---

The Director's Corner

Dear Participants, Facilitators, and Newsletter Subscribers:

FOR-PD currently has 2,274 teachers taking our course. Some of you are taking FOR-PD in order to attend the CAR-PD Academy this summer while others are taking FOR-PD to fulfill the Reading Endorsement requirements, and yet still others are taking FOR-PD for your own professional development. I am thrilled that each of you has chosen to take FOR-PD this spring. This semester, FOR-PD has increased communication with participants by sending out tips, hints, and information on a biweekly basis. I welcome your feedback on the usefulness of these communications.

This monthly newsletter focuses on technology in reading and writing. Traditionally, literacy refers to the teaching of basic literacy skills using printed text. In today's world, our students need ever expanding literacy skills in order to compete in the global economy. The new digitized society is here and the concept of literacy is rapidly changing with emerging definitions of what it means to be literate. Informational literacy is the ability to access and use information, analyze the content, synthesize thought, and report results. Digital literacy is the ability to use data analysis tools and accelerated learning processes enabled by technology in order to arrive at a deeper understanding. Computer literacy is the ability to accurately and effectively use computer tools including word processing programs, databases, spreadsheets, and presentation software. Media literacy is the ability to communicate using all forms of media- print and electronic devices. Finally, critical literacy is the ability to understand and question the purposes, beliefs, attitudes, values of texts, visual applications, and spoken words. Technology is nudging literacy beyond the printed text to embrace all forms of media. Even the new Sunshine State Standards for Language Arts (http://etc.usf.edu/flstandards/la/index.html) incorporate technology. Take a look at how the new standards incorporate technology.

LA.910.3.5.1	prepare writing using technology in a format appropriate to the purpose (e.g., for display, multimedia)
LA.910.6.4.1	use appropriate available technologies to enhance communication and achieve a purpose (e.g., video, digital technology)
LA.910.5.2.5	research and organize information that integrates appropriate media into presentations for oral communication (e.g., class discussions, entertaining, informative, persuasive, or technical presentations)

Technology is changing the way students and teachers obtain, process, and use information thus impacting the way we read, write, listen, and communicate.

What are FOR-PD participants learning? You are learning to use technology! Skills include the following:

• how to browse the Internet efficiently,
• how to find web-based resources,
• how to utilize online discussion forums,
• how to participate in chats,
• how to navigate online text, and
• how to use technology to collaborate in an online environment.

A teacher provided this quote, "I am amazed at how much technology I've learned just by completing the FOR-PD course."

Thank you for participating in the FOR-PD Project. Please feel free to contact us with questions and feedback about the FOR-PD course and your experience. Thank you for all you do to help all students succeed in literacy. You may reach us at forpd@mail.ucf.edu and/or 1-866-207-7296.

Best wishes and continued success,

Catherine Glass
Director, FOR-PD

---

The UCF College of Education Announces the 9th Annual Literacy Symposium

Come join us for a day of learning how to engage readers, motivate students, and connect children with books! This is a free professional day for all elementary and secondary educators, including literacy coaches, library media specialists, reading specialists, and administrators. The Symposium will take place in the College of Education Gymnasium on Friday, April 6, 2007 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Our theme this year is Motivation, Literacy, and the 21st Century.

This year's keynote speakers include David Booth, Professor Emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. He is the author of Reading Doesn't Matter Anymore: Shattering the Myths of Literacy.

Interested in presenting at this year's symposium? You can download a presentation proposal form from the symposium website. Presentation applications are due March 12, 2007. Also included on the website are directions for registering for this professional development opportunity. All Literacy Symposium information can be accessed at http://forpd.ucf.edu/litsym/.

The UCF College of Education 9th Annual Literacy Symposium is sponsored by FOR-PD and FLaRE.

---

 

10th Anniversary of NEA’s Read Across America!

The National Education Association (NEA) annually sponsors Read Across America. Approaching its tenth year, NEA's Read Across America focuses the country's attention on how important it is to motivate children to read in addition to helping them master basic skills.

NEA launched the Read Across America program in 1997. The nationwide reading celebration takes place each year on March 2, the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss, who epitomizes a love of learning. Dr. Seuss's use of rhyme makes his books an effective tool for teaching young children the basic skills they need to be successful.

• Background Information
• The Basics
• Activity Ideas
• Media Tips
• Materials
• Resources
• Pledge
• Declaration of Reading Independence
• Poem
• Teacher Activity Guide for the Cat's 50th Birthday

 

---

New Language Arts Sunshine State Standards Approved

The new Reading and Language Arts standards have been approved by the State Board of Education and are now available for viewing in PDF.

2006 Sunshine State Standards, K-12 Reading & Language Arts

Beginning in 2005 and continuing into 2006, meetings with Language Arts and Reading supervisors, teachers, content specialists, professional organizations, and other stakeholders took place to consider the revision and modifications needed to update the Language Arts Sunshine State Standards.

To ensure that the new standards would meet the needs of all children, meetings were held with staff members from the Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services, and the Bureau of Academic Achievement Through Language Acquisition, as well as teachers representing both groups. This helped to facilitate adding access points both for students with significant cognitive disabilities as well as for English Language Learners.

A crosswalk between the old and new Languages Arts standards which has been prepared to assist teachers in the transition, can be found on the http://etc.usf.edu/flstandards/la/index.html website.

 

---

 

FREE: Federal Resources for Educational Excellence

The U.S. Department of Education is pleased to announce the newly remodeled and updated Federal Resources for Education Excellence (FREE) website. It now provides richer, more expansive resources to teachers and students alike. There are over 1500 resources to take advantage of at FREE, ranging from primary historical documents, lesson plans, science visualizations, math simulations and online challenges, paintings, photos, mapping tools, and more. This easily accessible information is provided by federal organizations and agencies such as the Library of Congress, National Archives, NEH, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian, NSF, and NASA.

---

 

Math and Science Education: Critical Skills for the 21st Century

On Tuesday, February 20, 2007, the Broadcast Information Center will be providing a television show between 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM ET on the importance of math and science education.

Guests on the February 20th edition of Education News, including U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, school practitioners, business leaders, and math and science experts, will talk about the American Competitiveness Initiative and explore such questions as:

• What is the “global economy” and what new demands does it place on our students and our schools?
• How does No Child Left Behind strengthen math and science? How will the 2007 science assessments help?
• How will the American Competitiveness Initiative help to improve math and science instruction, student competence and achievement, and ultimately close the achievement gaps?
• How can parents encourage their children to learn mathematics and science outside the classroom?
• What should students be learning in mathematics and science at the elementary, middle, and high school grades? What must change in the way these subjects are currently being taught?
• How can we encourage all students—especially girls and minority students—to pursue math and science careers?

For more information on this show and the channels it will be aired on, visit http://registerevent.ed.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewer.description&intEventID=202

---

March is National Women's History Month!

The 2007 theme, "Generations of Women Moving History Forward" 2007 presents special opportunities to highlight some critically important historic events, including the 50th anniversary of the integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, and the 30th anniversary of the National Women’s Conference in Houston, Texas.

In 1957, the integration of Central High School helped ignite the Civil Rights Movement and in 1977, the Houston Conference marked a high point in the influence of the Women’s Rights Movement on the formation of government policy.

The NWHP 2007 theme, Generations of Women Moving History Forward, is an expansion of the theme of the Houston Conference, “We Are Here to Move History Forward.” This theme recognizes the wisdom and tenacity of the generations of women who have come before us and those who will follow. Recognition of the historic anniversaries of 2007 presents special opportunities to acknowledge and celebrate the courage, determination, and steadfastness needed to move history forward.

 

Technology can no longer be seen as just an assortment of tools that are used to enhance a lesson or format text. Technology has spawned a new kind of literacy that focuses on going beyond the printed text. Technology is not something that is just added into instruction haphazardly and without true consideration on why it's being used and how it will be applied. Integration, incorporation, and a focus on technology fluency must be created as we plan our lessons so that we can better prepare our students for the 21st century. This month, for our In Focus section of the Literacy Newsletter, we'll be refleting on how technology has effected the concept of literacy and learning.

Please feel free to contact us with questions or feedback on this section of the Literacy Newsletter. You may reach us at forpd@mail.ucf.edu or 1-866-207-7296.

 

---

Technology and Literacy

As we reflect on our own K-12 literacy instruction, our memories may lead us back to the reading of novels and the writing of papers. These are delightful memories for many of us as we think about how a book touched our lives, how a poem entranced us into deep thought, or how our diary or personal journal led us to explorations beyond ourselves. Fast forward to today and you may find a different type of literacy occurring for our students. Technology has brought forth a new set of literacies and a new definition of literacy. Blogs have replaced journals, novels are available on e-readers, and poems have been transformed into interactive webpages (Jabberwocky). One may think that everything has changed, but in fact, the new literacies are somewhat the same in context, but different in format.

What we know about the foundations of literacy still hold true for the new literacies. Word recognition and decoding, vocabulary development, comprehension strategies, critical analysis, and writing still are considered the building blocks of the new literacies. Yet, as educators of the current generation, we must consider the new skills that will be required of our students as they join the work force in just a few short years. Critical reading will take on a different form as students are required to consider the source of the material their information, identify where to find quality information, and understatnd how to use the informaiton they find. Understanding information literacy will become highly valuable in the workplace and in schools.

Literacy has changed because of the demands our society has placed on it (Booth, 2006). We must look beyond the printed page as the only true form of text, and the reading of a novel or textbook as the only way to create successful readers. Yes, these elements are extremely important, but format has changed. We must embrace media, technology, and other forms of text and instruction in order to prepare our students for their future.

David Booth, international educator and writer, proposes that literacy be divided into four areas: school literacy, life literacy, print literacy, and technology literacy (Booth, 2006). School literacy can be measured by assessments while life literacy reflects work, cultural, and recreational literacy. Print literacy can be thought of as traditional text in the form of literature or informational text. Technology literacy focuses on computer, interent, and words in combination. What kind of text formats are reflected in these areas? All kinds. Magazines, CD-Roms, hypertext, chats, email, blogs, videos on the Internet, audio reports on websites, and even MP3s on Ipods. Literacy is about content and learning to make meaning from many different areas.

As we consider how to assist our students, we can think about technology as one of our key focuses to assist all learners. We must consider our past and our student's future. We must step away from the idea that literacy is only about printed texts and understand that the new technologies are here now and they'll be even more in the future.

Reference:

Booth, D. (2006). Reading doesn't matter anymore: Shattering the myths of literacy. Portland: Stenhouse.

 

---

 

Technology and Literacy Resources

Looking for ways to integrate some of the newest formats of literacy into your classroom instruction? Check out these links now!

Blogging to Share Connections
http://www.chatham.k12.nc.us/archives/2005_stt/hscohort_05/jmhs_engII/index.html
Sue Vestal's English II students are communicating with each other and their teacher by using a 'blog' to share their opinions.

Blogs: Collaborating Online
http://www.stenhouse.com/pdfs/8207-P2_ch11.pdf
This PDF document presents the idea of using a collaborative online tool where students can collaborate beyond the classroom walls.

Blogs as Communication Tools for Writing Projects
http://www.writingproject.org/cs/nwpp/query/q/667
The national writing project offers many ideas on ways blogs can be incorporated into the classroom.

Blog Alliances
http://weblogg-ed.com/2004/blog-alliances/
Teachers can use weblogs as a tool to connect with students.

Road to Reading
http://classroom.jc-schools.net/read/writing.html
Using technology with writing can be a great tool to stimulate student creativity.

Using Email to Develop Letter-Writing Skills for the 21st Century
http://www.create.cett.msstate.edu/create/classroom/lplan_view.asp?articleID=19
This activity incorporates letter writing by using email as an important form of communication for the 21st century. 

Improve Students’ Writing Using Online Workshops
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=1036
Student objectives and an instructional plan are outlined for students to use reading logs to record their reactions. Drafts of what the students have written are submitted online for peer review. This tool allows students to discuss and respond to each other’s work.

Writing and Reading Integrating Technology into Education to Make a Difference in our World
http://www.psd267.wednet.edu/~kfranz/Literacy/WRITEtoCare/writetocare.htm
WRITE to Care is a process for integrating literacy into elementary schools by having children participate in meaningful local to global telecommunications projects.

Critical Issue: Using Technology to Improve Student Achievement
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te800.htm
This briefing presents many issues faced with using technology in the classroom. Questions are raised as to what resources school districts can use to help plan use of technology that will have a positive impact on student achievement.

Toward a Theory of New Literacy’s Emerging From the Internet and Other Information and Communication Technologies
http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/leu/
Literacy and literacy instruction can be presented in profound ways through new technologies such as gaming software, video technologies, technologies that establish communities over the Internet, search engines, webpages and many more that are emerging.

Multi-Modal Literacies
http://www.ncte.org/edpolicy/multimodal
The research, policy statements, and resources collected here demonstrate how multimodal literacy can be enacted and supported.

New Horizons for Learning Online Journal Vol. XI No. 2, Spring 2005
http://www.newhorizons.org/journal/journal46.htm
In this article new literacies are presented by teachers and researchers. Digital and networked technologies are presented through web design, web publishing, and instant messaging to assist with shaping students’ reading and writing.

Communicating on the Internet: E-mail, Mailing Lists, and Other Forms of Electronic Communication
http://www.sp.uconn.edu/~djleu/fourth/four.html
Electronic communication can expose students to a variety of people and a wide range of views from around the world. The Internet is an opportunity for students and teachers to increase understanding and share their ideas.

Integrating Literacy and Technology into the Curriculum
http://www.reading.org/downloads/positions/ps1048_technology.pdf
This brochure from the International Reading Association supports students becoming proficient in using the internet and other forms of information and communication technology.

Freedom within a Structure, 10 Classrooms Responding Online
http://www.soesd.k12.or.us/files/sows_handouts_writesitearticle.pdf
This PDF document addresses a classroom integration model for motivating student writing by using technology.

February's Reading Strategy of the Month focuses on how to develop reader response with both literature and informational text.

Try this strategy in your classroom and then email us and tell us how it worked (forpd@mail.ucf.edu). Also, don't forget to share the strategy with your colleagues.

Each month we feature an effective reading strategy, explain the rationale behind the strategy, give directions on how to use the strategy with students, present ideas for adapting the strategy to different content areas, present ideas for assessing the strategy, and of course provide a printable PDF version of the strategy. Check out our Reading Strategy Archive to see past Reading Strategies of the Month.

---

Books for Students: Focus on 2007 Award Winners

We'd love to hear your thoughts on these new award winners. Tell us by emailing us at forpd@mail.ucf.edu.

To view a list of other Book Awards and their Winners, visit http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook.htm and http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=bookmediaawards.

---

 

Professional Book Recommendations

 

Eyewitness to the Past
Strategies for Teaching American History in Grades 5–12
By Joan Brodsky Schur

Book Description: Throughout history, people have often expressed controversial and conflicting interpretations of current events. In this unique resource, Joan Brodsky Schur reveals how compelling and engaging the study of history becomes when students use documents to imagine living through events in American history.

Eyewitness to the Past examines six types of primary sources: diaries, travelogues, letters, news articles, speeches, and scrapbooks. Teachers will find interactive strategies to help students analyze the unique properties of each, and apply to them their own written work and oral argument. Students learn to express opposing viewpoints in documents, classroom interactions, and simulations such as staging congressional hearings, elections, or protests. They build crucial analytical thinking and presentation skills. Used together, the six strategies offer a varied and cohesive structure for studying the American past that reinforces material in the textbook, encourages creativity, activates different learning styles, and strengthens cognitive skills.

Each chapter provides detailed instructions for implementing an eyewitness strategy set in a specific era of American history, and includes extensions for adapting the strategy to other time periods. In addition to the primary sources included in the book, examples of student work are presented throughout to aid teachers in evaluating the work of their own students. Rubrics and a list of resources are offered for each eyewitness strategy.

Guided Writing: Practical Lessons, Powerful Results
By Lori D. Oczkus

From the Publisher: Guided Writing is your handbook for the newest, most effective way to move students into independent writing. Lori Oczkus provides everything you need to support children in the fledgling phase between carefully modeled group writing and their first solo pieces. Guided Writing explains how to observe which stage of writing development your writers are in, how to challenge them to stretch their writing into the next developmental phase, and how to provide specific teaching that helps them achieve goals they can't reach alone.

Guided Writing includes motivational and instructional ideas; organizational and classroom management principles for whole class, peer group, or teacher-led small group instruction; graphic organizers; and techniques for any literacy classroom as well as ready-to-use, engaging, scaffolded lessons across several commonly taught genres:

• poetry
• personal narrative
• patterned writing
• Expository writing.
  

This comprehensive resource is linked to the widely used six-traits model of instruction and includes dozens of examples of student work, reproducible worksheets, student-friendly activities, teacher-friendly assessment rubrics, and creative ways for students to share their writing—absolutely everything you need to make guided writing your favorite and most effective instructional method.

Discover Guided Writing for yourself. See the powerful effect smart, scaffolded instruction can have on your writers, and watch them make a smooth transition to independent writing with confidence and competence.

 

Facilitator's Guide to How the Special Needs Brain Learns
By David Sousa

From the Publisher: Designed to accompany David A. Sousa's bestseller How the Special Needs Brain Learns, Second Edition, this facilitator's guide provides staff developers and workshop leaders with a complete training resource to help teachers examine and adapt simple and complex learning strategies for students with learning disabilities.

Reflecting the latest developments in neuroscience as featured in the companion book, this chapter-by-chapter guide aligns definitive research with an emphasis on students' lifelong independent learning, increased retention, and cognitive flexibility. With these materials, trainers can help educators identify, accommodate, and motivate students with special needs and provide targeted assistance with:

• Responsiveness to Intervention (RTI)
• Autism spectrum disorders
• Asperger Syndrome
• Reading, writing, and math disabilities
• ADHD/ADD
• Emotional and behavioral disorders

The perfect training tool for professional development coordinators, school leaders, peer coaches, team leaders, and professors, the Facilitator's Guide to How the Special Needs Brain Learns, Second Edition offers powerful strategies for facilitating professional learning groups of any size.

---

 

Literacy Coaches' Corner

Coaching Considerations: FAQs Useful in the Development of Literacy Coaching

Douglas Fisher, Professor at San Diego University, offers discussion on the consideratons that The National Advisory Board for the Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse have identified as important key ideas that schools, districts, and states should think about as they embrace literacy coaching in his document, Coaching Considerations: FAQs Useful in the Development of Literacy Coaching.

Included below are a small selection of some of the considerations identified by the Advisory Board. For their thoughts on each matter, visit the Coaching Considerations document linked above.

• What are the intended purposes of the literacy coaching program? How are they made clear to everyone--including teachers, coaches, principals, district administrators, parents, students?
• What are the theoretical underpinnings and the research base of the literacy coaching program related to: literacy learning and development, adult learning, leadership, and professional development?
• What qualifications of literacy coaches will ensure that those hired are highly qualified in the areas of literacy learning and development, leadership, adult learning, professional development, assessment, curriculum development, and technology? Are the expectations for expertise clear and evaluated fairly and effectively as part of the hiring and ongoing evaluation processes?
• How do literacy coaches gather evidence of their effectiveness and become selfreflective and proactive in making improvements to the coaching program?

 

---

 

Text Set

As described in the February 2006 FOR-PD Reading Strategy of the Month, text sets can be considered a collection of books related to a common element, topic, theme, or type of text. They provide readers with a medley of text and other materials, including non-fiction, websites, photos, pictures, primary source documents, and fiction, that will support the growing need for students to obtain quality information from a variety of sources.

This month Nancy Case and Jean Salamon will be sharing with us some wonderful books on St. Valentine's Day. Below is a sampling of texts to use in the elementary-high school classroom. Remember, before making any book or resource available be sure to check out if it is appropriate for your students.

FOR-PD is looking for ideas for future text sets. If you have an idea, please feel free to email us at forpd@mail.ucf.edu.

"Valentine's Day" Text Set

Books and Resources for Elementary Students The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond.  On the day it rains hearts, Cornelia Augusta makes Valentine cards for four of her friends. K-3 1,2,3 Valentines Day by Jeanne Modesitt.  Mister Mouse delivers Valentine gifts to his friends in this counting picture book that includes a Valentine activity. K-3 All New Crafts for Valentine’s Day by Kathy Ross.  Provides instructions for creating a variety of Valentine's Day crafts, including cards, bookmarks, bracelets, Valentine holders, magnets, and more. Gr.  3-6 Arthurs Great Big Valentine by Lillian Hoban.  After they have a falling out, Arthur and his best friend Norman make up with very special valentines. The Ballad of Valentine by Alison Jackson.  This inspired treatment of an age-old tale communicates plenty about love. K-3 The Berenstain Bears Funny Valentine.  As Valentine's Day approaches, Sister hopes for more attention from one boy and less from another. K-3 Hearts Cupids and Red Roses by Edna Barth.  The history of Valentine's Day and the little-known stories behind its symbols. Gr. 4-7 Holiday Ha Ha’s Valentine’s Day Jokes & Riddle by Craig Yoe.  Contains over three hundred jokes, riddles, and puns based on Valentine's Day. Gr. 3-6 It’s Valentines Day by Jack Prelutsky.  A collection of Valentine poems including "I Made My Dog a Valentine" and "I Love You More Than Applesauce". K-3 Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine i.e. Valentine by Barbara Park.  When Junie B. Jones receives a mushy gushy "valentime" on Valentine's Day, she tries to find out who in her kindergarten class is her secret admirer. K-3 The Story of Valentines Day by Clyde Robert Bulla.  Relates the history and describes the customs of this holiday from its beginning in Roman times to the present. Gr. 3-6 Four Stupid Cupids by Gregory McGuire.  The students' scheme to find a love match for their beloved teacher on Valentine's Day turns into a comedy of errors when four stupid cupids from Ancient Greece try to help. Gr. 4-7 Attack of the 50 Foot Cupid by Jim Benton.  Frannie tries to prevent chaos when her new lab assistant, Igor, a dog of many breeds, accidentally lets loose a giant, fifty-foot, arrow-shooting cupid. Gr. 2-5 Valentine School Parties, What Do I Do? By Wilhemina Ripple.  A great resource for schools and other groups. It covers games, snacks, crafts and activities for all elementary ages. Biscuit’s Valentines’s Day by Alyssa Satin Capucilli. Lift up flaps on each page show the trouble a puppy gets into as he and his owner make Valentine’s Day deliveries.  Saint Valentine by Robert Sabuda.  Explains who Saint Valentine was and how Valentine’s Day came to be K-5. The Best Thing About Valentines by Eleanor Hudson.  Young children will enjoy reading this sweet rhyming story, narrated by a young child who loves to make cards and give them to family, friends, and classmates. K-4 Valentine’s Day by Mari C. Schuh. Simple text and photographs describe the history of Valentine's Day and how it is celebrated. Four Valentines in a Rainstorm by Felicia Bond. On the day it rains hearts, Cornelia Augusta makes Valentine cards for four of her friends. One Zillion Valentines by Frank Modell. When Marvin shows Milton how to make valentines, they decide to make one for each person in their neighborhood. How Spider Saved Valentine's Day by Robert Kraus. When Spider realizes the two caterpillars who sit in the back of his classroom have not received any valentines he comes up with a plan. Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink by Diane de Groat.On Valentine's Day, Gilbert brings a tin of homemade cookies and his original nice or nasty poems to school.

Books and Resources for Middle School Students Broken Hearts by R.L. Stine. When Josie and Melissa receive threatening valentines, they are scared that they will be the next to die at Shadyside High on Valentine's Day. The Story of Valentine's Day by Clyde Robert Bulla. Relates the history and describes the customs of this holiday from its beginning in Roman times to the present. Includes directions for making a paper valentine and sugar cookies. Valentine's Day by Fern G. Brown. Traces the legendary origins of the holiday celebrated in modern times as the special day of lovers, as well as the history since 1800 of the valentine card. Includes recipes and games for a valentine party. Valentine's Day by Cass R. Sandak. Presents the history and customs of Valentine's Day. Valentine Frankenstein by Maggie Twohill. Amanda plans to boost her friend Walter's popularity by stuffing the fifth-grade Valentine's Day box, but the results are far more successful than she dreamed, leaving her to wonder about the wisdom of her actions. Love and Kisses by Louise A. Gikow.Mary-Kate, working a part-time job at "Girlz" magazine, and Ashley, planning a Valentine's Day dance, have a few problems with the events in each other's lives. Stable Hearts by Bonnie Bryant.The Saddle Club girls learn that the course of true love never runs smoothly when their plans for a Valentine's Day barn dance at Pine Hollow Stables causes a big fight between Stevie and her boyfriend Phil, and their attempts to keep old Mr. Stowe from bothering Mrs. Reg turn out to be totally misguided. Valentine's Day illustrated by Gordon Laite.A history of the traditions which accompany Valentine's Day. Describes the origin and evolution of valentine customs and celebrations as well as the meaning of valentine symbols. Crush by Ellen Conford.A series of nine romantic episodes in the lives of B.J. and other students at Cutter's Forge High as they plan for the Valentine's Day Sweetheart Stomp. A Spy Among the Girls by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Are Beth and Josh really in love or just pretending to be in order to spy and continue the feud between the Malloy sisters and the Hatford brothers? Soup in Love by Robert Newton Peck.As Valentine's Day approaches their Vermont town of Learning, Soup and Rob experience several forms of love. If you Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson. After meeting at their private school in New York, fifteen-year-old Jeremiah, who is black,  and Ellie, who is white, fall in love and then try to cope with people’s reations. I Am Wings, Poems About Love by Ralph Fletcher. A collection of poems chronicling a relationship between two young people, from first glance through final goodbye to the stirrings of possible new love. To Every Season, A Family Holiday Cookbook by Jane Breskin Zalben.  Gives brief histories and recipes for such holidays as Valentine's Day, Easter, Passover, the Fourth of July, and Kwanzaa. Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet presented by Michael Rosen.  A prose retelling of the classic Shakespeare love story of Romeo and Juliet incorporating lines from the play. Romeo and Juliet together (and Alive!) At Last by Avi.  The eighth grade's plan to get two reluctant "lovers" together by means of a classroom production of Shakespeare's play has some very unexpected results. Greetings, With Love by Michelle Karl.  Explores the history of, and illustrates the earliest Valentines.  Also includes Valentines Day history and miscellanea. Lily B. on the Brink of Love by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel.  Aspiring author and eighth-grader Lily Blennerhassett hones her writing skills as her school newspaper's advice columnist while also trying to get her first crush, The Boy, to notice her. The Boy Who Owned the School:A Comedy of Love by Gary Paulson. Jacob Freisten, often in a fog, tries to ease through high school unnoticed; but a beautiful classmate takes notice of him and his life begins to change. Chicken soup for the teenage soul on love & friendship  compiled by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Kimberly Kirberger.  A collection of inspirational writings for teens on the topic of love and friendship.

Books and Resources for High School Students Valentines Fun by Judith Hoffman Corwin.  Gives instructions for making greeting cards, decoration, gift wraps, etc.  Also includes recipes and a history of the holiday and it’s customs. Sonnets from the Portuguese and other love poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.  A classic collection of love poems. Shakespeare in Love; The Love Poetry of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare.  Contains Shakespeare’s timeless love poems plus beautiful photographs from the movie Shakespeare in Love. A Couple of Kooks and Other Stories About Love by Cynthia Rylant.  A collection of eight short stories in which a variety of special characters experience the transfiguring power of love.  Mary Englebreit’s Winter Craft Book - Presents a variety of craft ideas and recipes for winter, themed to Christmas, Hanukkah, the New Year, Valentine's, and St. Patrick's Day. The Teen Survival Guide to Dating & Relating: Real-world Advice on Guys, Girls, Growing up, and Getting Along by Annie Fox.  Presents a guide on dating for teens, including advice on relationships and growing up, from tips on finding and keeping friends, siblings and parents, to dealing with teachers, and more. Who Am I Without Him;  Stories About Girls and the Boys in Their Lives by Sharon Flake.  A collection of short stories for teens by African-American writer Sharon Flake. Romiette and Julio by Sharon Draper.  Romiette, an African-American girl, and Julio, a Hispanic boy, discover that they attend the same high school after falling in love on the Internet, but are harassed by a gang whose members object to their interracial dating. Greetings, With Love by Michelle Karl.  Explores the history of, and illustrates the earliest Valentines.  Also includes Valentines Day history and miscellanea. Valentine's Day illustrated by Gordon Laite. A history of the traditions which accompany Valentine's Day. Describes the origin and evolution of valentine customs and celebrations as well as the meaning of valentine symbols. Crush by Ellen Conford. A series of nine romantic episodes in the lives of B.J. and other students at Cutter's Forge High as they plan for the Valentine's Day Sweetheart Stomp. A Spy Among the Girls by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Are Beth and Josh really in love or just pretending to be in order to spy and continue the feud between the Malloy sisters and the Hatford brothers? Soup in Love by Robert Newton Peck.As Valentine's Day approaches their Vermont town of Learning, Soup and Rob experience several forms of love. Stacey and the Stolen Hearts by Ann M. Martin Stacey has a great time running the eighth-grade fund-raiser selling "valentine-grams" until the bag of valentine grams is stolen and the contents are made public. Get in the act! : 60 monologs, dialogs, and skits for teens by Shirley Ullom. A compilation of monologues, dialogues, and skits written by the author for drama competitions, discussion starters, variety shows, and classroom use. Heartbreak and roses : real-life stories of troubled love  by Janet Bode & Stan Mack. A collection of true stories in which teenagers talk about their experiences with obsessive love, tormented love, bittersweet love, and love against all odds. Marly’s Ghost by David Levithan. The spirit of Ben's girlfriend Marly returns with three other ghosts to haunt him with a painful journey though Valentine's Days past, present, and future. The Anti-Valentine’s Handbook by Johan More.  Contends that, in reality, everyone hates Valentine's Day, and offers humorous advice to people in relationships and on their own on how to survive the hoopla. Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause.  Sixteen year old Vivian, a werewolf, falls in love with a human and her loyalties are strained. If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson. After meeting at their private school in New York, fifteen-year-old Jeremiah, who is black, and Ellie, who is white, fall in love and then try to cope with people’s reations. Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli.  The gods grant immortality to the mermaid Sirena when she rescues a human man from the sea and they fall in love, but his mortality creates conflict between love and honor when he is called to defend Greece in the Trojan War. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen.  Raised by a mother who’s had five husbands, eighteen-year-old Remy believes in short-term, no-commitment relationships until she meets Dexter, a rock band musician.

Videos and DVDs Be My Valentine Charley Brown from Paramount Home Video.  A Peanuts classic Valentine’s Day video.   For primary through middle grades. The Best Valentine in the World from Spoken Arts.  Although Ferdinand has worked on his valentine for Floret e since November, he's sure that she's forgotten him on Valentine's Day. For primary through middle grades Cranberry Valentine from Spoken Arts.  Mr. Whiskers is sad because no one ever sent him a valentine-- but when he mysteriously gets lots of them, he starts to become worried.  Primary through intermediate grades. King Clifford and  Be My Big Red Valentine by Scholastic.  Royalty rules in King Clifford as Clifford and friends discover the perils of bossiness, the joys of sharing and the treaure of the imagination. In Be My Big Red Valentine Clifford shows his big red heart.  He and his pals learn about giving and judging someone's personality too soon. For primary grades. Un-Valentine’s Day and A Valentine for You from Disney. Pooh gets excited about Valentine's Day and helps cure Christopher Robin's lovesickness in two animated Disney programs, based on A.A. Milne's beloved characters. Soup in Love [sound recording] by Recorded Books. As Valentine's Day approaches their Vermont town of Learning, Soup and Rob experience several forms of love. Lessons of Love [video]. TMW Media Group. This program helps teens cope with the experiences and complex lessons of early dating, and opens up the definition of teen dating to match the reality that teens face today. Love Shouldn’t Hurt [video]. Castleworks.  This program features a yearly county-wide symposium to raise awareness and educate both sexes on recognizing and avoiding unhealthy relationships and dating violence William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet [video]. Twentieth Century Fox.  Leonardo De Caprio and Clare Danes star in this modern version of Romeo and Juliet. PG-13

Web Sites Happy Valentines Day  http://www.theholidayspot.com/valentine/ Kid’s Domain Valentine’s Day  http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/val/ Valentine’s Day, Not Like it Used to Be  http://wilstar.com/holidays/valentn.htm Valentine’s Day Cards  http://www.123greetings.com/events/valentines_day/ Valentine’s Day Facts and Activities  http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/valentine.htm Valentine Traditions http://www.pictureframes.co.uk/pages/saint_valentine.htm#traditions Valentine’s Day Activities http://www.kidsturncentral.com/holidays/valentines.htm Cards and Crafts for Valentine’s Day http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/valentine/ Valentine’s Day Poems http://www.poemsforfree.com/valpo.html Valentine’s Day Fun and Games http://blackdog.net/holiday/valentine/

Nancy Case is married with two children and two grandchildren. She is currently the Media Supervisor for Alachua County Schools and a professional storyteller. She has previously worked as a middle school media specialist for many years in both Pasco and Alachua counties. She is proud of her role in story telling and was a former president of the Florida Storytelling Association. She has facilitated sixteen FOR-PD classes to date and loves to read, travel, and create stories for telling.

Jean Salamon has been in the education field for 32 years. She has had experience as a Kindergarten teacher, second grade teacher, third grade teacher, and as a Parent Involvement/Learning Resource Specialist for the Title 1 program. She has been the Educational Library Media Specialist for the past 7 years at Astatula Elementary School for the Arts in Lake County, Florida and is Nationally Board Certified in Library Media PreK-Young Adult. She has been facilitating FOR-PD since Jan. 2003. She also teaches Early Literacy classes for UCF at the South Lake Campus in Clermont. She lives with her husband (also a teacher) in Tavares, FL. She has two daughters and two granddaughters. In her spare time she likes to spend time with her family, read, walk, and go out to eat.

Return to Top

Feeling frustrated? Can't figure it out? Don't forget the FOR-PD Help Desk is available.

Help Desk hours are:

Monday through Friday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM EST and 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM EST
Saturday 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM EST

The phone number is 1-866-863-READ (7323) toll free, Florida calls only. For non-Florida calls only 407-249-4702. Technical support is also available through AOL Instant Messenger, screen name "forpdhelp."

If you need technical support beyond that which your facilitator or school technology coordinator can offer, please contact the FOR-PD Technical Support Help Desk. Please fill out the Tech Help Form or call the Help Desk. Describe your problem as completely as possible, leave your name and return phone number, and someone will get back to you.

Chat Live with the Help Desk using the Chatango feature on our website. http://www.forpd.ucf.edu/about/technicalsupport.html.

Don't forget to check out the Tutorials and Troubleshooting Guide. Both of these resources provide a wealth of information on the tools used in the course and specific technology problems past participants have had along with solutions to these problems.

Pop-up blockers continue to be a popular issue the Help Desk deals with. If you have a pop-up blocker on your web browser, you will not be able to access the quizzes and other tools in the course. To disable your pop-up blocker follow these directions:

Disable Pop-Up Blocking programs

• Move your mouse to the lower right-hand corner of your screen near the time
• Scroll your mouse over the icons listed to the left of the time
• If you notice any of the icons refer to Pop-Ups, right-click on them and click "Disable" or "Exit." Please note that Norton Internet Securities and McAfee Firewall need to be disabled as well.

FOR-PD Spring Course	January 22-April 30, 2007
World Book Day	March 1, 2007
Happy 10th Anniversary NEA’s Read Across America! Nationwide	March 2, 2007
2007 Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Annual Conference and Exhibit Show "Valuing the Whole Child" Anaheim, California Anaheim Convention Center	March 17-19, 2007
NWP@UCF, Spring Conference University of Central Floirda, College of Education Orlando, FL	March 24, 2007
9th Annual Literacy Symposium "Motivation, Literacy, and the 21st Century" University of Central Florida, College of Education Orlando, FL	April 6, 2007
2007 Secondary Reading Council Conference "SURF, SUN, SAND, AND STORIES" Daytona Beach, Florida The Plaza & Spa Resort	April 20-21, 2007
52nd Annual Convention International Reading Association "Literacy Without Boundaries" Toronto, Canada	May 13-17, 2007
28th Annual National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) Atlanta, Georgia	June 24-27, 2007
2007 Just Read, Florida! K-12 Leadership Conference Rosen Shingle Creek Resort Orlando, FL	August 5-8, 2007

 

Return to Top

---

  #    Use the pound sign to let everyone know you are done asking a question or making a statement.

  ....  This lets everyone know you have more to say.

Guidelines

Return to Top