Making Connections
The Rockwood Library Newsletter - January 2019
Collaborate: AASL Shared Foundation #3
Exploring the Civil Rights Movement through Primary Sources
In celebration of Martin Luther King Day, fifth graders at Babler Elementary School worked together in small groups to examine and interpret primary sources from the Civil Rights Era. Students used a visible thinking strategy called "I See, I Think, I Wonder" in their analysis. Librarian Jenny Starling created the lesson as part of the students' weekly library time.
Not only did students enjoy learning about Dr. King and his work, they liked working together to analyze the documents. One student said, "I liked getting to talk with my friends about the pictures. They noticed things I didn't see." Another student commented, ""It was interesting hearing the things other people had questions about."
Book Speed Dating
The book speed dating consisted of several rounds. During each round, students were encouraged to sample a book from a different genre by reading for a minute or two. They took notes and rated each book. During the last round, students returned to the book they liked best. Students said they enjoyed being able to "try on" books before choosing one to check out.
Students Learn About Their Diverse Backgrounds
Rockwood Summit librarian Elaine McKenna and Language Arts teacher Andrea Missey recently collaborated to create a project to kick off Missey's semester-long Multicultural Literature class. Students spent the first two days of the semester researching their cultural heritage by using the Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America, a new eReference source that provides multi-user access to information on a variety of ethnic groups in the U.S. McKenna reports there was a flurry of excitement among the students as they exchanged stories of their backgrounds and discussed their family traditions. To share their newly-found knowledge, the students created infographics using Piktochart. These infographics are hanging proudly in their classroom around a map of the world.
Bestselling Author April Henry Visits LSMS
LSMS librarian Carol Bauer said, "The students were extremely excited about this event. April Henry is a very popular author at LaSalle. Her books are seldom in the library because students are always checking them out."
Bauer arranged the visit with the help of Emily Hall, the manager of Main Street Books in St. Charles.
Gingerbread Theme + STEM Activities = Engaged Students
Ridge Meadows librarian Lisa Molengraft and Green Pines librarian Theresa Swoboda recently collaborated on library lessons for their students that combined books and STEM activities. During weekly library time, each grade level enjoyed a story involving gingerbread people. Following the story, students were challenged to create something that would help the gingerbread characters in their story overcome the obstacles they faced. (See below.)
Swoboda said, "Collaborating with other librarians for lesson ideas, book suggestions, library displays, and maker space activities is not only an essential part of our job, but it makes it more fun! Together is always better. After Lisa shared her gingerbread lessons with me, we enjoyed working together to brainstorm even more ideas and to modify them to really fit our needs. The success of our collaboration was evident in the reactions of our students."
First graders built the longest fire hose after reading The Gingerbread Man Loose On the Firetruck. They were asked, “With limited paper, how can you make the longest paper chain?” They discovered cutting the strips thinner allowed them to make more loops...and a longer chain!
Fifth graders read a traditional folktale and were challenged to create a bridge using ONE index card that could NOT be cut, torn, or glued. The winning group’s project held 82 pennies!
EHS Library Provides Relaxing & Informal Collaboration Opportunities
At Eureka High School, librarians Dawn Jerger and Janie Pickett have created an environment that allows students to engage in informal collaboration. The librarians have set up a jigsaw puzzle table in the library. During their free time, students can work on the jigsaw puzzle, which may consist of as many as 1000 pieces. Once a puzzle is complete, Jerger and Pickett put out a new puzzle. A coloring table is also popular. Jerger and Pickett put out a large adult coloring sheet that students are welcome to work on. The coloring sheets have been so popular that teachers have begun requesting them for their classrooms. In order to make sure students know about these relaxing library activities, library assistant Becky Jacquin shares pictures on Instagram.
Pickett says, "The welcome students experience in the library for these relaxed times builds relationships and trust that advance their learning and academic competencies. Collaborative down times are still great learning times."
Fifth Graders Use LEGOS to Plan Stories
After watching book trailers featuring adventure stories and identifying the elements of great adventure books, fifth grade students at Pond Elementary collaborated with each other as they began building their plan for their own adventure story using LEGOS. Each student created a scene of their original story in the library, and are currently working on the story writing in their classroom. Librarian Christy Beeman says she can't wait for their LEGO scenes and adventure stories to be displayed in the Pond Library for all grades to enjoy.
The project is the result of a collaboration between Beeman and teacher Melanie Portell. Beeman says, "It is always a blast collaborating with Melanie! In this instance, we were able to plan an engaging activity incorporating STEAM, Language Arts and Library Curriculum!"
More Creative Lessons and Activities
Spreading Kindness With Paperback Books
The week before winter break, Blevins librarian Trish Lueken and library assistant Laura Stirmlinger helped students spread a little kindness. They wrapped new, donated paperback books and placed them in baskets on tables in the library. They placed markers and stickers next to the baskets. Students who earned "good behavior" tickets during library lessons could use their extra free time in the library to decorate a wrapped book with a kindness message or holiday greeting. Once all the wrapped books were decorated, the student pulled a slip of paper with instructions out of a glass container. The instructions told students what to do with books. For instance, one slip said "Give this book to the fourth person you see" while another said, "Give this to first person you see who is wearing a sports shirt." Recipients were able to keep the books and add them to their personal libraries. Lueken got the idea for the activity from the Future Ready Librarians Facebook Group. She reports " it was fun way to spread kindness and caring right before our break."
Students Create Home Alone "Battle Plans"
The discovery of a picture book based on the movie Home Alone provided the inspiration for a creative lesson for second and third graders at Fairway Elementary School. Librarian Jason Sinden explains, "Most students had seen the movie, so we compared the book to the movie. I loved the novelty of having a book based on a movie instead of the other way around. After we read the story, I had the kids make their own 'battle plans' in case Harry and Marv tried to steal stuff from them."
Students could choose to draw the library, their classroom, their bedroom, their house, or any other place that was familiar to them. The only rule was they couldn't use anything deadly. Their tricks and traps had to be funny like the movie.
Students were engaged in the activity and excitedly shared their "battle plans" with classmates.
Margaret Sullivan, Rockwood Lead Librarian
Email: sullivanmargaret@rsdmo.org
Website: https://goo.gl/nfCm3X
Phone: (636)891-6842
Twitter: @mm_sullivan