TED Talks // Peter Benson – Sparks: How Youth Thrive
This TED Talk by Peter Benson is a great investment of 20 minutes. It’s a strong reminder of why Sycamore exists.
From Diane Borgmann, Head of School
New Sycamore School Library Books for April
The Sycamore School library has added a number of new books. We asked Head Librarian Naomi Patterson to let us know what is new and and little bit about each series of books.
3 new books by Patrick McDonnell, author of the ‘Mutts’ comic strip that appears in the newspaper (all ages):
- Art
- The Gift of Nothing
- Hug Time, which was chosen by Annie Klemsz to be her Birthday Book for this year.
21 new volumes of the Ready, Freddy! series by Abby Klein, illustrated by John McKinley (Kindergarten and up). We now own:
- v. 1 – Tooth Trouble
- v. 2 – The King of Show-and-Tell
- v. 3 – Homework Hassles
- v. 4 – Don’t Sit on My Lunch!
- v. 6 – Help! A Vampire’s Coming!
- v. 7 – Yikes! Bikes!
- v. 8 – Halloween Fraidy-Cat
- v. 9 – Shark Tooth Tale
- v. 11 – The Pumpkin Elf Mystery
- v. 12 – Stop That Hamster!
- v. 13 – The One Hundredth Day of School!
- v. 14 – Camping Catastrophe!
- v. 15 – Thanksgiving Turkey Trouble
- v. 16 – Ready, Set, Snow!
- v. 17 – Firehouse Fun!
- v. 18 – The Perfect Present
- v. 19 – The Penguin Problem
- v. 20 – Apple Orchard Race
- v. 21 – Going Batty
- v. 22 – Science Fair Flop
- v. 23 – A Very Crazy Christmas
- v. 24 – Shark Attack!
In case you’re wondering – I’m still working on getting volumes 5 and 10.
Adventures of Tintin – We now have volumes 1-7 and each volume contains 3 stories! (appropriate for grade 1 and up)
- v. 1 Contents: Tintin in America — Cigars of the pharaoh — The blue lotus.
- v. 2 Contents: The broken ear — The black island — King Ottokar’s sceptre.
- v. 3 Contents: The crab with the golden claws — The shooting star — The secret of the unicorn.
- v. 4 Contents: Red Rackham’s treasure — The seven crystal balls — Prisoners of the sun.
- v. 5 Contents: Land of black gold — Destination moon — Explorers on the moon.
- v. 6 Contents: The calculus affair — The Red Sea sharks — Tintin in Tibet.
- v. 7 Contents: The Castafiore emerald — Flight 714 — Tintin and the picaros.
We have also added 3 more volumes to the Dragonbreath series by Ursula Vernon (grade 1 and up):
- v. 1 – Dragonbreath
- v. 4 – Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster
- v. 5 – Dragonbreath: No Such Thing as Ghosts
Volumes 1-7 of the Children of the Lamp series by Philip Kerr. (grade 4 and up):
“Twins Philippa and John discover they are descended from a long line of Djinn–and then their mysterious adventures begin!”
- v. 1 – The Akhenaten Adventure
- v. 2 – The Blue Djinn of Babylon
- v. 3 – The Cobra King of Kathmandu
- v. 4 – The Day of the Djinn Warriors
- v. 5 – The Eye of the Forest
- v. 6 – The Five Fakirs of Faizabad
- v. 7 – The Grave Robbers of Genghis Khan
PreK students work on interpretive dance and movement
Melli Hoppe, who is part of Young Audiences Indiana and teaches at Butler University, is the Artistic Director of the Susurrus Performance Group. A longtime special guest here at Sycamore, she visited the PreK classes Thursday to work with the PreK classes on dance. THe kids did an exceptional job of listening, identifying cloud types and formations, and artistically interpreting them. These photos are of Mrs. Schwab’s class.
VIDEO: Creating opportunities for children
from Jamie MacDougall – Head of Middle School
The TED talk (linked below) is by a young girl, who reminds me of many of our students. Adora Svitak has a great deal to say that I know I benefited from. It was too good not to pass along. The words that resonate with me the most in this speech are these, “No matter your position or place in life, it is imperative to create opportunities for children so that we can grow up to blow you away.”
Based upon what I hear in the halls, I know we are on our way. Knowing that there’s always room for growth, I’m just wondering what else I, WE, can do to raise the ceiling for our brightest youth. My coffee is in hand now and I plan to give this some thought.
WATCH VIDEO
Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose: How to Motivate Children
From Francine Clayton – Head of Early Childhood
The New Year is the traditional time for making changes and setting new goals. We usually begin with enthusiasm and energy. We will not achieve our goals, however, without a very large amount of motivation. How do we motivate ourselves or other people to reach goals and achieve positive results? The question is valid whether we are working toward personal or business goals. Daniel Pink presents some thought provoking ideas in his book Drive. He cites a large amount of scientific research that is the basis for his thoughts. If this review piques your interest, I hope that you will read the book. It is excellent.
Human beings have a biological drive for survival. The very first communities of people and those now living in the most remote areas of the world consume most of their time being motivated to survive by finding food and shelter. Pink calls this Motivation 1.0. Human beings also respond to rewards and punishments within the environment. Pink describes this as carrot and stick motivation or Motivation 2.0. Motivation 2.0 was built around external rewards and punishments. This worked particularly well with twentieth century tasks. In a business environment, this would look like an if-then motivational tool. If you do this- then you will get this reward. It is no longer compatible with how we organize twenty first century tasks. Why? Scientists have concluded that there are three essential elements that need to be present in a twenty- first century approach to motivation. They are (1) Autonomy – the desire to direct our own lives; (2) Mastery – the urge to make progress and become better at something that we believe matters; and (3) Purpose – the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves. These elements comprise Motivation 3.0.
Keeping these three motivational elements in mind (Motivation 3.0), there are seven reasons that carrot and stick motivation (Motivation 2.0) is no longer valid. It can extinguish intrinsic motivation, diminish performance, crush creativity, and crowd out good behavior. At its very worst, it can encourage unethical behavior, create addictions, and foster short-term thinking. When Pink refers to addictions, he is referring to the pattern of behavior that prevents a person from ever doing a task without the expected reward. This is an example of Type X behavior. Type X behavior is concerned with extrinsic rewards rather than internal satisfaction. Behavior that is required for smooth functioning in the twenty- first century is called Type I behavior. This behavior is concerned less with extrinsic satisfaction and more with intrinsic satisfaction. Pink believes that this behavior leads to stronger performance, greater health, and higher overall well-being.
Finally, Pink describes the three motivational drives (Motivation 3.0) and how they support Type I behavior. There are also thoughts on how these three motivational drives can be accessed to assure success in the workplace as well as within our own homes.
Autonomy
People need autonomy over what they do, when they do it, who they do it with, and how they do it. According to some of the latest research, organizations that have looked for inventive ways to boost autonomy are outperforming their competitors.
Mastery
Only engagement can produce mastery. The pursuit of mastery is essential to economic success as well as progress in the work place. Mastery begins with “flow” or the time in our work- day when the daily challenges are matched with abilities. The tasks are not too hard and not too easy. Working toward the successful completion of these tasks produces “flow”.
Purpose
Human beings seek purpose. They want to make a contribution or be a part of something greater than themselves. Within organizations, this purpose motive creates goals that use profit in order to reach purpose. It helps create policies that emphasize more than self-interest and encourage people to pursue purpose on their own terms.
These are interesting ideas and worth considering when you are attempting to motivate yourself or others. It is a little more complicated than the carrot and the stick.
Great Reads for the Gifted – Middle School (grades 5-8)
Recommended Reads from Jamie MacDougall, Head of Middle School
Abeel, Samantha. My Thirteenth Winter: a Memoir. New York: Orchard, 2003. Print.
This young memoir documents the experience of being gifted but living with dyscalculia.
Anderson, M. T. Feed. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2002. Print.
How far will technology push us and what happens if we choose not to go?
Anderson, M. T. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation. London: Candlewick, 2006. Print.
It was all he had known, this life of closed doors and secret conversations. How was he to know just how secluded and in danger he was?
Baggett, David, and Shawn Klein. Harry Potter and Philosophy: If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts. Chicago, IL: Open Court, 2004. Print.
Perfect for your philosophical Potter fiend! Each chapter examines Rowling’s characters and plots through a varied philosophical lens.
Barbery, Muriel, and Alison Anderson. The Elegance of the Hedgehog. New York: Europa Editions, 2008. Print.
Twelve-year-old Paloma struggles with the hypocrisy of the adult world toward which she is heading. The concierge in her building feels the same way. Two paths that seem so far apart intersect for a brilliant removed dialogue.
Dahl, Roald. The Umbrella Man and Other Stories. New York: Viking, 1998. Print.
Classic collection of wild tales!
Danticat, Edwidge. Behind the Mountains. New York: Orchard, 2002. Print.
The entire First Person Fiction series tells important tales with powerful perspectives.
Dweck, Carol S. Mindset: the New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House, 2006. Print.
This book may not be a cover to cover read for all middle schoolers, those interested in psychology are certain to find it palatable.
Enzensberger, Hans Magnus., and Rotraut Susanne Berner. The Number Devil: a Mathematical Adventure. New York: Henry Holt, 1998. Print.
A witty mathematical adventure that is incredibly dreamy!
Erdrich, Louise. The Birchbark House. New York: Hyperion for Children, 1999. Print.
Renowned writer Louise Erdrich writes a beautiful tale of change and love.
Farmer, Nancy. The House of the Scorpion. New York: Atheneum for Young Readers, 2002. Print.
A science thriller!
Halsted, Judith Wynn. Some of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers from Preschool to High School. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential,
2009. Print.
Excellent resource for parents of gifted readers. Collections of titles by themes and strategies for discussion.
L’Engle, Madeleine. A Swiftly Tilting Planet. New York: Square Fish/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1978. Print.
Subsequent novel to A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind in the Door.
L’Engle, Madeleine. The Joys of Love. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2008. Print.
A coming of age story written for her grandchildren and published posthumously.
Lowry, Lois. The Willoughbys. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008. Print.
Fairy Tales meet Matilda meet a vocabulary lesson meet a pleasurable quick read!
Maguire, Gregory. What-the-Dickens: the Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2007. Print.
This tale of rogue tooth fairies employs language beautifully, constructing a vivid plot line.
Nilsen, Anna, and Anna Nilsen. The Great Art Scandal. Boston: Kingfisher, 2003. Print.
This experience is an excellent application for art history and observation skills.
Park, Linda Sue. Click. New York, NY: Arthur A. Levine, 2007. Print.
One book, ten authors. A beautiful tale!
Pratchett, Terry. The Wee Free Men. New York, NY: HarperCollins Pub., 2003. Print.
Hilarious off beat humor!
Quinn, Daniel. Ishmael. New York: Bantam/Turner Book, 1995. Print.
When he answers an ad for a teacher seeking a pupil, little did he know his teacher would be an ape. Look at the history of the world through the eyes of a wise primate.
Rilke, Rainer Maria, Franz Xaver Kappus, and Stephen Mitchell. Letters to a Young Poet. New York: Random House, 1984. Print.
Beautifully written collection of primary source documents. Perfect for any aspiring artist.
Selznick, Brian. Wonderstruck: a Novel in Words and Pictures. New York: Scholastic, 2011. Print.
By author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret. The story and illustrations are incredible as ever.
Snicket, Lemony, Carson Ellis, and Nathaniel Stookey. The Composer Is Dead. New York: HarperCollins, 2009. Print.
Enjoy a murder mystery that highlights the various sections of the symphony. Paired with Lemony Snickett’s wacky humor, this book/cd combination is sheer brilliance.
Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl. New York: Knopf, 2000. Print.
In celebration of non-conformity, Stargirl takes on the perils of popularity in her very own, Stargirl way.
Wheelock, Frederic M., and Richard A. LaFleur. Wheelock’s Latin. New York: Collins Reference, 2011. Print.
An excellent self-study for the language lover in your household!
Great Read For the Gifted – Lower School (grades 1-4)
Recommended Reads from Glenna Lykens
Avi, 1937-. Crispin : the cross of lead. Large print ed. New York : Hyperion Books For Children, c2002.
Falsely accused of theft and murder, an orphaned peasant boy in fourteenth-century England flees his village and meets a larger-than-life juggler who holds a dangerous secret.
Bentley, W. A. and Humphreys, W. J. Snow crystals. New York: Dover Publications, 1962.
Over 2,000 photomicrographs of snowflakes, plus slides of frost, rime, glaze, dew, and hail. Introduction by meteorologist W. J. Humphreys discusses techniques of photographing snow crystals, science of crystallography, classification, and markings.
Blake, Robert J. Togo. New York : Philomel Books, c2002.
In 1925, Togo, a Siberian husky who loves being a sled dog, leads a team that rushes to bring diphtheria antitoxin from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska.
Brink, Carol Ryrie, 1895-. Caddie Woodlawn. New ed. New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1973.
The adventures of an eleven-year-old tomboy growing up on the Wisconsin frontier in the mid-nineteenth century.
Cameron, Ann, 1943-. The stories Julian tells. 1st ed. New York : Pantheon, c1981.
Relates episodes in seven-year-old Julian’s life which include getting into trouble with his younger brother Huey, planting a garden, what he did to try to grow taller, losing a tooth, and finding a new friend.
Fitzhugh, Louise. Harriet the spy. New York : Delacorte Press, [2000].
Eleven-year-old Harriet keeps notes on her classmates and neighbors in a secret notebook, but when some of the students read the notebook, they seek revenge.
Fletcher, Ralph. Spider Boy. Sandpiper, 1997.
Bobby Ballenger, a walking encyclopedia on spider lore, is quickly dubbed the “Spider Boy from Illinois” by his new seventh-grade classmates. With his watch and his heart still set on Midwest time, Bobby struggles with homesickness and finding his place in New Paltz, New York.
Goodall, Jane, 1934-. The chimpanzees I love : saving their world and ours. 1st ed. New York : Scholastic Press, 2001.
Dr. Jane Goodall provides an account of her life studying chimpanzees at the Gombe National Park in Tanzania, and shares what she has learned from her observations. Includes photographs and discussion of ways to protect the chimpanzees and their habitats.
Hannigan, Katherine. Ida B– : and her plans to maximize fun, avoid disaster, and (possibly) save the world. 1st ed. New York : Greenwillow Books, c2004.
In Wisconsin, fourth-grader Ida B spends happy hours being home-schooled and playing in her family’s apple orchard, until her mother begins treatment for breast cancer and her parents must sell part of the orchard and send her to public school.
Hoberman, Mary Ann. The tree that time built. Sourcebooks, 2009.
Packed with poems and comments that reveal the many parallels between poetry and science.
Kerley, Barbara. The dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins : an illuminating history of Mr. Waterhouse Hawkins, artist and lecturer : true dinosaur story in three ages …. 1st ed. New York : Scholastic, 2001.
The true story of Victorian artist Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, who built life-sized models of dinosaurs in the hope of educating the world about what these awe-inspiring ancient animals were like.
Konigsburg, E.L. From the mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. [1st ed.]. New York : Atheneum, 1967.
Having run away with her younger brother to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, twelve-year-old Claudia strives to keep things in order in their new home and to become a changed person and a heroine to herself.
Le Guin, Ursula K. 1929-. Catwings. New York : Orchard Books, c1988.
Four young cats with wings leave the city slums in search of a safe place to live, finally meeting two children with kind hands.
Levine, Gail Carson. Ella enchanted. New York : HarperCollinsPublishers, c1997.
In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella struggles against the childhood curse that forces her to obey any order given to her.
Lovelace, Maud Hart, 1892-. Betsy-Tacy. New York : HarperCollins, [1995].
After Betsy Ray moves into the house across the street from Tacy Kelly, the five-year-olds become inseparable friends.
Martin, Jacqueline Briggs. Snowflake Bentley. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, c1998.
A biography of a self-taught scientist who photographed thousands of individual snowflakes in order to study their unique formations.
Michael, Pamela (Editor). River of words: young poets and artists on the nature of things.Milkweed Editions, 2008.
The California-based River of Words has gained fame as an important nonprofit that incorporates nature exploration and the arts into young people’s lives. This analogy collects the best writing on water and nature from students age 5 – 18 across the country, with accompanying artwork.
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Shiloh. 1st ed. New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, c1991.
Marty finds a lost beagle in the hills behind his West Virginia home, and tries to hide it from his family and the dog’s real owner, a mean-spirited man known to shoot deer out of season and to mistreat his dogs.
Nelson, Kadir. Heart and soul : the story of America and African Americans. 1st ed. New York : Balzer + Bray, 2011.
Peck, Richard, 1934-. A long way from Chicago : a novel in stories. 1st ed. New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, c1998.
A boy recounts his annual summer trips to rural Illinois with his sister during the Great Depression to visit their larger-than-life grandmother.
Peck, Richard, 1934-. On the wings of heroes. New York : Dial Books, c2007.
A boy in Illinois remembers the homefront years of World War II, especially his two heroes–his brother in the Air Force and his father–who fought in the previous war.
Rylant, Cynthia. Gooseberry Park. 1st ed. San Diego : Harcourt Brace and Company, 1995.
When a storm separates Stumpy the squirrel from her newborn babies, her animal friends come to the rescue.
Selznick, Brian. The Houdini box. New York : Knopf, c1991.
A chance encounter with Harry Houdini leaves a small boy in possession of a mysterious box–one that might hold the secrets to the greatest magic tricks ever performed.
Shulman, Mark, 1962-. Mom and Dad are palindromes : a dilemma for words … and backwards. San Francisco : Chronicle Books, c2006.
Introduces more than one hundred palindromes through the story of Bob, a boy who cannot figure out if he is coming or going after realizing he is surrounded by palindromes, from his mom and dad, to his dog Otto.
Singer, Marilyn. Mirror mirror : a book of reversible verse. 1st ed. New York, N.Y. : Dutton Children’s Books, c2010.
A collection of short poems which, when reversed, provide new perspectives on the fairy tale characters they feature.
Stewart, Trenton Lee. The mysterious Benedict Society. 1st ed. New York : Little, Brown, 2007.
After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules.
Van Allsburg, Chris. The chronicles of Harris Burdick: fourteen amazing authors tell the tales. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade, 2011.
An inspired collection of short stories by an all-star cast of best-selling authors based on the thought-provoking illustrations in Chris Van Allsburg’s The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.
Van Allsburg, Chris. The mysteries of Harris Burdick. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, c1984.
Presents a series of loosely related drawings each accompanied by a title and a caption which the reader may use to make up his or her own story.
Great Reads for the Gifted – Early Childhood
Recommended Reads from Francine Clayton
Auch, Mary Jane. Hen lake. New York : Holiday House, c1995.
Tired of the bragging of Percival the peacock, Poulette convinces the other hens in the barnyard that they can outperform the boastful bird in a ballet she creates.
Auch, Mary Jane. The princess and the pizza. 1st ed. New York : Holiday House, c2002.
An out-of-work princess applies to become the bride of Prince Drupert, but first she must pass several tests, including a cooking contest.
Bender, Robert. Toads and diamonds. 1st ed. New York : Lodestar Books, 1995.
In this version of the Perrault tale, two sisters’ treatment of a three-headed troll is appropriately repaid.
Birdseye, Tom. A regular flood of mishap. New York : Holiday House, c1994.
Six-year-old Ima Bean sets off such a “flood of mishaps” when she tries to help her grandpa that she begins to worry whether she will ever be forgiven.
Brumbeau, Jeff; pictures by Gail DeMarcken. The Quiltmaker’s Gift Duluth, MN Pfeifer-Hamilton.
When a generous quiltmaker finally agrees to make a quilt for a greedy king but only under certain conditions, she causes him to undergo a change of heart.
Christelow, Eileen. The five-dog night. New York : Clarion, c1993.
Cantankerous Ezra keeps rebuffing his nosy neighbor Old Betty when she tries to give him advice on how to survive the cold winter nights, until she finally discovers that his five dogs are his private source for warmth.
Cooney, Barbara, 1917-2000. Miss Rumphius. New York : Viking Press, 1982.
After making her girlhood dreams of world travel and living by the sea come true, a retired librarian follows her grandfather’s old advice of doing something to make the world more beautiful, and then passes that wisdom on to her grandniece.
Frame, Jeron Ashford. Yesterday I had the blues. Berkley, CA : Tricycle Press, c2003.
A young boy ponders a variety of emotions and how different members of his family experience them, from his own blues to his father’s grays and his grandmother’s yellows.
Steig, William 1907-. Sylvester and the magic pebble. New York, : Simon & Schuster, [1969].
In a moment of fright Sylvester the donkey asks his magic pebble to turn him into a rock but then can not hold the pebble to wish himself back to normal again.
Guback, Georgia, Luka’s Quilt. New York Greenwillow Books c1994
When Luka’s grandmother makes a traditional Hawaiian quilt for her, she and Luka disagree over the colors it should include.
Hoban, Russell. The rain door. London : V. Gollancz, 1986.
Harry meets a rag-and-bone man one hot summer afternoon and follows him through the rain door for a fantastic adventure with rain, thunder, and lightning.
Hutchins, Pat, 1942-. Rosie’s walk. New York : Macmillan, [1967, c1968].
Although unaware that a fox is after her as she takes a walk around the farmyard, Rosie the hen still manages to lead him into one accident after another.
Lachner, Dorothy. Andrew’s angry words. New York : North-South Books, 1995.
When his sister trips and sends all his toys flying, Andrew lets loose a lot of nasty angry words that start to spread from person to person creating trouble wherever they go.
Lionni, Leo, 1910-1999. Alexander and the wind-up mouse. New York : Pantheon, c1969.
Alexander, the mouse, makes friends with Willy, a toy mouse, and wants to be just like him until he discovers that Willy is to be thrown away.
Muth, Jon J. The three questions. 1st ed. New York : Scholastic Press, 2002.
Nikolai asks his animal friends to help him answer three important questions: “When is the best time to do things?” “Who is the most important?” and “What is the right thing to do?”.
Muth, Jon J. Zen shorts. 1st ed. New York : Scholastic Press, 2005.
When Stillwater the bear moves into the neighborhood, the stories he tells to three siblings teach them to look at the world in new ways.
Polacco, Patricia. Thunder cake. New York : PaperStar, c1990.
Grandma finds a way to dispel her grandchild’s fear of thunderstorms.
Potter, Beatrix, 1866-1943. The tale of Squirrel Nutkin. Original and authorized ed. London ; : Frederick Warne, 2002.
Squirrel Nutkin would rather ask an old owl riddles than gather nuts with the other squirrels.
Rodanas, Kristina. Dragonfly’s tale. New York : Clarion Books, c1991.
After a poor harvest two children regain the Corn Maidens’ blessings for their people with the aid of a cornstalk toy, the dragonfly.
Roop, Peter. Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie. Lincoln, Neb.
The true story of a brave young girl who kept her lighthouse burning during a tremendous storm.
Ryland,, Cynthia, 1985. illustrated by Stephen Gammell. The Relatives Came. New York; Bradbury Press.
The relatives come to visit from Virginia and everyone has a wonderful time.