Storyline Online

One of our 2010 Fellows, Esther Kotke posted this site on our ning, but I finally was able to check it out and had a wonderful experience. The site is http://storylineonline.net/ and students can have some favorite books read to them by professional actors. I listened to To Be a Drum read by James Earl Jones, but I noticed some other LWP favorites like Thank You, Mr. Falker, Knots on a Counting Rope, and Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge.

While the actors do the reading, the video shows the illustrated pages and subtitles appear on the bottom so that students can follow along in their own books or read together from the screen.

In addition, there are activities and questions for each book. The site is out of funding, so they probably won't add any more books, but they have a nice little collection.

To Be a Drum can still be used in my high school class because it's a nice companion piece to Paul Laurence Dunbar's "Sympathy," and it works as a hook to give them some background knowledge to start their research on slavery in America.

Thanks Esther for sharing this resource. If you find resources that would benefit other teachers, let us know. We'd love to hear from you.

Hawaiian Women Writers Reading 8/30/09

COME AND CELEBRATE
Native Hawaiian Women
appearing in newly
published anthology
Readings, Reception, Discussion, Book Signing

Sunday, August 30, 2009
2:00-5:00 p.m.
UHH Performing Arts Center

Readings by Writers: Phyllis Coochie Cayan, Pualani Kanahele,
Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl, Mahealani Perez-Wendt, Nalanikanaka`ole,
Rachelle “Snookie” Maikui, Doodie Cruz, Muriel Hughes, Cathy Ikeda,
Jackie Pualani Johnson,Jerelyn Makanui-Yoshida, Tamara Wong Morrison

Other writers include Keonaona Aea, Cheryl Bautista, and Relyn Timbal, of the continental states;
the late Eleanor Ahuna of Hilo; and the late Haunani Bernardino of O`ahu and Hilo.
Free and Open to the Public

Sponsored by: the Performing Arts Department, the English Department, Kipuka Native Hawaiian Student Center, Ka Haka Ula O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language; the Hawaiʻi Life Styles Program from the Hawaiʻi Community College; and the Hawaii Council for the Humanities, with additional support from the “We the People” initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities.