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.