Grammar Minute!

Are you getting ready for those college essays? Maybe you just want to get a bit better at recognizing when it's okay to use to, two and too. What you need is a grammar refresher. Try the site below to bone up on all of the ins and outs of using there, their and they're, as well as the infamous accept and except. You might also want to check out the Grammar Girl podcast to get tips on the go as you ride the bus. 

Road to Grammar: Road to Grammar is also among the best website where people can learn advanced level of grammar. You can find many amazing and interactive quizzes as well as lesson that deficiently help you to nourish your grammar skills.
During my curation, I felt that these additional resources might also help you:

• Grammar Infographics

• Grammar Pinterest Board

Learning grammar is not a big deal; it just needs constant practice and dedication. Please provide your feedback in the comment box whether these resources are useful or not for you.
Happy Learning!

Forensic Career and Interview Tips

Take a look at all of these great resources to get your Forensic Career search started. We have interview tip videos, job search sites and resume templates. Start at GACollege411 to get the ball rolling.

Top 5 Ways to Integrate Technology

To ensure that students are immersed in 21st Century learning there is usually a knee-jerk reaction where teachers believe that they'll have to always be in the computer lab or have an iPad cart at the ready at all times. Untrue! Check out these simple ideas to make your room tech savvy.

•   Backchanneling - This refers to online feedback from your class. Using post-it notes as exit tickets are a low-tech version of back channeling. Use technology to get feedback from your students during or after class utilizing sites like Socrative.com or Padlet.com. This allows the student to use an iPad, an in class computer or their smartphone to answer questions, post questions or make comments. 

•   Collaborative Note Taking - While the Sage on the Stage may be losing traction in US classrooms, we still need lecture and students still need to take notes. You can streamline the process by using just one of your computers in the classroom or a laptop. Designate a student as the note-taker for the class and allow them type the notes in a Google Document. Google Docs will allow multiple users to edit a single document. All you need to do is send the link out or post on your website for students to review later. Check out this video tutorial on how to get started. https://vimeo.com/102131378 

•   Audiobooks - "Listen and Learn" is a new initiative at South Atlanta and by assigning or using podcasts and audiobooks in your classroom you can help students who may not be reading at grade level engage with great texts. You'll also be able to assign them individually or as group work by accessing them through the catalog and utilizing a few iPads.

•   QR Codes - Post videos, instructions, your syllabus or other materials around the classroom. Students or visitors can use their smartphones to access the line. Check out this video tutorial on how to get started .https://vimeo.com/102131234

HornetCon Recap

Maybe you missed HornetCon, but you can kind of get the idea from this short video and we'll see you next year. Congratulations to Senior Jasmine Shy who won 2 tickets to Atlanta Comic Con.

Your Next Five

Your Next Five is the newest and best thing to come to the South Atlanta Media Center since wireless mice. Don't know what to read next, or just want something "interesting"? Get a personalized reading list customized just for you. I guarantee you'll have at least 5 good titles to choose from that will keep you turning the pages long into those lazy Summer days.

Step 1: Compose an email with the subject line: Your Next Five
Step 2: Answer at least (2) two the following questions in the body:

• What was the last book you read that you liked?
• What is your favorite TV show?
• What kinds of movies do you like?
• What is your favorite genre? (Horror, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, etc.)

Step 3: Email your answers to samediacenter@gmail.com.

Summer Reading

 Summer is here! Don't let the slump get to you. We've got a few recommendations for you and your family from the district here:

Keeping students engaged during the summer month can be a challenge for all parents.  I write to share with you a few examples of community based resources available throughout the state that seek to address the issue lack of scholastic engagement during the summer for our children.   Please share this information with your family and friends as they too may see value in these opportunities for their children.

• Georgia's Summer Reading Challenge is a statewide effort from the Georgia Department of Education to encourage Georgia's schoolchildren to read for at least 15 to 30 minutes every day over the summer. "Find a Book, Georgia" is a mobile device “app” as well as a webpage that enables parents and children to use the child's Lexile score on the state standardized reading test to find appropriate books for the child.  http://www.gadoe.org/curriculum-instruction-and-assessment/curriculum-and-instruction/pages/georgia-summer-reading-challenge.aspx

 ·       Georgia's Summer Food Access Initiative, at the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, will provide healthy meals at libraries in 20 Georgia counties this summer using federal USDA funding in conjunction with language and literacy programming and health services to ensure that children have the vaccinations they need to begin school in August. To learn more about how your county can take part, contact Falita Flowers (falita.flowers@decal.ga.gov).
 ·       The Mayor's Summer Reading Club, organized by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, engages public and private partners to distribute free age-appropriate books to children, ages birth to 8, at family-friendly events held across the city over the summer months. http://www.mayorsreadingclub.org/

As for you big, bad and bold high school students you can keep up with us with our official Summer Reading List here at Amazon: http://amzn.com/lm/R2M12P8H19A0SG . You can also join our online book club at GoodReads here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/103392-south-atlanta-hornet-book-club

#HornetCon Raffle

HornetCon is almost wrapped, but there's one prize left for everyone who wants to geek out a little bit more. We're giving away two tickets to Atlanta Comic Con on Saturday, May 31st.

Enter the Contest here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway