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The Foran Learning Commons Lowdown
(Student Ed.) Tech Tidbits, Riveting Reads and Resources
The Lowdown's Mission
The Foran Learning Commons Lowdown (Student Ed.) is meant to provide Foran students and families with an insight into savvy digital tools or technology tips that will assist you with everyday academics, recommendations for meaningful literature and/or resources to support individual learning from our Teaching and Learning Commons.
Midterms Are Coming! (GOT Fans??)
Midterms are coming up, but the key to success is planning ahead to ensure you are ready and equipped to ace them! The library will be open each day, so feel free to come in to study, relax and possibly engage in some of these recommended de-stressor activities below.
Looking For YOUR Help!
Our Teaching and Learning Commons is continuing to devise plans and meet with architects on the update of our library renovation. We are really excited to embark on this phase! As we head into our 2nd semester, I am looking for assistants to be a part of our TLC TEAM! If you enjoy marketing, organizing, books, quiet spaces, planning and/or technology, consider joining our TEAM! Check out the presentation which contains a video link to find out more about this amazing opportunity where you can receive school credit for volunteering your time to work in the library!
Find Some Noteworthy New Year Reads Below!
We Light Up the Sky by Lilliam Rivera
Pedro, Luna, and Rafa may attend Fairfax High School together in Los Angeles, but they run in separate spheres. Pedro is often told that he's "too much" and seeks refuge from his home life in a local drag bar. Luna is pretending to go along with the popular crowd but is still grieving the unexpected passing of her beloved cousin Tasha. Then there's Rafa, the quiet new kid who is hiding the fact that his family is homeless.
But Pedro, Luna, and Rafa find themselves thrown together when an extraterrestrial visitor lands in their city and takes the form of Luna's cousin Tasha. As the Visitor causes destruction wherever it goes, the three teens struggle to survive and warn others of what's coming--because this Visitor is only the first of many. But who is their true enemy--this alien, or their fellow humans? Can Pedro, Luna, and Rafa find a way to save a world that has repeatedly proven it doesn't want to save them?
Pura Belpré Honor-winning author Lilliam Rivera examines the days before a War of the Worlds-inspired alien invasion in this captivating and chilling new novel.
Goodreads.com
Before We Disappear by Shaun David Hutchinson
Jack Nevin’s clever trickery and moral flexibility have served him well his entire life—making him the perfect assistant to the Enchantress, one of the most well-known stage magicians in early-twentieth-century Europe. Without Jack’s steady supply of stolen tricks and copycat sleight-of-hand illusions, the Enchantress’s fame would have burned out long ago—not that she would ever admit it.
But when they’re forced to flee the continent for America, the Enchantress finds a new audience in Seattle at the 1909 Alaska–Yukon–Pacific World’s Fair Exposition. She and Jack are set to make a fortune until a new magician arrives on the scene. Performing tricks that defy the imagination, Laszlo’s act threatens to overshadow the Enchantress and co-opt her audience. Jack has no choice but to hunt for the secrets behind Laszlo’s otherworldly illusions—but what he uncovers isn’t at all what he expected.
What makes Laszlo’s tricks possible is, unbelievably, a boy that can seemingly perform real magic. Wilhelm’s abilities defy all the laws of physics. His talents are no clever sleights-of-hand. But even though Laszlo and Wilhelm’s act threatens to destroy the life Jack and the Enchantress have built, Jack and Wilhelm have near-instant connection. As the rivalry between the Enchantress and Laszlo grows increasingly dangerous and dire, Jack finds he has to choose between the woman who gave him a life and the boy who is offering him love. It's a new star-crossed romance about the magic of first love from acclaimed author Shaun David Hutchinson.
Goodreads.com
The Corpse Queen by Heather M. Herrman
Molly's estranged aunt Ava, has built her empire by robbing graves and selling the corpses to medical students who need bodies to practice surgical procedures. And she wants Molly to help her procure the corpses. As Molly learns her aunt's trade in the dead of night and explores the mansion by day, she is both horrified and deeply intrigued by the anatomy lessons held at the old church on her aunt's property. Enigmatic Doctor LaValle's lessons are a heady mixture of knowledge and power and Molly has never wanted anything more than to join his male-only group of students. But the cost of inclusion is steep and with a murderer loose in the city, the pursuit of power and opportunity becomes a deadly dance.
Goodreads.com
Google Image and Search Issues
We are currently still exhibiting issues with performing Google Image searches and Google searches in general. IT is well aware and working to find a resolve. In the meantime, ways to work around this issue include the following:
Google Images:
- If you are working in Google Docs or Slides, click on the IMAGE icon and search from the web. This will allow you to search within your work.
- Try a search for "Free Images" of the content you are looking for.
- Use a free image site, such as Unsplash.com, Pexels.com or Pixabay.com
Google Search:
- Conduct a search in either Bing or Yahoo. Try using Sweetsearch.com, Infotopia.info, Infotrek.info or Google Scholar to ensure you are locating credible research.
If you need any assistance with this, please stop by the TLC and see me!
Student IT Assistance
If you're having issues with your Chromebook, your login information or additional district computer issues, please see the video below to find out how to submit an Incident IQ ticket for repair.
Some of January's Flipster Magazines to Take a Peek At!
Our magazine database, Flipster, is back! Log in with Password-foran, Username-#1lions to find out what magazines this database includes and access articles on any digital device! Go to our TLC Website to log in to Flipster or click the button below to be brought there.
Logging Into Destiny
Destiny is our digital catalog database. If you are wondering if our TLC contains a specific read, you can log into Destiny to conduct a search. You can also place a hold on a book or check one out virtually. Please see the video below that will walk you through the process of how to log in and navigate Destiny's features.
Jackie DeLoma
Email: jdeloma@milforded.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/milforded.org/foran-library/home
Location: Foran Library
Phone: 2320
Twitter: @foranlibrary