Workshop Descriptor:

Title: Forever Friendships, Award-Winning Literature for the Classroom, including The City of Ember, Thomas Edison, and 19 books from The Texas Bluebonnet Book Master List^SM for 2006-2007.

Audience: Librarians, Teachers, and Administrators Grades 3-7 (Bring a FRIEND!)

Descriptor and Focus:
Fine literature can help develop strong, lifelong friendships by bringing together great books and terrific young people to form powerful partnerships. In the new Bluebonnet^SM books as well as a surprise bonus book or two, we will explore the possibilities that make reading friendly, TAKS Testing fun, character crucial, problem solving enticing, research essential, the curriculum connected, the internet essential, and friendships forever. You will receive a bound professional guide filled with hundreds of pages of creative, active ideas--excellent for literary circles as well as for individual and whole class interaction and tutoring. The activities are perfect for extending and enriching your G/T curriculum! Join us for a breath of fresh curriculum that includes laughter, songs, problem solving, character building, new friends, and DOOR PRIZES!

Participants will ~
...receive a 6 hours gifted-and-talented certificate
...participate in extension activities for award winning literature including 19 of the Texas Bluebonnet Books^SM for 2006-2007 plusThe City of Ember and Thomas Edison, A Brilliant Inventor
...explore ways to integrate the curriculum around literature and library resources that enable students to grow excited and skillful in research, project building, and problem solving.
...understand the possibilities that literature has for building friendships, weaving respect, and developing character in every aspect of a child's life.
...receive on-going website extensions and support through the Kids Wings' website

A foundation in great literature is essential in our preparation for standardized testing, and most importantly, for a LIFELONG LOVE OF LEARNING. Character lessons, academic skills, and authentic life skills are transmitted through exciting ways as a natural part of fine literature. Hone those skills in our workshop and guide, Forever Friendships . Life is not a drill-kill-test! It is true heroes facing everyday challenges together, developing character supported by lasting friendships, and hope that comes from strength in numbers to stand strong against terrorism, peer pressure, fears, depression, and substance abuse. These heroes are present in the best literature for children!

Let this award-winning literature lead your students into an active, integrated curriculum that is rich in character, reading and math skills, science, social studies, research, problem solving, internet projects, and FUN...all keyed into Gardner's Multiple Intelligences and TEKS objectives with the creative TAKS practice. This authentic learning will help improve your students' preparation for the future...preparation that values right over wrong from character to TAKS! Literature will bring friends together!

The units in our guides can be used for exciting parent participation in your school's tutoring program!

Workshop Schedule

 

"Texas Bluebonnet Award^SM is a service mark of the Texas Library Association, which is in no way affiliated with Kids' Wings or Suzy Red. Use of the Texas Bluebonnet Award mark in Kids' Wings web pages and/or materials does not imply any endorsement of any kind on behalf of the Texas Library Association. The Texas Bluebonnet Book Master List^SM was selected by the Texas Bluebonnet Award Committee of the Texas Library Association."