Backpacks Can Be Dangerous!

If there ever was a picture of how not to send your child to school, this would be it! Although there is little research and literature does not agree on specific guidelines for backpack safety to reduce risk of pain or injury, parents and teachers can use common sense. Look for a backpack made of lightweight material, with two padded and wide straps, and a hip strap or waist belt to redistribute the weight of the backpack from the shoulders to the pelvis.
There is also a way to properly load and wear a backpack, according to Spine-Health.com. Both straps should always be used to ease the weight. Always pack the heaviest objects into the backpack first so that they are carried low and close to the body. The straps should be properly adjusted to best fit the child. To do so, hold the bottom of the backpack two inches above the waist and keep the top just below the base of the skull. It is imperative that the backpack not be worn low near the buttocks. Also, do not lean forward when walking—if this is a must, you know that there is too much weight in the backpack.
Teachers and parents should always pay close attention to the weight being carried in backpacks. If the child complains that his backpack is too heavy, immediately rearrange or remove objects to reduce the weight and ease the risk of back pain. A good rule for the weight of the backpack is to limit it to around 15% of the child’s body weight. And remember, a child’s objection is always the best indicator that his backpack is too heavy. Do not ignore his complaints. Clean out the backpack once a week, and work to make a careful assessment of the backpack’s contents to be sure that only what is needed is being carried.

Guest Blogger Sarah Wiemero

Triano D.C., J. J. (2000). Tips to prevent back pain from kids’ backpacks. Retrieved Feb. 21, 2006, from Spine-Heath.com

Web site: http://www.spine-health.com/topics/cd/pack/bp02.html.

New Juvenile Literature

Hush by Jacqueline Woodson
Juv 813 W898hu
Reading Level Grade 9-12

Hush is about a young girl forced to change identities and location after her father witnesses a crime and testifies against his friends.

Black Juice by Margo Lanagan
Juv 823 L243bju
Reading Level Grade 9-12
Michael L Printz Honor Book
Black Juice is a collection of short stories with interesting/disturbing messages for the reader.

Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins
Juv 813 P449ccs
Reading Level Grade 6-9
Newbury Medal Book

Criss Cross is a series of stories about Debbie and her friends discovering who they are as they face growing up.

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Juv 813 G141abs
Reading Level 10-12+
Alex Award

Anansi Boys is a story about a man, living a hum drum life on the verge of marriage, who discovers his father was the African god called Anansi.

Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold
Juv 813 A759hy
Reading Level ages 4-8

Cute tale about just how smart a fly can be.

Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson
Juv 811 W898lo
Reading Level Grade 4-6
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book

Locomotion is a book of poetry by a 5th grader coming to terms with tragedy in his life.

Rosa by Nikki Giovanni
Juv 323.092 G512r
Reading Level Grade 3-5

Rosa is a beautifully illustrated book about the courage of Rosa Parks.

All titles listed above are currently on our New book shelves in the Reference room. Come by and browse.

Head Lice

Head lice can be a prominent factor of school-aged children. Head lice can be found in households, but mostly are discovered in classrooms.

What are head lice?
Head lice are small insects that feed off blood, usually living in hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes. However, head lice can be treated by using and taking different medications.

How can teachers keep head lice out of their classrooms?
Head lice can be prevented by not sharing personal items, such as, combs, brushes, hats, or scarves. It can also be prevented by avoiding physical contact with an infected person and excluding these children from school.

Should children infected with head lice be kept out of school?

Many school nurses have a policy that if there is any sign of lice living, dead, or gestating, the child should not be at school. This is to stop the re-infestation of lice throughout the classroom. On the other hand, some argue that children with lice should still be able to attend school. In conclusion, teachers might need to make the decision, whether the infected child should stay at school or leave.

The following web sites have more information about head lice and the argument to keep infected children home:
http://specialchildren.about.com/od/specialeducation/i/headlice_2.htm
http://edcp.org/factsheets/headlice.html

Guest Blogger Kimberly Deitrick

Middle Ages

http://www.kyrene.k12.az.us/schools/brisas/sunda/ma/mahome.htm
Read all about the various aspects of life during these exciting times!

http://www.castles-of-britain.com/castle6.htm
By providing these castle research pages, we hope to encourage students, writers, and enthusiasts of all ages to explore castles and to stimulate their creativity.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/trebuchet/destroy.html
NOVA's science game, "Destroy the Castle," is very much like the real thing. There are five elements you can adjust in your trebuchet, stone ball, weightsling length, counterweight design, distance from the castle, whether to add wheels.

http://www.teacheroz.com/Middle_Ages.htm
Site appears very comprehensive

http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek3/middleages.htm
Collection of websites

http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/wes/webquests_themes/medieval_theme.html
Collection of websites for ideas

http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/timesmedieval/
Lesson plan for middle ages.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages
For a brief overview of the middle ages.

Priority Academic Student Skills School Improvement 241 Social Studies
WORLD STUDIES Grade 6
World Studies is designed to offer students the opportunity to begin a more global study of the earth's people and environments, concentrating on the understanding of basic concepts and characteristics common in the political and economic development of human populations.
Standard 1: The student will develop and practice the process skills of social studies. 1. Locate, gather, and analyze information from primary and secondary sources, such as artifacts, diaries, letters, art, music, literature, newspapers, and contemporary media. 2. Identify, evaluate, and draw conclusions from different kinds of maps, graphs, charts, diagrams, timelines, and other representations such as photographs and satellite- produced images or computer-based technologies. 3. Interpret information from a broad selection of research materials such as encyclopedias, almanacs, dictionaries, atlases and cartoons.

Standard 2: The student will use geographic representations to draw conclusions. 1. Apply the concepts of scale, orientation, latitude and longitude, and physical regions. 2. Compare political, physical, and thematic maps, 3. Define, recognize, and locate basic landforms and bodies of water on appropriate maps and globes.

Standard 3: The student will analyze selected cultures which have affected our history. 1. Define the characteristics of culture and the role culture played on the development of the world's peoples. 2. Compare and contrast common characteristics of culture, such as language, customs, shelter, diet, traditional occupations, belief systems, and folk traditions. 3. Evaluate the impact of selected civilizations (such as Egypt, Greece, Rome, Mayan, Incan, and Chinese) on migration and settlement patterns.

St. Valentine

Little known facts about Valentine's Day

1. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, there were not one but 3 St. Valentines who were martyred.

2. In the Middle Ages, the people noticed that the birds began to pair in the middle of the month of February.

3. Fourteenth and Fifteenth century writings allude to love poems being exchanged on February 14th. Tokens and small gifts were also exchanged.

To read the entire article, click on the title above

Black History Websites Useful All Year Long

Here are some sites that have extensive information about Black history in the United States.

http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/BHM/AfroAm.html

http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/

http://www.historychannel.com/blackhistory/

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/Black_History/index.shtml
This site contain lesson plans and ways to incorporate black history in the classroom

http://afroamhistory.about.com/blblackhistorymonth.htm
This site contains biographies, quotes of the day, and quizzes along with black history facts pertaining to each calendar day

Using Wikis at School

Think Outside the Blog

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By Tim Stahmer
"Web logs are great vehicles for an interactive exchange of ideas between a handful of people, but blogs are not as effective when a large number of people want to collaborate, contribute, and easily find information on a given topic. That's when you need a wiki. A wiki is a class of Web site that lets authorized users create and modify pages (sometimes called articles) as well as search for information. "

Technology & Learning. Volume 26 (6) January 2006

The latest issue of Technology & Learning can be found on the new periodical shelf in the Curriculum Library. You can also get the latest information from Technology & Learning at their website www.techlearning.com by registering.

Click on title for the rest of the article.

Computer games 'motivate pupils'

"A third of teachers are using computer games in the classroom and a majority believe they improve pupils' skills and knowledge, a survey suggests."

Click the title above to finish reading this article.

Teachers face handheld revolution

Time saving

"Every member of staff at the West Midlands school has a PDA, which is a hand held, palm sized computer. "It obviously saves a lot of time and teacher workload" says Mr Hadley. "


To read more on using PDA's in the classroom click on the title above.

Beyond F.A.T. City (DVD)

Created by Richard Lavoie


'F.A.T.--Frustration, Anxiety, Tension--three all-too-familiar feelings for the families of children with learning disabilities. "

Click on the title above to receive more information about this DVD.

This can be found in the Media Center on the 3rd floor with the call number: AV 371.5 W 539

OGE Energy Corp. Educational Videos

OG&E Electric Services loans audio-visual and other resource materials for the classroom. The videos are on many different topics and age levels. This catalog can be found in the Reference section of the curriculum library under ED REF 574 OGE.

To get your own copy or to talk to the Judy Harrell the Community Relations Coordinator please call (405) 553-4492.

New Books

Authored by:
Todd Whitaker











For more on this title see Eye on Education Publishing website: http://www.eyeoneducation.com/cgi-bin/miva?Merchant2/merchant.mv+Screen=PROD&Store_Code=st104&Product_Code=1-930556-35-7

This book is located in the New Book shelf with the call number: 371.1001 W578TMT

New Books

Edited by:
Donald D. Deshler and Jean B. Schumaker

"Teaching Adolescents With Disabilities is the gold standard for proven methods of teaching students with disabilities at the secondary level. Developed by one of the most respected research teams in special education, this resource provides teachers and administrators with detailed and practical knowledge of research-validated practices that have been effective for adolescents with disabilities... "

For more on this title see Corwin Press Publisher website: http://www.corwinpress.com/book.aspx?pid=11395

This book is located in the New Book shelf with the call number: 371.9 T253TAD

New Books

Studies in Children's Literature 1500-2000.
Edited by:
Celia Keenan and Mary Shine Thompson


For more on this title see Four Courts Press website:
http://www.four-courts-press.ie/cgi/bookshow.cgi?file=childrenlit.xml

This book is located in the New Book shelf with the call number: 820.99282 S933KE

New Books

Authored by:

Jonathan Kozol

"Filled with the passionate voices of children and their teachers and some of the most revered and trusted leaders in the black community, The Shame of the Nation is a triumph of firsthand reporting that pays tribute to those undefeated educators who persist against the odds, but directly challenges the chilling practices now being forced upon our urban systems by the Bush administration. In their place, Kozol offers a humane, dramatic challenge to our nation to fulfill at last the promise made some 50 years ago to all our youngest citizens..."

For more on this title see the Crown Publishing website: http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400052448

This book is located in the New Book shelf with the call number: 379.263 K88SHN

New Books

Authored by:

Melissa M. Deckman

"School Board Battles studies the motivation, strategies, and electoral success of Christian Right school board candidates."

For more on this title see Georgetown University Press website: http://press.georgetown.edu/detail.html?id=1589010019

This book is located in the New Book shelf with the call number: 379.28 D295SBB

New Books

Authored by:
Cathy Collins Block

"Reading proficiency is the most fundamental learning skill, critical to students’ success."

For more on this title see Corwin Press Publisher website: http://www.corwinpress.com/book.aspx?pid=10682

This book is located in the New book shelf with the call number: Q 372.4 B651RF

New Books

Edited by:

Robert B. Rutherford, Jr., Mary Magee Quinn, and Sarup R. Mathur

"Bringing together leading researchers, this book integrates current knowledge on emotional and behavioral disorders in the school setting. "

For more on this title see Guilford Publications website: http://www.guilford.com/cgi-bin/cartscript.cgi?page=pr/rutherford.htm&dir=pp/emo&cart_id=372824.9569

This book is located in the New book shelf with the call number: 372.94 H236HED

New Books

Authored by:
Fred R. Volkmar

Now expanded to two volumes, this invaluable reference work provides a comprehensive review of all information presently available about these disorders, drawing on findings and clinical experience from a number of related disciplines such as psychiatry, psychology, neurobiology, pediatrics, etc. The Handbook covers descriptive and diagnostic characteristics, biological contributions, intervention techniques, legal and social issues...

For more on this title see the Wiley Publishers website: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471716960.html


This book is located in the New book shelf with the call number: 618.92 H236VO3 V.1

New Books

Authored by:
Todd Whitaker and Dale Lumpa

Over 600 insightful, witty nuggets to motivate and inspire you.. ... and everyone else at your school!







For more on this title see Eye on Education website:
http://www.eyeoneducation.com/cgi-bin/miva?Merchant2/merchant.mv+Screen=PROD&Store_Code=st104&Product_Code=1-930556-82-9

This book is located in the New book shelf with the call number: 370 G786WKT