Erica+Affleck

media type="custom" key="20870904" Erica, I agree wholeheartedly with Holly's comment, the male narrator was a nice addition to a great discussion of Stargirl. BJ
 * avatar (voki):** Leo Borlock from Jerry Spinelli's //Stargirl//

Erica! I loved your voki! I loved that you involved someone else in this project and having the male narrator enhanced the introduction of the book! Great presentation. I haven't heard of this book but I now want to read it! Very creative. Thanks, Holly

Although I didn't specifically read it for this class, and it was certainly published more than five years ago, I made a movie trailer for //The Iliad.// I am planning to start teaching it to my students in the next week or two, and I need lots of help to provide some initial motivation...I'm hoping this creates a little intrigue. media type="file" key="mobile.m4v" width="363" height="363"
 * digital movie trailer (imovie):** //The Iliad// by Homer

Erica, what a great book trailer for The Iliad and I think the students will like the feel of the trailer with the comic book style and also including the actor/actress photos as well. Is this imovie? I loved the transitions and effects you used! BJ Neary Yes, it is an imovie...truthfully, I didn't really have to do anything to create the effect, it is a template...I'm sure I have some control, but I couldn't figure out how exactly to manipulate it. ~Erica

Erica, I have 2 words...VERY COOL! ~ Barbara Smellie

Erica, I must say I was not a fan of Homer in high school. However, I found your trailer very intriguing! I loved the animation, as well as the pictures. The music was very fitting. I feel like if I had something like this when I was in high school, my relationship with Homer might be entirely different today. I think you did an excellent job on your trailer!-Turea

Awesome job, Erica! I loved the way you transitioned everything, I didn't see those options when I was working on my version! I am still trying to figure out how to get my own music in, but this is so much fun. You had me on the edge of my seat, that's hard to do when you basically know the story, well done! Kathleen Cusick I can't take any credit for the transitions, truthfully it just did it for me. ~Erica

WOW - what a great BDT! Made me think of this: []. It's almost a funny version of your DBT! - Nicole This is awesome...I shared it with the 9th grade teachers because //The Odyssey// is in their curriculum, and they are obsessed. Thank you! ~Erica

media type="file" key="Wave - Mobile.m4v" width="300" height="300" Erica, this book talk was awesome and I loved that you placed it in the classroom! I haven't read this book but Todd Strasser is a favorite author in the senior high; it is definitely going on my TBR. The details of it being based on a true story make it even more important for students to read and discuss. BJ Neary
 * book talk:** //The Wave// by Todd Strasser

Your video really made me want to read this next! I liked the questions you posed at the end. It really left the listener wanting more. Nicole

I really liked the questions you asked as well. They were very intriguing and gave me an idea of what themes/issues were explored in the book. ~ Krista

Erica, I loved that you filmed this in your classroom. You gave a very thorough and thought provoking book talk about your selection. I am very curious to know more and even more interested because the book was based on true events! Thanks-Holly Frabizio

I loved how you asked questions within your book talk, it really added a nice tone to the talk.-- Joanna

My students' critiques of my //Iliad// of trailer were very amusing, but I really do think they were intrigued. So, I decided to make my next trailer for another book I teach...//Call of the Wild//. media type="file" key="Call of the Wild - Mobile 1.m4v" width="396" height="396" Erica, your DBT has the perfect music, pictures and text telling me a story of a dog who endures many trials but also feels devotion and love toward a man. Great job, BJ Neary
 * digital movie trailer (imovie):** //Call of the Wild// by Jack London

Erica- Great Job! The dog almost felt almost human to me. I felt bad for him when he was with the wolf pack and happy for him when he found the man. This would definitely capture anyone's attention. ~ Barbara

Erica- Your book trailer was awesome and it totally made me tear up. Your dog images were thoughtfully chosen. It was the music that really got me, though. It was epic! This was really enjoyable to watch. It was clear that you took a lot of time and really mapped it out well. Thanks! ~Caron

I chose to do a book talk for //Love, Stargirl// because so many of my students are not satisfied with the ending of //Stargirl//. Some of them are motivated to read the sequel, but I thought this might add a little more intrigue. media type="file" key=" Love, Stargirl 1.mp4" width="300" height="300" Erica, I loved your book talk, your reading of Stargirl excerpts really made me want to read this sequel! I enjoyed this character before, but now she seems more aware of herself, more determined, yet so very positive. I will be getting this book to read:) BJ Neary
 * book talk:** //Love, Stargirl// by Jerry Spinelli

I know it was not published in the last five years, but I am trying to make everything usable for my students, so I made a Wordle for //Merchant of Venice//. media type="custom" key="21448510" width="473" height="473" Erica, a good job on this wordle for your class, I am sure you will really amaze them with this web resource. It will be great to have your students use Wordle also. BJ Neary
 * digital movie trailer (Wordle):** //Merchant of Venice// by Shakespeare

Great Wordle! This is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. I loved the quotes you pulled out. I think this would definitely work to get your students interested in the play. ~ Krista

I am falling more and more in love with Wordles each week! I think this is such a great way to get students interested. Even I was sucked in :) - Nicole

I am just getting into Wordle and yours made me want to learn even more about the different elements of it. The highlighted quotes were a great introduction to the play and would certainly get any YA interested in it. ~Amy

media type="custom" key="21523148" width="130" height="130" Erica, great book talk! I have heard about //The Giver// series but I haven't read it yet! I liked the way that you didn't give away to much of the plot and spoke from the character's POV. I am going to put this series on my holiday wish list. I like Voki I wished I had used it more and definitely plan to in the future. Thanks-Holly Erica, awesome book talk, you have definitely made me want to get this book and read it. I enjoyed every minute of Gabe's narrative. BJ Neary
 * book talk (voki):** //Son// by Lois Lowry

Great book talk! I really appreciated that you referenced the previous book so that even though I had not read it--I knew that this was a continuation and that there were hints about what the last book was about. Thanks! ~Caron

I thought this was an excellent book talk - I didn't even know there was a sequel to The Giver! Your video really made me want to read this one, and I liked watching the Voki speak. It was like a movie with the character (I know I'm going to picture Gabe looking like this when I read //Son//!) - Allison

media type="custom" key="21555554" width="150" height="150" Erica, I totally loved your Prezi! The upward movement of the plane gave me the feeling of a terrific boost of great books you read and enjoyed. I also enjoyed your genres, descriptions and subjects. I have The One and Only Ivan to read, I can't wait. Terrific job, BJ Neary Erica, your Prezi is very cool. I love the plane soaring in the sky toward your number 1 pick! I had forgotten to add some of the books that you had read to me "to-read" list but now I have them all in front of me! Thanks-Holly
 * TOP TEN list (Prezi):**

I echo the sentiments of those who have written before me! I really though the airplane theme was a perfect way to "zoom" through your top ten list! The descriptions and genres were really helpful. Sometimes the cover alone doesn't do enough to describe the book, and your explainations did a great job. I did not use Prezi this semester, and now I'm kind of sad I didn't because it looks like a lot of fun. Maybe I'll use it my my futre classroom some day :).-Turea

Your Prezi was really great! The visual of soaring through the sky was a neat idea. Great job!- Joanna

//All the Broken Pieces// is a book that is on my "to read list" especially after reading //Inside Out and Back Again//. Your Prezi and "snip-its" of the books gave me a much better idea as to the books and made me want to pick up and read the majority of them! ~Amy

media type="custom" key="21727876" width="170" height="170" Erica, your prezi is engrossing with the many literary pairings for World War II! I especially enjoyed the book talk for //The Boy Who Dared//. Very thorough, great job. BJ Neary
 * theme study (Prezi):**

What a great Prezi! There was a lot of information on there and it was arranged really well. I also liked the book talk for //The Boy Who Dared//, it was probably one of my favorite books I read for this class and I definitely think it would work well in the classroom. ~ Krista Erica, your Prezi is visually stimulating and informative. I loved all of variety of suggestions that you make to help foster a better understanding of some very tough subject matter. Very well done. -Holly