Making Connections
The Rockwood Library Newsletter - October 2017
Middle and High School Libraries Celebrate Teen Read Week
Along with libraries across the country, RSD middle and high school libraries celebrated Teen Read Week the week of October 8. The brainchild of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YASLA), Teen Read Week is a national celebration of young adult literature designed to encourage teenagers to read and to become regular library users . This year's theme was "Unleash Your Story." Our Rockwood libraries sponsored many different events to encourage students to tell their stories. Here are seven of them:
Books & Bagels
The Rockwood South Library started Teen Read Week with Books n Bagels before school. Mrs. Knollmeyer was the first administrative guest. The event was organized by librarian Janet Griffard.
Shredded Book Contest
Crestview students had fun looking at a shredded book in a jar and trying to guess the title based on the text they could see among the shreds. Librarian Bridget DuMont organized the contest.
Spine Poetry
Lit & Comp students at Rockwood Summit celebrated Teen Read Week by visiting the Library to create spine poetry. This poem was created by Hasseina. RSHS librarians Elaine McKenna and Margaret Sullivan hosted the event for the class.
Book Club Discussion
Members of the Marquette High School Book Club celebrated Teen Read Week with a meeting to talk about recent books they've read and to plan for a visit from author Alex London in November. The club is sponsored by MHS librarians Lee Mitchell and Margaret Sullivan.
Scary Stories
Selvidge librarian Jim Miller and library assistant Nancy Hayes encouraged students to read scary stories in preparation for Halloween.
Disguised Book
Everyone loves a mystery! These two Rockwood Valley students won the "Guess the Disguised Book Cover" contest sponsored by librarian Angie Kohout.
Six-Word Memoirs
Rockwood South librarian Janet Griffard encouraged students to "unleash their stories" through six-word memoirs.
Creativity, Innovation, and Learning in the Library
Just like every month, October saw lots of classes visit the Rockwood libraries to conduct research and create products to show their learning. Here are just a few examples:
Circuits and Songs
Ellisville librarian Toni Smith read Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes. After discussing the story, students used Makey Makeys to complete circuits, build pianos, and play their own songs.
Endangered Animals
LHS librarians Melissa Twombly and Nicci Ballard-Long collaborated with Environmental Science teachers Carrie Hall, Dana Imler, Amber Hughes on an endangered species project. Each student researched an endangered animal and created a WeVideo about their animal. Not only did students learn about the environmental factors putting animals at risk, they improved their research skills and digital citizenship practices.
Fake News - Then and Now
RSHS librarian Elaine McKenna worked with social studies teacher Brent Batcheller to guide 9th grade U.S. History students through a comparison of "yellow journalism" of the late 19th & early 20th centuries to the "fake news" of today. The lesson allowed students to hone their information literacy skills and resulted in great discussion.
Turning Mistakes Into Opportunities
Second graders at Ridge Meadows read Beautiful Oops with librarian Lisa Molengraft. After learning that the author wrote the book to teach our kids to turn mistakes into opportunities, each student turned an "oops" -- such as a piece of paper with a tear or a fold -- into something special. One student even wrote a note that said, “It’s okay. Mistakes make you smarter."
Margaret Sullivan, Rockwood Lead Librarian
Email: sullivanmargaret@rsdmo.org
Phone: 636-891-6842
Twitter: @mm_sullivan