Workshop Descriptor:

Kate DiCamillo said, "Life without books is meaningless, they are light in the darkness." Books hold the light that will conquer the darkness in our curriculum, in our preparation for standardized testing, and most importantly, for a LIFELONG LOVE OF LEARNING. Character lessons, academic skills, and authentic life skills are transmitted through exciting ways as a natural part of fine literature. Hone those skills in our workshop and guide, Light in the Darkness. Life is not a drill-kill-test! It is true heroes facing everyday challenges, lighting candles of character and hope to destroy darkness of family breakdown, terrorism, peer pressure, fears, depression, and substance abuse. These heroes are present in the best literature for children!

Let this award-winning literature lead your students into an active, integrated curriculum that is rich in character, reading and math skills, science, social studies, research, problem solving, internet projects, and FUN...all keyed into Gardner's Multiple Intelligences and TEKS objectives with the creative TAKS practice. This authentic learning will help improve your students' preparation for the future...preparation that values right over wrong from character to TAKS! Literature will turn on the lights of learning!

Participants will receive a 272 page guide filled with unique, active ideas--excellent for literary circles as well as for individual and whole class interaction. The units can be used for exciting parent participation in your school's tutoring program! Join us for a breath of fresh curriculum that includes laughter, songs, character building, and problem solving through literature.

Workshop Focus:
Using the The Texas Bluebonnet Book Master List^SM and other award-winning literature as a vehicle, this workshop will focus on infusing the TEKS into an integrated, character-based curriculum correlated with Gardners' multiple intelligences. Based on flexible, fluent, and creative thinking, the activities inspire and challenge students to develop problem solving skills. Practice on high level skills will be included in the newest TAKS format as well as through logic puzzles, real-life projects, music, and cooperative learning.

Participants will ~
...receive 6 hours of gifted and talented credit
...be familiar with the content and possibilities of in the newest award-winning literature
...participate in problem solving extensions of the books.
...explore internet and library resources that enable students to grow skillful in research and project building.
...understand the importance of their role in weaving character into every aspect of a child's life.

Workshop Schedule

"Texas Bluebonnet Award^SM is a service mark of the Texas Library Association, which is in no way affiliated with Kids' Wings or Suzy Red. Use of the Texas Bluebonnet Award mark in Kids' Wings web pages and/or materials does not imply any endorsement of any kind on behalf of the Texas Library Association. The Texas Bluebonnet Book Master List^SM was selected by the Texas Bluebonnet Award Committee of the Texas Library Association."