Making Connections
The Rockwood Library Newsletter - January 2020
Ridge Meadows Student Tours Author's Studio
Teams Formed for Mark Twain Battle of the Books
Geggie Students Create Literature-Inspired Videos
Fifth grade students at Geggie Elementary School have been designing book characters and creating stop motion videos with the help of librarian Kristina Presley and instructional technology specialist Mark Pennycuick. After reading the book What Do You Do With an Idea? during library time with Mrs. Presley, students worked with both teachers to design an "idea" on Tinkercad. After the "ideas" were printed students designed an additional scene from the book and produced a stop motion video. Fifth graders then shared their projects with the rest of their grade level. (Click on the image above to watch one of the videos.)
UV Students Enjoy Literature-Inspired STEM Project
Mrs. Owens noted the library was full of smiles and laughter as the teams raced the clock to get their designs completed in time. "Everyone was engaged in the activity," Owens said. "It was such a joy to watch the students work together to accomplish a goal."
RSHS Contemporary Issues Students Create Public Service Announcements
RSHS social studies teacher Rebecca McLaughlin and library media specialist Elaine McKenna collaborated to help Contemporary Issues students create public service announcements about social media/Internet issues. Topics included the role of bots in political discourse, fueling hate with social media, extreme and untruthful content on YouTube, facial recognition and privacy, and Facebook’s access to private information. Students used WeVideo to create one-minute PSAs to create awareness, show the importance of a problem, convey information, and/or promote behavioral change. McKenna and McLaughlin worked with students during the research, writing, and creation process. “All parts of creating the PSA are important and rely on up-to-date, accurate research,” said McKenna. The PSAs will be screened in class and will be shown on the TVs in the commons for all Summit students to view.
CMS Students Explore Books As Mirrors and Windows
Crestview librarian Bridget DuMont recently worked with seventh and eighth grade Language Arts classes to show them how books can serve as mirrors (by showing readers experiences they can relate to) and as windows (showing readers experiences very different from their own). Seventh grade classes participated in a book tasting activity that required them to explore books on a variety of topics, including Gender/LGBTQ, Refugees/Immigration, Family Issues, Illness/Disabilities, Racism/Ethnicity, Bullying, Body Image, and Foster Care. Students reviewed the books, kept bookmarks about books they loved, and in the end did a reflection about what they thought of the books and activity.
Eighth grade students started a social issue lit circle unit in the library where Mrs. DuMont book talked ten books that addressed social issues. Students then had the opportunity to look at lit sets that were placed on tables.
RSMS Students Find Great Books Through Book Tastings
During the first full week of January, Rockwood South Middle School librarian Rachel Rankins hosted book tastings for all Compacted Challenged Language Arts Classes. The activity allowed students to explore literary genres. Ms. Rankins set up seven tables placed books from a different genre on each table. Students rotated among the tables, spending four minutes at each station "tasting" a book and recording their thoughts on a handout Rankins provided. At the end of the activity, students wrote a reflection on their experience.
Sarah, a sixth-grade student, said in her reflection, "I really enjoyed being able to look at different genres that I would normally not like. I found books that I would never thought I would even pick up that I really liked."
Aidan, also a sixth-grade student, commented, "It was fun to actually have a paper to write down your thoughts about the book."
Eighth-grade student Sophia said, "I enjoyed this book tasting because there were a variety of books (genres). I was surprised about some of the books I liked and I really liked being introduced to new books."
LHS Library Hosts Special Event for Preschool Students
Rockwood's high school libraries have amazing collections to support the needs of students in grades 9-12; however, these libraries also support our buildings’ littlest readers: the preschool students who attend school in our high schools. Recently, LHS librarians Nichole Ballard-Long and Jane Lingafelter, hosted a “Book-a-palooza” to share seventy new titles which were added to the early childhood shelves. These little readers had the opportunity to browse the collection and look at any title that interested them. They gathered together to share their books, talking about pictures and reading the stories. Some found small groups to hear a book read aloud. Each left super excited to be the first person to check out a brand new book.