Helping students understand color in photos

 At my school I teach yearbook and journalism. I understand the different writing styles quite well, but I only have a very basic understanding of photography.

I had the opportunity to receive this book to add to my class room in exchange for honestly reviewing the book for others.

To really give you an honest review, it is helpful to know what types of audience you are.

Personally, even for just a coffee table book, I find these picture BEAUTIFUL. However, the book is intended to those whom have a DSLR camera and intend to plan and take great pictures in camera (rather than depending on Photoshop or another editing software).

As stated before, I am a beginner, but I found the different examples of photos easy enough and while I haven't tried everything personally the great thing about digital is I can try try again.

A couple yearbook students have already flipped through and one of them has already asked to take it home.

A great addition to any yearbook or journalism classroom and great for anyone else who just wants to have a better idea of taking better pictures with their camera.

You can purchase Understanding Color in Photography: Using Color, Composition, and Exposure to Create Vivid Photos from Amazon (affiliate link) or most of the big book stores.

Dollar Store Books

On Instagram I recently shared a picture of a book I'd bought.

The caption read, "Just grabbed this book at the #TheDollarTree! So perfect for my journalism class! This has so many great articles!! One after Lincoln's assassination, one after the San Francisco earthquake, one after Watergate... And so many more. There are serious articles, comedic articles and ones that strike the balance. Really great resource." (wow...I use a LOT of exclamation marks)

I was surprised to read so many comments from teachers who never buy books from the dollar store. The vast majority of the time I leave the dollar store, I have purchased at least one book (many times I leave having purchased only books). My personal and classroom libraries are filled with books I have snagged from dollar store shelves.

So, this post will look over ten books I bought this week at the dollar store. This is meant to show that you can get GREAT books at super affordable prices. This is by no means a complete list, but it will hopefully show you the variety and quality found. Shopping dollar stores is like shopping at a thrift store. You probably won't have the same titles in your store that I have in mine. So, if you fall in love with one of these books, I have inserted affiliate links to Amazon (that means that if you click through and purchase I will make a very small percentage which will probably end up going towards me buying more books)

Below I include the name of the book, a brief summary of the book, why I bought it and the stars on Amazon. If the book is particularly amazing, I'll write a full blog post on using it in the classroom later (and link below).

1. News Articles for all Occasions
The second I saw Deadline Artists--Scandals, Tragedies and Triumphs:: More of America's Greatest Newspaper Columns I grabbed it.

A photo posted by mELTing Teacher (@meltingteacher) on Jul 21, 2016 at 5:31pm PDT

I just began teaching Journalism this year. I was a high school journalism nerd, and freelanced a bit while working abroad, but other than having students enter writing contests online I don't have many materials for teaching journalism.

This is GREAT. It is basically a collection of amazing articles. Some are pure news, some opinion, others are feature stories. These are great as mentor tasks (and I'd imagine history or social studies teachers would love it too as it covers big events).

Amazon reviewers seem to be fans too with an average of 4.8 / 5 stars.

2. As Seen on TV
OK, I am cheating here and putting in two books because I grabbed both for exactly the same reason.

I picked up these for my classroom library because students LOVE books that are related to movies or television shows. I also love having discussions about which was better (they almost always love the book more than the movie). This time I grabbed: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (confession, I already bought one of these at the dollar store, so now my class library has two) and a book from the Pretty Little Liars series: Wanted (Book 8) (another confession, I already bought a few of these for my class library, so it will compliment other books on the class bookcase quite nicely).

Abraham Lincoln is 4.2/5 stars and Wanted is 4.7/5 stars by Amazon reviewers.

3. Sports and Journalism

I felt really lucky when I found The Handoff: A Memoir of Two Guys, Sports, and Friendship in my dollar store. Remember I mentioned earlier how I am taking over the journalism department? This is a GREAT book for all my sports announcers in training!

The book follows JT the Brick's career as a sports broadcaster and his relationship with his mentor Andrew as he stays by his side as Andrew goes through cancer.

This book kills three birds with one stone. Students get an introduction to the world of radio journalism, football references for my sports lovers, and a reminder that empathy and compassion are not barred from those who enjoy sports.

Amazon reviewers give it 4.8/5 stars

4. Celebrity Endorsement
I'll be totally shallow and admit that I mainly got this book because: a. I LOVE the title: I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President and  b. Jon Stewart's review on the cover, "If War and Peace had a baby with The Breakfast Club and then left that baby to be raised by wolves, this book would be the result. I loved it."

Josh Lieb (A New York Times Bestseller) writes about Oliver Watson, who lives a double life. While he is a rich supergenius, he convinces everyone else that he is a normal (below average) student.  In an effort to win his dad's approval he runs for class president.

This story is filled with pictures and photo essays making this great for weaker readers. Perfect for my class library.

Amazon reviewers say 4.2/5 stars

5. Please be Nonfiction

So many times I read the back of a book and wonder if it is fiction, nonfiction or "based on a true story." When I read the back of this book, I was SOLD. In 1986 two fathers got together and created a basketball team that mixed black kids from an inner city school with white players from an elite private school.  

With a little research I confirmed that yes, The Hustle: One Team and Ten Lives in Black and White is based on a true story! The author was on the team in the 90s and wrote the story after meeting up with past teammates. The story will discuss the lives of his ten teammates and will look at the way that race, money, and opportunity mold lives.  

I look forward to reading this one and think it's a topic my students will love.

Amazon reviewers give it 4.7/5 stars.


6. Digital Citizenship Anyone?
I am an America's Next Top Model binger. I like watching entire seasons in a day while organizing my garage or going through a closet. Nonetheless, when I read that the author was an America's Next Top Model contestant, I'll admit it meant very little to me. What struck me as interesting is that Unfriending My Ex: Confessions of a Social Media Addict is about digital overload in today's society.

As a teacher at a 1:1 school, this is always on my mind. Are my students being overexposed to technology? Am I hurting, or helping? This book contains references to Thoreau, and Emerson (which may make it worth it for anyone who teaches transcendentalism) which are well done. It also contains sources varying from dictionary definitions to scientific journals. While it is told mainly in a narrative, it is a nonfiction that is easy to read and on a topic that I feel many students would be interested in. 

This has some of the lowest average Amazon reviews on this list at 3.4/4 stars.

7.Not Another Sports Book
What can I say? I know my class library lacks "boy books" so if I find something sporty that seems vaguely interesting I grab it. To be honest,  Out Of My League: A Rookie's Survival in the Bigs is a book that I picked purely because the back of the book mentioned that he was a pitcher for the San Diego Padres (woot!).

However, once I got home and started researching  the author a bit more this is REALLY interesting. He was a minor league player who started a newspaper column that gained interest. His column gained popularity and he is probably better known for his journalism career than his sports career. He has been on Sportsnet Toronto, ESPN, ESPN 2, and TBS's as a sports announcer or analyst. In addition he continued his writing career! The story is about his transition from the minors to to majors and his transition from dating to marrying.

So wait a minute? I picked up this book because it mentioned the Padres, and ended up getting a great example of a professional journalist who can show students it's OK to be sensitive. #winning

I haven't had a chance to read the whole book, but Amazon reviewers average 4.5/5 stars

8. Fact and Fiction
I am a HUGE fan of historical fiction. Something about the way fiction meets fact just makes me happy.

TransAtlantic is a mix of three different historical events: In 1919 two brothers fly to Ireland for their attempt at the first nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean.  In 1845 Frederick Douglass finds support for the abolitionist cause. In 1998 Senator George Mitchell goes to Belfast for  peace talks in Northern Ireland.  As this factual events are happening we read about three women who connect these three separate events.

The syntax is odd, which is part of the reason I picked it up. I don't see this as a read for reluctant readers, but for examples of varying sentence length or students who are into history, this may be a great book.

On Amazon reviewers rated thisan average of 4/5 stars.

9.  Make a Wish

My students and I do a lot of crowdfunding. I use it as a way for them to research, assemble data, and create persuasive texts. My students get very good at researching data, and sometimes they lose focus of the heart.

Wish Granted: 25 Stories of Strength and Resilience from America's Favorite Athletes is a great coffee table book. If I ever get a coffee table in my classroom (it's on my to do list), I'll definitely sit this on it. It's filled with short reads easy for students to digest while waiting for someone to finish a mini-conference with me, or for their parents to pick them up.

As stated before, this focuses on athletes which is great for my students. They need to realize that they are so blessed and even if they aren't famous athletes they can help make a difference.

Reading the stories is humbling and encourages students (and teachers, and parents) to help others when possible.

This doesn't have many Amazon reviews, but right now it has a 5/5 stars average!

10. Coincidence? I think not!
Do you believe in coincidences? The premise of Coincidence is that a woman feels like too many events in her life are coincidences especially those surrounding Midsummer's Day. Too many in fact. It seems as though her life, unlike others, is not random but rules by some more powerful element. She goes to a professional "debunker" who believes that her life really is as random as everyone else's.

This book felt like the type of page turner that I could finish on a beach weekend, and I am hoping it will be a fast paced book that encourages students to just keep reading. I would like to actually read it before I put it on the bookshelves, but the reviews make it seem pretty appealing thus far.
  
Amazon reviewers give this book an average of 4.1 / 5 stars.

There you are. For the full price of just one of these paperbacks (Coincidence is selling for 13.48 I was able to purchase 11 great books. I even had enough to get a BBQ cook book for my summer pleasure.

Are you a dollar store shopper? What's the best book you've ever bought there? If not book, what's your favorite dollar buy?

Freelance Proofreading

I've begun editing books online as a way to read more, help others, and earn some extra cash.

Sometimes the books are painful and I can't wait to finish! Other times, I am quite happy that I had a chance to read it and can't wait to suggest it to others

Here are three of the books I have proofread. I encourage you to check them out:

I haven't suffered from a panic attack since I was in high school, but I know a lot of people that still have them. This book is basically a self help book meets fantasy. You join Ruby, who lives a life filled with fear and depression, as she leaves England to meet up with quirky characters who help her see the secret to feeling better is not as unreachable as she thinks.

This is a really great read for anyone who suffers from panic attacks. I don't really think it has any groundbreaking cures, but the format makes the concepts easy to absorb.

Plus, Nick was an absolute joy to work with, and that should count for something.

The next book is less self help and more dystopian. Steven Wolff has taken the classic zombie tale and thrown a twist...what if zombies were no longer mindless creatures...what if they were self aware.

Join Stephanie as she goes on a journey to find her family, understand what is going on with her and come to grips with the fact that she must kill, or become the mindless creatures that cover the world.

In a lot of ways I read it and think of so many vampire books and movies. The vampire coming to grips with what it must do to survive. This perspective is rarely viewed from zombies, so it was a nice twist.

If you like dystopian novels, vampire books, or (of course) zombie plots, then this book is a very entertaining read.



 Finally, my most recent edit is a series of Western novel where women who can't find love look for romance elsewhere. Alternatively, men who can't find love close to home try to find mail order brides. In most cases the woman heads to Montana in hopes that  is the one for her.

The setting in Montana leads to numerous sensations and discoveries. This isn't just a series about cowboys; there are many Lakota Indians there as we. If you're looking for a cute love story with a historical setting, then this author is right up your alley.

If you want me to proofread or edit your book, you can check out my gig on fiverr. Starting at just $5!

But first, let me take a #Shelfie

I am an English teacher. I encourage my students to read for fun, give students books as presents, and love when I find a student sneaking a book home from my class library.



I believe that a love of reading is one of the best things any child can get from school.

It doesn't need to be the classics, reading Ender's Game is just as valid as reading Pride and Prejudice. In addition to being a fun way to spend your time and learn, reading gives kids tons of advantages that will help them after they have finished their education in school.

Reading gives people:

• higher vocabulary
• more empathy
• improved grammar
• lower stress
• less likely to get Alzheimers
• improved analytical skills
• better writing
• and SO MUCH MORE 

Words Alive is an organization that has been around since 1999 when Leslye Lyons started it on the belief that lifelong learners (the kind who transform their communities) all start as readers.

They create reading groups for adolescents, help families who don't normally introduce books to their children and so much more.

Now Words Alive is active in 70 School and Community Site. They have 500 volunteers, and have served  7,600 children, teens, and families!

Don't take my word for it! You can learn more about this organization here: www.wordsalive.org. If you are a San Diego reader, you may even want to call them with questions or to get involved:  858-274-9673.

Words Alive is asking people to show how important reading is to them. They're requesting that people take a #shelfie to share their love of reading.

It's easy to do, just follow these steps:

Step 1: Take a #SHELFIE
Take a selfie in front of your bookshelf. We want to see you, what you’re reading and how books have a place in your life.

Step 2: Share your photo (You can tag me too, and I'll RT or share your photo as well!)
On Twitter @WordsAliveSD / @mELTingTeacher
On Facebook @Words Alive / @TheMeltingTeacher
On Instagram @WordsAliveSD / @meltingteacher
Use the following hashtag: #shelfie

Step 3: Invite your friends (and students) to join the movement and take a shelfie.

Finally, if you can, Help Words Alive build the home libraries of the kids and teens we serve. Follow this link for their Amazon wish list of titles.

I can't wait to see everyone's awesome shelfies :)

My New Reading List

I've been lucky when at raffles lately. The last conference I went to I won two books! 

Ashfall and Rigorous Reading
Ashfall is a young adult fiction novel centered around our world after a super-volcano erupts. I am really glad I got a chance to read it, as I think my students will really enjoy this addition to our classroom library.

Rigorous Reading is part of my ongoing Professional Development. My supervisor and I are reading the chapters together and we have monthly meeting to go over what we've read. It's a great way to be sure that we are using the same vocabulary and background when designing our plans.

Yesterday I had a chance to attend a conference on understanding and creating Essential Questions to help students learn and understand more effectively. My luck kept up and I brought home a baggie of goodies. In addition to a cell phone charger and a USB, I received a whole bag of books which have now been added to my, "to read" list.

Grading Smarter Not Harder,  Essential Questions, How to Design Questions and Tasks to Assess Student Thinking,
and Learning From Coaching,  

 





I look forward to getting a chance to read these, and share the ones I find the most useful!

Has anyone read any of these? Any recommendations on which ones to read?

SEVEN Great Alphabet Books

I think alphabet books are great for ALL levels of English classes. Lower level classes can use them to help improve their letter recognition. Whereas older students can mimic the templates the books provide and create their OWN alphabet books.

I really think having students create their own books is an AMAZING project! I am hoping to put up a step by step process (including worksheets) by Monday.

In the meantime, here are SEVEN alphabet books that I think are great for students to peruse.

This book has simple clipart-like graphics which I like because it shows students that their own book's graphics don't need to be overly complex.

It is easy for students because it follows a set pattern. LETTER is for ANIMAL and a(n) ANIMAL can't VERB like a DIFFERENT ANIMAL.
It uses rhymes, and repeats animals throughout the book making it easy for younger students to follow along. Note: some of the rhymes are partial rhymes which I normally avoid as a teacher. If.you are also that way, maybe you should skip this book.
Since it uses a pattern it is also a GREAT "template" for students to follow with other categories
People: "A is for astronaut and an astronaut can't speak languages like a polyglot!"
Food: "A is for apricot and an apricot isn't small like a kumquat."



You'll notice that a lot of alphabet books are about animals. While that's great, I encourage my students to pick creative themes. As such, I enjoy showing them The ABC's of Kindergarten since it isn't about animals!

The book itself isn't very fancy LETTER is for WORD. Then there's a sample sentence.
 Students can use this"template" if they like, though it isn't very creative.
H is for hamburgers. Our cafeteria's hamburgers are the best!

This one uses alternating rhymes, which my students struggle to understand. That is to say that there isn't a rhyme for each letter. Instead the rhyme for A is found at the end of B.

For example: "K is for kangaroo hop hop hop. L is for lion ready to chop."

The graphics are super adorable. Plus the writing is simplistic enough to be an attainable goal for your your students.  Even though this is about animals, it works well for all topics.

For example, "T is for a trombone. Being a really big trumpet, trombones are fun to play. U is for ukulele. This small guitar, coming from Hawaii, needs a lei. 


This is my FAVORITE alphabet book! The "star" of each letter is a composed of a made up monster.

The graphics show the monster surrounded by lots of words starting with the appropriate letter.

The sentence is very simple. For example: Being at the beach the belchamonster avoids the sun. The picture would then have a beach ball, a balloon, etc.

The creativity in this makes me feel like students could do something similar and have a LOT of fun.

Most of my students use clipart that they find online to make their alphabet books.

A few of them use pictures, but otherwise they don't get very creative. That's why I think this is a GREAT alphabet book.

Basically there are scenes made of bricks for each letter. The students are invited to examine the scene and find things that start with the given letter.

Very dynamic, involved and unique (compared to the other graphics).

This book is unique because each of the letters is designed to look like the animal. Some of them, like the octopus, are pretty good. Others, like the pig, involve some suspension of belief.

Another awesome part, is if you buy this book you can download the coloring book version for free and allow students to color in the book (perhaps making your own version for the class library?)

The text is written in limerick form. If you teach limericks in your class it could be fun to make your own limerick book!
This last book is fun because of the theme. The author didn't pick animals even though it is a book about rats. He picked the fun theme of pirates! He also made his book follow a plot!

Most of my students steer away from a plot when making their books, but I find that it can be a really fun way to put an alphabet book together. Plus, it makes it very engaging for the audience.

Just check out this trailer for the book:



Do you have a favorite alphabet book?