The 2014 Digital Learning Day is February 5. The event’s coordinators say, “Digital Learning Day is about giving every child the opportunity to learn in a robust digital environment every day, with the goal of success in college and career. We urge you to make a difference with digital learning in America’s schools and take the pledge to support the effective use of technology to improve education for all students.”
To celebrate this special day, the IRA Children’s Literature and Reading SIG brings ideas for incorporating books and technology into the K–12 classroom environment. Some books are lighthearted and fun and full of robotics where others present the latest uses of technology from drones to medical technology to the possibilities offered through science fiction. The potential of technology is endless, and this week’s column will share with teachers a few of the new books based on ideas from recent developments in the digital world.
ReadWriteThink has over 100 lesson plans dealing with digital learning ideas and integrated learning through print and digital media.
GRADES K-2
Arnold, Tedd. (2014). Fix this mess. New York: Holiday House.
Robug (short for: remote operating basic utility gizmo) arrives at Jake the dog’s house to clean up all the messes Jake has left lying everywhere. Robug gets busy flying around the house in Arnold’s signature hub bub of activity and colorful illustrations. As Jake watches Robug do his cleaning regime and dust, dirt and objects are flying. The debris just seems to settle in new places but nothing much has really changed—the place is still a mess with all the messes in new places! Maybe technology is not the answer, but better for Jake to do the clean-up…himself!
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant
Austin, Mike. (2014). Junkyard. New York: Beach Lane Books/Simon and Schuster Publishers.
Written in short, rhymed text and colored with vibrant illustrations, two trash-eating monsters are devouring all the trash lying around in the junkyard. Eating their way through broken toys and discarded household items and more, the two robots begin to clear the space into and around the junk heap while scampering mice run through the debris. Young listeners will enjoy the huge “Burp!” that comes from the robots after they have eaten tons of junk. As the space is cleared a new task begins, and the junk-eating monsters now turn the empty space into a playground, create a garden, and plant trees and flowers. Soon a lake and mountains appear. If young readers look closely they might spy some of the old junk recycled in ways that help create the new environment. This is a perfect read aloud for Earth Day or other spring or gardening moments.
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant
Brown, Sam. (2013). Sometimes I forget you’re a robot. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Group.
A young boy is yearning for a robot to take him on grand adventures, flying to places eager for discovery and play. One night, hearing a “beep, beep, beep” coming from right outside his window, the young boy gets his wish. Standing right there is a huge red robot. As the young boy and the robot become friends, however, the boy learns his robot can’t really do much. He can’t fly, or swim, or explore new places. Though disappointed at first, when the boy and his robot friend begin to build a tree house, the boy discovers his new friend has other talents like construction sense and strength when it comes to pounding nails and lifting boards as the progress on their tree house gets completed. The young boy learns that sometimes you can value people, or robots, for unexpected things. Debut author Sam Brown has produced child-friendly box and stick people illustrations with a gentle and subtle story about friendship.
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant
Luthardt, Kevin. (2013). When Edgar met Cecil. Atlanta: Peachtree Publishers.
Edgar and his family have just moved, leaving his best friend, Quincy, behind, and now he is the new kid in school of extraterrestrials. Everything at the new school seems weird to Edgar including the strange food, their bizarre clothes, and the weird music they like. Edgar is always alone at recess. He notices one big kid named Cecil is always staring at him, until one day the big kid comes over to him and tells Edgar that Edgar scares him. The two ETs get to know each other and discover they are not so different after all. Not mentioned in the text but told through the pictures is that when Edgar and his family move they leave in a spaceship and travel to an entirely new planet. Their sleek silver appearance is quite different from the creatures on the new planet that are colorful and shaped very differently from Edgar and his family. This is truly a picture book where text and pictures work together to let the story unfold. Teachers might like to tap into this 2-minute video created by the author/illustrator showing how he illustrated one of the pictures. It could be fun to use as a prewriting experience before reading the book.
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant
GRADES 3-5
Barnham, Kay. (2014). Could a robot make my dinner? and other questions about technology. Chicago: Heinemann/Raintree Publishers. Capstone Group.
A fun and recreational look at history and technology joining forces, this is one book in the series, “Read Me! Questions You Never Thought You’d Ask.” Full of illustrations and text boxes and factoids, this volume takes a hilarious look at things like, “Who was the first queen to use a toilet?” or from the title, “Could a robot make my dinner?” Other off-the wall observations question why cranes don’t fall over when standing on one leg or how do we really travel into outer space? These are questions that only the technology can answer. Colorful photographs add to the interesting though whimsical subject matter. This will be a great book for browsing or attracting reluctant readers with fun facts.
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant
Mattheson, Adrienne. (2014). Using digital maps. North Mankato, MN: Cherry Lake Publishing.
In this book, the author explains what digital maps really are. Researchers collect data and transform the data into a virtual image on a map that is “clickable” and interactive. These maps give accurate and up-to-date information about a particular region or area. GPS is becoming a household term and new cars come loaded with a GPS system so young readers will grow up knowing these digital maps are only but a finger tap away. Online map software has made it easy to move from the map/location to more detailed information about the identified area. Mattheson discusses some of the special features with a variety of kinds of digital maps. Large color photos, diagrams, text boxes, font sizes and types enhance the information included in the text. Teachers might like to check out the digital map available at the Digital Learning Day website. Listen to this NPR “All Things Considered” episode entitled: “For Kids of Cartographers, Digital Mapping Class Is In.” From the series “Information Explorer.”
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant
Rowell, Rebecca. (2014). Energy and waves through infographics. Graphics by Alex Sciuto. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications.
An old saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Apply that old adage to today’s technology and you have an infographic. Visual images are used to chart or diagram information and/or data in a way that can be interpreted easily to viewers. A plethora of information is included in this book in the forms of charts, maps, illustrations, timelines, bibliographic references and index. The infographics contain facts about energy and waves, discussing energy sources, the power grid, splitting atoms, sound waves, energy use, and saving energy. The visual graphics make it easier to understand some of the huge concepts and numbers behind some of these energy facts. For example in 2011, the United States consumed 35.3 quadrillion BTUs of petroleum or the fact that it took 300 million years for our fossil fuels to be created.
For teachers who would like to learn to create infographics with their students, visit the Teacher Tech Workshop website. In addition, the publisher, Lerner Publications has created a teaching guide to infographics in this series.
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant
Ventura, Marne. (2014). Google Glass and robotics innovator Sebastian Thrun. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications.
Born in Solingen, Germany, in 1967, Sebastian Thrun is an educator, programmer, robotics developer, and computer scientist. From the time he was a teenager he wanted to build machines that would help people. After attending the University of Bonn and the University of Hildesheim in Germany, he came to the United States. He was a professor at Stanford University for a number of years and out of those years and association he created Udacity, a new online higher education learning environment. He has built robots that include self-driving cars, robots that help trapped miners, and NurseBots that assist in the medical field. Strun also worked with Google where he founded Google X and most recently Google Glass. Google Glass is a new kind of eyewear that works as a computer. Visit Sebastian Thrun’s webpage for further background on this innovator.
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant
GRADES 6-12
Anniss, Matt. (2014). How does WiFi work? New York: Gareth Stevens Publishing.
Would you believe that the basic technology behind WiFi has been around for over 100 years? Though that seems hard to believe, WiFi uses radio wave technology to send and receive data. WiFi has become such a part of our lives and many (most?) people use it everyday. This book takes a look at the history and development of this technology including beginnings that date back to Nikola Tesla and other electronics innovators. Schools, restaurants, hotels, some airports, coffee shops, bookstores, and more offer Wifi service so that people can stay connected through their smartphones, tablets and computers. From the Gareth Stevens HighTech Science series.
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant
Harmon, Daniel. (2014). Publishing your e-book. Rosen Central.
Specifically written for teens that are interested in publishing their writing, how to get started in the e-book publishing world is outlined by the author. Once young writers have their stories written, now they need to know the steps toward electronic publishing. Guidelines for launching an e-book include choosing the platform and the platform-specific formatting required. Marketing their e-book is a critical next step. Author Daniel Harmon presents the actual experiences of a few teens that have published in the e-book market and explains their reasons for wanting to publish. In addition to offering helpful publishing information, this also serves as a writing guide suggesting tips and hints to improve and edit the writing before it goes to a reading audience. From the publisher’s Digital and Information Literacy, Set 6.
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant
More about Digital Learning:
Alliance for Excellent Education
http://all4ed.org/issues/digital-learning/
History and digital learning at the Library of Congress:
http://digitallearningday.org/learn-and-explore/digital-learning-tools/library-congress-toolkit/
PBS Learning Media
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/innovation/
21 Literacy Resources for the Digital Teacher
http://www.teachthought.com/featured/21-literacy-resources-for-the-digital-teacher/
Skype an Author Network
http://skypeanauthor.wikifoundry.com/
Digital Tools for Teachers
http://digitaltoolsforteachers.blogspot.com/
Digital Storytelling in the Classroom
http://digitaltoolsforteachers.blogspot.com/
Edutopia/ Tech2Learn
http://www.edutopia.org/tech-to-learn-classroom-technology-resources
Discovery Education resources
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/
Best Websites for Teaching and Learning, 2013. AASL
http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/best-websites/2013
Thinkfinity
http://www.thinkfinity.org/welcome
Mobile Apps for Learning
http://www.thinkfinity.org/docs/DOC-11693
eClassroom News
http://www.eclassroomnews.com/
Apps in Education
http://appsineducation.blogspot.com/
Technology Integration for Teachers
http://www.techforteachers.net/
Tech & Learning
http://www.techlearning.com/index
Udacity
https://www.udacity.com/
These reviews are submitted by members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Reading Today Online. The International Reading Association partners with the National Council of Teachers of English and Verizon Thinkfinity to produce ReadWriteThink.org, a website devoted to providing literacy instruction and interactive resources for grades K–12.