Educational | The Angel Forever

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Dignity for All Students Act

Posted on February 15, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Over the summer, something wonderful went into place for all students in New York State. The Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), which was technically signed into law in September of 2010, took effect on July 1, 2012. With bullying a horrible problem all over the world, New York is now requiring all schools to be on the same page. Every school has to follow the same procedures for reporting incident and concerns made by students, parents, and teachers. Many districts have places on their websites where people can find the coordinator for DASA within their building and at a district level. In addition to this, they are noting what the new policy is and how it will be followed.

Quick facts about DASA:

Mandates that all schools in New York create anti-bullying programs for students and staff
Institute codes of conduct to prevent harassment
Report all bullying incidents that happen on school property to the state.

New York State’s Dignity for All Students Act (The Dignity Act) seeks to provide the State’s public elementary and secondary school students with a safe and supportive environment free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment, and bullying on school property, a school bus and/or at a school function. – From the DASA website

During a segment from 2011 on WNYT, Elaine Houston and Dr. Peter DeWitt (school principal) discuss what this newly implemented legislation will mean for schools, educational professionals, and students.

My hope for this law is that it will empower victims to stand up for their rights. It will make them aware of the fact that it is not acceptable for them to be harassed and bullied and let them know who they can safely report incidents to. In addition to this, I do hope that more people that witness bullying will stand up for change and assist the victims that truly do need their support.

If you are in New York, what do you think about DASA and how are your schools implementing this new policy? If you are not in New York, what is being done by you?

Previous posts about bullying and links to TechyDad’s series about the topic are below:

Categories:
Educational PSA

100th Day of School Project

Posted on February 8, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

A few weeks ago, I mentioned to TechyDad that we had not seen anything from school about the 100th Day of School. I was sure that I had seen kindergarten children doing things last winter, so I knew it would be coming. Sure enough, a week ago, JSL came home with a sheet announcing the project and when it was due.

When NHL did his kindergarten project four years ago, he made a banner to bring into school. We went to the craft store and picked out a few items to make it work. JSL’s teachers reminded families that it should not cost a lot and hinted at multiple ways to go with this. The minute the kindergarten kid heard the option of making a book, he was sold. YES, he even asked if we could laminate it.

JSL and I brainstormed on items that he could use within a book. We both agreed that stickers would be a lot of fun. We pulled out my giant sticker box from teaching and began our search. He picked Winnie the Pooh, pirates, Disney, penguins, animals, hats from around the world, dinosaurs, and snowflakes.

We did allow JSL to get three new packs of stickers for his book. He really wanted new Toy Story, rainbows, and shiny smile faces. Everything else was already at home, or at Nana and Papa’s house (they had the pipe cleaners to bind the book). Once he was finished with each grouping of ten stickers, we moved to the next page. Then, we went back and JSL wrote titles on each page and counted by 10s on the bottom of each page. When he finished all of these, we pulled out a front and back page for the book.

JSL wanted to use the ABC stickers to write his name. Then, he used the new smiley faces in patterns around the number 100. The back, was just a fun end to the book with random stickers that were left over from inside.

Once JSL was finished, I went to the thermal laminator that we have and put pages back-to-back to make the six pages. Then, a hole punch was used and pipe cleaners helped to connect everything together. This was the perfect project for JSL who loves to make books. Thanks to the laminator, he will be able to keep it to remember what he made in kindergarten.

So my question to you this week:

What are some of the 100th Day of School projects that your children have done, or you have seen? I love hearing about different options since I’m sure we will have another one to do down the road.

It's Me

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Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.

Aloha #240

Categories:
arts and crafts Educational school

Tuesday Tales – I Survived: The Battle of Gettysburg, 1863

Posted on February 5, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Flash back to when I was in 5th grade. That was the year that I read Anne Frank’s Diary in school. This began my appreciation for books about that historical time, but also historical fiction in general. Some of my favorite trade books to teach are from this genre because there are so many ways to extend lessons.

September 11th book for children I have been very intrigued with Scholastic’s I Survived Books by Lauren Tarshis. The first time I noticed them was in a store and I saw I Survived the Attacks of September 11th, 2001. Since that day, I bought the book to read with my oldest book next year together.

The I Survived Books are unique and tell the story of a young boy that lives through a horrific event from history. The other five in the series include:

The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912
The Shark Attacks of 1916
Hurricane Katrina, 2005
The Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941
The San Francisco Earthquake, 1906

The latest book in the series was just released and I was able to preview it thanks to Scholastic.

I Survived the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863 – Written by Lauren Tarshis – Scholastic Books – February 2013 – ISBN 9780545459365 – Paperback 112 pages – Ages 7+ – $4.99

This book is set during the Civil War. Thomas and his little sister Birdie are living as slaves on a farm in Virginia. Then, one day, Thomas knows that he has to do something drastic. The two escape from where they are and go on the run. They must stay away from slave hunters as they move along the way. Thomas saves the life of someone, who in turn takes the two children along as they move northward toward Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

The book literally makes you feel like you are there with Thomas and Birdie. You can sense the danger, the horror of the war, and the seriousness of slaves getting freed. I really like the way it tells the story around a historical events. These books are great for children, especially boys, that want to read where a male character is the main focus. Thomas had great strength, cared for his sister, and never gives up even when things looked bleak. This book would be great additions to any classroom that is studying the Civil War, or for a child that wants to learn more. Scholastic even has more facts about the time period on their website that features this book. I know that I look forward to reading more of the earlier books in this series with my boys and will definitely suggest them to parents who have children that are interested in history.

Have you read any of the I Survived Books? Do your children like to read historical fiction stories? As always, please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.

Disclosure: I received a NetGalley preview of this book courtesy of Scholastic Books in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was given. The opinions expressed in the review are my own. Amazon Affiliate links are included in this post for several of the book mentioned. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to buy the book through that link.

Categories:
books Educational Tuesday Tales

iPad Apps For Kid For Dummies

Posted on January 31, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Several months ago, we received an iPad. I knew that we would adore this amazing piece of technology, but it was a bit confusing to me. There are so many apps out there and my boys were hungry to try different items. Some apps are free, but others have price tags that range from $1 to $10 or more. Reviews at the app store left me curious for more information. When we were given the opportunity to review the new iPad Apps For Kids For Dummies, I knew it was a resource we needed. The minute it arrived, the boys took it over.

My oldest, NHL 9, read it to my kindergarten kid, JSL 5. They sat, looked, read, and plotted what apps they were going to ask us to purchase. The color photos kept them engaged, but my older son enjoyed reading what Jinny Gudmundsen wrote about each of the items that he was interested in. NHL was even curious to compare what he thought of some apps that we already had to the thoughts in the book (I was wondering the same thing).

As my kids found out, iPad Apps For Kids for Dummues follows the traditional easy to follow layout of the other Dummies books. This book is broken down by age groups, book apps, app themes, and more. Here is a quick overview of why this resource is so easy to use.

Chapter 1: Using an iPad with Kids – Tips for parents/caregivers on using password locks, making folders, buying covers, and other items that will be useful when sharing your iPad with children.
Chapter 2-4: Age Collections – App collections for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarten aged children.
Chapter 5: Art – Apps that help kids to draw, be creative, and learn about Art.
Chapter 6-7: Book Apps – Broken down into suggestions for younger kids and older kids.
Chapter 8: Cars, Trucks, and Things That Go Vroom
Chapter 9: Co-op and Multiplayer – This included apps like Uno and Blokus HD. I liked that Gudmundsen explains that the popular Uno translates well onto the iPad format. It is also great to see that there are tutorials to help people to learn the strategy behind Blokus.

Chapter 10: Creativity, Storytelling, and Journaling
Chapter 11: Dinosaurs
Chapter 12: Games – Includes Angry Birds and other popular games like Peggle, Where’s My Water?, Plants vs. Zombies, and more.
Chapter 13: Games Great for Kids – This includes LEGO Harry Potter which both of the boys are begging for.

Chapter 14: Girl Power – Heroines, Fashion, and Princesses.
Chapter 15-19: Learning Apps – Broken down into Language Arts, Math, Reference, Science, and Social Studies.
Chapter 20: Monsters & Aliens
Chapter 21: Music
Chapter 22: Puzzles
Chapter 23: Road Trip Apps
Chapter 24: Special Needs
Chapter 25: Toy Ads-Ons – So many of these items like The Game of Life ZappED are out and this chapter talks about them.
Chapter 26: Ten Favorite Free Apps for Kids
Chapter 27: Ten Favorite Kid Apps – We will be reading this more closely since we are intrigued with Toca

For parents that are not sure of a starting point on apps for their children, I really adore this book. It is a resource that helps busy families to break down possible apps that their children may enjoy. Even the Appendix with the Apps by Age Groups is a huge asset to someone like me.

Oh and if you were wondering, we did look and compare a few apps that we already owned with the pages in the book.

We definitely agree with what was written about Angry Birds and Where’s My Water? by Jinny Gudmundsen. She explains what the game is about, how there is an educational twist, and what families may enjoy. There are also warnings about some links on the apps and other pointers about upgrading the Angry Birds.

If you have apps that you adore for your kids, I would love to hear about them. I know our list of apps to purchase is growing thanks to iPad Apps for Kids for Dummies and the pointers within the valuable resource.

Disclosure: I wrote this post as an Ambassador for Dummies books through a Global Influence campaign. I received a copy of this book for review purposes, but as a fan of Dummies books, the opinions expressed are 100% my own and no other compensation was received. An Amazon Affiliate link is included in this post for the Dummies book mentioned. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to purchase it through that link.

Categories:
books Educational

Tuesday Tales – African American Poetry

Posted on January 22, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

As a teacher, I loved teaching a poetry unit to my classes each year. We would spend time learning the different styles, getting creative, and sharing items with each other. It was a great way to break the ice when the school year started. As a parent, I have many poetry books in our house. There are silly poems, kid poems, and more.

Recently, Sterling Children’s Books contacted me about a new poetry book from their Poetry for Young People Series. Poetry for Young People: African American Poetry is edited by Arnold Rampersad and Marcellus Blount with illustrations by Karen Barbour (Sterling Children’s Books, ISBN13: 9781402716898, January 2013).

The book begins with an introduction that gives a history of the emergence of African American poets. We learn how Phillis Wheatly published her poems about being forced from Africa to America in 1773. Then George Moses Horton shares how he battled the mindset that slaves should not express their views. The history lesson unfolds and poems from the people are within the pages of the book. We are able to read from multiple well known African American poets from over time including Langston Huges, Gwendolyn Brooks, Alice Walker, Maya Angelou, and more.

Each page of the book has a poem, the authors name, and a little history about them. The 34 poems within the volume help to tell a story along with the beautiful illustrations on each page.

I really like the idea of this book and the series. Not only would it be a great addition to a unit on Black History Month, but also the history of poetry in different periods of time. I know I am now curious to see some of the other books in the Poetry for Young People series including those about Edgar Alan Poe, Maya Angelou, Emily Dickinson, Lewis Carroll, and others. Teaching more generations to love poetry is crucial and these books will be a great resource for families and classrooms.

I would love to hear about poets that you learned about and read as a child or with your children. As always, please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.

It's Me

Disclosure: My family received the books mentioned above from Sterling Children’s Books in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was given. The opinions expressed are my own. An Amazon Affiliate link is included in this post for the books mentioned. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to buy the books through the links.