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.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Dear America: Down the Rabbit Hole
In the spring of 1871, fourteen-year-old Pringle Rose learns that her parents have been killed in a terrible carriage accident. After her uncle Edward and his awful wife, Adeline, move into the Pringle family's home -- making life for her and her younger brother, Gideon, unbearable -- Pringle runs away with Gideon to Chicago, seeking refuge from the tragedy, and hoping to start a new life. She becomes a nanny for the children of a labor activist, and quickly finds herself caught up in a web of intrigue and lies. Then, when a familiar figure from home arrives, Pringle begins to piece together the devastating mystery of what happened to her parents, and realizes just how deadly the truth might be. But soon, one of the greatest disasters this country has ever known -- the Great Fire of Chicago -- flares up, and Pringle is on the run for her life.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Library Facelift
After reading an article in School Library Journal, "The End of Nonfiction" by Christopher Harris (March 2012), I decided to give our library a facelift. First of all I thought of the students who come to the library looking for nonfiction books. I point them to the "nonfiction" section with numbers on the spines. Often they would ask about a mythology book being nonfiction or an anthology of poetry or stories. I realized how confusing it was for them. They were looking for an informational text for a class assignment and to point them to "nonfiction" did not work for some. This was my primary motivation in giving the library a facelift. As I began to sort and rearrange, I found other areas that I could change. There were books in the sociology section about teens from other countries. When a student comes in to do a report on a country they will look in the geography section and stop there. It has been a bit challenging to find a place for all of the books and stay loyal to Dewey but I think I have a fairly good start. I made a Language Arts section which includes short story collections like Chicken Soup for the Soul, mythology, poetry, language and literature analysis. Students recognize the division as all the things they learn in Language Arts class. Next is Social Sciences--sociology, psychology, economics, crime, etc. Anything doing with our society lands here--the 300's of the Dewey Decimal system. Also here are inventions, and inventors (economics). Next comes Science--earth, space, biology which includes animals, disease and health. This leads to fitness, sports, games, hobbies, then art and because of shelf space the Guiness World Record books. Biographies were in their own section as was all of the religion books so not much changed there. I grouped all of the books about geography together by region staying fairly close to Dewey on these. Last is history--ancient to modern all grouped together. General timelines and sets of books are grouped separately. i had books from sets scattered all over and now they are together.
This is a modified Dewey, somewhat like a bookstore but mostly a way for our students to find what they need and perhaps find something else on the subject they are looking for. It has been a lot of work but the shelves look so nice. I am looking forward to sharing this facelift with our students!
This is a modified Dewey, somewhat like a bookstore but mostly a way for our students to find what they need and perhaps find something else on the subject they are looking for. It has been a lot of work but the shelves look so nice. I am looking forward to sharing this facelift with our students!
Friday, March 23, 2012
CAMIO
After much persistence on the part of the South Dakota State Library I am happy to report that CAMIO is accessible at my school library. What an awesome resource. I am glad we were able to get it all worked out.
I searched for Paul Revere and Sioux and found many paintings and artifacts related to both. We have some art prints that our Social Studies teachers use to display in the classroom when they are discussing certain time periods, but how much more they could do with this database! As they study each time period, photographs, paintings and artifacts are readily available.
This is an excellent way to enhance stories read in Language Arts, historical discussions in Social Studies classes or view various artists in Art class.
I am looking forward to sharing this information with our teachers as most of the classrooms have projectors which would make this a great visual display. A teacher could add a set of images to favorites and have easy access for a presentation.
This is an excellent resource for both the classroom and individuals.
I searched for Paul Revere and Sioux and found many paintings and artifacts related to both. We have some art prints that our Social Studies teachers use to display in the classroom when they are discussing certain time periods, but how much more they could do with this database! As they study each time period, photographs, paintings and artifacts are readily available.
This is an excellent way to enhance stories read in Language Arts, historical discussions in Social Studies classes or view various artists in Art class.
I am looking forward to sharing this information with our teachers as most of the classrooms have projectors which would make this a great visual display. A teacher could add a set of images to favorites and have easy access for a presentation.
This is an excellent resource for both the classroom and individuals.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Final
This challenge has been great. The databases provide so much information and this week by week approach motivated me to investigate each one--something I might not have done on my own. I have already begun to promote these resources to our students and teachers. I feel more confident in recommending these databases since I have actually used them and know how they work. I have only scratched the surface of what is available but will continue to work with them as need arises. I appreciate the work that went into this challenge and look forward to sharing the information.
AncestryLibrary/HeritageQuest/ Sanborn
All three of these databases serve to paint a picture of our past.
With Ancestry Library many documents can be found to fill out a family tree and also data about people living today. It is awesome that these records can be found to help with geneology, but also a little scary to think that I can access so much data from a computer in the library.
In searching for myself I was able to come up with addresses both current and past--the address I lived in when I was in high school.
With further searching I found information about my maternal grandfather--from a census report I found out he lived in New York when he was 3 years old, with a father, mother, brother and his maternal grandfather. His mother and grandfather immigrated to America in 1884 from England. Their neighbors were from Spain, Ireland and England. All of this info was gleaned from one census report. From there I was able to search for my great-grandmother (his mother) and found that after they moved to North Carolina she died of Typhoid fever at the age of 33. It has been fascinating following these trails of information, all so readily available.
One document I found that was particularly interesting was a census of my father whose mother died when he was an infant. He and his father and 10 siblings went to live with his cousin who had two children. All of this information was in a census report, listing all of the people living in the house. What was interesting was that his name was spelled wrong, possibly the census taker heard something different. I imagine that happened a lot in census and immigration records over the years making some research very tricky.
HeritageQuestprovided some of the same information as Ancestry library but also historical documents about places. I looked up Sioux Falls and found several histories of the area which would be quite beneficial to a researcher or someone curious about the area.
Sandborn Mapsprovides the last piece to a puzzle of our past. With this resource, maps can be found to see how a town looked in the past and how it developed over the years.
All of these resources provide a picture of the people and places of our past.
With Ancestry Library many documents can be found to fill out a family tree and also data about people living today. It is awesome that these records can be found to help with geneology, but also a little scary to think that I can access so much data from a computer in the library.
In searching for myself I was able to come up with addresses both current and past--the address I lived in when I was in high school.
With further searching I found information about my maternal grandfather--from a census report I found out he lived in New York when he was 3 years old, with a father, mother, brother and his maternal grandfather. His mother and grandfather immigrated to America in 1884 from England. Their neighbors were from Spain, Ireland and England. All of this info was gleaned from one census report. From there I was able to search for my great-grandmother (his mother) and found that after they moved to North Carolina she died of Typhoid fever at the age of 33. It has been fascinating following these trails of information, all so readily available.
One document I found that was particularly interesting was a census of my father whose mother died when he was an infant. He and his father and 10 siblings went to live with his cousin who had two children. All of this information was in a census report, listing all of the people living in the house. What was interesting was that his name was spelled wrong, possibly the census taker heard something different. I imagine that happened a lot in census and immigration records over the years making some research very tricky.
HeritageQuestprovided some of the same information as Ancestry library but also historical documents about places. I looked up Sioux Falls and found several histories of the area which would be quite beneficial to a researcher or someone curious about the area.
Sandborn Mapsprovides the last piece to a puzzle of our past. With this resource, maps can be found to see how a town looked in the past and how it developed over the years.
All of these resources provide a picture of the people and places of our past.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Archive Grid/Camio
I found these resources to be for the serious researcher. The ArchiveGrid gives information about collections and where they are housed. I found this to be quite interesting, finding collections at various Universities. I also found information about archives--how to handle the archives, how they are arranged. For example the Hemingway collection at Princeton University has an index of items and is arranged by box and folder. For the serious researcher this database would provide very helpful information from what is available to where a researcher would have to travel to find it.
CAMIO looks like it would be awesome but unfortunately I was unable to access it from our school. I will have to look into how this is accessed to further complete this challenge.
CAMIO looks like it would be awesome but unfortunately I was unable to access it from our school. I will have to look into how this is accessed to further complete this challenge.
WorldCat
This database was overwhelming to me, although I have to say I found a use for it. As a middle school librarian I would have very little need for this database on a daily basis. I can look for the books needed by our students at our district libraries and at the public library and that is sufficient. My husband is working on a Doctorate in Adult Education at USD. I was telling him about these challenges and we played with this one a little and found a book he wanted at the USD library. I typed in Ivan Illich Deschooling Society and found there are 1582 libraries that have this one, 9 in South Dakota (Universities). I found the call number, LA210, 370.19 and its location at various libraries. Also, there are several other books by the same author as well as books about this book.
Although I would not use this database very often I could see the advantages for academics and higher education. It was so convenient to be able to find this book so quickly. What used to take numerous phone calls now can be done with just a few clicks.
The OAIster database gives access to digital items which I could see being more useful for my purposes. As a researcher this database would provide so much information and primary source documents. I searched "South Dakota" and came across articles, letters and photographs. I have to admit I was hooked then and got sidetracked looking at pictures, on entitled "Log Shanty with flag woman and seven boys possible SD". There were photographs of landmarks, people, schools and homes which could provide an added dimension to students and teachers research.
I began this session with hesitancy and hours later finished the blog entry but just began scratching the surface of this database.
Although I would not use this database very often I could see the advantages for academics and higher education. It was so convenient to be able to find this book so quickly. What used to take numerous phone calls now can be done with just a few clicks.
The OAIster database gives access to digital items which I could see being more useful for my purposes. As a researcher this database would provide so much information and primary source documents. I searched "South Dakota" and came across articles, letters and photographs. I have to admit I was hooked then and got sidetracked looking at pictures, on entitled "Log Shanty with flag woman and seven boys possible SD". There were photographs of landmarks, people, schools and homes which could provide an added dimension to students and teachers research.
I began this session with hesitancy and hours later finished the blog entry but just began scratching the surface of this database.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Ebsco E-Books
I'll admit that I was not looking forward to this section. Even though I have used e-books from various places I find it frustrating to figure out the format and how the e-book will open. Putting all of that aside I began to explore Ebsco E-books, not to be confused with Ebsco Host or e-library. This one, Ebsco E-books is sandwiched in between. I began the search with wind energy as our science classes work on projects researching alternative energy. One book was unavailable which means it was being used by another patron. I thought this might be a problem but the other books I looked at were available.
Most of the ones I found were available for download. I worked with the download for a time trying to figure out how to best explain the procedure to a patron. The e-books are downloaded as Adobe Digital Editions and can be read on the computer or sent to an e-reader. The Adobe Digital Edition website gives a list of supported devices http://blogs.adobe.com/digitalpublishing/supported-devices. I have used the Nook with Adobe Digital Editions and I have Bluefire Reader on the I-pad which is also on the list but I have not tried it from this site.
I found several books on the constitution but just looked at the titles and did not check any out. When looking for "western history" books with a particular publisher I chose Oklahoma. I found several books from the University of Oklahoma Press and checked out two of them, one Rapid City Indian School and the other Buffalo Soldiers and Officers of Ninth Calvary. In order to check out a book an account has to be opened which is a quick process. Once this is done the books are checked out and an option is given whether to read from the site or to download. I chose download and now have the books for 7 days. Options are given for citations, printing, emailing and saving. Limitations are set for printing with clear instructions given.
I will certainly recommend this resource to teachers and students.
Most of the ones I found were available for download. I worked with the download for a time trying to figure out how to best explain the procedure to a patron. The e-books are downloaded as Adobe Digital Editions and can be read on the computer or sent to an e-reader. The Adobe Digital Edition website gives a list of supported devices http://blogs.adobe.com/digitalpublishing/supported-devices. I have used the Nook with Adobe Digital Editions and I have Bluefire Reader on the I-pad which is also on the list but I have not tried it from this site.
I found several books on the constitution but just looked at the titles and did not check any out. When looking for "western history" books with a particular publisher I chose Oklahoma. I found several books from the University of Oklahoma Press and checked out two of them, one Rapid City Indian School and the other Buffalo Soldiers and Officers of Ninth Calvary. In order to check out a book an account has to be opened which is a quick process. Once this is done the books are checked out and an option is given whether to read from the site or to download. I chose download and now have the books for 7 days. Options are given for citations, printing, emailing and saving. Limitations are set for printing with clear instructions given.
I will certainly recommend this resource to teachers and students.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Gale Virtual Reference
The first thing I noticed about this database was that I had to enter a barcode and password. That was not a problem as I had one for the school but this is the first time it has been required.
After that however I found Gale Reference to be very helpful. I know our 8th graders will soon be working on a World War II unit so I picked the WWII set from Title List on menu bar. There was a timeline and articles which I know will be very helpful as the students begin to research. One thing I liked were the inclusion of pictures. The text to speech feature and the ability to download to Mp3 is very helpful. Articles can be printed as well. This database is more advanced than others we have reviewed however it could be used by middle school students looking for a particular topic.
Our language arts classes are searching for a book to read for literature so just to see what is available for literature I typed in Huckleberry Finn in the search bar. I found several books about Huckleberry Finn as well as themes in American Literature. I read an article Race and Prejudice in American Literature which included mention of several other literary works with similar theme. I could not get the "listen" feature on this particular article but on others I have listened and found the speech to be good and not as robotic sounding as some others.
Gale Virtual Reference Library is a great addition to the library where space and funding is limited.
After that however I found Gale Reference to be very helpful. I know our 8th graders will soon be working on a World War II unit so I picked the WWII set from Title List on menu bar. There was a timeline and articles which I know will be very helpful as the students begin to research. One thing I liked were the inclusion of pictures. The text to speech feature and the ability to download to Mp3 is very helpful. Articles can be printed as well. This database is more advanced than others we have reviewed however it could be used by middle school students looking for a particular topic.
Our language arts classes are searching for a book to read for literature so just to see what is available for literature I typed in Huckleberry Finn in the search bar. I found several books about Huckleberry Finn as well as themes in American Literature. I read an article Race and Prejudice in American Literature which included mention of several other literary works with similar theme. I could not get the "listen" feature on this particular article but on others I have listened and found the speech to be good and not as robotic sounding as some others.
Gale Virtual Reference Library is a great addition to the library where space and funding is limited.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Proquest Publications
I found this assignment( searching publications) to be much more rewarding than the other (basic search)--perhaps it was the fact that I was searching for a keyword in a publication, in this instance" school library" was the topic. I received two options--School Library Journal and School Library Monthly, both of which provided full text articles in previous issues. A search within School Library Journal led me to articles specifically on what I chose, "technology". I could see the advantage of this process in searching for articles in archives. If the researcher knew of a particular journal and wanted articles just from that, then this would be the way to go. If however a researcher wished to find articles from various journals the best way to go would be the previous way--Basic Search.
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