- SecondaryELA - lists.uen.org

HAPPENING TODAY: Scrible Office Hour II
by Watkins, Naomi 18 Nov '20

18 Nov '20

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is providing Scrible Edu Pro, a comprehensive research and writing platform, to all Utah K-12 schools via a statewide contract. USBE and Scrible hosted a training webinar on Thursday, October 8, 2020, to help you get started with and make the most of this new resource. The webinar recording and accompanying slides are posted at the bottom of the Scrible Utah webpage here: https://www.scrible.com/utah Scrible Office Hour II is TODAY, Wednesday, November 18, 2020 from 3:30-4:30 pm MT Register here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScEeHF0dluM__RlRbrKRLh-mDePNw-94Mc…> for this upcoming Office Hour session to get help and answers to your questions, ideally after you've tried using Scrible yourself. Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7616

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REGISTER for Scrible Office Hour II Session
by Watkins, Naomi 12 Nov '20

12 Nov '20

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is providing Scrible Edu Pro, a comprehensive research and writing platform, to all Utah K-12 schools via a statewide contract. USBE and Scrible hosted a training webinar on Thursday, October 8, 2020, to help you get started with and make the most of this new resource. The webinar recording and accompanying slides are posted at the bottom of the Scrible Utah webpage here: https://www.scrible.com/utah Scrible Office Hour II is on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 from 3:30-4:30 pm MT Register here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScEeHF0dluM__RlRbrKRLh-mDePNw-94Mc…> for this upcoming Office Hour session to get help and answers to your questions, ideally after you've tried using Scrible yourself. Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7616

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INFO: Utah State Board of Education News Release: Utah State Board of Education Announces State-wide Access to Scrible to Support Utah Schools with Research and Writing Amid Distance Learning
by Watkins, Naomi 10 Nov '20

10 Nov '20

Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7616 From: Peterson, Mark <Mark.Peterson(a)schools.utah.gov> Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2020 10:06 AM To: Peterson, Mark <Mark.Peterson(a)schools.utah.gov> Subject: Utah State Board of Education News Release: Utah State Board of Education Announces State-wide Access to Scrible to Support Utah Schools with Research and Writing Amid Distance Learning [cid:image002.jpg@01D6B74C.25CA22D0] November 10, 2020 For Immediate Release Contact: Mark Peterson, public relations director, Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7635 ∙ mark.peterson(a)schools.utah.gov<mailto:mark.peterson@schools.utah.gov> Victor Karkar, chief executive officer, Scrible, Inc. 866-SCRIBLE ∙ press(a)scrible.com<mailto:press@scrible.com> Utah State Board of Education Announces State-wide Access to Scrible to Support Utah Schools with Research and Writing Amid Distance Learning SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah State Board of Education<https://www.schools.utah.gov/> (USBE) announces a statewide partnership with Scrible<https://www.scrible.com/>, a modern research and writing platform that supports distance learning. The partnership ensures that every Utah school district has access to Scrible Edu Pro, bringing the company’s full suite of online research and writing tools to more than 665,000 students, teachers and librarians in grades K-12 for the current 2020-21 school year. “USBE’s purchase of this innovative system will empower our educators and students with versatile tools to impact student learning and development of writing, reading and research skills,” shared Jennifer Throndsen, Director of Teaching and Learning at the Utah State Board of Education. “There couldn’t be a better time to support our teachers with technology that’s useful across subjects and grade levels.” Scrible is the most comprehensive platform built to support the research and writing process. It provides robust tools to curate, annotate, manage and collaborate on researched content. It supports authentic writing with citation capture, bibliography and outline editors and word processor integration. Instead of cobbling together 3 or more apps and paper methods to manage the whole process, students have one workspace to streamline and scaffold their work, helping them save time and stay organized. The partnership comes at a time when distance learning is a top priority for school districts across the country, including those in Utah that have moved to virtual or hybrid learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. USBE worked with Scrible to fast-track this launch in order to bring timely support to educators looking for effective remote instruction solutions. As a result, despite coronavirus disruption, teachers and librarians across Utah’s 41 school districts and 100+ charter schools can continue the research and writing instruction vital to preparing students for success in later grades, college and the workplace. Research and writing instruction historically involves in-person check-ins between students and educators, who would meet with students to review their research, bibliographies, outlines and papers. Scrible centralizes that work online so educators can assign and access student work remotely to assess it and provide feedback asynchronously. This eliminates the need for face-to-face feedback meetings, which are difficult during the pandemic. A novel assignment dashboard also enables educators to monitor student progress in real-time and provide timely, individualized support for each student, which is otherwise challenging during distance learning. “This statewide partnership is rare in the education world, said Scrible CEO, Victor Karkar. “We’re excited to work with USBE, which quickly appreciated our ability and desire to help Utah students, teachers, librarians with one of the most complex and time consuming teaching and learning experiences - the research and writing process.” American students struggle with research and writing. A Pew Research Center study<http://www.pewinternet.org/2012/11/01/how-teens-do-research-in-the-digital-…> found that nearly 60 percent of secondary teachers reported that their students struggle with key research skills such as using multiple sources to support an argument and assessing the quality of online information. The writing skills crisis is also pervasive. The process-intensive nature of teaching writing deters teachers from assigning the kind of authentic argumentative composition expected of students in college and career contexts. A 2015 study of U.S. middle schools by the Education Trust found that only 9 percent of assignments required writing more than one paragraph. “Scrible puts great tools inside the ecosystem of devices and software used in our schools,” said Rick Gaisford, Education Technology Specialist at USBE. “If students open up their computer at school or home, they can use Scrible with popular software tools native to that device, which is far better than being a separate, disjointed program.” Partnered with Google and Microsoft, Scrible integrates deeply with the ecosystem of G Suite and Office applications widely used in the classroom, including Google Chrome, Docs, Drive and Classroom and Microsoft Edge, Word, OneDrive and School Data Sync. Scrible also offers single sign-on, roster sync and other integrations with widely used education technology platforms, including Schoology, ClassLink, Clever and Canvas. The connection to Canvas is noteworthy given that Utah schools also have access to that learning management system via a statewide partnership. Utah districts and charters can learn about getting started with Scrible by visiting www.scrible.com/utah<http://www.scrible.com/utah>. www.schools.utah.gov<http://www.schools.utah.gov>

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Prof Learning Opportunity: Choices Matter: Complicity & Action During the Holocaust
by Watkins, Naomi 28 Oct '20

28 Oct '20

Join us November 11, 4-7 pm, for a live online session with the experts at Echoes and Reflections. REGISTER HERE FOR THIS FREE VIRTUAL WORKSHOP<https://form.jotform.com/91535898056167> Holocaust studies remain relevant today as students confront questions of racism and power in our own time and place. These concepts can be applied in social studies and E/LA classes well beyond those focused on European history. Echoes and Reflections offers you truly outstanding resources for teaching in online and blended environments. Video oral histories, captured by Steven Spielberg's USC Shoah Foundation<https://sfi.usc.edu/>, are integrated throughout the curriculum. Please share this opportunity with your colleagues in E/LA, Social Studies, and allied teams. [cid:image001.jpg@01D6AD3B.93DD5500] Wendy Rex-Atzet, Ph.D. State Coordinator, NHD Utah Utah Division of State History Web: https://history.utah.gov/utah-history-day/ Follow us on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/UtahHistoryDay> and Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/utah_history_day/> To unsubscribe, please reply to this email. **New year, new rules! Download the 2020 edition of the NHD Rule Book<https://www.nhd.org/sites/default/files/NHDRuleBook2021Digital.pdf>!**

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Secondary ELA & Library Media News: October 2020
by Watkins, Naomi 20 Oct '20

20 Oct '20

Secondary ELA & Library Media News: October 2020 Dear Secondary ELA and Library Media Colleagues: It's been wonderful virtually meeting with those of you who oversee secondary ELA at your LEA or charter. If you would like to make an appointment, please contact Brenda McMurtrey, brenda.mcmurtrey(a)schools.utah.gov<mailto:brenda.mcmurtrey@schools.utah.gov> As COVID-19 continues to affect us all across the state in various ways and degrees, please remember that we're all doing our best under unusual circumstances to support students, other educators, and ourselves. Remember to take several deep breaths (inhale, exhale, repeat) when circumstances seem overwhelming. All of those SEL exercises we use with students work well for us, too. Please know that I'm always an email or phone call away to provide you with support. Thank you for all that you do to support ELA teachers and librarians in the state. What are you currently reading, listening to, and watching? My Current Reads: I'm still reading what I was reading in September! Don't judge :) * Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement & Rigor Among Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Students by Zaretta Hammond<https://crtandthebrain.com/book/> * Finish the Fight: The Brave & Revolutionary Women Who Fought For the Right to Vote by Veronica Chambers & the Staff of The New York Times<https://www.hmhbooks.com/shop/books/Finish-the-Fight/9780358407829> (targeted to upper elementary/secondary students) My Current Music Listen: Michael Kiwanuka My Current Podcast Listen: Rabbit Hole<https://www.nytimes.com/column/rabbit-hole> (Description: What is the internet doing to us? The Times tech columnist Kevin Roose discovers what happens when our lives move online.) My Current Watch: The Vote by American Experience<https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/vote/> Teacher Spotlight Lauren Merkley, Cottonwood High School How long have you been teaching? This is my sixth year of teaching high school English. I teach at Cottonwood High School, where I teach AP English Language and Composition and Creative Writing. I have also taught English 11, and English 11 Honors. [cid:image007.jpg@01D6A6D7.32DF9020] Who/what inspired you to become a teacher? I have always loved reading and writing, but that spark was fanned into flame by my AP English Literature teacher, Mr. Warren Wolfe, in my hometown outside of Chicago. His passion for literature was infectious; I still remember him pacing around the room excitedly reading a passage from Toni Morrison's Beloved. More than simply being exciting, however, Mr. Wolfe was empowering. He positioned his students' voices at the center of every class period, letting our ideas, reactions, analyses, and questions drive the study of literature; we were the engine of every day's discussion and work, not him. His classroom is a model for everything I hope my classroom to be. What has been the most rewarding part of teaching? To me, the most rewarding part of teaching is watching transformations happen every day. Some students' transformations are modest and some are epic in scale, but either way: witnessing a student grow in their understanding of themself, the world, literature, language, or the human condition more broadly feels like a gift every day. Watching student's eyes alight with new understanding during a class discussion; observing a student revise their thinking or writing in response to a new insight or skill; listening to a group debate the merits of a text or an argument--these are the daily gifts that make me want to come to school each morning. What are your hobbies/interests when you are not teaching Unsurprisingly, I am a voracious reader. I devour novels, nonfiction, essays, poetry, and long-form journalism. I also love to run and hike, but the health benefits of those activities are cancelled out by my love of baking (and eating baked goods). What do you think is the most important thing about teaching ELA to kids? We need to give kids frequent and meaningful opportunities for their voices to be heard. Whether through argumentative writing or creative writing, kids produce their finest work when they are given the reins to construct, revise, and determine the contours of their own writing. I have seen writers blossom before my eyes when they can design their own writing project for a self-chosen audience and purpose. Yes, they need instruction in writing skills. Yes, grammar and structure are important. But, teaching kids to make choices about structure, grammar, sequencing, and language in light of an authentic writing goal they have designed themselves? That's magic. What is your favorite book? Author? Favorite?! Very hard question. Instead, I'll include a couple that have bowled me over recently: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi; Black Swan Green by David Mitchell; Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner. Scrible Webinar Recording & Office Hours The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is providing Scrible Edu Pro, a comprehensive research and writing platform, to all Utah K-12 schools via a statewide contract. USBE and Scrible hosted a training webinar on Thursday, October 8, 2020, to help you get started with and make the most of this new resource. The webinar recording and accompanying slides are posted at the bottom of the Scrible Utah webpage here: https://www.scrible.com/utah Scrible Office Hour I is Thursday, October 29, 2020 from 3:30-4:30 pm MT Get help and answers to your questions, ideally after you've tried using Scrible yourself. Register here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdse_z66j9NQSkE0iE_4EmmGZWPlNr2Myq…> for this upcoming Scrible Office Hour session. Virtually Meet the Artists of New Utah Women's Suffrage Memorial Have you ever wanted your students to visit a monument, memorial or sculpture that was dedicated to Utah women? Here's your chance! To celebrate the centennial of the 19th Amendment and the 150th anniversary of Utah women's first votes in the year 2020, Better Days 2020 commissioned a Utah Women's History Memorial on the grounds of the Utah State Capitol that was unveiled on August 24, 2020. Called "A Path Forward,"<https://www.utahwomenshistory.org/2020/10/a-path-forward/> it honors the women who advocated for the expansion of voting rights here in Utah and across the U.S. To allow more students to experience the Memorial, Better Days 2020 put together a virtual field trip for teachers to use in their classrooms, available at this link<https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QObgP-m3ZNY>. [cid:image009.jpg@01D6A6D7.32DF9020] In connection with this field trip, we're also hosting a webinar with the artists who created the Memorial. Kelsey Harrison--MFA Sculpture from School of the Art Institute of Chicago--and Jason Manley-- MFA from University of Arizona--will join Better Days 2020 on October 30th at 10:00 AM to share their experience in creating the Memorial. This 30-minute webinar will provide students with an in-depth look at the process of designing and producing public sculpture and is not to be missed! As part of the webinar, Utah students can "Ask the Artists"! The artists are eager to engage with students' questions about the Memorial, whether about the artistic process, the nuts and bolts of creating a large scale public sculpture, how the artists felt about the history, special experiences they had along the way, or anything else. This special opportunity to "Ask the Artists" is time sensitive. Please submit questions by October 26 via email to info(a)betterdays2020.com with "Artists Webinar" in the subject line. We'll ask selected questions during the webinar, so please include the student's first name and school so we can acknowledge them individually. The webinar will be available online after October 30 for classes who aren't able to watch live. We look forward to having students experience this incredible work of art and to engage with the artists who made it a reality. NCTE Writes The National Day on Writing<http://whyiwrite.us/> is coming on October 20, and you're invited to celebrate with NCTE! One way we're celebrating is with NCTE Writes, a member-exclusive FREE professional learning opportunity aimed at providing ideas and inspiration around teaching writing! Each weekday in October, members who sign up for NCTE Writes will receive an email that * focuses on a specific topic related to writing each day. * shares ways to celebrate writing on October 20 and throughout the year. * provides free NCTE resources, including book chapters, journal articles, blog posts, position statements, and more, curated to each day's writing-related topic. * highlights writing wisdom and inspiration from NCTE members. [cid:image010.jpg@01D6A6D7.32DF9020]Choices Matter: Complicity & Action During the Holocaust Join us November 11, 4-7 pm, for a live online session with the experts at Echoes and Reflections. REGISTER HERE FOR THIS FREE VIRTUAL WORKSHOP<https://form.jotform.com/91535898056167> Holocaust studies remain relevant today as students confront questions of racism and power in our own time and place. These concepts can be applied in social studies and E/LA classes well beyond those focused on European history. Echoes and Reflections offers you truly outstanding resources for teaching in online and blended environments. Video oral histories, captured by Steven Spielberg's USC Shoah Foundation<https://sfi.usc.edu/>, are integrated throughout the curriculum. Please share this opportunity with your colleagues in E/LA, Social Studies, and allied teams. Utah's 21st Annual Do the Write Thing Challenge (see attachments for more info) The Office of the Governor and the Utah State Board of Education invite you and your students to participate in Utah's 21st Annual Do the Write Thing Challenge. The Challenge offers 7th and 8th grade students across the state an opportunity to examine the impact of youth violence on their lives and then write what they think should be done to change the culture of violence. Personal responsibility is emphasized by encouraging students to make a commitment to do something about the problem. The program ultimately strives to help them break the cycle of violence in their homes, schools, and neighborhoods. Two writings per participating schools will be selected as state finalists and will be invited to attend a recognition luncheon where the top two authors will be announced in April 2021. State finalists will receive a scholarship deposit to their My529 Education Savings Account. The top two essays will be published and placed in the Library of Congress as Utah's national finalists. Teachers are encouraged to incorporate the Challenge into their regular classroom curriculum. Lesson plans can be found on the website at www.schools.utah.gov/prevention/dtwt<http://www.schools.utah.gov/prevention/dtwt>. Rules, entry forms, and additional information are also available on this website. The following is a list of ideas for the classroom: * English: use as an essay or poetry-writing assignment; * Health: discuss personal safety and well-being of others; * Civics: conduct an exercise on personal and civic responsibility; * History: use an historical perspective to examine youth violence. The deadline for entries is January 15th, 2021. The 2020 challenge involved more than 2,400 students participating in classroom discussions about youth violence with more than 1,100 submitting essays from 24 different teachers. We look forward to increasing these numbers in the 2021 Challenge. If you have any questions, please contact Cuong Nguyen at cuong.nguyen(a)schools.utah.gov or call (801) 538-7790. We encourage your students' participation and look forward to this year's Challenge. Sincerely, Governor Gary R. Herbert UCTE Fall Conference Friday, November 13 Virtual Register for this fall's Utah Council for Teachers of English (UCTE)<http://ucte.info/new/> Conference! Allison Marchetti and Rebekah O'Dell, authors of Writing with Mentors and the popular blog Moving Writers<https://movingwriters.org/>, will be the keynote speakers! This year's conference will be offered at a reduced price, and we will offer professional development points for participating. Please note that we will not be accepting breakout session proposals this year due to the change in format. We look forward to your proposals for next year's conference and appreciate your willingness to share your great ideas with the UCTE community! Latinx KidLit Book Festival The first ever Latinx KidLit Book Festival<https://www.latinxkidlitbookfestival.com/> will be held virtually on Friday, December 4th and Saturday, December 5th, organized by members of Las Musas Books<https://www.lasmusasbooks.com/> and a dedicated team of volunteers. This unique and free event will bring together Latinx kidlit authors and illustrators and engage readers and educators from all over the U.S. and beyond. This festival is for everyone-not just members of the Latinx community. All lovers of kidlit are welcome! They are attempting to reach as many teachers and librarians as possible so students far and wide can tune into this amazing event. Personal invitations will be sent to librarians and educators in October. This invite will include links to educator materials to use with students before, during, and after the festival, as well as instructions on how to enter to win a class set of books by authors featured in the festival. If you'd like this information delivered to your inbox, please fill out one of these forms: Form for schools<https://latinxkidlitbookfestival.wufoo.com/forms/k1qcaf1h117l7gc/> Form for libraries<https://slack-redir.net/link?url=https%3A%2F%2Flatinxkidlitbookfestival.wuf…> Secondary Literacy Director Meeting Dates, 2020-2021 Mark your calendars! To receive a meeting invite, contact Brenda McMurtrey at brenda.mcmurtrey(a)schools.utah.gov * November 17, 2020 * January 20, 2021 * March 24, 2021 Join the Listservs Want to stay in the loop of future newsletters? Join the Secondary ELA ListServ at https://lists.uen.org/mailman/listinfo/secondaryela or the Library Media ListServ at https://lists.uen.org/mailman/listinfo/library-media UEN's Learn @ Home Resources Find many learn at home resources for educators, students, and families at https://www.uen.org/learnathome/ Have an item for the monthly Secondary ELA & Library Media newsletter, a research or teaching tip, or an educator spotlight nomination? Email brenda.mcmurtrey(a)schools.utah.gov<mailto:brenda.mcmurtrey@schools.utah.gov> by the first of the month. Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7616

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Scrible Webinar Recording & Info/Registration for Office Hour I
by Watkins, Naomi 15 Oct '20

15 Oct '20

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is providing Scrible Edu Pro, a comprehensive research and writing platform, to all Utah K-12 schools via a statewide contract. USBE and Scrible hosted a training webinar on Thursday, October 8, 2020, to help you get started with and make the most of this new resource. The webinar recording and accompanying slides are posted at the bottom of the Scrible Utah webpage here: https://www.scrible.com/utah Scrible Office Hour I is Thursday, October 29, 2020 from 3:30-4:30 pm MT Get help and answers to your questions, ideally after you've tried using Scrible yourself. Register here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdse_z66j9NQSkE0iE_4EmmGZWPlNr2Myq…> for this upcoming Scrible Office Hour session. Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7616

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Opportunity: Virtually Meet the Artists of New Utah Women's Suffrage Memorial
by Watkins, Naomi 14 Oct '20

14 Oct '20

[A picture containing outdoor, sitting, water, green Description automatically generated]Have you ever wanted your students to visit a monument, memorial or sculpture that was dedicated to Utah women? Here's your chance! To celebrate the centennial of the 19th Amendment and the 150th anniversary of Utah women's first votes in the year 2020, Better Days 2020 commissioned a Utah Women's History Memorial on the grounds of the Utah State Capitol that was unveiled on August 24, 2020. Called "A Path Forward,"<https://www.utahwomenshistory.org/2020/10/a-path-forward/> it honors the women who advocated for the expansion of voting rights here in Utah and across the U.S. To allow more students to experience the Memorial, Better Days 2020 put together a virtual field trip for teachers to use in their classrooms, available at this link<https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QObgP-m3ZNY>. In connection with this field trip, we're also hosting a webinar with the artists who created the Memorial. Kelsey Harrison--MFA Sculpture from School of the Art Institute of Chicago--and Jason Manley-- MFA from University of Arizona--will join Better Days 2020 on October 30th at 10:00 AM to share their experience in creating the Memorial. This 30-minute webinar will provide students with an in-depth look at the process of designing and producing public sculpture and is not to be missed! As part of the webinar, Utah students can "Ask the Artists"! The artists are eager to engage with students' questions about the Memorial, whether about the artistic process, the nuts and bolts of creating a large scale public sculpture, how the artists felt about the history, special experiences they had along the way, or anything else. This special opportunity to "Ask the Artists" is time sensitive. Please submit questions by October 26 via email to info(a)betterdays2020.com<mailto:info@betterdays2020.com> with "Artists Webinar" in the subject line. We'll ask selected questions during the webinar, so please include the student's first name and school so we can acknowledge them individually. The webinar will be available online after October 30 for classes who aren't able to watch live. We look forward to having students experience this incredible work of art and to engage with the artists who made it a reality. Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7616

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Reminder & Action: Register for Thursday's Scrible PL Webinar
by Watkins, Naomi 06 Oct '20

06 Oct '20

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is thrilled to provide Scrible Edu Pro, the most advanced research/writing platform ever built, to all Utah K-12 educators and students. You now have access to Scrible Edu Pro! For background, learn about Scrible here<https://www.scrible.com/utah/>. Please register here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSensVTZRnPPz9QGDNp0r2Ub2afBgwkLNIZ…> to join us this Thursday for training on Scrible to make the most of this new resource. Here are details on upcoming virtual professional learning opportunities on Scrible: * Webinar (Overview): Thursday, October 8, 3:30-5 pm MT. Register here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSensVTZRnPPz9QGDNp0r2Ub2afBgwkLNIZ…>. * Office Hour I (Q&A): Thursday, October 29, 3:30-4:30 pm MT * Office Hour II (Q&A): Tuesday, November 10, 3:30-4:30 pm MT * All sessions will be recorded and shared for later viewing. * All sessions are eligible for Reimagine Teaching<https://reimagine.uen.org/> from UEN, which recognizes additional work under unusual circumstances. A $200 Amazon gift card is provided for completing 4 hours of technology training. Quantities limited. Sign up<https://reimagine.uen.org/sign-up.shtml> today. Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7616

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Welcome to Scrible Edu Pro!
by Watkins, Naomi 01 Oct '20

01 Oct '20

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is thrilled to provide Scrible Edu Pro, the most advanced research/writing platform ever built, to all Utah K-12 educators and students. You now have access to Scrible Edu Pro! This email will help you get started. Please read it carefully and save it for later reference. For background, learn about Scrible here<https://www.scrible.com/utah/>. Virtual Professional Learning/Training * Webinar (Overview): Thursday, October 8, 3:30-5 pm MT. Register here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSensVTZRnPPz9QGDNp0r2Ub2afBgwkLNIZ…>. * Office Hour I (Q&A): Thursday, October 29, 3:30-4:30 pm MT * Office Hour II (Q&A): Tuesday, November 10, 3:30-4:30 pm MT * All sessions will be recorded and shared for later viewing. * All sessions are eligible for Reimagine Teaching<https://reimagine.uen.org/> from UEN, which recognizes additional work under unusual circumstances. A $200 Amazon gift card is provided for completing 4 hours of technology training. Quantities limited. Sign up<https://reimagine.uen.org/sign-up.shtml> today. Signing Up Sign up and into your Scrible account using one of the single sign-on (SSO) options listed on the Sign In Page<https://www.scrible.com/sign-in/#/> with your official school or district email address (e.g. jane.smith(a)beaver.k12.ut.us) by clicking the corresponding icon (e.g. Google, Microsoft, ClassLink, Clever) below the Sign In Button. This step will ensure your account is upgraded with Edu Pro features and avoids the need to remember a separate password for Scrible. When you first sign up, you'll need to authorize Scrible to access the requested permissions and then complete your account information. Educators should indicate they're using Scrible for "School (Educator)" and students should choose "School (Student)". Canvas SSO is also supported. See the articles below on how to use SSO with each platform. If you use multiple platforms, see this article on deciding which platform to use for SSO<http://help.scrible.com/articles/60688-how-do-i-decide-how-my-studentsteach…>. Signing In Once you have an account, clicking your preferred SSO icon on the Sign In Page<https://www.scrible.com/sign-in/#/> will take you straight into your account. Connecting Apps See these platform-specific articles on how Scrible integrates with each platform: * Google<http://help.scrible.com/articles/51503-teachers-getting-started-with-scribl…> - SSO, Chrome Extension, Classroom Sync, Docs Add-on, Drive Integration * Microsoft<http://help.scrible.com/articles/51564-teachers-getting-started-with-scribl…> - SSO, Edge Extension, Roster Sync, Word Add-in, OneDrive Integration * ClassLink<http://help.scrible.com/articles/60680-getting-started-with-classlink> - SSO, Roster Sync * Clever<http://help.scrible.com/articles/60681-getting-started-with-clever> - SSO, Roster Sync (planned) * Canvas<http://help.scrible.com/articles/60672-getting-started-with-canvas> - SSO, Roster Sync, Library Embed Your SSO connection and connected apps can be managed under your account Settings<https://www.scrible.com/app/#/account>. Installing Tools Install the Scrible Toolbar Chrome Extension<https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/scrible-toolbar/lijhjhlnfifgoabbi…> or Edge Extension<https://microsoftedge.microsoft.com/addons/detail/scrible-toolbar/ijhmpbdjp…>, which enable you to curate, annotate, and cite online articles (i.e. webpages and PDFs). Install the Scrible Writer Google Docs Add-on<https://gsuite.google.com/marketplace/app/scrible_writer/823170055939> and/or Microsoft Word Add-in<https://appsource.microsoft.com/en-us/product/office/WA200000032?tab=Overvi…> to search your Scrible Library from within a doc, insert comments and quotes from your Library and manage your bibliography in the doc. Pushing Tools for Students Technology administrators are advised to push these tools to all student accounts to ensure easy access and prevent teachers from being burdened with a litany of related student help requests during distance learning, particularly since the tools are inconspicuous. Google Admins, see this article pushing the Chrome Extension and Docs Add-on<http://help.scrible.com/articles/60643-how-to-push-chrome-extension-and-goo…> to student accounts. Self Help Resources Scrible offers these on-demand resources to help you get started and troubleshoot: * Overview of How-to-Guides and In-App Tours<https://www.scrible.com/2019/05/16/scrible-overhauls-how-to-guides-and-in-a…> * How-to Guides for Edu Pro Teachers<https://sites.google.com/scrible.com/guides/how-to-guides/edu-pro-teacher?a…> * Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)<http://help.scrible.com/> Getting Help * Use the Help and Feedback Page<https://www.scrible.com/help/> for the fastest response to a help request. * Educators submitting help requests on behalf of students should check the box for "Are you submitting this on behalf of another user?" and enter the student email address to help the Scrible Team investigate the issue. * Students who can't receive external emails should include the email address of an educator who can communicate with the Scrible Team on behalf of the student. * To report an issue on an article, click the Feedback Button (with the megaphone icon) at the right end of the Scrible Toolbar. This will navigate you to the Help and Feedback Page, prefill the form and include information enabling the Scrible Team to investigate. * Email help(a)scrible.com<mailto:help@scrible.com> with supporting screenshots or videos clips. Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7616

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September 2020: Secondary ELA & Library Media News
by Watkins, Naomi 22 Sep '20

22 Sep '20

Secondary ELA & Library Media News September 2020 Dear Secondary ELA and Library Media Colleagues: Please know that I'm always an email or phone call away to provide you with support. And thank you for all that you do to support ELA teachers and librarians in the state. Best, Naomi My Current Reads: * Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement & Rigor Among Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Students by Zaretta Hammond<https://crtandthebrain.com/book/> * Finish the Fight: The Brave & Revolutionary Women Who Fought For the Right to Vote by Veronica Chambers & the Staff of The New York Times<https://www.hmhbooks.com/shop/books/Finish-the-Fight/9780358407829> (targeted to upper elementary/secondary students) My Current Music Listen: Taylor Swift's Folklore My Current Podcast Listen: And Nothing Less: The Untold Stories of Women's Fight for the Vote<https://www.nps.gov/subjects/womenshistory/and-nothing-less-podcast.htm> (a production of the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission, the National Park Service, and PRX) with lesson plans My Current Watch: My Octopus Teacher<https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12888462/> (documentary): A filmmaker forges an unusual friendship with an octopus living in a South African kelp forest, learning as the animal shares the mysteries of her world. What are you currently reading, listening to, and watching? Educator Spotlight Heather Fitzgerald Jorgensen, Ph.D. Itineris Early College High School [cid:image001.png@01D690C2.4C370E20] I think I started teaching when I was in the third grade. I lined up all of my dolls (and one little sister) in front of a small blackboard and told them about letters and words. My mother was a teacher and she had all sorts of things around the house from her teaching days. I loved to look through those boxes. As I grew older, my love of books grew stronger and I thought I would go into publishing; however, when my husband suggested I enroll in a teaching program, I found a new avenue for exploring my love of all things literary. I felt like a fish to water. I found my first teaching job at a middle school in 1997 and have been teaching ever since! My current teaching position is as an English Language Arts teacher and Concurrent Enrollment instructor at Itineris Early College High School in addition to teaching writing courses as an adjunct at Salt Lake Community College. My favorite class to teach is Science Fiction and Fantasy in Literature and Film for seniors. My inspiration for teaching came from an ELA teacher. She had a way of making words and books come alive. The characters in stories were the embodiment of ideas. It was interesting to see how those ideas played out in various situations as characters acted on their beliefs and values. The most rewarding aspect of teaching for me now is watching students explore ideas and systems of thinking in ways that heighten their perception and their ability to recognize diverse perspectives. When I am not teaching or with my family, my favorite way to pass the time is writing. The last years have been too busy, but stories have grown inside me that want to find a voice on the page. I have finally found moments to let those words out and I am always surprised by what the characters say and do. Neil Gaiman, author of The Graveyard Book, said in his MasterClass that being a writer is very much like being the first reader. I have taken that to heart and am approaching writing as a reader--I am never sure what a character will say or what will happen next. I hope to finish my first novel by the end of the summer. I think the most important thing about teaching English Language Arts is allowing students to explore ideas and shape their understanding. Perception is so diverse, which is illustrated in my favorite picture book, They All Saw a Cat, by award-winner author Brendan Wenzel. In the picture book, everyone sees the cat in a different way. My hope is that my students will develop the ability to shift between perspectives as easily as readers moving through Wenzel's brilliant book about diversity. Each page is a lesson in understanding "one thing" from a new perspective. My favorite author, currently, is Jonathon Stroud for his Lockwood & Co. series about young people tasked with eliminating the problem of ghosts in London. Research Tip Timothy Shanahan explores a recent study on text difficulty and adolescent literacy: "Teachers ask me all the time how they can be expected to use high school level texts when so few kids in their classes are reading at grade level. And, yet, high school students often tell me that they hate being placed in what they refer to as the 'stupid books.' That's where this new study comes in." Read more here<https://www.shanahanonliteracy.com/blog/cool-new-study-on-text-difficulty-a…>. Introducing Scrible Look for more information soon about how to register for an account with Scrible<https://www.scrible.com/>, the most advanced research/writing platform ever built. We'll also be sharing information for training opportunities. [Banner graphic promoting the 2020 National Book Festival] 2020 Library of Congress National Book Festival: Celebrating American Ingenuity The 2020 Library of Congress National Book Festival will celebrate its 20th birthday this year! And, for the first time in its history, the event will be completely virtual. Join us next weekend for an interactive, online celebration of American Ingenuity featuring more than 120 authors, poets and illustrators. The festivities will culminate with a PBS television special "The Library of Congress National Book Festival: Celebrating American Ingenuity," hosted by Hoda Kotb on Sunday, Sept. 27, 6-8 p.m. ET/PT (check local listings). Register Today! Create your FREE account now at loc.gov/bookfest<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVy…> to access on-demand videos, live author chats and discussions during the Festival weekend, Sept. 25 - 27. You'll have options to personalize your own festival journey with timely topics, and to explore book buying possibilities through the festival's official bookseller, Politics & Prose. The 2020 Utah Humanities Book Festival! Happening NOW through October 22 Our 2020 Utah Humanities Book Festival marks 23 years of improving Utah communities through reading, literature, and conversations with authors and each other. The 2020 festival will be entirely virtual and feature scores of authors, events, and virtual conversations in six categories. As our annual statewide celebration of literature, we work with partners in many Utah communities. Organizations across the state will again host book festival events featuring both national and local authors, all in a virtual format. As always, participants will engage with authors in new, creative, and meaningful ways that are designed to connect readers, authors, and communities. You can browse through our Book Festival Calendar<https://www.utahhumanities.org/index.php/book-festival-calendar>. Banned Books Week<http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/banned>, September 27 - October 3, 2020 Banned Books Week has been shining a light on censorship since it was founded in 1982, and the fight for free expression is as urgent as ever. NCTE is a co-sponsor of this year's celebration and invites its members to: Find Our Freedom to Read. BBWC is here to support the community of readers, including students, educators, libraries, and booksellers, in the United States and abroad. Please join us during Banned Books Week, September 27-October 3, 2020! BBWC has released programming materials and resources<http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/bannedbooksweek/ideasandresources/freedo…>. Be sure to visit bannedbooksweek.org<http://bannedbooksweek.org/> or follow us on Twitter<https://twitter.com/ncte> to get the latest Banned Books Week and censorship news. Learn more about the Top 10 Challenged Books of 2019<http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10> and the challenges facing America's libraries<http://www.ala.org/news/state-americas-libraries-report-2020>. ILA Next Professional Learning Opportunities ILA Next<https://ila.digitellinc.com/ila/live/56/page/251> provides a professional learning experience designed to expand your knowledge on what makes for high-quality literacy instruction through the lenses of * Distance and hybrid learning * Equity and access * Social-emotional development * Trauma responsiveness Select from four learning pathways, organized by age of literacy learner. This determines your Pathway Workshop<https://www.literacyworldwide.org/ila-next/program/pathway-workshops> series and allows for a deeper, richer PD experience. Save the Dates The month-long event kicks off October 3, 2020, with the first Saturday Main Stage Session<https://www.literacyworldwide.org/ila-next/program/main-stage-sessions>, two Learning Labs, and an hour of dedicated, interactive Exhibitor Showcase Time. Pathway Workshops<https://www.literacyworldwide.org/ila-next/program/pathway-workshops> take place every Tuesday; Office Hours follow on Thursdays. See the Schedule at a Glance<https://www.literacyworldwide.org/ila-next/program/schedule-at-a-glance> for a complete listing of dates and times. UCTE Fall Conference Friday, November 13 Virtual Save the date for this fall's Utah Council for Teachers of English (UCTE)<http://ucte.info/new/> Conference! Allison Marchetti and Rebekah O'Dell, authors of Writing with Mentors and the popular blog Moving Writers<https://movingwriters.org/>, will be the keynote speakers! This year's conference will be offered at a reduced price, and we will offer professional development points for participating. Please note that we will not be accepting breakout session proposals this year due to the change in format. We look forward to your proposals for next year's conference and appreciate your willingness to share your great ideas with the UCTE community! Latinx KidLit Book Festival The first ever Latinx KidLit Book Festival<https://www.latinxkidlitbookfestival.com/> will be held virtually on Friday, December 4th and Saturday, December 5th, organized by members of Las Musas Books<https://www.lasmusasbooks.com/> and a dedicated team of volunteers. This unique and free event will bring together Latinx kidlit authors and illustrators and engage readers and educators from all over the U.S. and beyond. This festival is for everyone-not just members of the Latinx community. All lovers of kidlit are welcome! They are attempting to reach as many teachers and librarians as possible so students far and wide can tune into this amazing event. Personal invitations will be sent to librarians and educators in October. This invite will include links to educator materials to use with students before, during, and after the festival, as well as instructions on how to enter to win a class set of books by authors featured in the festival. If you'd like this information delivered to your inbox, please fill out one of these forms: Form for schools<https://latinxkidlitbookfestival.wufoo.com/forms/k1qcaf1h117l7gc/> Form for libraries<https://slack-redir.net/link?url=https%3A%2F%2Flatinxkidlitbookfestival.wuf…> Secondary Literacy Director Meeting Dates, 2020-2021 Mark your calendars! To receive a meeting invite, contact Brenda McMurtrey at brenda.mcmurtrey(a)schools.utah.gov<mailto:brenda.mcmurtrey@schools.utah.gov> * November 17, 2020 * January 20, 2021 * March 24, 2021 Join the Listservs Want to stay in the loop of future newsletters? Join the Secondary ELA ListServ at https://lists.uen.org/mailman/listinfo/secondaryela or the Library Media ListServ at https://lists.uen.org/mailman/listinfo/library-media UEN's Learn @ Home Resources Find many learn at home resources for educators, students, and families at https://www.uen.org/learnathome/ Have an item for the monthly Secondary ELA & Library Media newsletter, a research or teaching tip, or an educator spotlight nomination? Email brenda.mcmurtrey(a)schools.utah.gov<mailto:brenda.mcmurtrey@schools.utah.gov> by the first of the month. Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7616

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