News from your IMC
In this newsletter ...
- Upcoming Events
- Reading to the CORE
- Research Tools
- Presentation Tools (that aren't boring)
- Scenes from the IMC
- Book Spotlight
- Abe Book Award Nominee ThingLink
- Student Reading Interest Survey Results
Upcoming IMC events - be sure to stop by!
- Banned Books Week - September 28 - October 2
- Teen Read Week - October 18 - 24
- Scholastic Book Fair - October 21 - 29
Reading to the CORE
- Teen Tribune - Sponsored by Smithsonian - Teen Tribune is a daily news site geared toward teens.
- Newsela - Newsela offers a variety of articles by topic and allows you to adjust the lexile level of the articles which makes differentiating a snap!
- Newspaper Map - allows your students to access newspapers from all over the world! It's a comprehensive catalog of all the major newspapers of the world arranged on a Google Map. You might also want to try Newseum as well!
Research Databases
Our library research databases provide students with access to updated reference content with full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites. The Gale databases have now integrated a Google Path which allows students to download all of their research documents, highlights, references, etc. directly to their Google Drive.
I'd be happy to show your classes how to use these valuable resources!
Scenes from your IMC
AP English Lit. Book Buddy "Shopping"
Book Browsing for Independent Reading
English I IMC Orientation
Library Scavenger Hunt
Who knew chess would be such a big hit?!
IMC Usage
We've had over 1,200 students sign in on the IMC tablet in the last 4 weeks with the highest independent usage being over the lunch hours. *** Students are not required to sign in before or after school.
Presentation Tools (that aren't boring)
- Smore is what I used to create this newsletter. You and your students can use Smore to create electronic flyers and newsletters. It can be a great presentation tool for students allowing users to add information, images, videos, and links to their Smore template.
- ThingLink is an interactive image tool that allows users to add text, images, videos and more to a single image platform. See the ThingLink I create for this year's Abe Book Award nominees!
- Check out more student friendly presentation tools on the IMC Website.
Book Spotlight
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize! A stunning novel where the paths of a blind French girl who takes part in the French resistance and a German boy who is part of Hitler Youth given a special assignment to track the French resistance collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.
Laughing at My Nightmare by Shane Burcaw
Twenty-one-year-old Shane Burcaw has been in a wheelchair since early childhood. Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Shane continues to push the boundaries of his disease with the help of his supportive family and friends. This autobiography is not a somber memoir, but rather a humorous account of what he has done. He is drives home his theme of living every day to its fullest. What started off as a blog to record his own frustrations and celebrations quickly evolved into speaking engagements, a non-profit foundation to raise money for the MS Foundation, a documentary, and now a book. (Library Media Connection)
One Shot at Forever by Chris Ballard
This is a great underdog story about how the 1971 Macon, Illinois, high-school baseball team and its misfit coach went all the way to the state finals, knocking off powerhouse teams with enrollments larger than their entire central Illinois town. Coach Sweet, a free-spirited English teacher, had been a pretty good amateur ballplayer. His resemblance to Frank Zappa and his unconventional ways holding practice only if the kids felt like it didn't sit well with the community. But the boys won. And when they beat powerhouse Lane Tech from Chicago to reach the state finals, even the naysayers couldn't argue with Sweet being named Coach of the Year.
Student Reading Survey Result
Over 240 freshman and sophomore students completed the reading interest survey to provide information about their reading habits. View the results.
Tera Hafermann
Normal West Library Media Specialist
Services I can provide for YOU!
I would love to have your feedback in order to evaluate the library collection, resources, environment and myself to better serve you and your students. Please take just a few minutes to complete this anonymous survey. I look forward to your honest feedback!
Email: hafermat@unit5.org
Website: http://blogs.unit5.org/hs-imc/