MAES / SES
March / April / May 2015
Volume 12 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 Wisconsin Dells in March.
The primary age students chose The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt. Intermediate age students selected Wonder by R.J. Palacio. Middle school and junior high readers selected The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
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 both schools chose The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt as their favorite. The third and fourth graders at Medford Area Elementary School chose Killer Species: Out for Blood by Michael P. Spradlin as their favorite at the intermediate level; Stetsonville Elementary School’s third and fourth graders chose Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck by Jeff Kinney. 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.
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 The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt. Intermediate age students selected Wonder by R.J. Palacio. Middle school and junior high readers selected The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
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 both schools chose The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt as their favorite. The third and fourth graders at Medford Area Elementary School chose Killer Species: Out for Blood by Michael P. Spradlin as their favorite at the intermediate level; Stetsonville Elementary School’s third and fourth graders chose Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck by Jeff Kinney. 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 2014-2015 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 23-27 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 191 teams around the state compete, the middle school division (Gr. 6-8) had 134 teams, and the high school division had 67 teams.
Out of a possible 375 points, the Medford Rural Virtual Academy elementary team coached by Sara Holewinski and Kelli Ray earned 315 regular points with 12 tie-breaker points; Medford Area Elementary School team earned 300 regular points with 12 tie-breaker points; the Medford Area Middle School team at the Gr. 4-6 level coached by Mrs. Jennifer Shipman earned 300 regular points with 6 tie-breaker points; the Stetsonville Elementary School team earned 240 regular points with 9 tie-breaker points.
Sara Holewinski coached a middle school team representing the Medford Rural Virtual Academy. This team earned 300 regular points and 9 tie-breaker points. Mrs. Jennifer Shipman, District Gifted and Talented Coordinator, coached a team of Medford Area Middle School students that also competed in the middle level (Gr. 6-8).
Mrs. Pat Eloranta’s high school team also competed in Statewide Battle of the Books.
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/
Wisconsin State Agencies Apps
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
The Official Guide for Wisconsin State Parks and Forests
http://dnr.wi.gov/mobileapps/
”This app gives outdoor enthusiasts an environmentally-friendly way to enjoy the parks. It contains everything you need to plan a trip to the state parks, navigate them once you get there, and share your experiences afterward.” (DNR)
Wisconsin Department of Tourism
Travel Wisconsin
http://www.travelwisconsin.com/travel-resources/mobile-apps
”Find nearby attractions, events, dining and accommodations right as you travel the state with the Travel Wisconsin™ app. Browse Wisconsin events by distance, date and location and find things to do by searching categories such as "Arts" or "Natural Attractions." Search accommodations by hotel, B&B, campground, or resort and zero in on the amenities you want to find for the perfect place to stay.” (Tourism)
Five Resources to Help Students Understand Poetry
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2015/04/5-resources-for-national-poetry-month.html#.VSSTsGa5DY1
April is National Poetry Month. Here are some resources that can help you understand and create poetry.
As was mentioned in an earlier newsletter, selected fourth grade teams at both MAES and SES were preparing for the 2014-2015 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 23-27 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 191 teams around the state compete, the middle school division (Gr. 6-8) had 134 teams, and the high school division had 67 teams.
Out of a possible 375 points, the Medford Rural Virtual Academy elementary team coached by Sara Holewinski and Kelli Ray earned 315 regular points with 12 tie-breaker points; Medford Area Elementary School team earned 300 regular points with 12 tie-breaker points; the Medford Area Middle School team at the Gr. 4-6 level coached by Mrs. Jennifer Shipman earned 300 regular points with 6 tie-breaker points; the Stetsonville Elementary School team earned 240 regular points with 9 tie-breaker points.
Sara Holewinski coached a middle school team representing the Medford Rural Virtual Academy. This team earned 300 regular points and 9 tie-breaker points. Mrs. Jennifer Shipman, District Gifted and Talented Coordinator, coached a team of Medford Area Middle School students that also competed in the middle level (Gr. 6-8).
Mrs. Pat Eloranta’s high school team also competed in Statewide Battle of the Books.
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/
Wisconsin State Agencies Apps
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
The Official Guide for Wisconsin State Parks and Forests
http://dnr.wi.gov/mobileapps/
”This app gives outdoor enthusiasts an environmentally-friendly way to enjoy the parks. It contains everything you need to plan a trip to the state parks, navigate them once you get there, and share your experiences afterward.” (DNR)
Wisconsin Department of Tourism
Travel Wisconsin
http://www.travelwisconsin.com/travel-resources/mobile-apps
”Find nearby attractions, events, dining and accommodations right as you travel the state with the Travel Wisconsin™ app. Browse Wisconsin events by distance, date and location and find things to do by searching categories such as "Arts" or "Natural Attractions." Search accommodations by hotel, B&B, campground, or resort and zero in on the amenities you want to find for the perfect place to stay.” (Tourism)
Five Resources to Help Students Understand Poetry
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2015/04/5-resources-for-national-poetry-month.html#.VSSTsGa5DY1
April is National Poetry Month. Here are some resources that can help you understand and create poetry.
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MAES / SES
January / February 2015
Volume 12 Number 3
John Coy Visits Students and Staff
On January 26 and 27, Minnesota author John Coy visited with kindergarten through fourth grade students at Medford Area and Stetsonville Elementary Schools. Both students and staff enjoyed his presentations, where he talked about the work of an author. Coy began by asking the students how long it took to complete his first picture book, Night Driving, from start to finish. Guesses ranged from days by the youngest classes to about two years. The correct answer was six years. Listeners soon discovered that the reason for the long timeline was twofold: the book was rejected by four publishers before it was finally accepted and it took a year to find an illustrator that would accept the assignment, then it took two years for the illustrator to complete the sixteen illustrations for the book. In contrast, Coy’s chapter book, Top of the Order, took only two years from start to finish. Reasons for this shorter timeline included not having to deal with illustrations and having the manuscript accepted by the first publisher. Coy urged the students to not be content with their first draft, but to work “over and over and over" to make their writing better. To learn more about John Coy, visit his website. http://www.johncoy.com/index.html Elementary Schools Add StarWalk Kids Media
https://logintoread.com/sign-in.html A subscription to StarWalk Kids Media was recently added to resources available to students and staff at the elementary schools. StarWalk Kids Media is a collection of over 500 ebooks, that are about 50% fiction and 50% nonfiction titles spread over interest and reading levels that range from PreK to 8th grade. There is a strong emphasis on upper elementary level social studies and science titles that will work for both elementary and middle school-aged readers. StarWalk ReaderTM works on iPads, Android tablets, desktop and laptop computers, and smartphones, both at school and at home. Users can choose the Read to Me, Let Me Read, or Auto Play options to read the selection. All titles are accompanied by a “Teaching Links” document that matches each eBook to relevant Common Core Standards, and provides suggestions for teaching activities and further inquiry. For information on the usernames and passwords to access this resource, contact Ms. Retzer. Celebrate African American Heritage http://teacher.scholastic.com/africanamericanheritage/ Scholastic provides a host of materials and activities to use during February, which is Black History Month. Mainly for upper elementary classrooms, weblinks include information on slavery and the Underground Railroad, the arts, and the civil rights movement. |
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MAES / SES
November / December 2014
Volume 12 Number 2
November / December 2014
Volume 12 Number 2
Author John Coy to Visit MAES and SES
On January 26 and 27, Minnesota author John Coy will visit the Kindergarten through fourth grade classes at the elementary schools. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, John Coy was the oldest of four children. He grew up in the Eau Claire area, where his father taught history at UW-Eau Claire and his mother taught high school English. Coy didn’t start writing for children until around 1990. Before that, he had taught school, worked for a variety of companies, and held lots of different jobs. But until the day he visited the library with his young daughter, he had never given much thought to the idea of being a writer.
While at the library, John Coy decided on a whim to check the library’s computer to see if there were any authors with his name. When he found none, he was disappointed. This was the inspiration he needed to begin his writing career.
Coy’s published books include: Around the World, Hoop Genius, Night Driving, Strong to the Hoop, Two Old Potatoes and Me, and Vroomaloom Zoom.
Copies of selected books will be for sale in advance of Coy’s appearance. Staff members interested in purchasing books are asked to contact Cathy Retzer before January 16.
To learn more about John Coy, visit his website.
http://www.johncoy.com/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 2014-15 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: Big Mean Mike by Michelle Knudsen
Intermediate: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel by Jeff Kinney
Middle/Junior High: The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan
In this year’s voting, first and second grade students at both Medford Area Elementary School and Stetsonville Elementary School chose The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt as their favorite book in the primary category.
Third and fourth graders will be casting their votes soon for the winner of the Intermediate level.
Materials for Teachers: Academy of American Poets
http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/materials-teachers
The Academy of American Poets has been providing resources to teachers since it launched its website almost twenty years ago. The site includes essays about teaching poetry, links to other great poetry sites, and curriculum units and lesson plans for teaching poetry in elementary school, high school, and at the university level. The 38 lesson plans are a great place to start and range from “Guerrilla Poetry” to “Word Karaoke.” Much can also be gleaned from the section on teaching poetry. Lovers of verse can even browse poems and poets and sign up for the poem-a-day service.
Kid World Citizen
http://kidworldcitizen.org/
The Kid World Citizen website presents an ever-expanding database of age-appropriate, engaging activities gathered from around the world that are organized by topic and by country. The site features games from around the world; global celebrations, holidays and festivals; recipes; multicultural art projects; foreign films for children; world music; reviews on children’s literature related to world cultures; map-reading, geography and geo-literacy activities; family travel; service projects that reach both locally and globally; and many other activities that help cultivate and expand young minds. A great site to use when doing a unit on Christmas customs.
MAES / SES
September / October 2014
Volume 12 Number 1
September / October 2014
Volume 12 Number 1
Teams Prepare for Statewide Battle of the Books
Selected fourth graders at both MAES and SES are meeting with Cathy Retzer to prepare for the 2014-2015 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 the 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.
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, 2015. 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/
Keyboarding
This year, the third and fourth grade classes will be completing keyboarding lessons using a program on the Internet called All the Right Type. Students can access the program at school or at home (for additional practice).
http://www.atrtonline.com/login/index_usawimedfo222.php (Medford Elementary)
http://www.atrtonline.com/login/index_usawimedfo223.php (Stetsonville Elementary)
Please contact the classroom teacher for the username/password.
Selected fourth graders at both MAES and SES are meeting with Cathy Retzer to prepare for the 2014-2015 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 the 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.
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, 2015. 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/
Keyboarding
This year, the third and fourth grade classes will be completing keyboarding lessons using a program on the Internet called All the Right Type. Students can access the program at school or at home (for additional practice).
http://www.atrtonline.com/login/index_usawimedfo222.php (Medford Elementary)
http://www.atrtonline.com/login/index_usawimedfo223.php (Stetsonville Elementary)
Please contact the classroom teacher for the username/password.
Best Websites for Teaching & Learning 2014
Compiled by the American Association of School Librarians, a division of the American Library Association, Best Websites for Teaching & Learning honors websites, tools, and resources of exceptional value to inquiry-based teaching and learningr.
Best Websites for Teaching & Learning foster the qualities of innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration. They are free, web-based sites that are user friendly and encourage a community of learners to explore and discover.
http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/best-websites/
Compiled by the American Association of School Librarians, a division of the American Library Association, Best Websites for Teaching & Learning honors websites, tools, and resources of exceptional value to inquiry-based teaching and learningr.
Best Websites for Teaching & Learning foster the qualities of innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration. They are free, web-based sites that are user friendly and encourage a community of learners to explore and discover.
http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/best-websites/