Research tools and random book thoughts...

Hello everyone! (When you are finished reading this, please respond... I know you're out there!)

Today I spent the first part of each period in 7th grade social studies classes showing students the many benefits of using online encyclopedias for research. The media center website has a link to Compton's Britannica Online and Galileo, Georgia's online library. 7th graders are researching topics related to their social studies curriculum. Ms. Baker....what is the general subject area you guys are researching? (other than the individual topics that I heard: Indian Civil War, terrorism and religion)


Since we are talking about research, I'll tell you about Dr. Tallman's I-search class I just started this week at UGA. This class, and way of teaching the research process, seems so interesting because you can choose any topic you want to research. One would think since I have been given all of this freedom to choose a topic I'd jump right on it, but I am having so much trouble deciding. If you could research anything what would you investigate?


Random book thoughts follow:

I read Sparrow by Sherri L. Smith a few months back and for some reason I can't get it off of my mind. The main character reminds me of a student I met recently...maybe that's the connection. I'm not sure, but it's a great book!

The other book I must tell you about but have actually not read myself is the 2008 Caldecott Book Award Winner just announced yesterday! This a very unusual book to receive an award reserved for picture books. The images are amazing, and I have a feeling I will have to fight with students and a few teachers to be the first one to read the copy of this book I just bought for the media center. And the Caldecott winner is The Invention of Hugo Cabret written and illustrated by Brian Selznic.

So, hopefully next time I check in with you I will have read the new Caldecott award book above.... Ask me about it!

Mrs. Hinger

It's a new year

Before Christmas, I started working on my books for graduate school and began reading Wuthering Heights. I like it, but was surprise by the vocabulary. I think that I've been reading YA lit for such a long time that I had forgotten the language of many classics. What have you been reading?

For the past few days since Mrs. Bailey's goddaughter went missing, I have been focused on newspaper and news website reading. She is such a sweet girl; I remember her coming to the school and helping out. She is like a daughter to Mrs. Bailey. I am so sad for them. It seems today that Meredith Emerson will not be found alive; it's heartbreaking.



I have jury duty next week, so I will catch up with you guys sometime soon.

Mrs. Hinger