Dear Friends,

If you are a long-time reader of this electronic newsletter, you know that the primary purpose of WinkWorld is to share ideas with teachers and learners. Approximately 90% of the readership of WinkWorld is comprised of classroom teachers and teacher educators.

However, there is a small group of family/friends, who are avid readers of WinkWorld. They mainly scroll rapidly through all of the resources for teachers and read only Notes from the Real World and/or Prairie Pedagogy. It is for this small group of treasured people, that I am deviating, only for this issue, with a Sights and Sounds of Summer 2008 edition.

Teachers, teacher educators, and colleagues, I'll be back next month with more ideas and resources for your classrooms. At this moment, creating this WinkWorld feels very much like an assignment of, "What I did during my summer vacation."

The 8 year drought ends on the ranch.
http://picasaweb.google.com/joan.julie/Flood?authkey=5OotfrxhpeA

Julie from CA came to visit.
She helped us mow. Mowing pix
She helped us with the horses. Horses pix

Cousin Kurt and Barbara from PA came to visit.
We went birding.
     Birding pix 1
     Birding pix 2

5 wonderful ~grands~ came to the ranch with their Mommies:
During the first hour the kids were here, we
     Swam Pix
     went boating Pix
     mowed Pix
     played ball Pix
     played in the water Pix
     hung out on the floor Pix
     fed the horses Pix
     road the horses Pix
     visited (Grammie and Garrett). Pix

After the first hour, we found lots to keep us busy:
     5 Cousins Pix
     5 Cousins & families Pix
     5 Cousins, Grammie and BopBop Pix
     The Gang and Grandma Mickie Pix
     Cuddling on the Couch Pix
     BopBop and Wynn at the carnival. Pix
     Joan, Wynn, and Betty. Pix

After the grandkids left, we branded:
     Cousin De Pix
     Dean branding Pix
     The crew coming to eat Pix

Next we hurried off to be with dear friends of 40 years at the Yankton College Reunion
     Friends of 40 years Pix
I was honored to receive the college Achievement Award.
     Award pix 1
     Award pix 2

University of Arizona Plaza of Honor
My friend, Mary Ann, honored me, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Now, I'm well and still among these fabulous women of Arizona.
     Plaza of Honor pix 1
     Plaza of Honor pix 2
Forever on my dear desert:
     Joan and her brick pix
     Joan's brick pix

Whole Language Umbrella/National Council of Teachers of English Tucson
     Janet Towell (Florida Atlantic University) and Joan Pix
     Priscilla Gutierrez (New Mexico School for the Deaf) and Joan Pix

Cousin Ace and Aunt Essie, age 92, came to visit the ranch.
     Ace and Aunt Essie, age 92 Pix
     Ace, Aunt Essie, and Dean Pix

We spent one day at the Sturgis Rally
     http://www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com/

And, we attended the Faith Stock Show, and cheered our favorite pol:
     Pix

Sue, the T Rex, came home to visit; she was in the Faith Community Center for the entire summer - pretty darned amazing.
     http://www.fieldmuseum.org/sue/
     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjqNtcXa3zQ
     http://www.leechvideo.com/video/view1375673.html

And, to see even more of Sue, the T Rex, look at Austin's t-shirt.
     Pix

Idaho
     A Cute Zucchini Pix
     A Big Bean Pix
     A Big One and a Little One: Bo and Garrett, July 08 Pix
     A Cute Zucchini & A Big Bean meet Miss America Pix

New Mexico
     Lukie finds a double rainbow. Pix
     Wynn Pix
     Wyatt Pix
     Wynn, celebrating herself and her 9th birthday Pix

Dean & Joan: Note the rich diversity of grasses.
     Pix
The Ranch house in June
     Pix

My two favorite birds of the summer:
Red-headed Woodpecker
     http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/678/overview/Red-headed_Woodpecker.aspx
We found them down on the Cheyenne River
American Avocet
     http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/213/_/American_Avocet.aspx
The beautiful avocets have a nest over by the truck washout, and they fly aggressively and call at us, when we go near.

Garrett: Signing the ABCs.
     http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/E7YrahKdsfQ2n5gi5ovb0A

FVR - Free Voluntary Reading, a.k.a., Joan's Book Store
I have changed the names of the categories slightly, but not the content; basically, I am suggesting books for teachers, books for pleasure reading, and books for kids.

How about a $50 Amazon gift certificate for your favorite students returning to class?
Click for Details

Do you want to place your order for the next J.K.Rowlings' book?
Click for Details

Also, see the new Cool Stuff feature at our store.
Click for Details

Books for Teaching/Learning
My CSU classes this year will be using:

English Learners in American Classrooms: 101 Questions & 101 Answers by Crawford and Krashen
Click for Details

Myths and Realities, Second Edition: Best Practices for English Language Learners by Katharine Davies Samway & Denise McKeon
Click for Details

English Learners Left Behind: Standardized Testing as Language Policy (Bilingual Education and Bilingualism) by Kate Menken
Click for Details

English Language Learners: The Essential Guide by David and Yvonne Freeman
Click for Details

A Course for Teaching English Learners by Lynne Díaz-Rico
Click for Details

Books for Pleasure Reading

My Sister's Keeper by Jody Piccoult
Click for Details

Damage Control (Joanna Brady Mysteries, Book 13)J.A. Jance
Click for Details
Available August 21

Dead Wrong (Joanna Brady Mysteries, Book 12) by J.A. Jance
Click for Details

Desert Heat (Joanna Brady Mysteries, Book 11) by J.A. Jance
Click for Details

Books for Kids and Grands

Reserve your copy here:
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling
(to be released Dec. 4, 2008)
Click for Details

Amigo by Byrd Baylor and illustrated by Schweitzer Garth Williams
Click for Details

Reserve your copy here:
Brisingr (available September 20/pre-order now) by Christopher Paolini
Click for Details

Cool Stuff
Click for Details