Monthly Archives: September 2013

Important Student Update

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Thanks for a fun week Elementary Students, your enthusiasm and excitement about the Cardboard Challenge is infectious. Sharing videos and ideas with you and seeing your reactions is one of the reasons I love my job so much. I know that with YOUR commitment to creativity, fun and using your imagination, next Friday will be a big success. Here is one of the amazing creations made in the 2012 Global Cardboard Challenge… what a cool looking car! There is NOTHING stopping you from creating something this wonderful students, you are only limited by your imagination…

car

Here is a great list of some facts and figures about the Global Cardboard Challenge and Caine’s Arcade and this is a link to many of the videos that were made during last years challenge…(you’ll need a VPN to watch these) or you can come by the library and see them on the t.v.

This is a list of the other countries participating so far… help spread the word, tell your friends… we are the ONLY people in China participating right now.

Some of you asked me why we are doing the Global Cardboard Challenge, and then we talked about Caine’s Arcade, which started it all, and Nirvan, and The Imagination Foundation… but then I found this graphic which really sums up why we are getting creative with cardboard on Friday September 27th.

pink

…that sums it up nicely don’t you think?

So don’t forget to collect cardboard, foil, wrapping paper, string, recyclable materials and LOTS OF COOL STUFF to make our day a big success.

Nine More Sleeps…

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… until Shanghai American School celebrates creativity, imagination and fun with the Global Cardboard Challenge, inspired by Caine, of Caine’s Arcade.

Stan

(This is our good friend Erin’s son Stanley… already enjoying his own Cardboard Challenge!)

We are asking for your help to make this day a huge success for our students by providing as many recycled materials as you can muster.

Here are the things we need in order of importance:

*Cardboard-the larger and more unusual the better, but EVERYTHING can be useful; toilet rolls, saran rap rolls, posters, tissue boxes.
*Foil, Wrapping Paper, Origami Paper, Poster Paper that can be used to wrap and cover the cardboard and turn it into rocket ships, microwave ovens, doll houses, a building on fire, a hospital, a space ship… you name it
*Pipe-Cleaners, String, Rubber Bands, Toothpicks, Cotton Wool, Cotton Buds
*Old fabric, cloth material that is no longer useful to you, but could be a stage curtain for us, or a ship’s sale, or a cave’s entrance.

Really, we are only limited by our imagination… please don’t send in any valuable items, or things you’d like to see again as we cannot guarantee that, and we’re telling the students that for the most part, they will NOT be able to take anything home with them. Hopefully after this they will be inspired to rebuild some of their favorite cardboard creations over the break…

Please help us to make this day the huge success it promises to be.

use this

As most of you know, the story of why the Global Cardboard Challenge came around begins with a young boy named Caine, who you can read about here on the Imagination Foundation Website.

Quick Facts: taken from here

• Film posted online April 9th
• Film by Nirvan Mullick (@nirvan)
• Total Running Time: 11 minutes
• Total Views: Over 8 million (YouTube + Vimeo + Facebook )
• Over $235,000 raised for Caine’s Scholarship Fund.
• $250,000 Matching Grant from the Goldhirsh Foundation to start the Imagination Foundation
• In first 2 months, over 100 Schools in 9 Countries created cardboard arcades inspired by the film.
• The Imagination Foundation’s 1st annual Global Cardboard Challenge had over 270 Events in 40 Countries.
• Over 135,000 Facebook Fans
• Caine traveled to France & was youngest speaker ever at the Cannes Lions 2012.
• Caine was youngest ever entrepreneur to speak at USC Marshall School of Business

Book Recommendations

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Every day I am asked by teachers, students and parents to recommend books. Here are some of the favorite sites I use and some lists with some of the best new release books on them.

The Best Books from Amazon for Children and Teens have many sublists including editor’s picks, new release books, picture books and more. I often start somewhere like here because I end up with many new links to follow and a great list of books to upload on the kindles, Ipads and Ipods.
Students often ask when I can get the latest new books like “Jabba”, “Hard Luck”, “Survivors” “Hades” and “I even Funnier” and I let them know I’ll have them the VERY DAY they come out, digitally… but not til August 2014 in paperback, unless I find them (or you find them for me) on a vacation somewhere… Anyone heading to the USA? Hint Hint

oct 8nov 6Jabbasept 3dec 9

Other Great Sites I use

For Boys: Guys Read where I go straight to the ‘Books for Guys’ and ‘Guys Read Library’ Tabs. Here you’ll find all sorts of recommendations from amazing authors who have contributed to a growing niche market of wonderful books for Middle Grade boys. The Guys Read series is really popular in the library and I love how it can get kids turned on to author’s they’ve never heard of before.

guys read

For Girls: A Mighty Girl has a great Facebook page I follow so I’m always up to date with the latest ‘Girl Power’ reads and issues. Here you’ll find not only empowering books for females introducing a variety of amazing role models for your daughters (and sons) but also a great range of movies, book recommendations for parents, cool clothing and some fantastic ‘best of’ lists under the ‘best of’ tab.

a mighty girl

For Everyone: Common Sense Media has been a favorite of mine for years since my techie husband Simon Power introduced it to me. Here you’ll find a whole range of great resources including ratings on films, books, games and more. There are recommendations from parents, educators and the people who really count:your children! Check out this must have resource today and bookmark it for further use; I visit it at least once a day!

common sense media