Workshop Title: Serendipity: Discovering Science, Math, and Language Arts in Award-Winning Picture Books
Audience: Librarians, Teachers, and Parents Grades 1-3
Descriptor and focus:
The dictionary defines SERENDIPITY as "the gift of discovering valuable or agreeable things not looked for." Children love to discover and they never forget what they discover. This year's BEST award-winning picture books invite your students to discover science concepts and, in the process, learn more and more about science. As you provide the spotlight, they will see things they might have missed on their own. SERENDIPITY! Tapping into children's laughter and wonder, this literature collection builds enthusiasm for academic and social skills as well as character development. These stories and nonfiction books with activities that cross disciplines will surprise them with science, challenge them in math, and free them to creative expression in language arts.

Characters, settings, and situations in selections from the 50 + award-winning picture books will open eyes, hearts, and minds with delight and provide a myriad of opportunity for exploring and discovery. They will tickle their funny bones and bring welcome laughter into your classroom. At the same time, it will inspire them to learn more, to do projects, and to improve in their reading, writing, science, and math skills while providing scaffolding to high level thinking, cooperative discussion, character building, and more.  

Our Kids' Wings activities will encourage children to look more closely at the world around them and will lead them into an active, integrated curriculum that is rich in character, reading and math skills, science, social studies, research, problem solving, internet projects, and FUN...while providing a creative introduction to test-prep practice.

Featuring:
Abilene Librarians' Mockingbird Books
Kids' Wings Award Winning Books
Texas Library Association 2x2 Awards

The study guides in Serendipity feature: contain exciting activities including:

Great curriculum for your Gifted and Talented Students! Outstanding literature with focused instructional strategies in Serendipity help clarify the characteristics of gifted and talented students in your classroom. The real-life lessons cross disciplines and teach strategies for nurturing creative and critical thinking for your gifted and talented students. They increase creative problem solving and group interaction within your classroom. Literature from all genres will inspire your students to discover the joy of learning. Serendipity!

Serendipity can become your TUTORING program next year! Just give a parent one of these great picture books along with its Serendipity study guide and watch them return again and again for the fun of guiding your students into high level learning!

Participants will receive the professional guide and CD filled with over 500 pages of unique, active ideas--excellent for literary circles as well as for individual and whole class interaction.  Join us for a breath of fresh curriculum that includes laughter, songs, character building, and problem solving through literature. 

Participants will ~
     ...receive a valuable Teacher/Student Guide with CD and site license to allow it to be shared within ONE school.
     ...be familiar with the content and possibilities or more than 50 award-winning picture books and easy chapter books.
     ...participate in extension activities for the books.
     ...explore ways to integrate the curriculum around literature and library resources that enable students to grow excited and skillful in research and cooperative activities.
     ...understand the importance of their role in weaving respect and character into every aspect of a child's life.

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