Learn to Identify Pests with this Free Online Quiz-Like Game from Pest World. Another Good Resource for Summer Reading 2008. This is what the site says about the game: What’s that little thing you just caught? An insect? A rodent? A PEST! (No, your little brother doesn't count!) Answer pest questions to see if your critter is one of the common household pests that might threaten your health or damage stuff in your house.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Free Online Quiz Game - Identify Bugs and Pests - Summer Reading 2008
Learn to Identify Pests with this Free Online Quiz-Like Game from Pest World. Another Good Resource for Summer Reading 2008. This is what the site says about the game: What’s that little thing you just caught? An insect? A rodent? A PEST! (No, your little brother doesn't count!) Answer pest questions to see if your critter is one of the common household pests that might threaten your health or damage stuff in your house.
Pick Avatar - Find Bug Pests - Free Online Game - Play and Learn. Virtual Social Community Experience for Young Kids
Another Free Online Game from Pest World. Just like the Social Communities for Older Folks, Kids Can Pick an Avatar and Use the Computer Arrows to Find and Collect Pests Around the Home. Great Spy Music. Good Resource for 2008 Summer Reading. This is what the site says about the game: Pest Commander Pete and the rest of the Pest Rangers search out pest problems and save people everyday from pests! But they need your help this time! Wear super hero gear, see through walls, and outsmart the insects and rodents who have made your house into their home!
Free Online Computer Games - Learn About Ants and How to Use Computer Arrows
Another Free, Online Computer Game [from Pest World] that is perfect for 2008 Summer Reading. As the child moves the ant in and out of dangerous situations, he/she will learn about ants--and learn how to use the computer's arrow keys. This is what the site says about Archibald's Adventure Bug Game:
Help Archibald, the fussy odorous house ant find food for his whole colony! Keep him out of danger as you help him locate the sugar bowl on the kitchen counter and get back outside!
All About Bees - PBS Online with Live Video - Summer Reading
Just in Time for 2008 Summer Reading [All About Bugs]
Free Online Computer Drag and Drop Game - Create a Bug - Great for Summer Reading
For many states, the 2008 Summer Reading Theme is Bugs; and the Terminix site is a great place to find a "swarm" of buggy resources. Check out this free, online, drag and drop Create-A-Bug. The activity fosters creative thought; and it is also great for teaching how to use the computer. Also see the other Bug Activities below.
Free Online Bug Puzzle - Learn About Bugs and Have Fun
Another Free Online Bug Activity from Terminix.Warning: This Puzzle is Not Easy -- Older Kids Will Like This.
Create A Bug Mask - Free Online Activity
Just in Time for Summer Reading (It's All About Bugs in 2008), Terminix is offering a "swarm" of neat, free buggy things to make and do. Among other things, there are bug masks to print [in color and black and white] -- with all sorts of extra parts, like sunglasses, eyelashes, etc.
Here are the instructions provided at the Terminix site for creating a bug:
Create a Terminix Bug Mask anytime!
It doesn’t have to be Halloween to create a fun mask with your friends from Terminix. Make a mask for each member of your family, your best friend, next door neighbor or favorite babysitter. They will like having something special that you made for them.
Step 1: Pick out your favorite mask and print it out. Choose from black and white or color.
Step 2: Color your mask and any of the EXTRAordinary Bug Parts you like.
Step 3: Cut out your mask and bug parts carefully. (You may want to cut it out before you decorate it depending on what you will be adding to it.)
Step 4: Decorate your mask. Use your imagination and some items you may have around your house:
- Use glitter, sequins, beads, pasta, feathers, foil and other fun materials around the house to add color and excitement.
- Pipe cleaners make great antenna, crazy hair, glasses or braces, and can also be used to keep the mask on by attaching to sides of the mask and placing over your ears like glasses.
- Deflated balloons can be attached for a tongue, ears or hair.
- Use yarn or felt to make hair, mustache, beard or ears.
- Add some glue and small pieces of paper to make bumps and lumps.
- Make your mask and sturdy by gluing them onto construction paper, cardboard or poster board.
Step 5: Find a piece of regular string, elastic string or some large rubber bands to attach to the sides of the mask, or use pipe cleaners for each side that can go over your ears like glasses. You may want to ask a family member or friend to help you with this. Staple one end of the string onto the mask (the places for the staples are marked and are by the eyes), or cut a tiny hole and use a piece of string or elastic to tie through the hole. Measure how much string it will take to fit on your head. Trim the string down to the right size. Staple or tie the remaining side of the elastic to the other side of the mask.
Step 6: Put your mask on and show it to your family and friends. Wear a hat or cap with your mask for a different look.
The fun doesn’t have to stop now that you’ve finished. Dress up to match your mask so the rest of you looks as wacky or frightening as your mask does.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Birds of a Feather Flock Together and Other Sticky Situations on MySpace and Facebook
In the article "Viewing American class divisions through Facebook and MySpace,” Danah Boyd discusses some “sticky” issues concerning MySpace and Facebook.
Both of these virtual communities are relatively new. MySpace was launched in 2003 and Facebook in 2004. At this time, both communities serve large populations of young people.
Contrary to the superstitions of some, most members of MySpace and Facebook are not “networking.” In other words, they are not using their virtual communities as avenues to seek connections with absolute strangers.
In the article "Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship," Boyd & Ellison distinguish between the terms “social network” and “networking” as follows: "Networking" emphasizes relationship initiation, often between strangers. While networking is possible on these sites [online social communities], it is not the primary practice on many of them. . . . What makes social network sites unique is not that they allow individuals to meet strangers, but rather. . . these meetings are frequently between "latent ties" (Haythornthwaite, 2005) who share some offline connection."
As part of their community involvement, users are encouraged to create profiles that express their individual interests. Research indicates that in selecting the appearances of their profiles, users reflect even more about themselves. When visitors look at various profiles, they gravitate toward others who seem most like themselves. This discovering and connecting with the familiar becomes a cohesiveness—a glue that binds people within social groups. Thus, it is the “stickiness” that holds the networks together and brings users back again and again.
In the virtual world, it seems that it is also true that "birds of a feather flock together."
As researchers began to analyze which community various individuals tended to select, another type of stickiness began to surface--the kind of stickiness that seems to be pervasive, when attempting to say something that is awkward.
Although it seemed inappropriate--or perhaps tasteless--to mention it, Boyd began to note that people of the working class--the less educated--seemed more at home in MySpace and people of the more professional class seemed more at home at Facebook.
As she mentioned this trend, Boyd acknowledged that people don't generally like to openly admit issues having to do with social class. She acknowledged that the discussion was a "sticky" situation.
I don't know whether this suggests that virtual snobbery is alive and well; but it does seem to suggest that a virtual line has been drawn in the virtual sand of the virtual communities.
boyd, danah. 2007. "Viewing American class divisions through Facebook and MySpace ." Apophenia Blog Essay. June 24 . http://www.danah.org/papers/essays/ClassDivisions.html
boyd, d. m., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), article 11. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/boyd.ellison.htm
Both of these virtual communities are relatively new. MySpace was launched in 2003 and Facebook in 2004. At this time, both communities serve large populations of young people.
Contrary to the superstitions of some, most members of MySpace and Facebook are not “networking.” In other words, they are not using their virtual communities as avenues to seek connections with absolute strangers.
In the article "Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship," Boyd & Ellison distinguish between the terms “social network” and “networking” as follows: "Networking" emphasizes relationship initiation, often between strangers. While networking is possible on these sites [online social communities], it is not the primary practice on many of them. . . . What makes social network sites unique is not that they allow individuals to meet strangers, but rather. . . these meetings are frequently between "latent ties" (Haythornthwaite, 2005) who share some offline connection."
As part of their community involvement, users are encouraged to create profiles that express their individual interests. Research indicates that in selecting the appearances of their profiles, users reflect even more about themselves. When visitors look at various profiles, they gravitate toward others who seem most like themselves. This discovering and connecting with the familiar becomes a cohesiveness—a glue that binds people within social groups. Thus, it is the “stickiness” that holds the networks together and brings users back again and again.
In the virtual world, it seems that it is also true that "birds of a feather flock together."
As researchers began to analyze which community various individuals tended to select, another type of stickiness began to surface--the kind of stickiness that seems to be pervasive, when attempting to say something that is awkward.
Although it seemed inappropriate--or perhaps tasteless--to mention it, Boyd began to note that people of the working class--the less educated--seemed more at home in MySpace and people of the more professional class seemed more at home at Facebook.
As she mentioned this trend, Boyd acknowledged that people don't generally like to openly admit issues having to do with social class. She acknowledged that the discussion was a "sticky" situation.
I don't know whether this suggests that virtual snobbery is alive and well; but it does seem to suggest that a virtual line has been drawn in the virtual sand of the virtual communities.
boyd, danah. 2007. "Viewing American class divisions through Facebook and MySpace ." Apophenia Blog Essay. June 24 . http://www.danah.org/papers/essays/ClassDivisions.html
boyd, d. m., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), article 11. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/boyd.ellison.htm
Library Patrons Are Like Ships That Pass in the Night -- Social Networks Could Bring Them Into the Same Harbor
For many years, people have considered America’s librarians to be physical places—what Chris Anderson (Long Tail 2006) would call bricks and mortar places—that serve flesh and blood people.Many of the people who share the same libraries don’t actually know each other. Occasionally, they pass each other—like ships in the night—as they come and go. Woven into a library’s common web, they have what Boyd & Eillson (2007) call “latent ties.” They exist in a mutual community; but they don’t really connect. [Incidentally, statistics seem to indicate that the members of the traditional library community don’t actually come to the library very often either; and for many reasons their absences are felt.]
Libraries could learn several things from social communities—like MySpace and Facebook.
In another post, I discussed the manner in which like-minded people find each other in social networks. I discussed the cohesiveness that results from their virtual connections, saying the following: “When visitors look at various profiles, they gravitate toward others who seem most like themselves. This discovering and connecting with the familiar becomes a cohesiveness—a glue that binds people within social groups. Thus, it is the “stickiness” that holds the networks together and brings users back again and again.”
If libraries learn nothing else from social networks, they need to take note of this last trend. This “stickiness” that occurs when people connect.
In their article "Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship," Boyd & Ellison say that the people who ultimately connect in virtual communities actually had “latent ties” beforehand. Again, they were like ships in the night—merely passing. It was the connecting that mattered—that gave the relationship purpose—that brings the people back into the site again and again.
In her book Social Software in Libraries: Building Collaboration, Communication, and Community Online Meredith Farkas (2007) says that many libraries have become the “physical hubs” of their communities. (p. 73).
I certainly cannot speak for all of the nation’s libraries; but from what I have observed, I would amend Farkas and say that a few libraries have become their communities’ physical hubs. I would say that most libraries have the potential to be that physical hub; but that they fail to step up to the plate.
When I think of a wheel and a hub, I think of spokes that connect and circulate—that function as a unit. Ships that pass in the night are not wheels—they are not hubs. The library needs to find ways to pull its ships into the same harbor. Social networks—virtual communities could help.
Anderson, Chris. ( 2006). The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More.
boyd, danah. 2007. "Viewing American class divisions through Facebook and MySpace ." Apophenia Blog Essay. June 24 . http://www.danah.org/papers/essays/ClassDivisions.html
boyd, d. m., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), article 11. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/boyd.ellison.htm
Farkas, Meredith. (2007). Social Software in Libraries: Building Collaboration, Communication, and Community Online.
Library Patrons Are Like Ships That Pass in the Night -- Social Networks Could Bring Them Into the Same Harbor
For many years, people have considered America’s librarians to be physical places—what Chris Anderson (Long Tail 2006) would call bricks and mortar places—that serve flesh and blood people.
Many of the people who share the same libraries don’t actually know each other. Occasionally, they pass each other—like ships in the night—as they come and go. Woven into a library’s common web, they have what Boyd & Eillson (2007) call “latent ties.” They exist in a mutual community; but they don’t really connect. [Incidentally, statistics seem to indicate that the members of the traditional library community don’t actually come to the library very often either; and for many reasons their absences are felt.]
Libraries could learn several things from social communities—like MySpace and Facebook.
In another post, I discussed the manner in which like-minded people find each other in social networks. I discussed the cohesiveness that results from their virtual connections, saying the following: “When visitors look at various profiles, they gravitate toward others who seem most like themselves. This discovering and connecting with the familiar becomes a cohesiveness—a glue that binds people within social groups. Thus, it is the “stickiness” that holds the networks together and brings users back again and again.”
If libraries learn nothing else from social networks, they need to take note of this last trend. This “stickiness” that occurs when people connect.
In their article "Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship," Boyd & Ellison say that the people who ultimately connect in virtual communities actually had “latent ties” beforehand. Again, they were like ships in the night—merely passing. It was the connecting that mattered—that gave the relationship purpose—that brings the people back into the site again and again.
In her book Social Software in Libraries: Building Collaboration, Communication, and Community Online Meredith Farkas (2007) says that many libraries have become the “physical hubs” of their communities. (p. 73).
I certainly cannot speak for all of the nation’s libraries; but from what I have observed, I would amend Farkas and say that a few libraries have become their communities’ physical hubs. I would say that most libraries have the potential to be that physical hub; but that they fail to step up to the plate.
When I think of a wheel and a hub, I think of spokes that connect and circulate—that function as a unit. Ships that pass in the night are not wheels—they are not hubs. The library needs to find ways to pull its ships into the same harbor. Social networks—virtual communities could help.
Anderson, Chris. ( 2006). The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More.
boyd, danah. 2007. "Viewing American class divisions through Facebook and MySpace ." Apophenia Blog Essay. June 24 . http://www.danah.org/papers/essays/ClassDivisions.html
boyd, d. m., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), article 11. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/boyd.ellison.htm
Farkas, Meredith. (2007). Social Software in Libraries: Building Collaboration, Communication, and Community Online.
Many of the people who share the same libraries don’t actually know each other. Occasionally, they pass each other—like ships in the night—as they come and go. Woven into a library’s common web, they have what Boyd & Eillson (2007) call “latent ties.” They exist in a mutual community; but they don’t really connect. [Incidentally, statistics seem to indicate that the members of the traditional library community don’t actually come to the library very often either; and for many reasons their absences are felt.]
Libraries could learn several things from social communities—like MySpace and Facebook.
In another post, I discussed the manner in which like-minded people find each other in social networks. I discussed the cohesiveness that results from their virtual connections, saying the following: “When visitors look at various profiles, they gravitate toward others who seem most like themselves. This discovering and connecting with the familiar becomes a cohesiveness—a glue that binds people within social groups. Thus, it is the “stickiness” that holds the networks together and brings users back again and again.”
If libraries learn nothing else from social networks, they need to take note of this last trend. This “stickiness” that occurs when people connect.
In their article "Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship," Boyd & Ellison say that the people who ultimately connect in virtual communities actually had “latent ties” beforehand. Again, they were like ships in the night—merely passing. It was the connecting that mattered—that gave the relationship purpose—that brings the people back into the site again and again.
In her book Social Software in Libraries: Building Collaboration, Communication, and Community Online Meredith Farkas (2007) says that many libraries have become the “physical hubs” of their communities. (p. 73).
I certainly cannot speak for all of the nation’s libraries; but from what I have observed, I would amend Farkas and say that a few libraries have become their communities’ physical hubs. I would say that most libraries have the potential to be that physical hub; but that they fail to step up to the plate.
When I think of a wheel and a hub, I think of spokes that connect and circulate—that function as a unit. Ships that pass in the night are not wheels—they are not hubs. The library needs to find ways to pull its ships into the same harbor. Social networks—virtual communities could help.
Anderson, Chris. ( 2006). The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More.
boyd, danah. 2007. "Viewing American class divisions through Facebook and MySpace ." Apophenia Blog Essay. June 24 . http://www.danah.org/papers/essays/ClassDivisions.html
boyd, d. m., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), article 11. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/boyd.ellison.htm
Farkas, Meredith. (2007). Social Software in Libraries: Building Collaboration, Communication, and Community Online.
Does Pop Culture Deliver Stupidity? No! The Current Is Too Fast For That!
The pendulum is in motion! With every swing, new technology adds more bells and whistles to the Pop Culture Toy Chest. Information eddies and rushes, from a stream that is ever-widening. No need for today's kid researchers to go to the library--to pull out the card catalogs and periodicals. Research is at home--at the tip of one's fingers.
Life is simple. Kids today have it made--right?
NO!
I have been in the teaching and parenting business for many years; and I have watched a few trends come and go. It might seem that kids today are on Easy Street. It might seem that because of all of the research time that they are saving, that they should be able to prop up their feet, eat, drink, make merry, surf around, video game themselves down the drain, and still manage to do their homework.
It might seem that Pop Culture has delivered to kids a recipe for Slovenly Stupidity; but that is not what I have observed.
True--kids today have more gadgets that would ostensibly make research and schooling simpler; but they are expected to do twice as much work, too.
More ground is covered faster in classes; and more and more classes are added to the curricula.
Getting into a good college becomes more difficult each year.
College-bound kids are tutored for the SAT, because SAT scores can make them or break them.
For a group who are often characterized as lazy and spoiled, kids today function under a great amount of pressure. They are walking on a very thin tightrope. Just getting from Point A to Point B requires a certain amount of savvy.
I don't know how anyone could believe that Pop Culture is making kids today stupid. Kids today are functioning at a higher level than at any other time in history. Even today's games are tough!
In his book Everything Bad Is Good For You, Steven Johnson, discusses how very un-fun today's games can often be:
"The dirty little secret of gaming is how much time you spend not having fun. You may be frustrated; you may be confused or disoriented; you may be stuck." (p. 25).
Even at play, today's kids function at intense levels. To resolve game issues, they are required to undertake engineering and strategic missions that many would not tackle for money.
Is Pop Culture Stimulating? Yes!
Does Pop Culture Deliver Stupidity? Hardly!
Today's Pop Culture might offer a bit of comic relief and an occasional breath of fresh air to today's kids; but kids today have little time to wallow in stupidity. The current is too fast. Kids today can barely stay afloat.
If we really want to discuss the problems with today's culture -- that is it.
Kids today can barely stay afloat. The current is too fast.
Johnson, Steven. (2005). Everything ad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter. New York: Penguin Group.
Image from www.booksamillion.com
Is It True That Everthing "Bad" Is Good for Us -- or Do We Merely Need to Re-Define "Bad"
Let's play a game. Everyone close your eyes and focus for a second. When I say a word, don't speak--just visualize the word that I have said.
Okay -- Get Ready -- Here's the Word: "Library."
Of course, I can't say this for sure; but I bet most of you thought about a physical place--probably of bricks and glass--filled with books. It was probably a quiet place. It may have even been a fairly empty place--in regards to patrons. Yet, the patrons and the staff that you envisioned were probably flesh and blood humans--and the library and books were probably also real, and tangible.
If this is fairly close to what you have envisioned, you are correct--at least as far as the traditional concept of a library goes; but you are only partially correct, in terms of the ways that things are evolving.
The traditional library was created in the 19th century. This is the 21st century. In the 19th century, books were the stock and trade of the library. In the 21st century, books are only part of what the library must encompass. Now, libraries are challenged to also function digitally--to deal with bits--as well as books.
Things have changed. Information itself has changed. The needs of the patrons have changed. If the library hopes to continue to serve the patrons, it must also change--in many ways.
But the primary change that is required is one of attitude.
Above all else, today's library must be open. It must be willing to consider new ideas, new data, and new ways of doing things, because these new ideas, this new data, and these new ways of doing things ARE the patrons--and most importantly, the Patrons ARE the library.
A library for today's patrons--especially for today's younger patrons--must include options for electronic gaming, music, dvd's, computers, technological gadgets, multimedia software, etc. Many potential patrons, who would prefer to never read another book, would enjoy these other services and items.
It is important for the library to realize that these other items--that these other non-book services have significant merit, in their own rights.
In his book, Everything Bad is Good For You, Steven Johnson discusses the merits of the nonliterary popular culture. Among other things, he says the following:
"Increasingly, the nonliterary popular culture is honing different mental skills that are just as important as the ones exercised by reading books." (p. 23).
Most libraries need to expand their services so that the 21st century patrons are served in the media that THEY deem to be valid.
The library can elect to keep doing things the same, old, bricks and mortar, books-only, 19th century way--and hope that an occasional fly will flit through the building. Or it can opt to change and serve today's patrons, just the way that they are--not the way that the library wishes that they were.
When In Rome Do As the Romans Do.
When In the 21st Century Do As the 21st Centurians Do --
Or Don't Do As the 21st Centurains Do. Those are our options.
But if the choice is the latter, we should not be surprised to discover that funding is affected. After all, if the taxpayers are not being served by the library, why should the taxpayers continue to support it?
In summary, I'd like to return to my original point: the primary change that is required is one of attitude.
I have to think that the title of Steven Johnson's book [Everything Bad Is Good For You] is a tease. The title should actually be something along the line of: Many Things That You Traditionally Have Thought Were "Bad" Are Actually Good For You: Let's Reconsider the Meaning of "Bad." Let's Examine Our Attitudes.
Johnson, Steven. (2005). Everything ad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter. New York: Penguin Group.
Okay -- Get Ready -- Here's the Word: "Library."
Of course, I can't say this for sure; but I bet most of you thought about a physical place--probably of bricks and glass--filled with books. It was probably a quiet place. It may have even been a fairly empty place--in regards to patrons. Yet, the patrons and the staff that you envisioned were probably flesh and blood humans--and the library and books were probably also real, and tangible.
If this is fairly close to what you have envisioned, you are correct--at least as far as the traditional concept of a library goes; but you are only partially correct, in terms of the ways that things are evolving.
The traditional library was created in the 19th century. This is the 21st century. In the 19th century, books were the stock and trade of the library. In the 21st century, books are only part of what the library must encompass. Now, libraries are challenged to also function digitally--to deal with bits--as well as books.
Things have changed. Information itself has changed. The needs of the patrons have changed. If the library hopes to continue to serve the patrons, it must also change--in many ways.
But the primary change that is required is one of attitude.
Above all else, today's library must be open. It must be willing to consider new ideas, new data, and new ways of doing things, because these new ideas, this new data, and these new ways of doing things ARE the patrons--and most importantly, the Patrons ARE the library.
A library for today's patrons--especially for today's younger patrons--must include options for electronic gaming, music, dvd's, computers, technological gadgets, multimedia software, etc. Many potential patrons, who would prefer to never read another book, would enjoy these other services and items.
It is important for the library to realize that these other items--that these other non-book services have significant merit, in their own rights.
In his book, Everything Bad is Good For You, Steven Johnson discusses the merits of the nonliterary popular culture. Among other things, he says the following:
"Increasingly, the nonliterary popular culture is honing different mental skills that are just as important as the ones exercised by reading books." (p. 23).
Most libraries need to expand their services so that the 21st century patrons are served in the media that THEY deem to be valid.
The library can elect to keep doing things the same, old, bricks and mortar, books-only, 19th century way--and hope that an occasional fly will flit through the building. Or it can opt to change and serve today's patrons, just the way that they are--not the way that the library wishes that they were.
When In Rome Do As the Romans Do.
When In the 21st Century Do As the 21st Centurians Do --
Or Don't Do As the 21st Centurains Do. Those are our options.
But if the choice is the latter, we should not be surprised to discover that funding is affected. After all, if the taxpayers are not being served by the library, why should the taxpayers continue to support it?
In summary, I'd like to return to my original point: the primary change that is required is one of attitude.
I have to think that the title of Steven Johnson's book [Everything Bad Is Good For You] is a tease. The title should actually be something along the line of: Many Things That You Traditionally Have Thought Were "Bad" Are Actually Good For You: Let's Reconsider the Meaning of "Bad." Let's Examine Our Attitudes.
Johnson, Steven. (2005). Everything ad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter. New York: Penguin Group.
Rock Band Rocks!
My son and I just finished playing a game of Rock Band on his Xbox 360 entertainment system. For months I have been hearing the constant rhythmic thumping of the electronic drumset (included with the game) without realizing exactly what was going on, but I finally got a chance to try it first-hand tonight. When I went downstairs to ask him to play one of his games with me, he was already playing the guitar (also included with the game), clicking the color-coded buttons in rhythm as they made their way down the screen at a seemingly impossible pace. I decided I would give the drums a try. Within minutes (after choosing a much easier difficulty level), we were playing songs as unique parts of the fictional band that we created in the game. We played songs by all kinds of artists, ranging from the grungy sound of Nirvana to the more vintage sound of bands from my era, like Mountain. It was interesting to play the game, because not only was it incredibly addicting and fun, we both had the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company and also enjoy music from each other’s unique generations.
We virtually performed them in the game together. It was very refreshing to play a game like this. That, in itself, is a reward--to have a common ground with my teenager.
The object of the game is not violent or antagonistic; rather, it is entirely cooperative. I hope games like this continue to be popular with today’s youth as they promote much better values while still managing to be incredibly fun.
We virtually performed them in the game together. It was very refreshing to play a game like this. That, in itself, is a reward--to have a common ground with my teenager.
The object of the game is not violent or antagonistic; rather, it is entirely cooperative. I hope games like this continue to be popular with today’s youth as they promote much better values while still managing to be incredibly fun.
Family-Friendly and Affordaable, The Nintendo Wii Is A Great Game System
After conducting research online to decide which videogame console I would buy for my library, I finally decided that I would buy a Nintendo Wii.
The Nintendo Wii is family-friendly. It is very easy to play, as it utilizes a very simple controller (shaped similarly to a standard TV remote, but smaller) that has the fewest buttons of the three main entertainment consoles available. However, what really makes the Nintendo Wii’s controller stand out is its ability to recognize and implement the user’s physical movements in-game for a truly interactive experience.
Most games on the Nintendo Wii are also very easy to jump into and play. Many of these games are designed for many people to play at the same time. These games help bring people together and strengthen the feeling of community; but what’s more than all of this, the games are just plain fun to play.
The Nintendo Wii is family-friendly. It is very easy to play, as it utilizes a very simple controller (shaped similarly to a standard TV remote, but smaller) that has the fewest buttons of the three main entertainment consoles available. However, what really makes the Nintendo Wii’s controller stand out is its ability to recognize and implement the user’s physical movements in-game for a truly interactive experience.
Most games on the Nintendo Wii are also very easy to jump into and play. Many of these games are designed for many people to play at the same time. These games help bring people together and strengthen the feeling of community; but what’s more than all of this, the games are just plain fun to play.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
How to Use KidReadz : Open 24/7 - The Online, Virtual Children's Librarian
Please take a look at this short video clip, which introduces the KidReadz Service [A Virtual Children's Librarian] that soon will be launched. This short video tells you something about KidReadz, which is a virtual community for children of the Picture Book Age. The video explains how teachers can use the service to find curricula and lesson plans to use picture books in their classrooms.In addition, this video clip tells a bit about sites for teens and children of other ages, that are also coming soon.
KidReadz and all of the other services are divisions of ReadyReadz -- A Virtual Youth Librarian.
In addition, this video clip tells a bit about sites for teens and children of other ages, that soon will be launched.
KidReadz and all of the other services are divisions of ReadyReadz -- A Virtual Youth Librarian.
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