3 Things from the NVHS LMC #13

Books for Pros

Did you know we have a collection of books about teaching strategies and issues related to teaching. We try to update it when we learn about new teaching strategies, important trends, and education gurus. But we do much better with your suggestions, so please let us know if there is a professional book we should have in the collection.

Interesting Articles: Social Emotional Edition

     1)    Adolescents have a fundamental need to contribute and help others. 2) File under no kidding: When teachers (and other school staff) help students develop their non-cognitive skills, it has a huge impact on their future outcomes. 3) One teacher's perspective on helping to promote our students' mental health well-being​. 4) And finally, here is some advice about how to help teenage girls deal with anxiety and build resilience. 

MC Database: Science in Context

Science in Context has a wide variety of materials related to various topics in the sciences. Categories include reference material, newspapers and magazines, academic journals, pointers to websites, experiments, audio, video, and images Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Health teachers might also find some useful stuff here too. Like many of our databases, the program also has a button to send material to Google Classroom if you want build an assignment around something from the database.

***3 Things Newsletter Archive (in case you missed something)***

3 Things from the NVHS LMC: Valentines Day Edition

Database Features for Teachers: ABC-CLIO History Databases

Our ABC-CLIO history databases​ allow you to browse by time period and sub-topic. These sub-topics have a section for exploring background information, another for analyzing an issue or topic with a key question, background essay, a few short point of view essays, and suggested additional sources. These databases also have a ton of reference articles and primary sources. The Save button on each article allows you to share the article directly on Google Classroom. Example: Woodstock.

We Take Requests
Wondering if we have a book for you or do you think we should have a item in the collection students would / should read? We take requests. Just let us know, and if it fits our LMC policy for what we collect (e.g. supports curriculum and/or interest / appropriateness for students, or professional materials for you, we can afford it...), we will be glad to get it for you as soon as we can. Same with your students. We are able to accommodate most requests. Of course, that excludes novels like 50 Shades of Grey....for example...


Cool Website: The Conversation
The Conversation is a news analysis site with articles written by academics from various disciplines. The articles are written in easy to understand language about interesting and relevant topics and they are a manageable length. Example article that has personal (but probably not curricular relevance): This trait could be key to a lasting romance​. Nope, it’s not a Buzzfeed article. It reports on a recent academic study. Interesting stuff.​

3 Things from the NVHS LMC #10

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ACCESS in the LMC

Our LMC’s role during ACCESS time will be to provide a place for students to study quietly and catch up on assignments. Since students will have a few different options during this time, we thought this was the best way to experiment with our space and time as we try to figure this stuff out.

Tabify will help you organize your data by creating tabs in your spreadsheet. (Google Drive Add-on for Sheets)

Try this- -Open up your spreadsheet of Form responses and turn on the Tabify Add-on. Select a column from your spreadsheet and tabify will create a tab for each response in the column. This can be used to create a tab for each period or any other response you selected.

Speak: The Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson

From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda is friendless—an outcast—because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her Through her work on an art project, Melinda is finally able to face what really happened that night and find a way  to speak her truth. With powerful illustrations by Emily Carroll, Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak: The Graphic Novel comes alive for new audiences and fans of the classic novel.

3 1/2 Things from the NVHS LMC #12

Chromebook Help Page

We are working on a section of the LMC site that will have technology help for students. In this section we will have troubleshooting steps for common student teh problems and information about policies related to the devices, and possibly more. The first troubleshooting page is up. It explains how to deal with an issue we have been having with students not being able to login. If you have suggestions for issues you think we should include, just let Eric or Carrie know.

Boclips for Teachers (still in Beta)

A new educational video service just came out. Boclips for Teachers claims to have a few million educational, ad-free videos from some familiar vetted publishers (e.g. PBS, Ted,-ED, Crash Course). You have to create an account, but it is free. It is also still in beta, so if you sign up, they may ask you to fill out some short survey. .Did I mention that it’s free? The Free Technology for Teachers website has a write up about the service.

We are 204: Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

Red is an oak tree who is many rings old. Red is the neighborhood "wishtree"―people write their wishes on piece s of cloth and tie them to Red's branches. Along with a crow named Bongo and other animals who seek refuge in Red's hollows, this wishtree watches over the neighborhood. You might say Red has seen it all. Until a new family moves in. Not everyone is welcoming, and Red's experience as a wishtree is more important than ever.

Bonus Item: We now have a blog that will have the archives of  this newsletter and, possibly…eventually….some other content. Please check it out.

3 Things from the LMC: Halloween Edition

"I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey." – Rocky Horror Picture Show

MLA Citation Help for the Wicked & Perplexed

Like with other areas of high school research, most students struggle with citing sources  using MLA style in their projects. No worries, we have LMC resources to help. Our district Research Handbook site has a MLA Citation guide, as well as a section just on citing sources. We also have a NoodleTools subscription. In addition to making it easier to cite sources, it is also a great teaching tool. By the way, we have had many teachers use it for graduate work because it has several citation styles, including APA, in the program.

Frightfully Useful Resource of the Week: Allsides.com

Whether you are teaching about current events, bias or point of view, or you just want to see how the other half frames the issues of the day, you should check out Allsides.com. The site features brief summaries of current news stories and links to three articles with different ideological perspectives (left, right, and center). There is even a school edition coming out at the end of November. Spooky how cool this site is for the aspiring news junkie.

We are 204: Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
One of the books on our list that has a little bit of the supernatural in the plot. What it's about: Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge. That's where Will's now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother's gun. This fiercely stunning novel in verse  takes place in just sixty potent seconds—the time it takes Will to ride the elevator down to his apartment lobby and decide whether or not he's going to murder the guy who killed his brother.​ The full list and more information is at weare204.blogspot.com

3 Things from the NVHS LMC Thanksgiving Edition

Reminder: The LMC Directors Have Left the LMC

We love it when you come to visit us, but we also like to visit you in your classroom. Here are some of the things we can do for you:: teach your students research or technology skills, co-plan a project, track down and send you some resources for your lesson, be an extra teacher in the room to help conference with students are answer questions, be a temporary co-teacher in your Google Classroom, make screencasts or tutorials to provide "just in time" help. Just drop us a line. We would be glad to help!

Free Stuff Alert: Search Operators Poster

Guess what we made you? Nope, it's not a hand turkey drawing. It's a poster that shows you how to use a few search tricks that help you or your students focus your searches using search operators.. The poster is made for legal size paper (8.5 x 14), so it can be printed on a laser printer. Here is the Google Slides version​. 

We are 204: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
When Aristotle meets Dante, the two strike up an unparalleled relationship. Dante is everything Aristotle wishes he were: articulate, smart, and self-confident. Together they begin questioning the secrets of the universe and navigating the painful journey from adolescence into adulthood. Sharing books, dreams, a near-fatal accident, and a year apart, the two discover the power of their inseparable bond. ​

3 Things from the NVHS LMC #11

Gale Virtual Reference Library

Our LMC databases provide reliable electronic information for you and your students, but most of them are narrowly focused on a few academic areas. Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) is a user-friendly library of eBooks that we build one title at a time. That allows us to customize it to your day to day lesson or research assignment needs for information beyond the textbook. Check out GVRL and let us know what information we should add to enhance your lessons.

YouTube Series on Evaluating Online Information

The excellent Crash Course YouTube channel hosted by author John Green has a new series on helping people learn how to evaluate online information. It is called  Crash Course: Navigating Digital Information. They have partnered with MediaWise and The Stanford History Education Group to develop the video content. Definitely worth a look.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the  fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

3 Things from the NVHS LMC #9 (one week left edition)

Silent Study During Finals

Students will be hitting the books in the LMC next week. Not literally. That would be weird. Both LMC’s will be used as silent study areas all next week so students can study for their finals. Questions? Let us know.

Anderson’s Bookfair Warehouse Sale

Anderson’s Bookfair Company (the school bookfair division of Anderson’s Bookshop) is offering 35% off for school staff Dec. 11th - 13th. Please note that this is taking place at the bookfair warehouse, not their store. The sale always has a ton of great books for kids K-12, as well as some interesting titles for adults. The warehouse is located at 520 North Exchange Ct., Aurora, IL. It is easiest to enter in the back door of the building.  The warehouse is open until 8 pm today and tomorrow, and then until 5pm on Thursday. You might bring your school ID, but it is usually not necessary.

We are 204: Rani Patel in Full Effect by Sonia Patel

Almost seventeen, Rani Patel appears to be an Indian girl breaking cultural norms as a hip-hop performer in full effect. But in truth, she's a nerdy flat-chested nobody who lives with her Gujarati immigrant parents on the remote Hawaiian island of Moloka'i. Rani struggles against the culture of her Indian born mother and father and with the deeply hidden family secrets as well. But rap opens up her world, and it turns out she's a survivor. Readers experience trauma alongside Rani, but also learn how to recognize patterns of self-harm, stop the cycle of abuse, and embrace various means of healing.

3 Things from the NVHS LMC #8

Using the We are 204 Titles
We have been sharing our We are 204 books for the last several weeks. The titles were selected to promote awareness and empathy in our students. Please consider using these titles for an extra credit assignment in your class or as a discussion book in your club or activity group. We also have copies of the books for sale in the LMC’s.

Free Media for Your Projects

Pixabay is a great site for free, high quality photos, clip art, and videos to use in your class projects or teaching materials. We are working on a student resource site that has free project media resources and how-to’s. Stay tuned for more information.

We are 204: Laughing at My Nightmare by Shane Burcaw

With acerbic wit and a hilarious voice, Shane describes the challenges he faces as a twenty-one-year-old with spinal muscular trophy. From awkward handshakes to having a girlfriend and everything in between, Shane handles his situation with humor and a "you-only-live-once" perspective on life. While he does talk about everyday issues that are relatable to teens, he also offers an eye-opening perspective on what it is like to have a life threatening disease.

3 Things from the NVHS LMC #7

Friday Live! In the LMC (@Main)
The Main LMC now has a monthly before school mini-concert. On the 3^rd Friday of the month,  a rotating lineup of student performers will playing / and or singing for our large morning LMC audience. Tomorrow’s performer will be senior Lauren Fisher. She will by playing her guitar and singing some pop songs. Please stop on at 7:00 if you get the chance.

Featured LMC Resource: Opposing Viewpoints in Context
Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context - Using the most recent topics in the news, OPIC allows students to research different viewpoints using vetted sources. If you are looking for ideas, browse for up to date topics that support your curriculum. Teachers and students can easily save articles to their Google Drive or share articles through Google Classroom. For use outside of Neuqua, all database passwords are available at http://www.nvlmc.org/. Contact Eric or Carrie if you have any questions.

We are 204: Fresh Ink edited by Lamar Giles

Thirteen of the most accomplished YA authors deliver a label-defying anthology that includes ten short stories, a graphic novel, and a one-act play about topics like gentrification, acceptance, untimely death, coming out, and poverty and ranging in genre from contemporary realistic fiction to adventure and romance. This collection will inspire you to break conventions, bend the rules, and color outside the lines. All you need is fresh ink.

3 Things from the NVHS LMC #6

Art Gallery or LMC? Why Not Both?

We are excited to partner with the Art department to display student artwork in both LMC’s.  The Main LMC currently has prints of work by Carol Bacskai’s digital art students in  the Quiet Study Room. The BFC will feature digital artwork by students on their televisions, and in the coming weeks, some ceramic work by students in the LMC. Please stop on by to appreciate the fine work by these students.

Lesson Idea: Podcasts in the Classroom with Listenwise

Are you a podcast listener? There are a ton of podcast episodes out there with great content for the classroom. Listenwise is a service that curates podcast segments from NPR. Free teacher accounts give you the audio clip, comprehension questions, and graphic organizers. For more information, check out their site or an interview with the founder on The Cult of Pedagogy blog.

We are 204: Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

Penny Lee doesn't have much of a social life, but she hopes that things will change when she goes off to college to pursue becoming a writer. She soon meets Sam, a college dropout and talented baker who works at a local coffee house. They barely know each other, but after Penny catches Sam in a vulnerable moment they agree to be each other's emergency contacts. Soon, they are exchanging texts and sharing secrets they've never divulged.

3 Things from the NVHS LMC #4

But Is that Really a Good Source?
Do you or your students need to learn how to properly evaluate websites? Of course!  You will find some resources on our district research handbook website. There is information on the basics of source evaluation, a poster, a website evaluation tutorial and one on fake news, and a few other resources.

We Are 204: The Hate U Give
We encourage you and your students in your class or club to read the titles on our We Are 204 List.  With the movie coming out soon (and our related screening and discussion event), it is a good time to mention The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Starr Carter has to navigate between two worlds on a daily basis: that of her poor neighborhood and the rich suburban prep school she attends. When she witness the shooting of her friend by a police officer during a traffic stop, her worlds come crashing together and she has to decide whether to speak out about what really happened the night of the shooting.

All the Books! (or at least the good ones)
At the Illinois Reading Council conference last week, Becky Anderson (co-owner of Anderson's Bookshops) gave a series of presentations about cool and interesting books that have come out recently. Here is a handout with 3 of those lists: Book Gossip (books for adults), Books for High School students, and grades 4-8

3 Things from the NVHS LMC #3

Scheduling Space in the Main LMC

We have a new procedure for scheduling space in the Main LMC. The old way: The LMC Scheduler on the Staff Splash Page. Please don’t use this link for the Main LMC anymore. The New Way: Contact Sue Lein and she will schedule space in the LMC using the EMS scheduling program. This includes our classroom (C118),  the main room or our small conference rooms (C114, C116). If you would like to schedule me to help your class, just send me an email or stop by. I am always glad to help your class in the LMC or your classroom by teaching a lesson, working one on one with kids and/or providing resources.

Um, My Chromebook Password Isn’t Working

Like you, our students have to change their password occasionally. A link appears under their login that instructs them to click to change the password if it expires. This doesn’t work well on the Chromebooks. They can stop by the LMC and use one of our desktop computers to change it. It takes just a minute or two. Better yet, when they get a warning that It is about to expire, they should go into their SSO account, click Account and change it there before they have to stop by the LMC (though we always appreciate it when they stop by…).

We Are 204: The 57 Bus

We encourage you and your students in your class or club to read the titles on our We Are 204 List. The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater is a nonfiction account of a tragic incident that happened in Oakland, CA in 2013. 18 year old Sasha Fleischman, a LGBTQ teen who identifies as agender, was taking the bus home from school. Three boys nearby were joking and laughing. One took out a lighter and set Sasha’s skirt on fire. This impulsive act landed Sash in the hospital with 2^nd and 3^rd degree burns and Richard, the boy with the lighter in jail facing two hate crime charges, and possibly, life imprisonment. Read more about the case and check out the book for the full story.