Visit this website for agriculture ideas to use in your classroom. This resource was featured during the annual IRC conference.
Anderson's Bookshop
Please visit their website for upcoming events at www.andersonsbookshop.com.
Early Learning Illinois
The
Early Learning Illinois campaign wants Illinois to lead the nation in
making available voluntary, high-quality preschool to all 3- and
4-year-olds; supporting parents as their children's first teachers; and
producing a highly qualified early childhood workforce.
Family Reading Night in Illinois
The
statewide celebration, Family Reading Night 2010 is scheduled for
Thursday, November 18, 2010. Family Reading Night also marks the start
of the three-day Illinois Authors Book Fair weekend. Sponsored by Jesse
White, Secretary of State and State Librarian, Family Reading Night is
celebrated annually in Illinois on the third Thursday in November.
Family Reading Night is a statewide event when families are encouraged
to spend quality time reading together.
Grade Level Bibliographies
A
special thank you to Louise Stearns from Southern Illinois University
for sharing these comprehensive listing of grade level bibliographies.
Illinois Association of Education of Young Children
The
vision of the Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children
is that every young child in Illinois will have access to the highest
quality of care and education. This website provides information about
membership and professional development opportunities for educators.
Illinois Center for the Book
Secretary
of State and State Librarian Jesse White is urging students in grades
4-12 to enter the 2010 "Letters About Literature" contest, a national
reading and writing contest sponsored by the Center for the Book in the
Library of Congress and the Illinois Center for the Book in the Library
of Congress and the Illinois Center for the Book in partnership with
Target. The program invites
4th - 12th grade students to read a book that interests them and
write a letter to the author explaining how the book changed their
view of the world or themselves. The contest consists
of three competition levels - Level I for grades 4 - 6, Level II for
grades 7 & 8 and Level III for grades 9 - 12. One state winner is
chosen for each level. State Level winners receive a $50 Target gift
card, a check from the Illinois Center for the Book and a plaque at
an awards ceremony. State level winners' letters are forwarded to
the National competition where six national winners (two at each
level) and twelve national honorable mentions (four at each level)
are selected. Each of the six national winners receive a $500 Target
gift card along with a $10,000 grant for their school or community
library for reading promotion for children and young adults. The
national honorable mentions will receive a $100 Target gift card and
a $1,000 grant for their school or community library. Students can enter
Letters About Literature through their schools, youth programs,
libraries or individually. The entry form and
guidelines are available at http://illinoiscenterforthebook.org.
Illinois Early Learning Project
The
Illinois Early Learning Web site is an effective means of providing
evidence-based, reliable information for parents, caregivers, and
teachers of young children in the State of Illinois. The Web site
offers printable Tip Sheets for caregivers and parents, Frequently
Asked Questions (and their responses), a statewide calendar of events
for parents and caregivers, an easy-to-use database of links to the
best of the Web on topics of high interest, and Online Chats.
Illinois Reading Recovery
The
19th Annual Early Literacy and Illinois Reading Recovery Conference
will be held on January 20-22, 2010 at the Chicago Marriott Downtown. The conference is designed to provide excellent
professional development opportunities for K-3 classroom teachers,
reading specialists, school and district administrators, board members,
special education professionals, and Reading Recovery staff. Optional
graduate credit and continuing education credit are available. Please visit www.illinoisreadingrecovery.org (click "conference" on the left) for more information or contact Ellen Swengel, Conference Coordinator, at (217) 359-7434.
Illinois School Library Media Association (ISLMA)
Illinois School Library Media Association (ISLMA) offers many conference and workshops, grants and awards, and other professional resources. You can also find the latest information on the Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award, the Monarch Award: Illinois' K-3 Children's Choice Award, and the Rebecca Caudill Award Illinois' Children's Choice Award, Grades 4-8.
Illinois State Board of Education
Illinois Library Association
The Illinois Library Association's cyberguide assists families through cyberspace, with definitions, safety tips, and over 100 suggested Web sites for children, educators, and parents. Shop ILA online to order books and brochures to help you through the day and find the IREAD summer reading promotional materials.
Illinois State Literacy Office
This site will direct you to many useful resources and provide details for literacy events such as Family Reading Night and Read for a Lifetime. Read for a Lifetime is the only statewide reading program targeting high school students.
Lincoln Recommended Sites
The Lincoln Museum
is a must see Springfield, Illinois attraction. People from all over
the country can discover or rediscover the sixteenth president through
this museum. Check out the museum and library's informative website.
The Abraham Lincoln Award
is awarded annually to the author of the book voted as most outstanding
by participating students in grades nine through twelve in Illinois.
The award is named for Abraham Lincoln, one of Illinois' most famous
residents and himself an avid reader and noted author. The award is
sponsored by the Illinois School Library Media Association (ISLMA). The
Abraham Lincoln Award is designed to encourage high school students to
read for personal satisfaction and become familiar with authors of
young adult and adult books.
The ultimate Lincoln Resource is Lincoln: A Photo biography
by Russell Freedman. This book, even though it has been around for
almost 18 years, is a "must have" for all teachers, especially those
who need to study up on our 16th president before teaching students
about him. Check out this website for more information on this valuable
resource.
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award
The
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award was developed to encourage
children and young adults to read for personal satisfaction. It is an
Illinois award for outstanding literature for young people and is
sponsored by the Illinois Reading Council, the Illinois School Library
Media Association, and the Illinois Association of Teachers of English.
This site includes student contest information and Caudill Award
winners.
The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
Are
you interested in writing and/or illustrating for children? Have you
written or illustrated a children's book but don't know what to do now?
Are you looking for a writing class, an illustration class, an agent?
Are you looking for a speaker for your bookstore, school or library?
This site has it all! Visit this link for information and resources.
Also, don't forget to check out the Spring crop of new books: Home Grown in Illinois." SCBWI Newsletter is also available online at www.intelligentlight.com/PrairieWind/