Post #16: Teacher Laptop Updates, Headphones, TumbleBooks,




A few updates this week. As always, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.


Teacher Laptop Updates: It's that time of year where we need to update the operating system (OS) on our mac teacher laptops (not TA laptops). Joe will start these updates the week of March 11th. I have created a sign-up sheet to assist with this process.


Please:
  • back up your files to the server, or external drive (here are directions on how to do so)
  • the update should take about 90 minutes

If you should have any questions or concerns, please let me know.

Headphones: All of the loaner headphones from the computer lab are missing. If you have any of these headphones in your room, please remind students to return them to the lab after each use so that others may borrow headphones too. Thank you.


TumbleBooks: Ways to integrate TumbleBooks in March...

March is a PUNNY month!
Start the month off with the delightfully PUNNY TumbleTune classic: The Ants go MARCHing!
March 2: Read Across America Day
 
March 2nd is the birthday of the celebrated poet, and children's author, Theodor Seuss Geisel... AKA Dr. Seuss! And in honor of his birthday, we celebrate "Read Across America Day" with the TumbleBook "How Do You Read to a Rabbit?"
March 3: World Wildlife Day
 
"Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out" is a classic TumbleBook that depicts the lives and struggles of one of Mother Nature's most vulnerable creatures: the Sea Turtle.
On World Wildlife Day, we take a moment to acknowledge how important it is to safeguard the natural world from pollution, habitat destruction, and other human threats so that such beautiful creatures can thrive in the wild for generations to come.
March 4: National Grammar Day
Mgn wht th wrld wld lk lk f thr wr n vwls? T mght lk smthng lk ths!!
Translation: Imagine what the world would look like if there were no vowels? It might look something like this!!
Join the Vowel Family's adventure as TumbleBooks celebrates National Grammar Day!
March 8: National Women's Day
March 8th is National Women's Day: A day to honor the achievements and the struggles of women all over the United States - and the world!
"Ruby's Wish" is a story about a little girl named Ruby, living in China many years ago. All she wants is to go to school!
It may seem like a simple wish, and one that's easy to take for granted in 21st century America, but without the perseverance of girls and women like Ruby, women's rights would not be what it is today.
"Clever Beatrice" is a delightful tale of an ingenious little girl who outsmarts a giant, showing that there's nothing you can't achieve without a little bit of brainpower and courage!

March 9-10: Daylight Savings Begins!
"Spring forward / Fall Back" ... It's that time of year again!
It's the time of year when many parts of the world (especially most of The United States and Canada) adjust their clocks by 1 hour, to coincide with Daylight Savings Time.
As you set your clocks ahead by 1 hour before bed on March 9th, why not read "What Is The Sun" to learn more about what makes our sun shine so brightly? Or enjoy a little hedgehog's dedication to the sun in "Hello Sun!"

March 14: "Pi" Day!
 
Why is March 14th's known as "Pi Day"?? No, it's not "Pie Day"! (sorry, dessert-lovers! Put down those apples!)
It's because it's the 14th day of the 3rd month! 3/14... just like Pi: 3.14
Or, if you're nerdy (and loving it!) like us Tumblers, it's 3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693... *deep breath*...99375105820974944592307... we could go on! but we shouldn't! Pi has an INFINITE number of decimal points!
Enjoy "Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi" and learn more about how important this number is when measuring a circle!

March 15: The "Ides of March"
In Ancient Rome, a soothsayer told Julius Caesar to beware the Ides of March - also known as March 15th.
Unfortunately, he didn't listen very well and met an untimely - and bloody - end at the hands of some conspiring Roman politicians.
Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar" recounts this unfortunate tale, but it's a bit too much for our young readers. If you're interested, you can find a copy on TeenBookCloud though!
Instead, enjoy "A Midsummer Night's Dream"! It's a graphic novel based on Shakespeare's play and is a great way to introduce Shakespeare to your grade 4-6 readers!
*Please Note: this title is only available on TumbleBookLibrary Premium, and may not be suitable for children under 8-9 years old.

March 16: Happy Birthday Peter H. Reynolds!
Born on this day in 1956, Peter H. Reynolds turns 63 today. Happy Birthday!
Peter H. Reynolds is a prolific and award-winning children's book author and illustrator, and a staple of TumbleBookLibrary!
"The North Star" is a new TumbleBook we hope you enjoy! Also check out Peter's other TumbleBooks: "Ish", "The Dot", "Rose's Garden", and more!
March 17: St. Patrick's Day
Happy St. Patrick's Day, Tumblers! May the "luck of the Irish" be with you and your families!
But wait! A greedy Leprechaun King has stolen all the luck in Ireland! Can Fiona outsmart the king and restore luck to the land?!
March 20: First Day Of Spring (Vernal Equinox)
On March 20th, North America officially says goodbye to winter and HELLO to warmer weather!
Use the classic TumbleBook "Our Seasons" in your classrooms and story times to discuss how our weather changes from season to season throughout the year!
March 21: World Poetry Day
TumbleBooks is full of delightfully poetic... and poetically delightful storybooks! But did you know we also have several poems, and books inspired by poetry on TumbleBookLibrary?
On March 21st, we celebrate World Poetry Day with "Casey And Derek on the Ice" which is a new take on the classic "Casey at the Bat"! (Which you can also find in the Read-Along section of TumblePremium Subscriptions.
March 21: Full Moon
Look up! Waaaay UP! The moon! Do you see it up there in the night sky?
How could you miss it?
That's right! Tonight, March 21th, 2019, is the night of the Full Moon! It's the night - which happens once every 28 days - when the full light of the moon's bright side is facing the earth!
Learn more about the phases of the moon with this TumbleBook, "Faces of the Moon".
March 22: World Water Day
 March 22 is World Water Day: A day to reflect on the importance of one of the world's most vital resources.
Why is water so important in nature? to animals and plant life? to the weather? to humans?
TumbleBooks' video "Why Care About Water" from National Geographic will explore these ideas, and more.
March 23: National Puppy Day!
They say that dogs are humans' best friends!
And here at TumbleBooks, we think the reverse is true too! ... that humans are dogs' best friends!
The classic TumbleBook "Always" is a book about how much a little puppy LOVES his girl and, for the love of dogs, it is a perfect way to celebrate National Puppy Day!
March 25: Happy Birthday, Kate DiCamillo!
Born on this day in 1964, Kate DiCamillo turns 55 today. Happy Birthday!
Kate DiCamillo is a best-selling and award-winning children's book author, and a staple of TumbleBookLibrary!
"Bink & Gollie, Best Friends Forever: Empire of Enchantment" is one of our favorite TumbleBooks - we hope you enjoy! Also check out Kate's other TumbleBooks: "Mercy Watson" Series, MORE "Bink & Gollie" books, "Louise the Adventures of a Chicken", and more!
March 28: Happy Birthday, Doreen Cronin!
Born on this day in 1966, Doreen Cronin turns 53 today. Happy Birthday!
Doreen Cronin is one of our favorite authors, and some of her books - like the Diary series - have been with us from the beginning!
We hope you continue to enjoy her books, like "Diary of a Fly", as much as we do! Also be sure to check out "Diary of a Spider", "Diary of a Worm", "Stretch", "Wiggle", and a new book we have coming soon: "Bloom"!
March 31: César Chávez Day
César Chávez was an American labor leader who lived between 1927 and 1993. He founded the United Farm Workers union, and passionately fought for workers' rights.
TumbleBooks' "Helping Out is Cool" is a great way to help teach your students about social responsibility and thoughtfulness, in honor of César Chávez Day on March 31st.