Library Media Newsletter
Quarter 2, 2017
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Finals Week!
Hour of Code
*Ann Oleson and Taylor Gehrls of Converge Consulting focused on digital advertising, showing kids how to launch an ad campaign through social media with an emphasis on Facebook and Instagram. They discussed how to track analytics like cost per click. Students were also introduced to creating their own website for a club or special interest. *Xavier parent Matt Miller of Mobile Demand inspired students with the fun side of technology. He brought a couple of the new Microsoft Hololens and let students try this augmented reality experience. He discussed the software development his company does for rugged tablets and 3D applications and told students about a top-secret idea of his own for a new software product. *Jason Marshall from Grant Wood AEA did an “unplugged” activity with kids demonstrating the Design Process, a concept important to software engineers and computer scientists involving testing, troubleshooting, and refining their design. *Samantha Dahlby who works for code.org at NewBoCo showed off two kinds of wearable technology - an Adafruit bracelet and a circuit playgound. Students began to code their own projects using Arduino. Ms. Dahlby promotes computer science education in schools throughout Iowa. *Xavier parent and Vice President of IT at Great America Financial Services Jim Burns shared various occupations that are available in information technology and the skills an employer is looking for in this field. *Michael Lyon, a Xavier grad with a biology degree, talked to students about his journey into computer science. He now works for Bio::Neos solving bioinformatics problems. He does medical data analytics, writing software to analyze large scientific datasets. He showed kids how to code sensors, writing code that would notify him when the plants in their office need water. After school, he worked with students on html and css code for website development. *Shannon Hampsher and Chris Leonard from GoDaddy emphasized the need for young people to practice good digital security and digital citizenship, reminding them that their digital footprint is everlasting. They had students practice coding by changing the Google logo create their own holiday emoji through code. Students were encouraged to get internships and support women in technology.
*Tom Schuster, a Xavier parent who is employed at Crystal Group as an electronics engineer, taught students to code with a Python tutorial at codecademy.com. He packed a lot of content into a short session: strings, variables, data structures, lists, and functions. Students were able to advance comfortably at their own pace.
Book Displays
December's book display featured books wrapped in Christmas paper. A book is a present you give yourself or others this season. "Unwrap a good book."
No-Shave November Reads
Unwrap A Good Book
December Book Display
Featured Books
One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose? Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.
The Rains by Gregg Hurwitz
Determined to save Patrick’s life and the lives of the remaining kids, the brothers embark on a mission to uncover the truth about the parasites—and what they find is horrifying.
Battling an enemy not of this earth, Chance and Patrick become humanity’s only hope for salvation.
The Red Bandanna by Tom Rinaldi (Nonfiction)
Tom Rinaldi's The Red Bandanna is about a fearless choice, about the crucible of terror and the indomitable spirit to answer it. It travels Crowther's path to purpose and the journey his family has been on in the days and years since. Examining one decision in the gravest situation, it celebrates the difference one life can make. It is the story of a new symbol for strength, and how a bandanna has become the red badge of courage for a new time.
Mrs. Tracie Marshall
Email: tracie.marshall@xaviersaints.org
Website: xaviersaints.org
Phone: 319-294-6635
Twitter: @MrsMarshallLMC