FableVision: What's New

What's New

There is always something "new" happening at FableVision! Our What's New page now features a web version of FableVision's FableFlash — our monthly e-newsletter. Read about the latest happenings in our company, on our website and with the FableVision team in general.

For email updates, or to subscribe to our FableFlyer, our semi-annual “snail mail” newsletter, simply sign our Guestbook. To receive the most current news, check out the Flashes below, and sign up to receive the FableFlash here!

For more in-depth information about some of the news items on this page, check out the FableVision Pressroom

Click here to learn about upcoming Conferences & Events!

Back to School Issue

September 2008

Dear FableFriends,

Whoever came up with "the lazy days of summer"? The FableVision team has been going non-stop with all sorts of projects and good news. Highlights included a jaunt to the wonderful city of San Antonio, Texas for the 2008 NECC Conference, the Worldwide Promethean User Group Meeting, the Constructing Modern Knowledge Summer Learning Event, along with supporting our local teaching colleges with presentations to new teachers.

Peter H. Reynolds' new Animation-ish animation software program also kept things very "animated" all summer long! The great reviews keep flowing in - with a coveted Editor's Choice Award from industry watchdog Children's Technology Review. The review enthusiastically noted, "Finally -- somebody made an easy-to-use animation tool kit for the rest of us. Ideal for introducing the powerful concept of moving art, or animation to children (or adults). . ." We have been hearing back from lots of you who are using Animation-ish to engage learners in powerful ways, and we have included some stories below.

So, from the very animated team here at FableVision, we wish you all the best for the new school year! And, if you can join us for our special EdNet Open House Party this Monday (Sunday, September 14th) - we'd LOVE to have you. Here's your VIP Invite- which you can also pass along to others who might want to join the fun!

Wishing you the best,

Jane Reynolds
Executive Partner, FableVision

P.S. Our favorite bloggers have been busy too. Check out these prolific communiques: Peter H. Reynolds' personal blog, Gary Stager's and our FableVision Ambassador Terry Shay's. If you've found a favorite blog that inspires/educates/illuminates - do let us know so we can add them to our list!

Two Thumbs Up for Get A Clue!

Fairfax County's Brian Borah Shares His Vocabulary Acquisition Secret at the William & Mary College Summer Institute

English Department Chair, Brian Borah of Fairfax County Public Schools has been making the Summer Institute an annual experience. He shared with us the advice he always gives when it comes to vocabulary acquisition:

"There are some standard questions that teachers have during any summer institute, and one of them always focuses on vocabulary. I always note that I use Get A Clue through Fairfax County Public Schools, and that it serves me well due to the fact that students employ it online, and I only have to check progress about four times a quarter. As English Department chair, I encourage all of the teachers of grades nine to eleven to use this resource in all classes, regular, English second language classes, and honors. Get A Clue vocabulary solves two very important issues, time management for both the teacher and the student and vocabulary acquisition enhancing reading skills."

Teachers for a New Era Initiative

New Teachers Introduced to FableVision
at Boston College

Attending the New Teacher Academy at Boston College last week were FableVision's Carol Donahue and Bill Norris. They returned energized and inspired by the TNE initiative to improve teacher education.

As a participant in the Carnegie Corporation's Teachers for a New Era (TNE) initiative, Boston College is one of eleven TNE institutions in the country which seek to prepare, assess and support the teachers of tomorrow.

This two-day conference included introductory and advanced level sessions focusing on best practices from K-12 teachers in public and private schools throughout Massachusetts. Bill and Carol (a BC alum) were thrilled to share FableVision's approach and tools with fellow attendees.

New Animation-ish Lesson Posted!

Animation-ish Online Lessons Continue to Expand

What if you could bring NY Times best-selling children's book author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds to your home or classroom to teach your kids (and you!) how to animate? Now you can!

Animation-ish, FableVision's animation software program,

comes with online lessons from Peter and the animators at FableVision Creative Studios. And now, we are pleased to announce the addition of a brand NEW lesson.

Lesson Number 10: Bouncing Ball
FableVision Illustrator/Animator Allie Biondi walks you through the steps in animating a bouncing ball. She shows how to take your drawing from a circle. . . to a ball . . . to a piece of clay. . . to a smiley bouncing clay ball!

If you have Animation-ish, click on the Lessons icon within the program.

Add Peter H. Reynolds' Animation-ish software to your creativity library. Download the trial now & try it free!

Animation-ish Draws Crowd at NECC Playground

Conference Participants Animate With Ease

Animation-ish was a main attraction at July's National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) in San Antonio - and nowhere was this more evident than at the "NECC Playground." The playground consisted of several computer stations, where curious conference participants could take a break and play with various educational software products. Julia Young, one of our stellar FableVisionaries, covered the Animation-ish stations - and despite her best efforts, she could barely keep up with the number of people asking to play with Animation-ish. Just as she began to feel overwhelmed, she realized that Animation-ish had come to her rescue. Within minutes participants were animating and coloring their own short films - with little to no instructions! Teachers, principals and tech coordinators had no problems exploring the software on their own. The NECC Playground affirmed that FableVision has reached one of its main objectives with Animation-ish: it is the simplest, most user-friendly animation software available - an ideal tool for inspiring creativity in the classroom. Why not give it a try yourself right now?

Teacher's Corner: Sophia Pousson - Washington, DC

Happy Campers Collaborate on Animation Projects

What does it look like when a group of students work together, combining their creativity, humor, artwork and technological literacy skills? It looks like the two animated films that FableVision had the recent pleasure of watching. These finished pieces are examples of the collaborative projects at the Lowell Summer Programs in Washington, D.C. Teacher Sophia Pousson shared details about how her campers used FableVision's new Animation-ish animation software to make their films:

"Animation is a great way for kids to explore art, storytelling and computers. This summer, the Beginning Computer Animation class used Animation-ish to explore our creativity and abilities. We spent the first week of each session of camp learning how the program works, the tools, and animation terms. We also did structured projects, like building a snowman, making a robot dance and animating our names. After the first week, campers were encouraged to animate their own stories, prompted only with length requirements to push their creativity. Campers who were younger often needed more help generating ideas, and we worked together to find images and actions they wanted to animate- rocket launches, flowers growing, and sunsets were especially well liked. Campers' creations were exported (by the campers), collected at the end of each week, and made into a showcase film set to fun music. We held film viewings, inviting other parts of the camp and parents. Campers left each session with a greater understanding of how it feels to be an animator: from the start of the idea, throughout production, all the way to displaying for an audience.

Click here to watch an excerpt of the animated film created by the Lowell Summer Program.

Autism Speaks Names EPOH as School ASD Resource

Online School Community Tool Kit is Launched and Includes Wings of EPOH Story

Autism Speaks, the world's largest autism advocacy organization, recently launched its School Community Tool Kit to assist ALL members of the school community - teachers, bus drivers, custodians, office staff, administrators, school nurses, lunch/recess aides, paraprofessionals, school security and peers - in fostering more inclusive environments for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). FableVision and its partner SARRC (Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center) are delighted that Wings of EPOH was included as a resource. As more and more people deal with the realities of autism spectrum disorders, we hope the transformative power of storytelling can help everyone embrace these children and their families with the compassion, understanding and support they deserve. Click here to bring the Wings of EPOH DVD/book/curriculum kit to your school this year.

Click here to read SARRC's Outreach Magazine article about Wings of EPOH.

EdNET Conference and FableVision Open House

Save the Date: Sunday - September 14, 2008

As a sponsor of EdNET, FableVision is happy to welcome the attendees of this year's 2008 Educational Networking Conference to Boston in September. EdNET is being held at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel, just up the street from FableVision's World Headquarters co-located at the Boston Children's Museum.

FableVision's Creative Director Sharon Emerson and Director of Technology Innovations Brian Grossman will lead a roundtable about the role of gaming as a learning strategy for students.

We are inviting everyone to join us for a "Dessert Open House" on Sunday, September 14, beginning at 7:45 PM. (Yes, that means you!) Come take a tour of FableVision, meet Peter and Paul Reynolds and our amazing staff, and enjoy a breathtaking view of the Boston skyline and waterfront.

For more details, contact FableVisionary Jesse Haines: jesse@fablevision.com or 617-956-5700.

Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation (AALF)

FableVision's longtime pals at Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation (AALF) tapped our founder, Peter AALF logo by Peter H. Reynolds

H. Reynolds, on the shoulder to design their logo, as well as a separate logo for their institutes. We love their mission - promoting:

a constructivist, international education where meaningful tasks subsume curriculum objectives
a personal, portable computer for every child with which to think about, construct and share ideas

Go AALF! Of particular note, AALF offers the 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning Institute, led by our great friend, Bruce Dixon. Bruce is an amazing educator from "Down Under." He has more than twenty-five years experience working with schools and technology, working as a teacher, principal, educational software developer and undergraduate college lecturer. Furthermore, as owner of the educational technology company, Computelec, he has overseen the establishment and growth of laptop programs in schools across three states in Australia. He invited Peter down to speak a few years back - which Peter is still raving about!

Can YOU Describe a 21st Century Learner?

NECC Spotlight: Peter H. Reynolds & TV Star Eric Close on the Case!

Verizon Foundation's
Thinkfinity Champions Peter H. Reynolds (author/illustrator of The Dot, Ish, The North Star) and CBS TV star Eric Close teamed up with hundreds of educators at the NECC 2008 San Antonio Conference to investigate the answer!

Eric, who plays an FBI agent on TV, put his investigative cap on, querying teachers for clues, while Peter sketched away.

To watch a video of the session, see Peter's draft sketch and his final version of the 21st Century Learner, click here. Ask YOUR fellow educators the same question as you launch the new year - and help accelerate this critical discourse about what students REALLY need to thrive in the 21st century!

FableVision on the MOVE!

Upcoming Conferences and Events

Here are a couple of our upcoming events. We hope to see you on our journeys! Click here for more information.

September 14 - Save the Date!
FableVision Open House Bash
7:30 - 9:00 PM
Co-Located at Boston Children's Museum
Boston, MA

Come to the Open House for EdNET conference attendees and their guests, at FableVision's World Headquarters on top of the Boston Children's Museum at 308 Congress Street.

September 19
Welcome Back the 2008-2009 School Year
Dedham, MA
7:00 PM

Join Peter H. Reynolds, The Dedham Public Schools and our host, Friends of the Dedham Public Library, as we join forces to Welcome Back the 2008-2009 School Year and promote more reading in our lives.

GET A CLUE® SPOTLIGHT WORD OF THE MONTH - paraphernalia

Derivation:

Paraphernalia comes from the Greek prefix para ("beside") and the root pherne, meaning "dowry." The word originally meant "a woman's property besides, or other than, her dowry." The dowry was the money or property that a bride brought to her husband at the time of marriage. Paraphernalia, then, originally referred to a woman's apparel, accessories, and other trivial items that the husband would not desire or need.

Help your students learn the STORIES behind the words. To get your FREE trial of FableVision's award-winning web-based vocabulary software program GET A CLUE, click here.

Archives

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