PHS Media Minute
Plainfield High School Media Center Newsletter
February 2014
Plainfield / Avon Reading Challenge
Reading Challenge Rules:
1. Read a book, magazine, or newspaper - one that isn't for a class assignment.
2. Talk with any staff member about what you read. Bring the book or article with you.
3. The staff member will report the number of pages that you read and it will be added to the school total.
*Non-fiction will be counted as double the pages.
Please return all reading challenge forms to the media center or Lael DuBois's mailbox.
Staff will be receiving all reading challenge materials the week of February 10th.
Student / Teacher form
Questions to ask...
Teacher info sheet
Digital Learning Day promotes the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to learn in a robust digital environment every day with the goal of success in college and a career. Common-sense and effective applications of digital learning should be fully integrated into all of America’s schools, libraries, coffee shops, and homes to promote life-long learning and good citizenship.
It takes less than five minutes to add your voice.
I ask that you add your voice and consider planning classroom-based activities for your students and parents to get involved. Activities and events can be as simple or complicated as you like. Feel free to use Digital Learning Day’s interactive lessons (more coming soon), host a technology fair to showcase student work, check out the teacher toolkits for ideas, or simply try something new that better integrates technology into good instructional practice. Regardless of your level of comfort with instructional technology, Digital Learning Day has something for everyone.
In addition to the national event and its related activities, all fifty states and DC are making similar plans. This is a great opportunity to use the momentum from these national and state-awareness campaigns to highlight your district- and school-level digital learning efforts to media, community leaders, parents, and local policymakers.
Most importantly, we urge you to
- add your voice in support of digital learning in schools;
- plan activities for your classroom;
- share your plans by adding your event to the map; and
- spread the word by asking your colleagues and friends to join the movement
Thank you for supporting digital learning!
*Taken from the Digital Learning Day website - http://www.digitallearningday.org/
Read Across America Day - March 3, 2014
Testing and Education Reference Center - INSPIRE
In it, you and your students have access to a large variety of AP practice questions and tests, SAT and ACT prep, even GRE and GMAT practice. It's an easy resource to use to practice for high-stakes testing that our students take. Please feel free to share it with your students!
My Homework App
Teachers sign up and create classes at https://teachers.io/.
PIXLR - Online Photo Editor
PIXLR -- http://pixlr.com/
Pixlr is an easy tool to use that is like PhotoShop but you access it online. In my opinion, it is much easier to use than PhotoShop too. Check out Pixlr.Free, Easy Activities - Newspapers in Education
All staff and students have access to the e-edition of the Indianapolis Star each day. Access the online Indianapolis Star at: http://library.plainfield.k12.in.us/. Then click on the Indianapolis Star Newspaper under Online Information / Resources.
username & password: dubo081407
myON - FREE digital books
The myON is partnering up with Digital Learning Day. Access FREE ebooks through the following link: http://thefutureinreading.myon.com/celebrate-digital-learning-day-2014
To access myON books, follow these simple steps:
- Step 1 - Click here For easy access - bookmark this page. (Please note: You can also login at www.myON.com. There you will need to add a School Name: 2014 Digital Learning Day MN District)
- Step 2 - Enter the following information:
Username: books (case sensitive)
Password: books (case sensitive) - Step 3- Click on submit, select a book and start reading!
Crash Course by John and Hank Green
Crash Course is a phenomenal educational resource that truly highlights how educational material can organically emerge online. Started by John Green, New York Times Bestselling Author of books like The Fault in Our Stars and Looking For Alaska, and his brother Hank Green, an entrepreneurial musician and ‘vlogger,’ Crash Course is a YouTube channel with tons of instructional videos on subjects as varied as biology, world history, US history, chemistry, English literature, and ecology.
John and Hank Green have a knack for explaining complex ideas in simple, comprehensible terms. With over 1 million subscribers and over 45 million views across the channel, Crash Course has developed an avid following largely because of John and Hank’s lively approach to subject material, which keeps viewers interested and engaged. If you want to understand why Crash Course has developed such a huge following online, you need look no further than the videos themselves; here are a few of our favorites:
- Crash Course World History: The Persians and Greeks
- Crash Course Biology: Water – Liquid Awesome
- Crash Course US History: The New Deal
*Taken from the Digital Learning Day website - http://www.digitallearningday.org/
Top 10 Checkouts for January 2014
January Media Center Statistics
- 109 classes attended out of 105 class periods = 100% scheduled (multiple classes per period)
- 804 students from study hall and sent from classes
- 2936 students in scheduled classes
- 3740 total students for January
- Estimated: 249 students per day
- Estimated: 36 students per class period
- 480 student book/material checkouts (80 teacher book/material checkouts)
Fall Semester 2013 Media Center Statistics
- 590 classes attended out of 623 class periods = 95% scheduled (multiple classes per period)
- 6,929 students from study hall and sent from classes
- 15,687 students in scheduled classes
- 22,616 total students for Fall Semester 2013
- Estimated: 254 students per day
- Estimated: 36 students per class period
- 3972 student book/material checkouts (241 teacher book/material checkouts)
Lael DuBois
Email: ldubois@plainfield.k12.in.us
Website: http://www.plainfield.k12.in.us/index.php/phs-mediacenter.html
Location: 1 Red Pride Drive
Phone: 317-839-7711
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phsmediacenter
Twitter: @plainfieldmc