Library Update Spring 2016
See what's happening in the library now!
Kindergarten
Kindergarten students also spend one class period a week learning about books. Currently we are studying author/illustrator Peter Brown.
1st Grade
2nd Grade
When the research fair is over, we will be continuing to discuss how our library is organized using the Dewey Decimal System.
3rd Grade and 4th Grade
They have also been learning about how to use databases to search for and find information. Optimist Good Reader packets are due February 19!
5th Grade and 6th Grade
We have learned that many databases help us cite information by providing the citation if you know where to look and Google has an Add-On called EasyBib that is also helpful. http://www.easybib.com/
Iowa Teen Award
Goldfinch Award
Iowa Children's Choice Award
We will vote around spring break for our favorites!
Where oh where have my books gone?
Check Out Days
Grading in the Library
I also want to let parents know that I do some of my recording keeping for assessments using PowerSchool. This means that if you login, you may see a library “grade” for your child. Let me explain what this means. In the Iowa City Community School District, we do not give “grades.” Your child will receive an end of the year mark of one of the following:
3 – has met end of year benchmark
2 – shows progress, but has not met benchmark
1 – shows limited or no progress
To this end, I use a 3-point scale to record my assessments. Unfortunately, there is no way to turn off the grading scale in PowerSchool so 2/3 is a 66% and 1/3 is a 33%. I am not failing your child and have no intention of marking them down in any way. Many of my assessments are pre-assessments or exit slips to inform my instruction. These “grades” are not stored in any permanent records and have no meaning beyond what they mean to me.