pronounce-wisconsin/pronouncewisconsin.html
Did you ever wonder how to pronounce some Wisconsin place names? Visit Pronounce Wisconsin for help. This online tool, released in 2012 by the Wisconsin State Cartographer’s Office, is a pronouncing gazetteer of Wisconsin place names. The site delivers audio pronounciations for over 1700 Wisconsin places, including counties, cities, villages, and unincorporated communities. By simply hovering the mouse over the map, users can immediately hear how the names are pronounced.
Alphabetimals
http://alphabetimals.com/
Alphabetimals is an interactive online flipbook featuring animal sounds and the pronunciations of animal names. The Alphabetimals characters can spell out any word that you would like. Just type the word in the word box, and it will appear as alphabet animals, which you can print out and use as flashcards. You’ll also find free cutout flashcards and an alphabet poster, which you can download and print.
MAES / SES
December 2012 / January 2013
Volume 10 Number 2
Author/Illustrator David LaRochelle to Visit MAES and SES
On January 28 and 29, Minnesota author and illustrator LaRochelle will visit the Kindergarten through fourth grade classes at the elementary schools. Born in Minneapolis and now living in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, David LaRochelle grew up acting out make-believe stories and spending hours making things out of construction paper.
Career plans as David was growing up included being a balloon man, a cartoonist, and an illustrator for Hallmark cards. When the job at Hallmark fell through, David LaRochelle became an elementary school teacher. It was while teaching fourth grade that his first book, A Christmas Guest, was published. Since then he has written or illustrated over twenty-five books, including picture books, puzzle books, craft books, and a book for young adults. He also classifies himself as a professional pumpkin carver.
LaRochelle’s published books include: The Best Pet of All, The Haunted Hamburger, The Bookstore Valentine, and The End.
In his presentations, David LaRochelle will talk about the various stages in writing a book, from rough draft to finished manuscript, stressing the importance of revising. He will also include some storytelling as well as on-the-spot drawing. Copies of selected books will be for sale in advance of LaRochelle’s appearance. Staff members interested in purchasing books are asked to contact Cathy Retzer before January 25.
For more information on David LaRochelle, visit his website.
http://www.davidlarochelle.net/index.html
Students Vote in Golden Archer Award Program
Recently, the first and second grade classes at Medford Area and Stetsonville Elementary Schools played a role in the choosing of the 2012-13 Golden Archer Award winner. The Golden Archer Award is an award given to the author of a children’s book. What is special about the award is that it is chosen by school children in Wisconsin.
The Golden Archer Award consists of three categories: the primary division for students in the early grades (picture books), the intermediate division for students in upper elementary grades, and the middle/junior high division for students in middle school. The criteria for the award includes: that books are recognized as noteworthy and of special interest to students; are now in print and readily available (published within the last 5 years); and can be fiction or non-fiction, but must be individual book titles, not series names. Before May of each school year, schools can nominate a maximum of five books for each category that is represented in that school. Prior to the start of the next school year, the list of the top five nominees in each category is posted and schools vote for their favorite books. Vote totals from participating schools are sent to Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA), where they are totaled. Winners are announced each spring at the WEMTA Spring Conference.
Last year’s winners were:
Primary: Here Comes the Big, Mean Dust Bunny by Jan Thomas
Intermediate: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney
Middle/Junior High: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
In this year’s voting, first and second grade students at Medford Area Elementary School chose Happy Pig Day by Mo Willems as their favorite book in the primary category; the students at Stetsonville Elementary School chose A Ball for Daisy by Christopher Raschka.
Third and fourth graders will be casting their votes soon for the winner of the Intermediate level.
Magic Keys
http://www.magickeys.com/books/
Magic Keys is a website with a good collection of free talking picture books for children.
Storyline Online
http://www.storylineonline.net/
Storyline Online is a collection of video recordings of children's stories being read by notable actors and actresses. Each video has a short introduction by the actor before transitioning to the reading of the story. Students can follow along with the pictures and words of each story. Along with each video you will find a set of online and offline activities to support your use of each story in your classroom.
NASA: Follow Your Curiosity
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/participate/
Follow Curiosity’s journey as she explores Mars. NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission delivered the nearly 2,000-pound (1-ton), car-size robotic roving laboratory to the surface of Mars at 10:31 p.m. PDT on August 5, 2012.
Career plans as David was growing up included being a balloon man, a cartoonist, and an illustrator for Hallmark cards. When the job at Hallmark fell through, David LaRochelle became an elementary school teacher. It was while teaching fourth grade that his first book, A Christmas Guest, was published. Since then he has written or illustrated over twenty-five books, including picture books, puzzle books, craft books, and a book for young adults. He also classifies himself as a professional pumpkin carver.
LaRochelle’s published books include: The Best Pet of All, The Haunted Hamburger, The Bookstore Valentine, and The End.
In his presentations, David LaRochelle will talk about the various stages in writing a book, from rough draft to finished manuscript, stressing the importance of revising. He will also include some storytelling as well as on-the-spot drawing. Copies of selected books will be for sale in advance of LaRochelle’s appearance. Staff members interested in purchasing books are asked to contact Cathy Retzer before January 25.
For more information on David LaRochelle, visit his website.
http://www.davidlarochelle.net/index.html
Students Vote in Golden Archer Award Program
Recently, the first and second grade classes at Medford Area and Stetsonville Elementary Schools played a role in the choosing of the 2012-13 Golden Archer Award winner. The Golden Archer Award is an award given to the author of a children’s book. What is special about the award is that it is chosen by school children in Wisconsin.
The Golden Archer Award consists of three categories: the primary division for students in the early grades (picture books), the intermediate division for students in upper elementary grades, and the middle/junior high division for students in middle school. The criteria for the award includes: that books are recognized as noteworthy and of special interest to students; are now in print and readily available (published within the last 5 years); and can be fiction or non-fiction, but must be individual book titles, not series names. Before May of each school year, schools can nominate a maximum of five books for each category that is represented in that school. Prior to the start of the next school year, the list of the top five nominees in each category is posted and schools vote for their favorite books. Vote totals from participating schools are sent to Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA), where they are totaled. Winners are announced each spring at the WEMTA Spring Conference.
Last year’s winners were:
Primary: Here Comes the Big, Mean Dust Bunny by Jan Thomas
Intermediate: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney
Middle/Junior High: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
In this year’s voting, first and second grade students at Medford Area Elementary School chose Happy Pig Day by Mo Willems as their favorite book in the primary category; the students at Stetsonville Elementary School chose A Ball for Daisy by Christopher Raschka.
Third and fourth graders will be casting their votes soon for the winner of the Intermediate level.
Magic Keys
http://www.magickeys.com/books/
Magic Keys is a website with a good collection of free talking picture books for children.
Storyline Online
http://www.storylineonline.net/
Storyline Online is a collection of video recordings of children's stories being read by notable actors and actresses. Each video has a short introduction by the actor before transitioning to the reading of the story. Students can follow along with the pictures and words of each story. Along with each video you will find a set of online and offline activities to support your use of each story in your classroom.
NASA: Follow Your Curiosity
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/participate/
Follow Curiosity’s journey as she explores Mars. NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission delivered the nearly 2,000-pound (1-ton), car-size robotic roving laboratory to the surface of Mars at 10:31 p.m. PDT on August 5, 2012.
MAES / SES
October / November 2012
Volume 10 Number 1
Teams Prepare for Statewide Battle of the Books
Selected fourth graders at both MAES and SES are meeting with Ms. Retzer to prepare for the 2012-2013 Statewide Battle of the Books competition. The students’ third grade teachers and their present teachers recommended those chosen for the competition.
The Statewide Battle of the Books' program is designed to promote a love of reading among students. It encourages students to read a variety of books and remember information about the plots, characters, and settings of the books. Every question asked in a battle is worded so that the answer is the title and author of a book.
Sponsored by Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Association (WEMTA), Statewide Battle of the Books consists of three divisions. The elementary division is for students in grades four through six. The middle division is for students in grades six through eight; a senior high division exists for grades 8 and up. The competition for each division consists of a list of twenty titles that the teams are to read. The elementary division reads the nominated Golden Archer winners for the primary and intermediate levels plus a variety of other titles recommended by library media specialists throughout the state. The middle level participants read the Golden Archer titles nominated for the intermediate and middle school level plus ten other titles, which were selected by media specialists throughout the state. The senior division reads the middle school level Golden Archer nominees, last year's winners of the Golden Archer, Newbery and Printz Awards, plus 13 other titles chosen by media specialists.
A team consists of four members; each school building is allowed only one team per division. MAES and SES teams were formed and introduced to the titles in September and will meet monthly to monitor their progress. In early January, the teams will begin meeting weekly to be quizzed on practice questions. The actual battle will be held the last full week of February, 2013. Coaches receive the questions via e-mail, conduct the competition at a convenient time during the week, and e-mail the answers back. Teams will have 30 minutes to answer 25 questions and 5 tie-breaker questions. The top teams will be announced in March.
Cathy Retzer has served on the Statewide Battle of the Books elementary division committee for many years, helping to monitor the titles selected for appropriateness, writing test questions, and selecting the questions to be used in the competition.
Statewide Battle of the Books booklists for each level, rules, timeline and other needed information can be found on the website (under Programs):
http://www.wemtaonline.org/
Kuse Nature Preserve
http://kuse.medford.k12.wi.us/main/index.html
Doctors Hildegard and Loretta Kuse have recently worked with educators of the Medford Area School District to develop a webpage sharing resources from the Kuse Farm Museum and Nature Preserve. Located on the north end of the Medford Area Senior High School/Medford Area Elementary School property, the Kuse Farm Museum and Nature Preserve consists of a 35-acre farm that has been in the Kuse family since 1881. Although part of the land is still farmed for crops, trails surrounding the fields allow the visitor to view over sixty species of trees, more than fifty vines and shrubs, and many wild flowers, heritage plants and animals that live in this habitat. Exhibits in the museum buildings provide information about the ways the area has changed over the years and the way it has been viewed in art and history.
The website contains information of use to groups visiting the nature preserve, as well as those not able to come to the nature preserve who are studying plants, animals, and history of the region. Of special interest are composite photos created by Dr. Loretta Kuse of wild flowers and trees found on the property. Powerpoints and movies, and other resources are constantly being developed and shared on the website.
Wisconsin Fall Color Report
http://www.travelwisconsin.com/
The Fall Color Report, a state-wide map showcasing the latest reports on fall color in every county in Wisconsin, is the perfect resource to start planning your fall getaway. You can also share, view and rate photos of fall foliage from all across Wisconsin.
Selected fourth graders at both MAES and SES are meeting with Ms. Retzer to prepare for the 2012-2013 Statewide Battle of the Books competition. The students’ third grade teachers and their present teachers recommended those chosen for the competition.
The Statewide Battle of the Books' program is designed to promote a love of reading among students. It encourages students to read a variety of books and remember information about the plots, characters, and settings of the books. Every question asked in a battle is worded so that the answer is the title and author of a book.
Sponsored by Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Association (WEMTA), Statewide Battle of the Books consists of three divisions. The elementary division is for students in grades four through six. The middle division is for students in grades six through eight; a senior high division exists for grades 8 and up. The competition for each division consists of a list of twenty titles that the teams are to read. The elementary division reads the nominated Golden Archer winners for the primary and intermediate levels plus a variety of other titles recommended by library media specialists throughout the state. The middle level participants read the Golden Archer titles nominated for the intermediate and middle school level plus ten other titles, which were selected by media specialists throughout the state. The senior division reads the middle school level Golden Archer nominees, last year's winners of the Golden Archer, Newbery and Printz Awards, plus 13 other titles chosen by media specialists.
A team consists of four members; each school building is allowed only one team per division. MAES and SES teams were formed and introduced to the titles in September and will meet monthly to monitor their progress. In early January, the teams will begin meeting weekly to be quizzed on practice questions. The actual battle will be held the last full week of February, 2013. Coaches receive the questions via e-mail, conduct the competition at a convenient time during the week, and e-mail the answers back. Teams will have 30 minutes to answer 25 questions and 5 tie-breaker questions. The top teams will be announced in March.
Cathy Retzer has served on the Statewide Battle of the Books elementary division committee for many years, helping to monitor the titles selected for appropriateness, writing test questions, and selecting the questions to be used in the competition.
Statewide Battle of the Books booklists for each level, rules, timeline and other needed information can be found on the website (under Programs):
http://www.wemtaonline.org/
Kuse Nature Preserve
http://kuse.medford.k12.wi.us/main/index.html
Doctors Hildegard and Loretta Kuse have recently worked with educators of the Medford Area School District to develop a webpage sharing resources from the Kuse Farm Museum and Nature Preserve. Located on the north end of the Medford Area Senior High School/Medford Area Elementary School property, the Kuse Farm Museum and Nature Preserve consists of a 35-acre farm that has been in the Kuse family since 1881. Although part of the land is still farmed for crops, trails surrounding the fields allow the visitor to view over sixty species of trees, more than fifty vines and shrubs, and many wild flowers, heritage plants and animals that live in this habitat. Exhibits in the museum buildings provide information about the ways the area has changed over the years and the way it has been viewed in art and history.
The website contains information of use to groups visiting the nature preserve, as well as those not able to come to the nature preserve who are studying plants, animals, and history of the region. Of special interest are composite photos created by Dr. Loretta Kuse of wild flowers and trees found on the property. Powerpoints and movies, and other resources are constantly being developed and shared on the website.
Wisconsin Fall Color Report
http://www.travelwisconsin.com/
The Fall Color Report, a state-wide map showcasing the latest reports on fall color in every county in Wisconsin, is the perfect resource to start planning your fall getaway. You can also share, view and rate photos of fall foliage from all across Wisconsin.
April / May 2012
Volume 9 Number 4
MAES / SES
Winners of the Golden Archer Award Announced
The students of Medford Area and Stetsonville Elementary Schools voted earlier this school year and, along with other young Wisconsin readers, have selected three of their favorite authors to win the state’s Golden Archer Award for children’s and young adult literature. Since 1996, the award has been sponsored by the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA). Award winners were announced at the association’s spring conference in Wisconsin Dells in March.
The primary age students chose Jan Thomas’ picture book Here Comes the Big, Mean Dust Bunny,the sequel to a 2010-11 Archer nominee, Rhyming Dust Bunnies. Intermediate age students selected Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney, a sequel to last year’s winner Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, the 2010 winner, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw, and the 2009 middle school winner Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley’s Journal. Middle school and junior high readers selected Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins; Collins had won in 2011 for The Hunger Games.
Students at both Medford Area and Stetsonville Elementary Schools cast their votes in choosing the Golden Archer winners. At the primary level, the first and second graders at Medford Area Elementary chose Art and Max by David Wiesner as their favorite (Here Comes the Big, Mean Dust Bunny came in second); Stetsonville Elementary students chose Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein as their favorite (Here Comes the Big, Mean Dust Bunny came in second) . The third and fourth graders at both schools followed the state in choosing Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth as their favorite at the intermediate level. The winning titles in the elementary school library media centers are now marked with Golden Archer seals to note this special distinction.
The Golden Archer Award was the brainchild of Mrs. Marion Archer, an author in her own right and instructor of children’s literature at UW-Oshkosh in the 1970s. Her students asked why adults chose the winners of most children’s literature awards. Mrs. Archer and her assistant in the Educational Media Center of the university’s library, convinced university authorities to sponsor the students’-choice award. They contributed fifty dollars each and mailed nomination forms to every elementary school in the state.
More information about the award may be obtained at www.wemtaonline.org. Click on Golden Archer Award.
District Teams Compete in Statewide Battle of the Books
As was mentioned in an earlier newsletter, selected fourth grade teams at both MAES and SES were preparing for the 2011-2012 Statewide Battle of the Books competition sponsored by Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA).
The competition was recently held via the Internet at a time during the week of February 20-24 that was convenient for the teams. Teams of four members were allowed 30 minutes to answer 25 regular questions and 5 tie-breaker questions based on the 20 titles selected for this year’s competition. Teams in the elementary division (Gr. 4-6) competed via a website that provided pull-down menus of titles and authors to select. The website access allowed teams to know their score as soon as their 30 minutes were up.
This year, the elementary division had 165 teams around the state registered, the middle school division (Gr. 6-8) had 120 teams, and the high school division had 74 teams.
Out of a possible 375 points, the Medford Area Elementary School team earned 300 regular points with 12 tie-breaker points; the Stetsonville Elementary School team earned 255 regular points with 0 tie-breaker points. Medford Area Elementary School’s team score placed them in the Honors Club for earning at least 300 points.
Mrs. Jennifer Shipman, District Gifted and Talented Coordinator, coached a team of Medford Area Middle School students in the elementary division (Gr. 4-6). This team earned 270 regular points and 9 tie-breaker points. The middle level (Grades 6-8) team coached by Mrs. Shipman earned 315 regular points and 6 tie-breaker points placing them in the Honors Club for earning at least 300 points
Mrs. Pat Eloranta’s high school team earned 255 regular points and 12 tie-breaker points.
Thank you to the teams for working so hard and representing your schools in the competition!
To learn more about the Statewide Battle of the Books or to learn the results of this year’s competition, go to:
http://www.wemtaonline.org/
Plants in Motion
http://plantsinmotion.bio.indiana.edu/index.html
Plants In Motion is sure to appeal to the plant biologists in your classroom. With time-lapse photography, visitors can view the growth and changes of plants and see that they are capable of extraordinary things. Movie categories include Germination, Photomorphogenesis, Tropisms, Circadian Responses, General Growth, Flowers, and more. Each category has a brief introduction, and each movie has accompanying information. Students, teachers, and parents will appreciate the projects section that offers a handful of projects "to explore some fundamental aspects of plant growth with an emphasis on how plants respond to environmental stimuli".
Kids Gardening
http://www.kidsgardening.org/
KidsGardening.org is a resource of the National Gardening Association. The website includes information on both school and home gardens. Each month has a featured lesson; November’s was Turn on Learning with Bulbs. The section Parents' Primer has useful information for parents or teachers, such as What Turns Kids On and Off to Gardening, Theme Gardens, Plants Kids Love, and more.
The students of Medford Area and Stetsonville Elementary Schools voted earlier this school year and, along with other young Wisconsin readers, have selected three of their favorite authors to win the state’s Golden Archer Award for children’s and young adult literature. Since 1996, the award has been sponsored by the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA). Award winners were announced at the association’s spring conference in Wisconsin Dells in March.
The primary age students chose Jan Thomas’ picture book Here Comes the Big, Mean Dust Bunny,the sequel to a 2010-11 Archer nominee, Rhyming Dust Bunnies. Intermediate age students selected Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney, a sequel to last year’s winner Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, the 2010 winner, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw, and the 2009 middle school winner Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley’s Journal. Middle school and junior high readers selected Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins; Collins had won in 2011 for The Hunger Games.
Students at both Medford Area and Stetsonville Elementary Schools cast their votes in choosing the Golden Archer winners. At the primary level, the first and second graders at Medford Area Elementary chose Art and Max by David Wiesner as their favorite (Here Comes the Big, Mean Dust Bunny came in second); Stetsonville Elementary students chose Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein as their favorite (Here Comes the Big, Mean Dust Bunny came in second) . The third and fourth graders at both schools followed the state in choosing Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth as their favorite at the intermediate level. The winning titles in the elementary school library media centers are now marked with Golden Archer seals to note this special distinction.
The Golden Archer Award was the brainchild of Mrs. Marion Archer, an author in her own right and instructor of children’s literature at UW-Oshkosh in the 1970s. Her students asked why adults chose the winners of most children’s literature awards. Mrs. Archer and her assistant in the Educational Media Center of the university’s library, convinced university authorities to sponsor the students’-choice award. They contributed fifty dollars each and mailed nomination forms to every elementary school in the state.
More information about the award may be obtained at www.wemtaonline.org. Click on Golden Archer Award.
District Teams Compete in Statewide Battle of the Books
As was mentioned in an earlier newsletter, selected fourth grade teams at both MAES and SES were preparing for the 2011-2012 Statewide Battle of the Books competition sponsored by Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA).
The competition was recently held via the Internet at a time during the week of February 20-24 that was convenient for the teams. Teams of four members were allowed 30 minutes to answer 25 regular questions and 5 tie-breaker questions based on the 20 titles selected for this year’s competition. Teams in the elementary division (Gr. 4-6) competed via a website that provided pull-down menus of titles and authors to select. The website access allowed teams to know their score as soon as their 30 minutes were up.
This year, the elementary division had 165 teams around the state registered, the middle school division (Gr. 6-8) had 120 teams, and the high school division had 74 teams.
Out of a possible 375 points, the Medford Area Elementary School team earned 300 regular points with 12 tie-breaker points; the Stetsonville Elementary School team earned 255 regular points with 0 tie-breaker points. Medford Area Elementary School’s team score placed them in the Honors Club for earning at least 300 points.
Mrs. Jennifer Shipman, District Gifted and Talented Coordinator, coached a team of Medford Area Middle School students in the elementary division (Gr. 4-6). This team earned 270 regular points and 9 tie-breaker points. The middle level (Grades 6-8) team coached by Mrs. Shipman earned 315 regular points and 6 tie-breaker points placing them in the Honors Club for earning at least 300 points
Mrs. Pat Eloranta’s high school team earned 255 regular points and 12 tie-breaker points.
Thank you to the teams for working so hard and representing your schools in the competition!
To learn more about the Statewide Battle of the Books or to learn the results of this year’s competition, go to:
http://www.wemtaonline.org/
Plants in Motion
http://plantsinmotion.bio.indiana.edu/index.html
Plants In Motion is sure to appeal to the plant biologists in your classroom. With time-lapse photography, visitors can view the growth and changes of plants and see that they are capable of extraordinary things. Movie categories include Germination, Photomorphogenesis, Tropisms, Circadian Responses, General Growth, Flowers, and more. Each category has a brief introduction, and each movie has accompanying information. Students, teachers, and parents will appreciate the projects section that offers a handful of projects "to explore some fundamental aspects of plant growth with an emphasis on how plants respond to environmental stimuli".
Kids Gardening
http://www.kidsgardening.org/
KidsGardening.org is a resource of the National Gardening Association. The website includes information on both school and home gardens. Each month has a featured lesson; November’s was Turn on Learning with Bulbs. The section Parents' Primer has useful information for parents or teachers, such as What Turns Kids On and Off to Gardening, Theme Gardens, Plants Kids Love, and more.