SHABBONA – Joann Pardridge said her students already have a knack for the Nook.

Pardridge, a fifth-grade teacher at Shabbona Elementary School, was just as excited as the students for the first day of school Thursday as she prepares to incorporate 12 Nook tablets into this year’s curriculum.

Adding new technology to familiar lessons is one way Pardridge stays motivated and excited for each school year. She said a pilot program last year with Nooks provided by Barnes & Noble showed her that students were ready to handle the learning tool. Students used educational apps such as the Oregon Trail program to learn about history in new ways.