Pelion Middle Learning Commons
Fall 2017
How to Set Reading Goals With Your Students
In just a few days students will be setting personalized reading goals. Here are a few tips to help you and your students.
- Encourage students to set goals based on a topic they enjoy. This will allow them to branch out with their reading. For example, a student that enjoys football might enjoy sports fiction by Mike Lupica or Tim Green and then move on to biographies and sports poetry.
- Instead of focusing on a number of books read by a certain time frame, encourage students to set a reading goal that they work on each day. While aspiring to read ten books before the end of the school year is a worthy goal, a student will feel he or she is making more progress if he vows to set aside 15 minutes a day to read.
- Remind students that reading is not limited to books! Many of the best readers like to peruse magazines and blog posts. Encouraging students to set a new goal related to Newsela reinforces the idea that informational text is important.
- Struggling readers may want to create a goal that ties into a reading strategy. For example: "I will identify the main idea of each paragraph before moving on to another" or "I will slow down when I don't understand what I'm reading" are worthwhile goals that focus on process rather than completion.
- Celebrate your students' success! Giving a simple class shout-out to those who are taking steps to reach their goals is a huge motivator.
Sphero Makes a Debut at Open House
Families came together on October 24th to learn more about Sphero in the Learning Commons. Though students had fun driving Sphero with their Ipads they also practiced coding Sphero to do specific tasks. Coding is just one way students can develop their problem-solving skills.
Title 1 Funds Provide New Non-Fiction
Thanks to Title 1 funding, students set the tone for reading at the beginning of the school year with new books. Students from all great levels constructed their "reading identity" by browsing and discovering books on a variety of subjects. Newer non-fiction replace older general interest, religion, political science and foreign language titles. Not only did students reignite their passion for reading, but they also practiced reading for information.
Banned Books Week in the Library
Mrs. Waller's iCivics classes took a closer look at the first amendment by examining frequently challenged picture books. Students discussed balancing the rights of students with the rights of members of the community. They also conducted a mock book banning, persuading their peers why a particular book should or should not be banned at Pelion Middle School. This activity serves as a precursor to persuasive writing later in the year.
https://youtu.be/ZjxTjBaBK3A
Event Information
Copyright 101: What You Need to Know
As Carmen and Laura work towards goals of offering professional development, Join them as they discuss copyright in the classroom as well as other digital issues. We will meet during your PLC times.
When?
Thursday, Nov 30, 2017, 08:45 AM
Where?
Learning Commons
What's New in the Learning Commons?
Shifting and Weeding!
In order for our students to be efficient users of information and strong readers, they need a library collection that is accurate, updated, and attractive. As we reach towards our ongoing goals, we will will continue to shift, weed, and purchase as many titles as possible. Compare the "before" photo on the left to to the "after" photos on the right.
Cluttered, Unweeded Shelf of Books
Shifted , Inviting Shelf of Books
New Book Display
First Quarter At a Glance
Number of Books Circulated: 3590 This number is up from 2100 last year! Students are reading more which means greater student achievement and development of reading skills.
Total Classes Receiving Instruction/Collaboration:101 This number has almost doubled from last year. More collaboration equals more individualized attention for students!
Class Checkouts: 98
Number of Single Visitors: 852
Mission and Vision
The Pelion Middle Learning Commons supports student achievement by serving as a center that is conducive to personalized learning, collaboration and creativity. As students develop new digital skills, discover their identity as a reader, and become self-directed, they become lifelong learners.
Mrs. Mangus
Email: cmangus@lexington1.net
Website: http://pelionmiddlelearningcommons.weebly.com/
Phone: 803-821-2300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pelionmiddlelc
Twitter: @carmenmangus