3 Things from the NVHS LMC #13

News; In Fake News News

Poynter has a useful article on how to interpret election polling. Also, you are more susceptible to online  misinformation than you thought; if you hate the media, you are more likely to be fooled by a fake headline; and Americans on both sides of the political spectrum are likely to think that fake news is likely to be biased against their side. So you might find The Verge’s guide for how to fight lies, tricks,and chaos online useful. You also might share this article from Seventeen magazine with your students. 

Resources: Women in Science
Beyond Curie highlights the careers and accomplishments of women in STEM fields. The site includes short biographies and some downloadable posters you can feature in your classroom.. Emerging Female Scientists is a peer-reviewed, open access journal specifically for female middle and high school students. 

Recommendation: We are 204 Booklist: Internment
Sensitive and stirring, this timely, must-read novel poses to readers a powerful question: Could American democracy be destroyed by a culture of fear, racism, and hate. This book is part of this year’s We are 204 Booklist and both LMCs have several copies.

3 Things from the NVHS LMC #9

A Few Useful American History Resources

Get some digital posters from Smithsonian's Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II exhibit, along with educator materials. The Voices of the Civil Rights Movement is a collection of videos about the civil rights movement and those who were part of it. The project is a collaboration between NBC and the Equal Justice Initiative, the latter of which has some more interesting multimedia projects. Bunk is a history site out of the University of Richmond that makes connections between current and historical events. More information is at NeimanLab.

Rethinking Our Approach to Math

A study from earlier this year explores the role of mindset and learning math. A more recent study discusses how math looks different (or not) in the brains of boys and girls. Two Mindshift articles address methods in the math classroom. Three Simple Tech Tools to Make Math Thinking Visible has a few suggestions of how to use three different tech tools to better be able to see students' thinking. How Revising Math Exams Turns Students Into Learners, Not Processors suggests a new approach for math assessments. 

We are 204: (Don't) Call Me Crazy edited by Kelly Jensen 

This book has essays, lists, comics, and illustrations 33 actors, athletes, writers and other artists about a wide range of personal experiences with mental illness. This volume is written for young adults, so the material is accessible for a range of levels.

3 Things from the NVHS LMC #6 -- Google Edition

Google Search Tricks

Are you a Google Search Operator (nod to 80’s era Sade..anyone??) Commonsense Media shows students (and you) how to use a few common search operators to target and refine your web search. When you search for college information in Google, the knowledge panel, also known as the big box on the right side of the first results page, will now have some basic information about admissions, cost, etc. Looking for a podcast about soap carving or competitive dog grooming (we don’t judge) Type in the topic and the word podcast and Google will return a few episodes from podcasts as suggestions. You can even play them in the web browser.

Google Extensions for Your Sanity

If you aren’t familiar with extensions, the short of it is that they are little tools you add to the top right corner of your Chrome web browser that give it superpowers (disclaimer: not really). Here are a few that might help get you through a stressful day. Having too many tabs open in Chrome can be distracting. OneTab allows you to reduce the clutter. Just click the icon and all the tabs get reduced to one and you get a list of links to reopen any of the tabs. Sometimes you need to take a social media or YouTube break, but when it becomes a problem, use StayFocused to block or limit time you spend on certain websites. We’re talking about you, cute kitten videos.

Google Slides’ Side Hustle: Digital Notebooks

Google Slides isn’t only for presentations. Since it gives you the ability to add videos, links, customize the design, resize the slide to your own custom proportions, among other things, it also makes a great digital notebook. The Ditch That Textbook blog has directions and ideas for creating your own digital notebooks in your class.

3 Things from the NVHS LMC #5

Too Busy for Time for Time Management

Everyone in the education world knows how valuable time is in their work and life. A new study confirms that people who value time over money are happier (but of course money is great too.) Of course, our students need to know how to maximize their time as well. Lisa Johnson from the Tech Chef blog has a post with resources she used to teach students about time management.

Thanks for the Books, Volume Reading Committee 

The district's Volume Reading Committee has a done something awesome. They have given all of the district LMC's a one time gift of money to purchase books to help add a bunch of new books for our collections. We will be soliciting your feedback in the near future about materials that might support your independent reading assignments.

Lincoln Award: Nyxia

A group of teenagers with troubled pasts have been selected for a mission to a faraway planet where they will help mine an amazing mineral called Nyxia. On the way there, their numbers will dwindle as they face a series of competitions to determine who will be part of the final crew. If they make it all the way, they will receive lifelong financial security for them and their families. But the competition can be deadly and the corporation sponsoring the trip has some secrets they want to keep hidden at any cost.

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 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 #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 #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.