2014 Workshop Descriptions
Developing Your School Library Collection with Common Core in Mind
Janice Ainsworth and Venetia Oglesby
A session designed to help school librarians make effective decisions about weeding and developing their library media collections with Common Core in mind. This session covers weeding for today, offers strategies for purchasing, suggests ways to connect with teachers and the curriculum, and explores the emerging role of e-books in the school library.
From Brain to Book: The Publishing Process in Ten Steps
Katie D. Anderson and Sarah Frances Hardy
Sarah Frances Hardy and Katie Anderson outline the entire process of writing, submitting and having a children's book published by a traditional publisher. This workshop is invaluable for anyone who has ever dreamed of writing and being published as a children's book author.
Picture Books Across the Curriculum—with Connections to the Standards
Carolyn Angus and Nancy L. Brashear
Featuring nonfiction books in picture book format and picture books that are fictional but based in fact, we will focus on books that make good read alouds, suggest book-related activities for use in K-Grade 6 classrooms and libraries, and identify connections to the Standards. An activity packet will be available.
Shelter from the Storm: Picture Books in Times of Crisis
Kim Becnel and Jon C. Pope
Come experience the power of picture books to help children cope with large-scale tragedies and disasters. Using examples from publishers large and small, we’ll also explore how collecting some small press and self-published material might enhance your collection in a really meaningful way.
Let's Pretend! Bringing Picture Books to Life Through Dramatic Play
Get ready for more acting up and showing out as we bring a new selection of picture books to life through dramatic play. We will explore techniques such as story theatre and readers' theatre and working with props and costumes. Participants will receive story scripts, patterns and ideas for props and costumes, and a booklist of selected titles for dramatic play.
Why Do Teens Crave Stories with Monsters?
Monsters have always been with us, from the days when the first stories were told. Today, we will examine the current overwhelming popularity of monsters, both real and imaginary, and show why they are so popular and so necessary, and why it is so important to defend these controversial titles and keep them available for our teens.
Scholastic Book Fairs: Booktalk!
Ricci Boyer and Les Kevehazi
This staff development program is designed to train your staff to incorporate booktalking into the curriculum in a 30 or 60 minute staff development workshop, teach students how to conduct booktalks in the classroom which correlates directly with Common Core Standards, assist students with choosing the right book, and increase the number of books your students are reading.
Scholastic Book Fairs: Raising Readers
Ricci Boyer and Les Kevehazi
Make the most of parent involvement at your school by hosting the Raising Readers program. Research has shown the positive power parent involvement has on student academic achievement. Raising readers will help families explore how learning to read begins at home and the important role they play in inspiring the love of reading in their children.
Scholastic Book Fairs: Summer Reading Program
Ricci Boyer and Les Kevehazi
KIDS who READ this summer will be more SUCCESSFUL when school starts NEXT FALL! Generate some fun and excitement around reading with the Scholastic Summer Challenge! It’s a safe, kid-friendly website where kids can log minutes spent reading, participate in fun activities, take part in weekly challenges, and earn digital rewards.
LEGO® @ the Library!
Building with LEGO® can provide children of any age a unique, creative, and fun opportunity for learning and socialization. Find out how to start a LEGO Club at your library with tips on funding, supplies, supplementary library materials, how to run the club, and even also enjoy a hands-on LEGO-building experience!
Summer Reading Programs
Kathy Buntin and Joy Garretson
Appropriate books, games, crafts, and other activities related to the children’s slogan, “Fizz, Boom, Read!” will be presented. Participants are expected to share information and ideas about programs and activities related to science. Information about CSLP program partners will be discussed also.
Storytelling Throughout the Year
This workshop will lead participants through a variety of genres to use throughout the school year with a complete bibliography of what I am using, a visual display of these materials, and a handout of materials and suggested websites supporting monthly readings and stories.
Finding Fractals/Making Fractals
Sarah C. Campbell and Julie Owen
Join award-winning author Sarah C. Campbell and crafter Julie Owen to learn about fractals in nature, and to make a simple fractal of your own. This session teaches a hands-on activity appropriate for libraries or classrooms that help students engage the math concepts.
Behind Bars and Beyond Them: Children's Books and Outreach for Families Affected by Incarceration
This session examines picture books and chapter books that explore the issues, feelings, and ramifications associated with having a family member behind bars. We will also look at programs and outreach models used by libraries, schools, and other organizations to connect children’s books and families affected by incarceration.
Interactive Storytimes: Early Literacy Connections Using Music, Rhyme and Rhythm
Bethany A. Carlisle
Explore the use of music, rhyme and rhythm as building blocks for Early Literacy during library storytimes. Attendees will participate in interactive activities that highlight simple ways to incorporate songs, rhymes and repetetive rhythm into preschool storytimes.
The ALA Schneider Family Book Award Winners: Expression of the Disability Experience in Literature
Are you looking for ways to encourage readers to be more empathetic and to understand the importance of accepting people for what they are? This session spotlights books that express the disability experience and provides criteria for choosing them. A reading listed will be provided.
Saving our Environment, One Book at a Time
Sometimes an author has a responsibility to share a story...especially when that story might help save the environment. A Bird on Water Street can be the tool you use to begin conversations and inspire environmental responsibility in the next generation.
Best Teen and Tween Titles of 2013
Angela Frederick, Angie Manfredi and Allison Watkins View the Presentation
Come and hear about the best teen and tween titles of 2013! A wide variety of genres, formats, and categories will be discussed. Get ideas for your school or library collection!
Teaching Parents to Teach: Planning a Family Literacy Event
Melanie Hays and Sandra Hays
This session will provide information about planning literacy events for parents. Rather than stressing to parents that they should simply make their children read, we will share ideas to share with parents on teaching their children proper reading skills to extend what they learn in school.
Moving Beyond History: Integrating African American Books into the Curriculum
This workshop will focus on new works by and about African Americans in a variety of genres and formats that are appropriate for the classroom and encourage a love of reading in every child. The workshop will include a booktalk (PK-12th grades) and a variety of common core lesson ideas.
The Tech Savvy Booktalker
Nancy J. Keane
Go beyond traditional methods of booktalking. In this presentation, Dr. Keane, author of The Tech Savvy Booktalker, will demonstrate a variety of formats including book trailers, pencasting and even the use of augmented reality. Become a tech savvy booktalker yourself.
The Book in YOU
Jo S. Kittinger, Heather L. Montgomery and Laurel Snyder
Three authors provide the inside scoop on how to get a children's book published. Learn the basics of the industry, from picture books to novels, fiction and nonfiction. Plus, receive helpful tips for pursuing publication.
It's all about the kids: Strengthening relationships between public libraries & schools
Denise McOwen and Nettie Moore Download the Presentation (PDF)
How many times have you heard They never let us know what they're doing from public libraries and We don't have time to call the public library from schools? Join First Regional Library Youth Specialists Nettie Moore and Denise McOwen to discuss tried and true methods for improved cooperation all for the benefit of our kids.
"Catching Fire" with Middle & High School Programming
Tamela Camp Miller
Wondering how to attract more tweens and teens to the school library? Step outside the traditional role of a school librarian by adding programming to your agenda and watch the circulation numbers rise exponentially. Hear a middle school librarian's account of her first year offering programming in her school's library.
Folklore offers an enormous source of inspiration and a wealth of material for writers who wish to create books for children. Learn several techniques of retelling old tales and many methods of recreating and updating folk heritage. Also, learn how basic folk motifs can infuse original tales written in the style of folk literature and give a framework to original literary works.
Digital Lives, Diverse Youth: Connecting Children, Books, and Digital Media to Promote Cultural Competence
This session highlights the potential for using digital apps and digital storybooks to create digital library programs that promote cultural competence. Guidelines for evaluating cultural diversity in apps as well as suggestions for pairings with multicultural books in digital storytimes will be offered.
If They'll Just Give Me a Chance...
Jane Nickerson, former children's librarian and author of YA novels will discuss strategies for making time to write, sending out manuscripts, dealing with rejections, query-writing, and securing an agent. She will share things she's learned since signing her contract with Knopf, so participants will leave with a knowledge of what to do to become a published author.
Mississippi Magnolia Children's Choice Book Award
Venetia Oglesby and the Magnolia Awards Executive Board
This workshop will introduce the nominations for the 2015 Magnolia Children's Choice book Award and highlight Common Core Curriculum connections to selected titles from each of the four categories. Participants will leave with a list of the nominations for 2015 and an understanding of the selection and voting process for the Magnolia Award.
Best for Who?
This analysis explores selected "Best" lists for young readers to evaluate whether these lists reflect the increasing diversity in our culture, or reinforce stereotypes and potentially promote subtle discriminatory patterns in library collections. Handouts will include lists of books which are not on the "Best" lists, but which fall into the selected categories reflecting universal themes.
Integrating the Common Core State Standards
Lynne Smith and Tammie Sherry
After working with the Common Core State Standards for three and a half years, the presenters have worked with state networks, local consultants, school districts, and preservice and inservice teachers as they all strive to understand the standards and implement them effectively. They will share resources that teachers have found most useful, both online and hands on.
Linking Primary Source Historical Documents to Children's Literature
Digitized replicas of primary source documents are now readily available to educators. Using primary source documents promotes deeper interest and understanding. In this session participants will learn where to find good documents, what texts lend themselves to pairings, and several processes of inquiry and analysis to use to study primary source documents.
Searching for Alice: From the de Grummond Collection to Oxford, England
A search for historical Alice in Wonderland led first to the de Grummond Collection then to Oxford, England. This presentation will offer examples of historic editions of Alice in Wonderland to examine and will include images of historic sites in Oxford that inspired Dodgson’s imaginative works.
Beyond Beginning Readers
This session will prepare attendees to evaluate books for children transitioning from beginning readers to independent readers. Learn the elements of ‘Transitional Chapter Books’ and some of the classics in the genre. Participants will leave with an extensive bibliography of books for the transitional reader.