Workshop Descriptor:

Title: TRANSFORMERS, Award-Winning Literature with Classroom-Ready Curriculum for Grades 3-6.

Books: More than 20 cross-genre selections from respected literature-award lists including the Junior Library Guild, Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List^SM and Kids' Wings Award Books.

Audience: Librarians, Teachers, and Administrators Grades 3-6 (Bring a FRIEND!)

Descriptor and Focus:
Have you ever played with those little trucks that, in the hands of a child, become everything from monsters to superheroes? On the outside they appear to be mundane, lifeless toys, but you know that clever little fingers will find the right twists and turns to magically create incredible change.

Nature is replete with transformers. Water transforms rock to soil. It transforms motion to electricity when directed through turbines. The sun transforms water and creates the water cycle. Its power transforms carbon dioxide and water into food.

Literature also has the potential to transform. The clever twists and turns of a masterfully written novel, can transform young sleepy minds into problem-solvers and bridge-builders. Literature in the hands of a master teacher can become the power that transforms hopelessness into hope, uselessness into direction, darkness into light, takers into givers, and fear into courage. Educators become transformers when they put the right book-power into the hands of a child who needs strength in skills, focus, or character. Story characters take on the roles of transformers as their choices change the lives of friends, family, and community around them.

As our youngsters face present difficulties and future challenges, it is essential that they understand the importance of choice and the value of a thoughtful reaction to it. Each choice carries with it consequences. Fortunately, young people, themselves, do not always have to personally experience the consequences of choices. They can learn from the stories of others who have made choices or who have been transformed by circumstances only to become transformers themselves.

Award-winning literature for grades 3-6 can transform your classroom into a vibrant, interactive, exciting place. We will explore the potential of literary power that can transform your students into seekers who analyze events, their causes, their effect, and their consequences.

You will receive a bound professional guide filled with hundreds of pages of creative, active ideas--excellent for literary circles as well as for individual and whole class interaction and tutoring. The activities are perfect for extending and enriching your G/T curriculum as well as an excellent source of material for directing literature circles and tutoring! Join us for a breath of fresh curriculum that includes laughter, songs, problem solving, character building, and new approaches to skill building!

Participants will:
...participate in extension activities for award-winning literature.
...explore ways to integrate the curriculum around literature and library resources that enable students to become enthusiastic and skillful in research, project building, and problem solving.
...understand the possibilities that literature has for weaving respect and developing character in every aspect of a child's life.
...receive Transformers, an extensive guide with hundreds of pages of activities for over 20 books and a CD containing the book in pdf and PowerPoint formats as well as additional activities and games. Also included this year is a site license to allow the material to be shared within your school.
...receive on-going website extensions and support through Kids Wings' website
...receive a 6 hour gifted-and-talented certificate

A foundation in great literature is essential 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 refreshing, authentic ways as a natural part of fine literature. Hone those skills in our workshop and guide, Transformers.

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 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! Come enjoy the curriculum that transforms award winning literature into high test scores!

The units in our guides can be used for exciting parent participation in your school's tutoring program!

Workshop Schedule