Camera Adventure

I purchased a new camera this year.  I have been playing around with it and mostly using it as a point and shoot but it is a DSLR and I want to know more and use it more effectively.  Although I am very impressed at what it can do without my knowing very much at all.

So I took a book out at the library, appropriately enough for a teacher librarian.  It is called, “Digital SLR from Click to Print” by Will Cheung.  I am using it as a text book and setting myself some reading and practising goals.

Today I was playing with what is meant by and what can be done with aperture and focal length.  I went to a park to take pictures.  I found that in most modes on my camera, I can’t even see what the focal length is on the display.  I can see it in the little numbers through the view finder.  I can play with the focal length when I am in manual focus.  Focal length is other wise decided by the auto focus feature, so it seems.   Depth of field is most apparent when the subject is a bit further away from the background.  If you are taking a picture of a leaf on the ground.  The leaf is too close to the ground for any difference between the focus on the leaf and focus on the ground.  In addition, when the subject is too far away, there doesn’t seem to be huge differences in what the focal length can do to adjust the clarity of the background compared to the subject.

When I played with the ISO, I found that the lower number led to less time of exposure.  This may be self-evident to experts but it was news to me.  I took a picture of a leaf with ISO 800 and it was washed out but at ISO 100 it was perfect.  The sunlight was fairly strong at times today, I’m sure this would make a difference too.  I have much to learn but this was lesson number one.

Leaf taken with ISO 100, f 5.6 1/125

Leaf taken with ISO 100, f 5.6 1/125

Daniel Pink on Motivation

Clarence Fisher posted this and I think it’s well worth watching.  Enjoy.

The Mealworm Diaries

Author:  Anna Kerz Copyright Date:  2009

Jeremy and his mother have moved from rural Nova Scotia to Toronto.  Jeremy has some major adjustments to make in life and in school.  Funny and poignant, this story is a marvelous read.  The text is relatively simple but not over simplified.  Short chapters will appeal to struggling readers.  Jeremy and his classmate are wonderful and diverse characters.  A truly multicultural Canadian classroom is represented.  I appreciated the portrayal of an excellent and with-it teacher.  Boring and incompetent teachers are easy characters to include for a few laughs but this teacher is genuine, helpful and professional.  Yeah, I have a bias, I want to like the teachers in the books.

McNally Robinson Review – caution it’s a bit of a spoiler

Rating  #1 (Highly Recommended)   ✓  #2    #3    #4 (Not acceptable)

Curriculum Area:  Language Arts

Themes/Topics: Moving, Changes, Growing up, Grief, Death, Frienship, Realistic Fiction

This book would be suitable for  ✓  Lit Circles  ✓  Kit Materials                               ✓ Read-Aloud (Gr.)  4-6

Special Edward

Author:  Eric Walters Copyright Date:  2009

Special Edward is a simple and straightforward story.  Written for the pleasure reading of students with reading difficulties, it recounts the experiences of a high school student who decides his life would be easier if he was designated as a special needs student.  Edward is a funny and believable protagonist.  This book would make a decent addition to a 6-12 library.

Rating # 1 (Highly Recommended)  #2 ✓  #3  #4 (Not Acceptable)

Interest Level:  7-12  Reading Level:  3.2

Curriculum Area:  Language Arts, Health Guidance

Themes/Topics:  Learning disability, school achievemnet, coming of age

Dear Jo

Title:    Dear Jo
Author: Christina Kilbourne Copyright Date: 2007

Dear Jo has an action driven plot line told through a reflective diary format.  Kilbourne’s characters are well-developed and consistent with the exception of the police officer whose behaviour feels a bit over-friendly.  The embedded educational element dealing with online safety is a bit strong and feels didactic.  I found the rules in the appendix somewhat excessive and wonder if they would feel strange and silly to the very clientele for which they are intended.  It would be helpful to have added some statistics on cyber-stalking to put the scare tactics into perspective.

A suggested read aloud portion for introducing the book could be pages 28-31.  It would open possible discussion of online relationships and risks and would allow for predicting and making connections.

CM Review

Rating: #1(Highly Recommended)    #2    ✓    #3         #4 (not acceptable)

Interest Level:  Grade 7-9        Reading Level:  Grade 7+

Curriculum Area: Language Arts, ICT, personal and social values

Theme(s) Topic(s):  Internet Safety, relationships, online dating, cyberstalking, chat spaces, depression

This book would be suitable for:    ✓ Lit Circles  ✓  Kit Materials ✓Read-Aloud (Gr.) 6-8

Snow Willow nominee 2009

War Brothers

Author:  Sharon E. McKay Copyright Date: 2008

War Brothers is an outstanding piece of realistic fiction.  We follow the lives of several boys and a girl as they survive being captured by Northern Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army.  Sharon McKay is kind to the reader and allows us to see the situation through the eyes of a boy who remains kind and wholesome throughout his experience while his experiences are neither kind nor wholesome.  This story allows the reader to reflect on the possibilities of good and evil in humanity. A painful read at times, McKay does not leave us without hope for her characters and Uganda.  A necessary addition to the 6-12 library.  A great accompaniment for other stories on growing up around the world – Iqbal, Parvana’s Journey, Tree Girl.  It is difficult to pick a read aloud portion from this book.  A possible introductory read aloud would be pages 56-61 where the boys are discussing life in America.  This piece would allow for some discussion of cultural differences and dorm life and teaching students about making connections and contrasts as a strategy for increasing comprehension.
CM Review
Rating: #1(Highly Recommended) ✓    #2        #3         #4 (not acceptable)

Interest Level:  Grade 7-9        Reading Level:  Grade 7+

Curriculum Area: Language Arts, Social Studies

Theme(s) Topic(s):  War, Peace, Child Soldiers, Africa, Fear, Survival

This book would be suitable for:    ✓ Lit Circles  ✓  Kit Materials ✓Read-Aloud (Gr.) 7+

Snow Willow nominee 2009

The Night Wanderer

Author:   Drew Hayden Taylor Copyright Date: 2007

A vampire novel set on an Ontario reserve was not something I was expecting.  I’m not a huge fan of vampires but this story has more going for it than teeth and blood.  Tiffany is struggling with making her way through high school, figuring out how to deal with her parents and their divorce, balancing friends and boyfriend and trying to see if a native girl can date a white boy in her backwoods town.  Taylor’s characters are rich and nuanced.  His setting is real and authentic.  The tensions of the novel are compelling.  This is a great read and it challenges cultural assumptions about Canadian First Nations people.  Add this book to your K-12 library collection.  A Must!

A possible read aloud for introducing the book would begin on page 8 at “Normally, Tiffany wouldn’t be in the library…”  and finish at the top of page 12.  This passage would introduce two of the main characters and some of the racial tensions of the novel.

CM Review

Quill and Quire

Rating: #1(Highly Recommended) ✓    #2        #3         #4 (not acceptable)

Interest Level:  Grade 7-9        Reading Level:  Grade 7+

Curriculum Area: Language Arts, Social Studies

Theme(s) Topic(s):  mystery, adventure, race relations, life on reserve, vampires

This book would be suitable for:    ✓ Lit Circles  ✓  Kit Materials ✓Read-Aloud (Gr.)

Snow Willow nominee 2009

Alexandria of Africa

Author:   Eric Walters Copyright Date: 2008

Alexandria of Africa is one of Eric Walters latest offerings.  Alexandria is a strong character and the story is told through her eyes.  This offers a first hand glimpse of her motivations and perspective.  She is not an attractive character to begin with and we are allowed to see inside her shallow and self-centered soul.  The plot that follows is unlikely but interesting.  The settings and characters are well described and detailed.  The plot offers possibility for the contrast of cultures and experiences from North to South.

The first chapter would make a good read aloud passage for introducing the character and setting to new readers.  It would allow for teaching of visualization and descriptive writing.

CM Review

Quill and Quire

Rating: #1(Highly Recommended)    #2 ✓  #3     #4 (not acceptable)

Interest Level:  Grade 7-9        Reading Level:  Grade 7+

Curriculum Area:  Social Studies, Language Arts, Health, Personal and Social Values

Theme(s) Topic(s):  Coming of age/growing up, wealth and poverty, making a difference, entitlement, change, consumer culture

This book would be suitable for:    ✓ Lit Circles  ✓  Kit Materials ✓Read-Aloud (Gr.)

Snow Willow nominee 2009

Juvie Three

Title: Juvie Three
Author: Gordon Korman Copyright Date: 2008

Another book by Gordon Korman, again it is great fun. Three boys from Juvenile Detention are moved into a group home with an unconventional group leader. No one thinks it will work and one of the boys is determined to find trouble. The relationships and antics of this group make it well worth reading. Excellent character developments, well-told story, interesting sub-plots.  Recommend this one to your middle years boys. They will not be disappointed.

Many chapters would make great stand alone read alouds. Chapter Eight shows the introduction to one of the characters and would be particularly good on its own. The book offers possibilities for teaching predicting and inferring.

CM Review

Quill and Quire

School Library Journal

Rating: #1(Highly Recommended) ✓ #2 #3 #4 (not acceptable)

Interest Level: Grade 7-9 Reading Level: Grade 7+

Curriculum Area: Language Arts

Theme(s) Topic(s): Justice, Reform, Crime, Punishment, Honesty, Friendship, Change, Growing up, Realistic Fiction, Gangs

This book would be suitable for: ✓ Lit Circles ✓ Kit Materials ✓Read-Aloud (Gr.)

Snow Willow nominee 2009

The Nexus Ring

Title:    The Nexus Ring    Series: Veil of Magic Book 1
Author:  Maureen Bush Copyright Date: 2007

The Nexus Ring is a fun and fantasy story.  Maureen Bush explores the BC wilderness, family relationships and takes us to a parallel universe.  This story will appeal to children who are reading the Droon series and need something new.  An engaging read.

CM Review

Rating: #1(Highly Recommended) ✓    #2        #3         #4 (not acceptable)

Interest Level:  Grade 4-6        Reading Level:  Grade 5 +

Curriculum Area: Language Arts

Theme(s) Topic(s):  Fantasy, Magic, Family

This book would be suitable for:    ✓ Lit Circles  ✓  Kit Materials ✓Read-Aloud (Gr.)

Diamond Willow nominee 2009