THINK, CREATE, SHARE, GROW
Happy Thanksgiving!
This Newsletter:
- A Teacher's Reflection: Jaci Durtschi
- 3rd Graders Blast Off: Horace Mann
- What Can Kindergartners Do: Polk
- Library Spotlight: Odyssey
A Teacher's Reflection: Jaci Durtschi
At the beginning of the school year, I was approached about considering doing a project with the teacher librarians using GoogleApps. I accepted, and we got together to talk about doing a Senate Simulation together. I had never team-taught before, so naturally I was a little apprehensive about doing the project initially. The more I worked with the teacher librarians, the more at ease I became. Before the lesson, we met weekly to plan a schedule of events, lesson plans, learning objectives, technology tools, and specific research and teaching strategies that would be the most effective for the simulation. This was helpful for me to talk through the learning process with other professionals and map out a strategy that would best suit my students’ needs.
Once the simulation started, having the teacher librarians in my room was invaluable! They taught effective research skills, how to use and apply technology, answered questions, supported classroom management, helped organize, and then reflect on the process and how to improve it. After the students researched topics on their bills, they got together in committees to create the bill. As the students were using Google Apps to write the bill, I would use my computer to monitor progress and make real-time edits. As I was doing this, the teacher librarians walked around the room also monitoring progress, checking behavior, and answering questions. I became so accustomed to having another teacher in the room that when the simulation was over I felt like I was losing a valuable limb.
Having the opportunity to work closely with the teacher librarians on the Senate Simulation was priceless. They taught me new technology, were a soundboard for ideas on how to improve the lesson, an additional hand in the room to monitor progress, and another person to evaluate effective teaching strategies. It was helpful to sit down after the simulation and discuss ways of improving the lessons and how to meet the standards more effectively. It was a wonderful experience for me that I hope to have again soon.
Click here to view a Standard Examiner article and short video about the project.
3rd Graders Blast Off!
"I learned that the moon has a side that's dark and that we never see the dark side of the moon. Young astronaut, Conner."
We're packin' our bags!
What Can Kindergartners Do?
Actually they can do quite a bit! They can read, collect research, write, create songs, and show off to their parents. Focusing on their social studies core, the Kindergarten team at Polk Elementary teamed up with the DTLs for a unit about families. The students read books and discussed what different families like to do and how families look similar and different. As a class they wrote a song about families using their research. Then they wrote sentences and drew pictures about their own families and family members. Copies of the sentences and drawings are being bound into a class book.
To finish the unit, the kindergartners performed and displayed their work to a packed house of family and friends. Video montages of the students sharing their sentences and illustrations were also presented. Then you can see all the things that kindergartners can do!
To view YouTube videos of some of the class songs click here!
Library Spotlight
Ogden School District Teacher Librarians
We are excited to co-teach with you in your classroom. Please contact both your principal and one of the DTLs about co-teaching opportunities.
Also, if you have questions or comments about the district library program, please feel free to contact us:
Katie Kilts -- kiltsk@ogdensd.org
Daniel Mauchley -- mauchleyd@ogdensd.org
Christine McFarland M.Ed -- mcfarlandc@ogdensd.org
Shelly Ripplinger -- ripplingers@ogdensd.org
Elaine Shelburne MLS / M.Ed - shelburnee@ogdensd.org
Avan Thayn -- thayna@ogdensd.org
Amy Jamison -- jamisona@ogdensd.org
Previous Newsletters and Flyers (Click Here)
"Think, Create, Share, Grow" are used with permission from the American Association of School Libraries, a division of the American Library Association. www.ala.org
Background from http://farm1.staticflickr.com/39/89187774_f0281e3da6_o.jpg by denny.lyon
Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving image from http://chrissonksen.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/thanksgiving-norman-rockwell.png