Friday, March 21, 2014
Challenge is complete but the learning has just begun
Thank you to the South Dakota State Library for providing this challenge. With so many jobs to do in the school library, monitoring students on the computer, troubleshooting broken computers, troubleshooting printer issues, supervising students as they work on projects, mending books, cataloging, shelving, inventory, weeding. . . there is little time left for exploring the many resources available. With this challenge I was prompted to explore each week and become familiar with what is available. Now I will analyze what I have discovered, spread the word to teachers and students as they work on projects and hopefully get them to use these resources as well. I can make flyers promoting these resources which will be a take home reminder of how valuable these resources are, as well as post signs by computers, explaining how to get there. I have links on our library home page which is helpful too. Now off to do. . .
History of Me
Our 8th graders have been wearing out the carpet in the library as they come in everyday to work on their History project, "History of Me" They are very interested in this project and love working on it. They are required, throughout the year, to make a powerpoint of their lives, their interests, their family, their future plans, and a family tree. How exciting to see the students looking at the databases to find out where they came from. One student was going back to the 17th century. The Ancesty Library and Heritage Quest have made it easy to find information to fill in a family tree. They are able to trace their families back and discover where they came from. As interest in this project increases, another avenue to keep interest would be to use Sanborn Maps in conjuction with family heritage. What was the state like in a particular time period. Why did people move to some places and out of others? These questions could be turned into a short research project incorporating the maps and charts found in both ancestry databases and Sanborn maps.
8. W.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration
The past opens up with a click of the mouse. With resources so easily available, learning is fun, no longer an assignment for school but a discovery which hopefully will continue throughout a lifetime.
8. W.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration
The past opens up with a click of the mouse. With resources so easily available, learning is fun, no longer an assignment for school but a discovery which hopefully will continue throughout a lifetime.
WorldCat and Camio
There is no school today so it is a perfect time to work in the library getting caught up on all of the things that need attention. I found that this challenge is certainly a challenge when supervising a middle school library, but well worth the time. These resources are readily available and very beneficial, however, it is important to explore them at a time when there are no interruptions to be prepared when a student or teacher needs something.
In exploring WorldCat for example, I found the site, found the resource needed regarding common core- it looked like a great book, and it was available at University of South Dakota. In the process of putting in a ILL request I found that I did not know the # and password needed for our library. Thanks to speedy responses by our district librarian and our state librarian I was able to get this information quickly and went through the process of ordering the book. Very easy to do, but because of not being prepared it took longer. In the future I will be able to do this without delay. I did not actually proceed with the ordering, so I am not sure how the shipping of materials works--there and back again. I just know that for our purposes WorldCat opens up a whole world of possibilities.
CAMIO is near and dear to my heart! I love this database and see the infinite possibilities both in school and out. For me art tells a story, it is the photograph of history. How easy to use this database with the common core. Students in 7th & 8th grade are encouraged to write paragraphs, persuasive essays including arguments from a text. So much of the common core centers on reading and writing. What CAMIO could do is open up the world of imagination. Suppose a teacher found images pertaining to a specific time period or subject, projected the images on the screen (Camio allows a folder to be made of favorites which can then be viewed as a slide show)and had the students write about the image using descriptive adjectives.
Common Core Standards:
I can write a real or imagined story with a clear beginning, middle and end. The story includes descriptive details that
add meaning.
a. I can keep a consistent point of view.
b. I can include dialogue, pacing, and description to develop plot and characters.
c. I can use a variety of transition words.
d. I can write words that “show” the story not tell it (use senses).
e. I can finish the story by reflecting on my central idea (theme).
Another way to use Camio is with SCRATCH, a beginning code writing program. An image can be copied from CAMIO, used as a backdrop in SCRATCH, then the student can make the people in the painting come alive. For example, using Renoir, Luncheon of the Boating Party, a student can make each character a "sprite" in Scratch, meaning the image will speak or have a speech bubble when clicked on. Imagine the possibilities as students look at this painting, think about the time period and put together a story about these people. What are they saying? How did they get here?
However, again, this takes time and an understanding of the database and what is available.
What a great job we have! We can spend time exploring these databases and find the resources needed for various subjects, then share them with others.
In exploring WorldCat for example, I found the site, found the resource needed regarding common core- it looked like a great book, and it was available at University of South Dakota. In the process of putting in a ILL request I found that I did not know the # and password needed for our library. Thanks to speedy responses by our district librarian and our state librarian I was able to get this information quickly and went through the process of ordering the book. Very easy to do, but because of not being prepared it took longer. In the future I will be able to do this without delay. I did not actually proceed with the ordering, so I am not sure how the shipping of materials works--there and back again. I just know that for our purposes WorldCat opens up a whole world of possibilities.
CAMIO is near and dear to my heart! I love this database and see the infinite possibilities both in school and out. For me art tells a story, it is the photograph of history. How easy to use this database with the common core. Students in 7th & 8th grade are encouraged to write paragraphs, persuasive essays including arguments from a text. So much of the common core centers on reading and writing. What CAMIO could do is open up the world of imagination. Suppose a teacher found images pertaining to a specific time period or subject, projected the images on the screen (Camio allows a folder to be made of favorites which can then be viewed as a slide show)and had the students write about the image using descriptive adjectives.
Common Core Standards:
I can write a real or imagined story with a clear beginning, middle and end. The story includes descriptive details that
add meaning.
a. I can keep a consistent point of view.
b. I can include dialogue, pacing, and description to develop plot and characters.
c. I can use a variety of transition words.
d. I can write words that “show” the story not tell it (use senses).
e. I can finish the story by reflecting on my central idea (theme).
Another way to use Camio is with SCRATCH, a beginning code writing program. An image can be copied from CAMIO, used as a backdrop in SCRATCH, then the student can make the people in the painting come alive. For example, using Renoir, Luncheon of the Boating Party, a student can make each character a "sprite" in Scratch, meaning the image will speak or have a speech bubble when clicked on. Imagine the possibilities as students look at this painting, think about the time period and put together a story about these people. What are they saying? How did they get here?
However, again, this takes time and an understanding of the database and what is available.
What a great job we have! We can spend time exploring these databases and find the resources needed for various subjects, then share them with others.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Ebsco Host E books
I have procrastinated long enough. There is another week's challenge posted and I have yet to do the one from last week. Ebsco Host presents me with a great challenge. I do not find it to be particularly user friendly and I think for our patrons, 7th & 8th graders it would be overwhelming and thus they would default to google. As far as e-books go, there are some that are available which would be useful for research and reading but I found that the platform was difficult to read. Our students are working on science projects now related to the ocean. I searched for items I could recommend to them and found some that would be useful but I could not figure out how to read them without having a pop-up for each page. 
Perhaps I am doing something wrong. I think for our purposes this database would be best for our teachers to find books, articles, etc. to present to students or to read on their own to learn more about the subject they are teaching. There are many resources available on the site which would be beneficial to those who do not have access to a large library. If by chance a student were to use this database--the highlighted pages are a very nice feature especially when it comes to common core standard:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Students can see on Ebsco how this is done--taking a relevant passage from a book. This feature might be as valuable as actually reading the whole text. Teachers can take the students to this site, search a topic and see what books are available and what passages are relevant to the topic to demonstrate how passages support a character analysis, opinion, or position on a topic.
For the serious researcher this database might prove to be very helpful, but for the typical student in middle school, I feel there are many more e-book platforms which provide a much better ease of use.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Students can see on Ebsco how this is done--taking a relevant passage from a book. This feature might be as valuable as actually reading the whole text. Teachers can take the students to this site, search a topic and see what books are available and what passages are relevant to the topic to demonstrate how passages support a character analysis, opinion, or position on a topic.
For the serious researcher this database might prove to be very helpful, but for the typical student in middle school, I feel there are many more e-book platforms which provide a much better ease of use.
Monday, February 24, 2014
"I need this document from my shared drive at school to work at home, what can I do?" "I need to print this picture and the printer is out of ink, what do I do?" "How do you add a picture to powerpoint?" "I have to use the computer today because I will be out of town all weekend for a basketball tournament. How can I get my homework done?" All recent questions asked by our students, some are easily resolved, some require some thinking outside the box. I think our students need lessons in problem solving. With teachers trying to teach curriculum needed in a particular grade, it is hard to convince them they need to add one more skill to their lists of things to teach.
The common core standards have been debated in the media across the country. "At the core of the standards is a reduced emphasis on memorization. Students now have to connect the dots and apply critical thinking. It's what experts call higher-order thinking. Teachers say it's preparing students for life after high school.
That has made classrooms much more of a hands-on proposition." (Common Core State Standards Focus On Critical Thinking Amid Political Debate AP | By PHILIP ELLIOTT) This addition to common core standards has opened up the need for a different approach in the classroom. Teachers are feeling overwhelmed in how to handle one more thing. However with the Gale Virtual Reference Library easily available, articles can be found to encourage a different approach to teaching which will teach problem solving skills in conjunction with curriculum.
By accessing Gale Virtual Reference Library an article is found, Instuctional Strategies from Encyclopedia of Education which gives an overview of various strategies including the positive results of problem based instruction. Another article is found also from the Encyclopedia of Education, Project Method With these two articles in hand a teacher can begin to formulate lesson plans to guide students to learn better problem solving skills while teaching their subject material. With Gale virtual Reference Library, educators need not feel isolated as information is easily found which aids in their classrooms.
As teachers and librarians become familiar with GVRL they can then point their students to these academic articles as well as many other articles on subjects ranging from the arts to history and science. Learning can begin even in the most remote part of the state.
The common core standards have been debated in the media across the country. "At the core of the standards is a reduced emphasis on memorization. Students now have to connect the dots and apply critical thinking. It's what experts call higher-order thinking. Teachers say it's preparing students for life after high school.
That has made classrooms much more of a hands-on proposition." (Common Core State Standards Focus On Critical Thinking Amid Political Debate AP | By PHILIP ELLIOTT) This addition to common core standards has opened up the need for a different approach in the classroom. Teachers are feeling overwhelmed in how to handle one more thing. However with the Gale Virtual Reference Library easily available, articles can be found to encourage a different approach to teaching which will teach problem solving skills in conjunction with curriculum.
By accessing Gale Virtual Reference Library an article is found, Instuctional Strategies from Encyclopedia of Education which gives an overview of various strategies including the positive results of problem based instruction. Another article is found also from the Encyclopedia of Education, Project Method With these two articles in hand a teacher can begin to formulate lesson plans to guide students to learn better problem solving skills while teaching their subject material. With Gale virtual Reference Library, educators need not feel isolated as information is easily found which aids in their classrooms.
As teachers and librarians become familiar with GVRL they can then point their students to these academic articles as well as many other articles on subjects ranging from the arts to history and science. Learning can begin even in the most remote part of the state.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
ProQuest or Protest?
8.RL.1 Cite the textual evidence that most
strongly supports an analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from
the text.
In other words:
I can trace and evaluate the argument and claims in a text.
I can assess whether an author’s reasoning is sound and whether he has enough evidence to support the claims he makes.
In the 7th & 8th grades students are given assignments which require reading and analyzing certain types of writing. They also work on essays requiring information from various sources. It has been my experience that given no guidance students will default to “google” in their research. They will immediately, after logging in to the computer, go to google with their query, “what are the red worms in our compost bin?” “who is the president of Argentina?” , or simply a term “bug”, “virus”, “alternative energy” (actual research questions and terms entered into google by students). The term “bug” which a student used to find information about a virus, listed everything from Volkswagen to entomology. The article count for “alternative energy” in google is 192,000,000. Factor in side bar advertisements, images, videos and various other distractions on a page, students can spend a lot of time tangled up in the web. I admit that google is the go to place for information in a hurry but for academic research, the library databases should be the “go to”.
Proquest in my opinion provides a lot of information, journals and magazines however for our purposes in 7th & 8th grades, students will tire of the scholarly appearance and return to the comfort of google with images, videos and quick facts.
In order to use this database, teachers will need to be proactive, finding specific journal articles, guiding students along the way. The article count in Proquest for “alternative energy” is 297,591, substantially less than google but still overwhelming for young minds. To meet the common core standards, from this database for middle school students, I would preselect certain articles pertaining to the topic at hand, perhaps guiding students to find the articles on Proquest. After reading the articles, students would show they have met the standards by answering questions or writing an essay supporting their writing with examples from the article. Another use of this database would be to use it as a tool to demonstrate research techniques. Students would be given a topic and asked to find websites or articles regarding this topic from various databases. This would allow students opportunity to experiment with databases and compare the search results, analyzing sites and articles for accuracy. Even though students are not likely to use ProQuest at the middle school level, they need to know of its availability as they continue their education.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
SIRS
SIRS: What a great tool! With Common Core standards readily available at the top, research tools along the side to aid students and topics easily searched, this database is one to be bookmarked.
In middle school the students are asked to write a persuasive essay. If they were to go to SIRS they would find topics of interest in many subjects with questions already asked--they just need to answer yes or no. Articles are provided which provide information to support their opinions. Each entry has an icon in the margin to indicate the format of the original information, reference book, magazine, newspaper and media. If a student had no idea where to start this is a great place to begin. A list of topics is readily available with pros and cons of an issue. In order to begin a student would need to read the articles, analyze, synthesize and evaluate, all part of the common core standard for language arts:
Indicator 5: Students can access, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate informational texts.
The research tools help to organize the research to begin the writing process. The educator resources link, found at the bottom of the SIRS home page provides great information for teachers as they prepare lessons. In fact, the common core and ProQuest datasheets are going to given to the teachers in our building because as I was looking at this site I was thinking of ways to share this information. These resources are a perfect way to share the value of this site with our teachers.
Now, I will investigate some more, read more articles and learn!
In middle school the students are asked to write a persuasive essay. If they were to go to SIRS they would find topics of interest in many subjects with questions already asked--they just need to answer yes or no. Articles are provided which provide information to support their opinions. Each entry has an icon in the margin to indicate the format of the original information, reference book, magazine, newspaper and media. If a student had no idea where to start this is a great place to begin. A list of topics is readily available with pros and cons of an issue. In order to begin a student would need to read the articles, analyze, synthesize and evaluate, all part of the common core standard for language arts:
Indicator 5: Students can access, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate informational texts.
The research tools help to organize the research to begin the writing process. The educator resources link, found at the bottom of the SIRS home page provides great information for teachers as they prepare lessons. In fact, the common core and ProQuest datasheets are going to given to the teachers in our building because as I was looking at this site I was thinking of ways to share this information. These resources are a perfect way to share the value of this site with our teachers.
Now, I will investigate some more, read more articles and learn!
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Learning Express
I have used the Language Arts standards for the other posts so thought I would use Math for this one. The Learning Express correlates with the standards very well.
Upon entering the Learning Express site, the user can choose from several centers, college, career and school. Choosing school gives you further options, elementary, middle and high school. I chose middle school, 7th grade. The introduction of the center coincides with the common core standards for math:
Although fractions and decimals can express whole numbers, they are used primarily to represent numbers that contain part of a whole number; that is, they fall between two integers. Fractions can be useful for showing ratios or proportions, and decimals are used in everyday life to represent money.
In this unit, you will learn how to:
compare fractions
add, subtract, multiply, and divide fractions, mixed numbers, and decimals
work with fractions and decimals in real-world contexts
name decimal places
convert between fractions and mixed numbers
convert between fractions and decimals
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
Apply and extend previous understandings of operations with fractions.
CCSS.Math.Content.7.NS.A.1 Apply and extend previous understandings of addition and subtraction to add and subtract rational numbers; represent addition and subtraction on a horizontal or vertical number line diagram.
The math tutorial takes the user step by step through processes, questions and answers. At the end there is a quiz on the topics of previous screens. Scoring is immediate and with feedback on why the answer is what it is. This is a very helpful tool for reinforcement. I could easily recommend this site for added practice for all students, especially those who might struggle with certain concepts.
The only thing I did not figure out was how to retake a test. Perhaps there is a way to do it but I did not find it. If there is no way to retake then that would limit the use of this site. More investigation is needed.
Overall this site correlates with standards almost word for word so would be a great asset for educators.
Upon entering the Learning Express site, the user can choose from several centers, college, career and school. Choosing school gives you further options, elementary, middle and high school. I chose middle school, 7th grade. The introduction of the center coincides with the common core standards for math:
Although fractions and decimals can express whole numbers, they are used primarily to represent numbers that contain part of a whole number; that is, they fall between two integers. Fractions can be useful for showing ratios or proportions, and decimals are used in everyday life to represent money.
In this unit, you will learn how to:
compare fractions
add, subtract, multiply, and divide fractions, mixed numbers, and decimals
work with fractions and decimals in real-world contexts
name decimal places
convert between fractions and mixed numbers
convert between fractions and decimals
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
Apply and extend previous understandings of operations with fractions.
CCSS.Math.Content.7.NS.A.1 Apply and extend previous understandings of addition and subtraction to add and subtract rational numbers; represent addition and subtraction on a horizontal or vertical number line diagram.
The math tutorial takes the user step by step through processes, questions and answers. At the end there is a quiz on the topics of previous screens. Scoring is immediate and with feedback on why the answer is what it is. This is a very helpful tool for reinforcement. I could easily recommend this site for added practice for all students, especially those who might struggle with certain concepts.
The only thing I did not figure out was how to retake a test. Perhaps there is a way to do it but I did not find it. If there is no way to retake then that would limit the use of this site. More investigation is needed.
Overall this site correlates with standards almost word for word so would be a great asset for educators.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Using Chilton Manuals and Mango Languages
Week 2 of Common Core Challenge Using Chilton Manuals and Mango Languages For some people reading an automotive manual is similar to reading a foreign language. The world of automotive care is a language all its own. It is one that needs to be studied, practiced and used in order to learn. What happens if a non-automotive speaking person wants to enter that world? A new language must be learned. The following standards will apply for both the Chlton Manuals and the Mango Languages:
Reading the Chilton manuals for the first time could be this way. With no point of reference, the vocabulary of the manuals is much like a foreign language. With guidance and practical use these words can be brought together in a meaningful way. Students in 7th and 8th grades are beginning to think about driving. This would be a great time to introduce car maintenance. The Chilton manuals could be accessed, finding the student's car or a car they wish to own, looking up maintenance requirements, troubleshooting and possible ways to fix problems. Using the vocabulary of the manuals, how-to speeches could be presented which would further the use of new vocabulary in context. As students learn to read a manual, then take what they have learned to give directions, they have acquired knowledge and skills that will carry them throughout their lives. Even if someone doesn't want to work on their own car, it is good to have knowledge of the vehicle and possible problems in order to avoid costly unnecessary repairs.
Using Mango Languages Learning a new language expands our minds and gives us a better understanding of our own language. Grammar and word usage become more important when learning a new language. Students realize quickly how easily the meaning of a phrase changes with the misuse of a tense or misspelling. As we grow up speaking a particular language and learning to read with our spoken language we often forget the rules of grammar, they are just second nature. A new language causes us to think about these rules and become more aware of our own language as we learn a new one. Contextual clues in learning vocabulary become even more important in a new language. Mango Languages allow students access to many different languages to try or to build on what they already know or are taking in school. With converstations spoken, as the written words are highlighted, students can see as well as hear the new language. The english words change to the other language as the cursor is placed on the phrase to give added study help. Mango Languages is very valuable in learning another language as well as emphasizing the grammar rules in English. The value of both of these databases is to learn--going beyond our borders with a technical manual or a new language. We must never stop learning! What a great asset to our library.
7.L.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. 8.L.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. 7.RL.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 8.RL.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. >Students learn new vocabulary words each year in school. Often these words float around in their heads with no platform on which to stand.
Reading the Chilton manuals for the first time could be this way. With no point of reference, the vocabulary of the manuals is much like a foreign language. With guidance and practical use these words can be brought together in a meaningful way. Students in 7th and 8th grades are beginning to think about driving. This would be a great time to introduce car maintenance. The Chilton manuals could be accessed, finding the student's car or a car they wish to own, looking up maintenance requirements, troubleshooting and possible ways to fix problems. Using the vocabulary of the manuals, how-to speeches could be presented which would further the use of new vocabulary in context. As students learn to read a manual, then take what they have learned to give directions, they have acquired knowledge and skills that will carry them throughout their lives. Even if someone doesn't want to work on their own car, it is good to have knowledge of the vehicle and possible problems in order to avoid costly unnecessary repairs.
Using Mango Languages Learning a new language expands our minds and gives us a better understanding of our own language. Grammar and word usage become more important when learning a new language. Students realize quickly how easily the meaning of a phrase changes with the misuse of a tense or misspelling. As we grow up speaking a particular language and learning to read with our spoken language we often forget the rules of grammar, they are just second nature. A new language causes us to think about these rules and become more aware of our own language as we learn a new one. Contextual clues in learning vocabulary become even more important in a new language. Mango Languages allow students access to many different languages to try or to build on what they already know or are taking in school. With converstations spoken, as the written words are highlighted, students can see as well as hear the new language. The english words change to the other language as the cursor is placed on the phrase to give added study help. Mango Languages is very valuable in learning another language as well as emphasizing the grammar rules in English. The value of both of these databases is to learn--going beyond our borders with a technical manual or a new language. We must never stop learning! What a great asset to our library.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Research and Analyze Historical Fiction
7. RI.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 8.RI.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.Students in all grades read historical fiction. In 7th and 8th grades, students can begin to look at the value of historical fiction in learning history. This standard can be used to evaluate the historical fiction novel using articles and primary sources from the time period. For example, if a student read Bud, Not Buddy as the historical fiction assignment, the World Book article, Great Depression, would give background information on the time period. The student would get a better understanding of the character in the novel after reading the historical information about the time period. Primary sources are available through World Book as well providing students with even more information regarding this time period. With this information, the student can then analyze the historical fiction novel for accuracy, asking questions regarding the setting, actions and voice of characters and interaction with historical fiqures.
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