The Prep as we know it...

The Phoenix Preparatory Academy as we know it has closed its doors. The facility will reopen as University of Public Schools - Phoenix. The school is part of the University Public Schools Initiative. Read more here.

ELL Students and Holiday Readers Theatre

Middle school students from Mrs. Valdez's classroom, many who spoke no or very little English at the beginning of the school year, recently participated in video production using Holiday Readers Theatre* scripts. Below are two of the videos...

A PINCH OF GREEN On Saint Patrick's Day, not only does everyone pretend to be Irish, but they all wear green. In some places, if you don't wear green, you get pinched, as Oiner has just found out...

A HAPPY EASTER The story describes Czechoslovakian traditions surrounding the pomlaska and Easter eggs.

* Holiday Readers Theatre Pfeffinger, Charla R.. Holiday Readers Theatre. Englewood, CO: Teacher Ideas Press, 1994. Print.

What can you do with a good book?

As a result in demonstrating the video production process, we came up with this video telling about the potential value of a book. A simple message.

Blogging through History

CBS' Sunday Morning, Fast Draw, presents a video comparing blogs to newpapers...interesting!

They write...

"With newspapers down and online blogs up, it is hard to know what is credible and what is not. As Josh Landis and Mitch Butler show, this format is old hat."

Watch CBS Videos Online

Prep Students Create Video Book Commercials

In order to promote books in our Media Center, Media Center student assistants and students from the broadcast class created or are in the process of creating video book commercials that can be played during our morning announcements, Coyote Tracks.

Below are some examples of our students' efforts.

"This I Believe" in the Classroom

Explore NPR's "This I Believe" audio/web site features. It's a great way to incoporate writing and listening skills with vocabulary development in conjunction with social issues.

The NPR provides links For Educators, For Youth, Essay-writing Tips, and a Download Middle School Curriculum.

Take a peek and listen to some of the audio essays read/listened by youth! See Top 25 Most Read Youth Essays This Week to get an idea of youth generated essays.

From the NPR site....

What is This I Believe?

This I Believe is an international project engaging people in writing, sharing, and discussing the core values that guide their daily lives. These short statements of belief, written by people from all walks of life, are archived here and featured on public radio in the United States and Canada, as well as in regular broadcasts on NPR. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow.

Examples of Featured Essay

Thirty Things I Believe
When Tarak McLain’s kindergarten group celebrated their 100th day of class, some kids brought 100 nuts or cotton balls. Tarak brought a list of 100 things he believes. Now a first-grader, Tarak shares his top beliefs about God, life, nature and war. Click here for the full essay

A Priceless Lesson in Humility
When a blind woman approached Felipe Morales, he thought she wanted money, when all she really needed was directions. The incident reminded Morales about the risks of prejudging people, and taught him a valuable lesson about humility in his own life. Click here for the full essay

Caring Makes Us Human
When a stray cat came into the yard at a Michigan prison, Troy Chapman and his fellow inmates discovered they enjoyed caring for the cat. The experience helped Chapman realize how much he missed kindness—receiving it as well as giving it. Click here for the full essay

Life Is Wonderfully Ridiculous
Claude Knobler hoped to have a successful Hollywood career. Instead his resume lists working as a private eye, delivering singing telegrams in a gorilla suit, and being a stay-at-home dad. Knobler believes this ridiculous life is perfect for him. Click here for the full essay

Listen to more Essays on NPR's Radio

The Presidential Inauguration

From the The Best Sites For Learning About The Presidential Inauguration by Larry Ferlazzo, check out some of the links from his blog....

National Geographic has a good article and slideshow about the history inaugurations.

EL Civics has a good lesson for English Language Learners on Presidential Inaugurations.

The Washington Post’s Inauguration Central has multimedia resources on just about every aspect of this upcoming inauguration and the ones that came previously!

The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies also has a number of resources...an explanation of Inauguration Day Events.