BYOD... What is it Anyway?

BYOD stands for Bring Your Own Device.  It's an initiative that's taking hold in schools and businesses in an effort to turn "no zones" into "yes zones."  People are simply more comfortable with their own technology.  Many adults and students alike carry a very powerful computer in their pocket daily in the form of smartphones.  For years, students have been told to turn their devices off when they enter the building or not to bring them at all.  That mantra is no longer a reality in today's connected age.  Why not let students turn their devices into productive tools for learning instead of merely using them for social networking?  BYOD has multitudes of pros and cons; simply search it and you will find a slew of articles for and against it.  Several districts across the country are successfully implementing BYOD, and WCPSS is turning to those districts for guidance during this pilot year.  At LMES we are doing a very small pilot with only 2 classes starting BYOD.  Once we've worked through the bumps and policies, we hope to be able to determine whether BYOD is a great fit for Lake Myra or not!
 

More Great Books for 5th Graders

 

“Game Changers: Heavy Hitters” by Mike Lupica

Sports writer, Mike Lupica, weaves an excellent tale centered around middle school aged baseball.  Ben and his friends, the Core Four Plus One, learn how to deal with fear, pressure, and friendship during this baseball season that's leading up to the championship game of the All-Star Baseball League.  In the first game of the season, Ben gets hit by a pitch, and he gets hit hard.  Will he be able to overcome his fear of hitting?  I thoroughly enjoyed this book that I mistakenly thought was going to be only for boys who are sports fans.  How wrong I was!

“Savvy” by Ingrid Law

What’s your savvy?  Can you make water bend to your will, creating storms of hurricane caliber? Or are you electric?  Maybe you’re just about perfect, getting things right 98% of the time?  What if your savvy was that you could hear what people were thinking… well, only if they have some ink on their skin - like a tattoo or some writing?  What happens when someone can’t control their savvy and gets angry?  Can you imagine if your brother could electrify you?  This story involves one very special family with a whole bunch of unique savvys, but this family is dealing with a tragedy.  Confused, angry, and desperate to help their father, the kids and some new friends take an unexpected journey that will cause all kinds of mischief, but will also form bonds of friendship that will last a lifetime.  What’s your savvy?

More Great Books for 4th Graders

 

“Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library” by Chris Grabenstein

Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory has nothing on Mr. Lemoncello’s library.  Get ready for the craziest escape game with puzzles and clues and serious competition.  Would you play dirty like Charles Chiltingon, you know, Chiltingtons never lose.  Or would you play desperately like Haley or would you ally yourself with strong team members?  These kids will see holographic librarians, talking Pharaohs, experience a hover ladder to reach the high heights, and be tempted by treachery and deception.  Think you’re ready to be the new focus for Mr. Lemoncello’s commercials?  Enter the library and let the games begin.

“Flora & Ulysses” by Kate DiCamillo

It all started with a with a multi-terrain vacuum cleaner.  Before you know it, I, Flora one of the world’s natural-born cynics, was rescuing a squirrel.  Holy Bagumba, who vacuums their yard anyway, but that’s exactly what I witnessed, one poor little squirrel getting sucked right up.  For a cynic, I was surprisingly helpful and I dashed over to my neighbors’ and shook that squirrel right out.  I can tell you that there was nothing in the back of favorite bonus comic “Terrible Things Can Happen to You” about how to give an unresponsive squirrel CPR.  Something amazing happened after I saved that little beast... perhaps he was destined to be a superhero or maybe a writer.  For a cynic, I have surprisingly high hopes for my new friend, Ulysses.  Unfortunately, the powers of evil are working against us in Ulysses’ arch-nemesis, my mother.  And then there’s William Spiver, an annoying boy who’s temporarily blind, but kind of growing on me and with serious sidekick potential.  All I know, is that together, Ulysses and I are better... check out our illuminated adventures to see what kind of craziness we we get into.

More Great Books for 3rd Graders

"Cat and Mouse in a Haunted House” by Geronimo Stilton 

Geronimo is at it again... this time, he's lost in the woods and he stumbles upon a haunted castle.  He wishes over and over again that he was at home.  His sister Thea shows up to discover the mysteries of the castle, but all of the scary tricks are only revealed to Geronimo.  Will Geronimo ever make it home?

“Ramona the Brave” by Beverly Cleary

I am Ramona and this is my year… the year I’m going to have something to tell all the kids at school when it starts.  It’s actually been an exciting summer at our house for a change - we have an actual hole in our house.  I know, unbelievable but true, and it’s going to be my new room!  But you know, this year just isn’t turning out like I thought - my sister thinks I’m a pest, the kids think I’m a liar, I’m kind of scared of my new room, and my teacher just doesn’t like me.  Do any of you have 1st grade brothers or sisters?  Just remember that the really are trying to grow up, but it’s really really hard.  

More Great Books for 2nd Graders

“The Year of Billy Miller” by Kevin Henkes

Billy Miller is worried.  He's worried that he won't be smart enough for 2nd grade, and he has good reason to worry.  He started the year off by falling off of a giant statue of the Jolly Green Giant and miraculously coming out of it with only a large bump on his head.  His mom is concerned that he might have long-term issues from the fall, but his dad has assured him that this is going to be "The Year of Billy Miller."

“An Angel for Soloman Singer” by Cynthia Rylant (gorgeous illustrations)

Soloman Singer was an unhappy man… he lived in a place he didn’t love, no balcony, no pets, nothing like his Indiana home, and he was lonely… so he wandered.  One evening he wanders to a little cafe with a kind waiter.  He has no idea that an “Angel” is about to help him change his outlook.  This is the story about how we look at the world around us, how the people we connect to can make such a difference in our lives, and how one man manages to keep his dreams alive while learning to love what’s right in front of him.

More Great Books for 1st Graders

“Best Friends for Frances” by Russell Hoban

Frances is a young badger who just can’t find anyone to play with her.  Her friend Harold has decided that girls can’t go on walk-abouts and they can’t play baseball games either.  Frances discovers that she has a built in best friend at home in her younger sister, Gloria.  When she and her new best friend set out for a picnic outing, Harold decides that girls aren’t so bad after all, especially when they have such a fantastic looking picnic lunch.  I wonder if Frances and Gloria will let a “boy” come on their fun day.

 

“Oliver Button is a Sissy” by Tomie dePaola

“Oliver Button was called a sissy.  He didn’t like to do things that boys are supposed to do.”  What kinds of things do you suppose that would be? “Instead he liked to walk in the woods and play jump rope.  He liked to read books and draw pictures.”  Even his papa called him a sissy.  He was always trying to get Oliver to play baseball or football or basketball.  One day Oliver gets a nice shiny pair of tap shoes.  He gets so awesome at tap dancing that he decides to enter the talent show.  Do you think Oliver will win and earn everyone’s respect?  Do you think that his Dad and friends will finally accept him for who he is?  Or will Oliver be doomed to be called a sissy his whole life?