Making Connections
The Rockwood Library Newsletter - February 2018
Rockwood Librarians Focus on Digital Citizenship
Social Media & Friendships Because good digital citizens are aware of how their words affect others, 5th graders at Geggie Elementary School spent their February library time discussing the presence of social media in their lives. In addition to talking about usage guidelines, students had heartfelt discussions about the impact of social media on their friendships after sharing their thoughts and ideas on a Padlet created by librarian Kristina Presley. Students also discussed how to create a positive online footprint. | Identifying Fake News Because good digital citizens look at online information critically, students in Kelly Ann Brown and Liz Pease's Language Arts classes recently visited the MHS Library to practice evaluating websites and identifying fake news. After discussing the criteria for evaluating online resources, librarians Lee Mitchell & Margaret Sullivan showed the students news stories curated by a website called Factitious and had students determine if stories were real or fake. Students participated in the lessons just prior to starting research assignments. | Avoiding Plagiarism Because good digital citizens use information ethically and responsibly, 5th grade students at Green Pines have been participating in library lessons about plagiarism and how it damages a person's reputation. Students read and discussed two articles about primatologist Jane Goodall (one article outlined plagiarism accusations against her), listened to librarian Theresa Swoboda read the book When Marion Copied by Brook Berg, watched and discussed a brief video, completed a self-assessment survey, practiced paraphrasing information, and created citations. |
Social Media & Friendships
Identifying Fake News
Avoiding Plagiarism
Digital Literacy Toolkit Because good digital citizens want to be their best selves online, Westridge librarian Anne Reed has been using the Digital Literacy Toolkit with her 5th grade students. The toolkit focuses on how everyday items can represent some aspect of the digital world. For example, a mirror reflects one's online presence while a tube of toothpaste represents the inability to take words and images back once they are shared digitally. Students can relate to these simple comparisons, making it easier for them to understand why good digital citizenship is important. | Science Citations Because good digital citizens use information ethically and responsibly, 9th grade biology students in Andy Neil, Alex Messina, and Sherri Lindemann's classes at RSHS have been working with librarians Elaine McKenna & Margaret Sullivan as they write papers on topics such as genetically-modified organisms and stem cells. Students have learned to use science-related databases, how to correctly format for a works cited page, and how to document internal citations. Because students regularly write short papers for biology class, they have been to the Library multiple times for research and citation instruction. | Responding to CyberbullyingBecause good digital citizens know how to respond to cyberbullying, Blevins librarian Trish Lueken incorporated lesson ideas on the topic from Common Sense Media with her 4th grade classes. The first lesson was about the power of words. While working on the unit, the classes discussed what do when someone uses mean or scary language in real life and online. Lueken used literature in the unit as well, reading the books One by Kathryn Otoshi and Bully by Patricia Polacco to the students. The literature provided a starting point for great discussions. |
Digital Literacy Toolkit
Science Citations
Responding to Cyberbullying
Because good digital citizens know how to respond to cyberbullying, Blevins librarian Trish Lueken incorporated lesson ideas on the topic from Common Sense Media with her 4th grade classes. The first lesson was about the power of words. While working on the unit, the classes discussed what do when someone uses mean or scary language in real life and online. Lueken used literature in the unit as well, reading the books One by Kathryn Otoshi and Bully by Patricia Polacco to the students. The literature provided a starting point for great discussions.
WMS Library Welcomes Special Guest Speaker

Eighth-grade students at WMS have been studying World War II and the Holocaust. On February 26, they heard a first-hand account of the war from Lt. Clifford Smith, a 96-year-old World War II veteran. Mr. Smith was an engineer who flew 31 bombing missions over Japan. On his first mission, he and his crew had to "ditch" their B-29 in the sea fifty miles off the coast of Japan due to one of the engines having trouble and using too much fuel. Four crew members were lost in the "ditch," and the remaining seven crew members were picked up by a submarine after floating in two rafts for more than 24 hours. Needless to say, students found his stories very engaging.
WMS librarian Karen Brown, who worked with teachers to arrange Mr. Smith's visit, said, "We are thankful to Mr. Smith for his service to country and for sharing his experiences with our youth."
According to the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, approximately 558,000 of 16 million Americans who served in WWII were still alive in 2017, a statistic that highlights how fortunate the WMS students are to have a veteran share his experiences with them.
Using Primary Sources to Make Connections To Literature and History
Owens' decision to use primary sources was purposeful. She said, "I think primary sources are a valuable teaching tool because they help students connect with history. For example, when students analyze old pictures before a read aloud, they are noticing very specific details about people living in that point in time. This gives them a deeper understanding and helps foster connections during the lesson. The pictures also build a natural curiosity and excitement for learning!"
Students agree. Landon, one of the third graders who participated in the lessons, said, "I like learning about primary sources. They tell you about people in the past."
Students Work Out, Win Prizes, and Have Fun During February RSMS Library Events
RSMS students accepted the "healthy heart” challenge the library posed to them the first week of February by doing 30 seconds of cardio. They jumped rope, ran in place, or they did 30 jumping jacks as well as wrote healthy heart tips for the library’s Valentine doors. The library also observed Black History Month with trivia and “I Have a Dream” statements that students wrote and put inside balloons that were hung in the library. And, during the third week of February, students entered various Winter Olympics library events, which included book curling, winter sports trivia, and a geography quiz. All participants were invited to sign the Library Olympics Dream mural.
The events were organized by RSMS librarian Janet Griffard. She says that even though the events may not be directly related to the curriculum, the "students are having fun participating. I am building relationships with students by making connections, providing enjoyment, and making students feel safe in the library."
Students Participating in the Healthy Heart Challenge | Winner of the Famous African Americans Trivia Contest | Student Participating in Book Curling Event |
LHS Library's "Free Library"

Also In February...
Building Scenes From the Show-Me Books First, second, and third-grade students at Ellisville reviewed the Show-Me books during library time with librarian Toni Smith. Working in groups. students reread a book and then chose a scene to build with Legos, which they shared with their class. | Ancient Greece Research LSMS librarian Carol Bauer guided 6th grade students in Bergen Toth's social studies class as they conducted research on Ancient Greece. | Festive Bulletin Board CMS librarian Bridget DuMont created this cute display to encourage students to check out a book during the month of February. |