Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Fantastic Reading at Indian Rocks Beach!

My husband and I just returned from a fabulous two weeks visiting our daughter and son-in-law in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. We went to the beach, the Chihuly Museum, the aquarium, a tree lighting, tons of garage sales, out on the boat, the villa, the bird sanctuary and many restaurants. We were also in a Christmas parade!! We threw beads and candy to the observers as well as dog bones to the dogs. So Cool!

I was also asked to read my books at the library. Although the children that attended were a little older than usual, we had a great time. They loved jumping on my consonant blends and throwing a bean bag in the basket.



The children were very interested in the recycling crafts and games. They even said, "Can we do more?"As you might imagine, I was thrilled!

I should be appearing in the Indian Rocks Beach newspaper. Next time we visit I'll schedule the other libraries.

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285 Add to Technorati Favorites

Saturday, November 19, 2011

My two books won the Literary Classics seal of approval!!

SH SH SH LET THE BABY SLEEP   

TROUBLE ON EARTH DAY

Both of my new releases have won the Literary Classics Seal of Approval! Here are the press releases for both books.

For Immediate Release
Contact: Louise Bryant
Children's Literary Classics
Children's Literary Classics is pleased to announce that the children's picture book, Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep, written by Kathy Stemke and illustrated by Jack Foster has been selected to receive the Children's Literary Classics Seal of Approval.  The CLC Seal of Approval is a designation reserved for those books which uphold the rigorous criteria set forth by the Children's Literary Classics review committee, a team comprised of individuals with backgrounds in publishing, editing, writing, illustration and graphic design.
Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep is the story of a fantastic series of adventures as seen through the eyes of Zachary, a boy who is struggling to adjust to life with a new baby sister.  Young Zachary becomes a "super hero" whenever he puts on his glasses.  Donning his glasses as he does his best to help protect his baby sister from noises which might wake her, he encounters all sorts of noisy nuisances, including birds, trains and bears.  This whimsical book creatively incorporates consonant blends in a story which will surely transport youngsters to new levels of imagination in their quest for adventure and learning.

Zachary's journey is only beginning at the conclusion of this story.  Complete with teacher's supplements including rhymes, songs, worksheets and more, this book has much to offer young readers as well as educators.

 Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep, earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
This CLC Seal of Approval book, ISBN#9781616331577 , is available for purchase at the following locations Guardian Angel Publishing, Amazon, B & N, and others.  You may contact the author directly for book-signing events at dancekam1@yahoo.com .
For Immediate Release

Children's Literary Classics is pleased to announce that the children's picture book, Trouble on Earth Day, written by Kathy Stemke, has been selected to receive the Children's Literary Classics Seal of Approval.  The CLC Seal of Approval is a designation reserved for those books which uphold the rigorous criteria set forth by the Children's Literary Classics review committee, a team comprised of individuals with backgrounds in publishing, editing, writing, illustration and graphic design.
Trouble on Earth Day is the story of Shelby Squirrel, a youngster who is thrilled to have won an Earth Day Poster contest. As Shelby's family of squirrels contemplate the meaning of her poster, namely to "re-think" how some items might be recycled, they start brainstorming ways to put their saved and cast-off items to good use. 

When Shelby encounters a bird in short supply of materials with which to build her nest, she comes to the rescue with some of the items her family had recently decided to recycle.  Shelby and her new friend pool their efforts and resources to create a beautiful new nest. 

With interactive games and projects, including additional Earth Day history information at the back, this book is an excellent resource for educators on the topic of recycling.
Children’s Literary Classics, an organization dedicated to furthering excellence in  children’s literature, takes great pride in its role to help promote classic children's literature which appeals to youth, while educating and encouraging positive values in the impressionable young minds of future generations.   To learn more about Children's Literary Classics, you may visit their website at www.clcawards.org or www.childrensliteraryclassics.com
This CLC Seal of Approval book, ISBN#978-1-936021-36-9, is available for purchase at the following locations Educationtipster, Amazon, B & N and others. You may contact the author directly for book-signing events at dancekam1@yahoo.com .

Friday, November 11, 2011

20 Best Quotes of All Time!

My favorite time quote in this list appears in red.  Which is    yours?                                                             Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein. ~ H. Jackson Brown

The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot. ~ Michael Altshuler

Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you. ~ Carl Sandburg

I am definitely going to take a course on time management… just as soon as I can work it into my schedule. ~ Louis E. Boone

In truth, people can generally make time for what they choose to do; it is not really the time but the will that is lacking. ~ Sir John Lubbock
Those who make the worse use of their time are the first to complain of its shortness. ~ Jean De La Bruyere

The great dividing line between success and failure can be expressed in five words: "I did not have time." ~ Franklin Field

Don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week’s value out of a year while another man gets a full year’s value out of a week. ~ Charles Richards

The key is in not spending time, but in investing it. ~ Stephen R. Covey

Ordinary people think merely of spending time. Great people think of using it. ~ Author Unknown

Once you have mastered time, you will understand how true it is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year - and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade! ~ Anthony Robbins

You’re writing the story of your life one moment at a time. ~ Doc Childre and Howard Martin

Never let yesterday use up today. ~ Richard H. Nelson

Whether it’s the best of times or the worst of times, it’s the only time we’ve got. ~ Art Buchwald

One thing you can’t recycle is wasted time. ~ Author Unknown

All that really belongs to us is time; even he who has nothing else has that. ~ Baltasar Gracian

You cannot kill time without injuring eternity. ~ Henry David Thoreau

Time is at once the most valuable and the most perishable of all our possessions. ~ John Randolph

What may be done at any time will be done at no time. ~ Scottish Proverb

You will never "find" time for anything. If you want time, you must make it. ~ Charles Bruxton
Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285 Add to Technorati Favorites

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

The Balance of Creativity and Education that We Want to See in Children’s Books

The Balance of Creativity and Education that We Want to See in Children’s Books

By Amanda Green

All of us can probably remember a handful of children’s books that colored not only our childhood but also much of our early development. Whether it was a Dr. Seuss book, a classic like Goodnight Moon, or an autobiographical compilation like Little House on the Prairie, the books we read as kids have a very real impact on how we develop as youngsters and grow into the education system. The right children’s books can teach lessons of love and responsibility while also instilling in us a passion for reading and a desire to learn.

This is true of every generation. Although the titles and the stories may change, a good children’s book universally succeeds in capturing the imagination and accomplishing these aforementioned objectives. Even today, in a world where kids grow up with wireless internet, Android phones, and instant connectivity, this formula for stories remains just as valuable – if not more valuable – as ever before.

So what kind of children’s books can best instill all these important values? What kind of books will make learning fun for our kids, and will do so at a young age?

While there is no concrete way to answer these two questions, experience has taught me that the best children’s books are those that best balance outlandish, fantastical elements with real-world lessons. When it comes to creativity, the best books will walk the line. They won’t be so creative as to entertain the child but do so only in a fantasy world that doesn’t make them interested in their own. Conversely, they also won’t lack creativity to such a degree that the child fails to find the book memorable and doesn’t see reading – and, by extension, learning – as a kind of exploration.

Instead, our ideal book will be extremely created but grounded real-world applications. For me, Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth immediately comes to mind. Set in a fantasy world that nonetheless succeeds in making real-world learning an alluring prospect, this 1961 book walks that line of creativity perfectly. Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, in my opinion, is a close second.

 So when you’re looking for books for your child, try to find the right balance between education and creativity. And, always remember: if you want your kid to love reading and learning, be sure to start them at a young age.

Kathy Stemke's website:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

The Reviews for TROUBLE ON EARTH DAY are Rolling In!

In Kathy Stemke’s charming picture book, Trouble on Earth Day , little Shelby squirrel is excited to announce her first place ribbon in the Earth Day poster contest at school. Shelby’s explanation of the concepts on her poster to her parents gets everyone to think about how we can rethink, reuse, and recycle in our homes. Follow along as Shelby answers cries of despair from the forest with what she has learned at school and saves the day.

A perfect introduction to Earth Day concepts that will keep kids thinking all year long, Trouble On Earth Day features an engaging tale with colorful illustrations by Kurt Wilcken that children will love. The bonus in this edition is the section of teaching materials that allow children to extend and apply the concepts taught in the story. Perfect for a traditional classroom or a homeschooling environment, the book offers discussion ideas, songs, activities and crafts to create a multi-sensory learning experience.

I found the characters very relatable, and my children enjoyed the story and illustrations. The included activities are easily done at home with every day supplies. I think this story would have great appeal for early elementary grades as well as pre-school.

Trouble On Earth Day by Kathy Stemke, Illustrated by Kurt Wilcken, Published by Wild Plains Press, Educator’s Edition ISBN 978-1-936021-36-9, Paperback SRP $15.00.
Reviewed by Lara Kimbrell

http://larakimbrell.com/post/11318237115/book-review-trouble-on-earth-day-kathy-stemke

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285 Add to Technorati Favorites

Trouble on Earth Day Review

Title: Trouble on Earth Day

Author: Kathy Stemke

Illustrator: Kurt Wilchen

Published by Wild Plains Press

ISBN: 978-1-936021-36-9

Reviewed by Karen Cioffi



As a proponent of conservation and the environment, I love children’s books that approach this topic in an engaging and entertaining format. Trouble on Earth Day by Kathy Stemke does just that.



The story begins with the main character, Shelby the squirrel, winning the Earth Day poster contest; the young reader is quickly brought into the focus of the story, our environment. Shelby’s poster has “Rethink, Reuse, and Recycle” boldly and colorfully written on it.



As the story progresses, Shelby and her parents discuss the different ways individuals and families can conserve, such as using old clothing for a quilt.



It also delves into the effects of deforestation. When Shelby hears the cries of a “little bird,” she searches until she finds it, then asks the bird what’s wrong. The bird explains, “The workman cut down my tree and my nest. I found a new tree, but I can only find twigs to make a new home.”



Using ingenuity and what she learned from her parents, Shelby helps the bird build a new nest using recyclable items from her home. Trouble on Earth Day will quickly heave children asking about the environment and looking around their homes for items that can be recycled.



Adding to the invitingness of this delightful story are amazing full page illustrations by Kurt Wilchen. Each page has vivid and bold illustrations that will surely grab and hold a young reader’s attention. Along with all this, Stemke includes pages and pages of activities, and additional information about conservation and the environment, all to help children better understand the story’s theme. It even includes a song titled “The Fuzzy Squirrel” that children can sing to with the music from “I’m a Little Teapot.”



Some of the activities and information include in Educator’s Edition:



  • Reading comprehension activities
  • Original topic related lyrics that children can sing to the melody of classic favorites
  • Discussion topics, such as Why Trees are Important and What Things Can be Reused
  • Games, including the Going Green Game
  • Recycling activities, such as making napkin rings using recycled toilet paper rolls, recycling old CDs to make ornaments, and how to recycle old crayons
  • Dolch Sight Word activity page



My favorite information page in Trouble on Earth Day briefly explains what went on before the first Earth Day in April 1970, what the focus of Earth day is, and why it’s so important.



Learning how each of us can take steps to protect our environment is important for children and adults alike. It will take all our efforts to help improve the environment for a healthier tomorrow. Trouble on Earth Day is a great start for children.



~~~~~~~~~~

Karen Cioffi is a published author, ghostwriter, and editor for 4RV Publishing. For writing and marketing information, and to find out more about Karen and her books, visit: http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com. While there, be sure to sign-up for her newsletter, A Writer’s World.
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285 Add to Technorati Favorites

Thursday, October 6, 2011

The Frugal Book Promotor: New Edition of Multi Award-Winning Book Released

Thousands Expected to Dig for Nuggets

More than a dozen authors, mentors, and nationally known book marketers will offer thousand in bonus gifts focused on the needs of authors when novelist, poet, and book marketer Carolyn Howard-Johnson releases the second edition of the first book in her HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter.

Among those supporting Howard-Johnson’s book are self publishing gurus Dan Poynter and Shelley Hitz, book marketers Dana Lynn Smith, Patricia Fry, D’vorah Lansky, and Aggie Villaneuva and even some fun stuff like a full book of poetry from Magdalena Ball and advice on feng shui from Anna Maria Prezio, Ph.D. Leading the charge is Amazon and book launch expert Denise Cassino.

Collectively, they offer an inestimable value in career boosting bonus gifts to anyone who pays a mere $9.95 for The Frugal Book Promoter in its Kindle iteration (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkProKindle) or $12.82 (discounted from $17.95) for the paperback on Amazon (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo).

The project will reach a crescendo on Wednesday, October 8, when an unprecedented number of people will visit Howard-Johnson’s launch page and launch her valuable to number one on Amazon.com, a great way to help make this book visible to even more authors who need it. Check out her site on October 8 at http://frugalbookpromoter.homestead.com/index.html

Howard-Johnson, an instructor for nearly a decade at UCLA Extension’s Writers’ Program, chose to have the new edition published in both e-book format and paperback in order to give her struggling students and clients affordable and convenient choices. Whichever format a reader chooses, The Frugal Book Promoter assures an author’s book the best possible start in life. Full of nitty-gritty how-tos for getting nearly free publicity, the author shares her professional experience as well as practical tips gleaned from the successes of her own book campaigns. A former journalist and publicist (she wrote media releases for fashion designers like Christian Dior), she tells authors how to do what their publishers can’t or won’t and why authors can often do their own promotion better than a PR professional.

Howard-Johnson even assigned a new subtitle to this edition of her book to reflect its appeal to a broader array of authors. It is now The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or partnering with your publisher. She says, "With the advances in Internet marketing and the role social media plays in communicating, it was high time even writers who had the first edition had access to my frugal (frugal of both time and money!) ideas for new networking opportunities." The big, fat book (416 pages) also has money-saving ads in the back and an amazing new cover—the epitome of “frugalness”—by Chaz DeSimone, www.chazdesimone.com.

Howard-Johnson is the recipient of the California Legislature’s Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award, her community’s Character and Ethics award for her work promoting tolerance with her writing. She was also named to Pasadena Weekly’s list of 14 women of “San Gabriel Valley women who make life happen.” She has worked for Good Housekeeping Magazine and as a journalist for several newspapers and has been a popular presenter at writers’ conferences nationwide like the one at San Diego State University and the Sinclair Lewis Writers’ Conference. She is also a novelist and poet, which informs the advice she gives to authors of those genres.


Carolyn Howard-Johnson

I
nstructor for the renowned UCLA Extension Writers' Program

A
uthor of the multi award-winning series of HowToDoItFrugally books:

The Frugal Book Promoter

The Frugal Editor

The Great First Impression Book Proposal

Great Little Last-Minute Edits

E-mail:
HoJoNews@aol.com
Web site:http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
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Monday, September 26, 2011

There are zillions of books for kids about holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, but not nearly as many about Earth Day. Trouble on Earth Day by Kathi Stemke not only fills that void, it's also a delightful picture book that will encourage children to appreciate and care for our environment all year long.
The pictures and plot are cute and young kids will enjoy hearing the book read aloud to them. Older children can read it themselves and participate in the many educational activities suggested. This would be a great book to add to school libraries as well as for families.

Reviewed by
Janet Collins
Children's author




This is a fun story told from a squirrel's point of view on ways to celebrate Earth Day.

It is chock full of recycling crafts to empower children to make a difference in their world.
I liked the nylon sachets and the CD picture frames/ornaments!


Patricia Karwatowicz
Children's author





Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285 Add to Technorati Favorites

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

15 Key Facts About Homeschooled Kids in College

In recent years, homeschooling has seen a rise in popularity, with more and more parents deciding to educate their children not at a traditional school but at home, typically with a parent as instructor. But just like traditional classrooms, homeschool doesn't last forever, and homeschooled students at some point will have to get ready to move on to college. Things are easier for homeschooled college students today, but in the past, these students were plagued by difficult admissions, culture shock, and more. Now, homeschool students often enjoy easier admission, better college performance, and even the opportunity to enter college with several credits already earned. Read on, and you'll find out more about what the homeschool college student experience is like today.

For the rest of the article click: http://www.onlinecollege.org/2011/09/13/15-key-facts-about-homeschooled-kids-in-college/

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
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Thursday, September 8, 2011

Taconi and Claude – Double Trouble

       Taconi and Claude – Double Trouble – mid-grade novel



Author's Name: Margot Finke – http://www.margotfinke.com

Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/double-trouble.htm
Powell’s Books:
http://www.powells.com/biblio?isbn=1616331305
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-61633-130-6; 1616331305
eBook ISBN: 978-1-61633-131-3; 1616331313


A coming of age story set in the Aussie outback on 1950.
Taconi, an aboriginal boy, has a problem Dad, fears his
upcoming man ceremony, and a chatty cockatoo named
Claude. Dreamtime Spirits have plans for him, and so does
the cattle station owner. Decisions, fears, and the hunt for
wild meat soon become scary and dangerous.

KATHY STEMK'S WEBSITES:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
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Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Trouble on Earth Day has been Released!




  • Paperback: 44 pages

  • Publisher: Wild Plains Press (September 30, 2011)

  • Language: English

  • ISBN-10: 1936021366

  • ISBN-13: 978-1936021369

  • Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.1 inches

  • Shipping Weight: 4.5 ounces


  • When Shelby wins a first place ribbon for her Earth Day poster, she gets her parents involved with recycling items in their home and then befriends a bluebird - helping him rebuild his home with recycled items.
     
    This colorful picture book will facilitate dialog between parents, teachers, and children about conserving the Earth's natural resources and the 22 page activity section includes comprehension questions and easy to learn songs, as well as enjoyable worksheets, games, and compound word activities.

    Included discussions about trees, birds, and recycling materials provide everything that home-schooling parents and other educators need in order to pass on knowledge about caring for the environment and teach environmental responsibility.
    Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285 Add to Technorati Favorites

    Wednesday, August 31, 2011

    Book review: Muscles Make Us Move

    Title:  Muscles Make Us Move
    Written by: Bill Kirk
    Illustrated by:  Eugene Ruble
    Soft cover: 31 pages
    Ages:   8-13
    Publisher:    Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
    Print ISBN 13 978-1-:616331-134-4; 1616331348
    eBook ISBN 13:  978-1-61633-135-1; 616331356

    Published:     July 2011
    Print Price:    $11.95
                                                                                   eBook Price: $5.00
    ATTENTION all teachers, parents and students!!

    Author Bill Kirk has added another amazing rhyming non-fiction book to his The Sum of Our Parts Series in Guardian Angel Publishing’s Academic Wings,  Muscles Make Us Move!! Like his books about bones and the circulatory system, this book uses easy to memorize fun rhymes to name the major muscle groups and their job in our bodies.
    Two names of leg muscles,
    Just might make you laugh,
    Gastrocnemius and soleus
    Are found in the “calf.”

    In addition, you will find a valuable teaching and learning aid on every page, a factoid. These are every teacher’s dream because they’re jam packed with vital information in a simple and interesting format.
    Factoid

    Smooth muscle is also called INVOLUNTARY muscle because the brain tells those muscles what to do without your even knowing about it.
     
    Eugene Ruble’s detailed and amusing illustrations add to the value of this book. The full body muscular drawings with over a hundred muscles displayed provide extension learning possibilities for students.
    The glossary provides a quick and easy way to identify the muscles highlighted in the book. As a retired teacher, I would highly recommend Muscles Make Us Move for every classroom, school and personal library. I wish I had this book when I was studying anatomy and physiology in college. It’s simple enough for young students and interesting enough for adults to enjoy for years to come.

    So remember…

    And when brushing your teeth,

    After eating dessert,

    Buccinators in your cheeks

    Make water go “squirt”.


    Reviewer: Kathy Stemke



    Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
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    Sunday, August 28, 2011

    Online Resources for Teachers and Education Professionals


    Teachers, step through the door to new opportunities and technologies!

    The online world has changed many facets of our lives and this is especially the case for teachers and the way we approach education. The Internet is, after all, a collection of data that's unparalleled in the whole of human history. Unfortunately, not every educator is aware of some of the excellent online resources that are available to them.

    As the face of education changes, it's important that our education professionals are able to adapt to a changing society that is becoming more influenced by online approaches and techniques. At institutions like the University of Phoenix San Diego, professors are using the Internet as a tool to give students a more diverse experience. Here's a list of some of the best sites that have show to be highly effective:

    Google Docs

    This is a free program that has been highly effective in information distribution. Through this site you can share assignments with your class that may be accessed from anywhere. These “view only” files are accessible to everyone and improve how the students can access any information pertaining to classroom discussions and assignments. Students can go on Google Docs and make a quick copy of any file on the page. This has also allowed educators to share source material and information from anywhere in the world. Google Docs is a multi-user based system that gives students the ability to compartmentalize multiple classes and assignments in separate folders and has done away with the need for hard copies. This way you can share information and not risk misplacing notes or assignments.

    iTunes U

    The iTunes program is the most popular music database used by a majority of people to categorize and manage their music and video collection, but iTunes may be used for more than just music. iTunes U is a distribution system that's a iTunes add-on which allows anyone, including education professionals, to share lectures, lessons, audio books, lessons, and pretty much any media format you can think of with each other. This is a way that teachers can provide quality source material and teaching lessons with their students using the power of multimedia. Basically put, you can lean anything from anywhere at the touch of a button.

    Online Education Database

    Online Education Database is a resources that isn't widely known but has proven to be very useful. It's for both students and teachers and allows participants to take a class online at no cost. You can't get a degree through this site, but it's a great supplemental tool for individuals to expand their knowledge on specific areas of interest.

    Not every college has the resources that meets the demands of the entire student body. In times like these, the OED can be access from anywhere in the world and provide users with a wealth of knowledge and source material that covers topics across many sectors and areas of interest. From the University of Phoenix to Cambridge, you can share knowledge at an unprecedented scale. It's not an education so much as a source for supplemental material that will provide extra material for classes or areas of interest.

    These are a few of the excellent online resources already on the web, but many more exist to help educators provide a more comprehensive learning experience for every student. Tools like the ones listed above will likely become more common place as technology paves the way for the future and improves our ability to learn and achieve.

    KATHY STEMKE'S WEBSITES:
    Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
    Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke
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    Monday, August 22, 2011

    Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep Book Reviews

    Through Ms. Stemke’s expert rhyme and consonant blends storytelling Zachary learns what family is all about and what it truly takes to be a good big brother.
    Donna Mc Dine
    Award Winning Author

    This story is filled with consonant blends hidden in a delightful story for young children who are just beginning to read. This 20 page picture book shows children that having a younger sibling can be fun and not an inconvenience. The illustrations are bold and bright which will catch even the youngest child’s attention.

    Kathy Stemke has created songs, games, and worksheets to keep learning fun and to help with blends that children will be learning about in school. These activities reinforce the words that will make learning blends easier to do. The activities can be played over and over again.

    Renee Hand
    Award Winning Author

    In amongst the story line, there are some great phonics skills! There are blends and digraphs throughout the whole book, and there is also a rhyming element.

    Stephanie Brandt
    Reading Specialist


    With amazing and vivid full page illustrations and witty rhymes that lend themselves to teaching children consonant blends, this story will be a wonderful addition to every child's library, as well as the classroom.

    Karen Cioffi
    Author, Ghostwriter

    Stemke’s experience as a teacher is exercised by the added lessons that  supply teachers with ready-made lessons.

    Jessica Aday Kennedy
    Author

    The story is about a little boy, Zachary who has just welcomed a new baby sister into the family. As he adjusts to his new sister we go on an adventure where he protects his little sister from all kinds of perils.

    Glenda Cates
    Mommies Point of View

    With great and big bold colorful illustrations, Jack Foster was able to bring the book to life. I highly recommend the book to parents and for classroom reading.

    Ella Johnson
    Teacher

    Proving its commitment to entertaining and educating children, Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep is the perfect addition to GAP's Academic Wings line. Readers are treated to an engaging story that helps them deal with introducing a new sibling into the house, while getting a chance to improve their reading skills.
    Cheryl Malandrinos
    Children and Teen Book Connection
    Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
    Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke
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    Wednesday, August 17, 2011

    Fish theme games and songs!


    LET’S GO

    FISHING!


    Preparation

    · Make a couple of fishing poles by attaching 3 feet of string to a dowel and affixing a small magnet to the end of the string.

    · Make fish shapes in different colors and sizes.  Attach a paper clip and put a number on each fish.

    · Use large poster board to make a lake and spread the fish out.

    · Also tape some numbered fish shapes to the floor. (floor fish)

    Activity: Take turns going fishing.

    · Ask them to catch the big fish, small fish, red fish, or blue fish. Count the number in each group.

    · Blind fold them and let them fish. Identify the number on the fish.  Jump to the number on the floor fish.

    · Fish for a certain number of fish. EX: Catch 5 fish. Jump five fish.

    · Catch two fish. Add them together.  Use the fish on the floor to help them add the two fish together by jumping to the first number, then jumping the second number to find the total. 

    · Or subtract them. With subtraction, jump forward for the big number, then jump backwards for the number to be subtracted.



    FISHY POKEY  TUNE: HOKEY POKEY



    Put your left fin in, put your left fin out,

    Action: (Left elbow in, left elbow out)

    put your left fin in and shake it all about

    Actioin: (left elbow in and shake it)

    Do the fishy pokey and turn yourself around

    Action: (Turn in a circle}

    That’s what its all about.

    Action: (jump in place, clap clap)

    Do the fishy pokey, do the fishy pokey,

    Action: (Swim into the circle)

    Do the fishy pokey,

    Action: (Swim backwards out of the circle)

    That’s what its all about.

    Action: (jump in place, clap clap)

    (Right fin)



    Put your left gill in, put your left gill out,

    Action: (left shoulder in, left shoulder out)

    Etc.

    (right gill)



    Put your tail fin in, put your tail fin out,

    Action: (put your bottom in, bottom out)

    Etc.



    Put your fish eye in, put your fish eye out,

    Action: (put your head in, put your head out)

    Etc.



    Put your fish belly in, put your fish belly out,

    Action: (put your belly in, put your belly out)

    Etc.

    FISH FOOD

    Fishy swimming in a brook        

    Daddy catches with a hook       

    Mommy fries it in a pan

    Children ate it then they ran.





    Tune: I’m a Little Teapot



    I’m a little fishy, watch me swim

    Here is my tail, here is my fin

    When I want to have fun with my friends

    I wiggle my tail and jump right in!



    INDIVIDUAL SPELLING GAME

    Make letter squares of either 6, 8, 9, or 12 letters. Make sure there are vowels in each letter grouping. Each child must jump through as many fish words as he can with his set of letters. An observing student should check the spelling and write it down.  Set a time limit, count the words spelled correctly, and announce a winner. Change places with your partner. Fish words: fin, flipper, swim, dive, gill, school, scales, eye, tail, water, seafood, fillet, gut, seaweed, jump, mouth, eat, sand, mud, eggs, bite, catch, fluke, trout.



    FISH SONG


    Tune: Frere Jacques

    Big ones, small ones

    Big ones, small ones

    See them swim

    On a whim.

    Smoothly, smoothly, swimming

    Never, never, drowning.

    Fish, fish, fish,

    Fish, fish, fish. 
    Kathy Stemke's websites:
    Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285 Add to Technorati Favorites