Tuesday Tips October 31, 2017

TECH TIP:  Google Sites

Brian Leslie's Psychology classes have been in the library creating Google Sites.  Google Sites is part of the suite of Google applications, available to anyone with a Google account​.  To create your free website:

Then you can pick a theme, fonts, site name and insert:  

​Could be a great free tool to use with students for a project where their work is published online.

BOOK TIP:  Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

This is the follow-up book to John Green's hugely successful The Fault In Our Stars.  In this novel, Aza is a young woman with OCD who begins a quest with her friend to get a cash reward for finding a missing billionaire.  It is ultimately the story of Aza and her struggle against her ever tightening spiral of thoughts.  

Tuesday Tips October 24, 2017

TECH TIP:  New Science Database​

As part of the library's collection of databases, there is a new science STEM oriented one published by ProQuest.  The database offers ​access to more than 500 science journals and popular science magazines.  The database offers the ability to save articles to your Google Drive as well as pre-formatted citations.  We used it last week in Lisken Dus' Non-Fiction class and would love to share it with your classes.

To access, simply click here and you will automatically get in here at school.  If accessing from home, you will need to use the username / password combo of:  monument / mountain

BOOK TIP:  Jefferson's Children:  The Story of One American Family by Shannon Lanier and Jane Feldman

Today's Arts and Ideas Forum is with the co-authors of the book Jefferson's Children: The Story of One American Family.  One of the authors is the sixth great-grandson of Thomas Jefferson and his slave Sally Hemmings.  They will present during period 7 today to a full house.  I have a copy of the book in the library if you are interested in looking at it. 

Tuesday Tips October 17, 2017

TECH TIP:  Acquainted Online Polling System

 Acquainted is a free online polling tool that is quick and easy to use.  This could be a great way to take a quick poll of your class as an exit ticket or a formative assessment.  Once you've registered, you create a conversation with your questions.  The poll can be shared via a link or a Tweet.  The poll shows up looking like a text message box:

And then the poll results give you a nice results graph:

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BOOK TIP:  The Poetry of Richard Wilbur

Poet Richard Wilbur passed away this past Saturday at the age of 96.  He was a Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner.  There are several books in the MMRHS library of his poetry and several classes are gearing up and selecting poems for this year's Poetry Outloud contest.

Tuesday Tips October 10, 2017

TECH TIP:  Google Keep

 Google Keep is my new go to organizational tool.  It is part of your Google suite of applications.  It is like an online sticky note.  Simply click on the Take a Note box at the top to add a new note.  You can color code the notes or add in labels.  You can archive web sites, images, etc through the Google Keep Chrome Extension.  It is also an app for your phone, so you have all your to do lists and reminders in one place and can access from any device.  This could be an invaluable research tool for students to curate their materials.  Would love to show a class this tool!

BOOK TIP:  Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Our Student Book Club is back up for the year!  Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor is our first pick.  Junior librarian and amateur historian Lazlo Strange has long been obsessed with the mythical city of Weep.  In this novel, he is given a chance to join an expedition to try to solve the mystery of Weep.  

Tuesday Tips October 2, 2017

TECH TIP:  Factitious:  Fake News Quiz

 Factitious is an online quiz that tests your knowledge about real vs. fake news stories.  It also gives you the source of the story.   Could be good to use in a class where you're discussing truth or validating sources. 

BOOK TIP:  Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson

 Jacqueline Woodson is a stand out author of young adult books.  In Another Brooklyn, the adult narrator, August, returns to Brooklyn after the passing of her father.   Much of the book are her memories of what it meant to be growing up  "girl" in Brooklyn in the 1970's.  It is a quick read, written almost in verse; it's lyrical and mystical.