Tuesday, November 22, 2011

FROM RESEARCH TO BOOK CHECKOUT

On Monday, I will prepare the 8th grade social studies classes for a research project called Political Spectrum. Students will be researching various political viewpoints and the people who supported those viewpoints. As an introduction students will receive a "road map" outlining what resources are available at Lakeview that will help them with this project. We will also take a look at several online resources -- subscription database for reference books and magazines/newspapers. If students follow my road map their research will be smooth and easy.
Also on Monday several 7th grade Reading classes will come to checkout books for their next book report. Since they have free choice of any grade appropriate fiction, there are hundreds of possibilities. I will st up several table displays for some of my favorite choices.
And following up on the Rebecca Caudill presentation this week, there are an eager bunch of 6th graders digging into the 2012 Caudill nominees. Mrs. Wilson, our library aide, reported seeing many students avidly reading their books this morning before school.

Friday, November 18, 2011

IT'S CAUDILL TIME AGAIN

Next Monday I will introduce the 6th grade students to the nominees for the 2012 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award. Across Illinois students in grades 4-8 will chose which of the nominees is to receive this award. At Lakeview all 6th graders participate so their next three book reports will be from these nominees. Then in February, 2012 they will vote through our online library catalog for their choice. All of our results are sent to the state committee. Then in March, 2012 the state winner is announced. Both Mrs. Wilson and I have read all 20 nominees and we agreed that there is no clear cut winner like The Hunger Games of last year. However, all 20 books are great! There is something for everyone -- from fantasy and scifi to historical and adventure to sports and animals. We can also boast this year that we have 12 of the nominees in audiobook format, mostly as Playaways, self-contained, electronic devices. On Monday the 6th graders will listen as I booktalk all 20 nominees and then make their choice for their first book report. I will also show students how they can place their own reserves online for other nominees they want. To see the list of the 2012 nominees, check out the link on our webpage.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

LOTS OF COMPUTER USE AGAIN

There are some amazing computer projects going on -- which is why the IMC computers are getting such heavy use. The projects that I know about include 8th grade Advanced LA/Reading using Photo Shop to present information about the Greek gods, goddesses, heroes, and monsters; 6th grade social students using Comic Life to create movie ads for the Greek myths; 8th grade Reading writing up biography book reports as though they were interviewing the person in the book. Next week 8th grade Science has reserved computers for a day. I wonder what they will be doing!

Friday, November 4, 2011

LOTS OF COMPUTER USE

The IMC computers were in heavy use this week, and next week looks even more busy. This week computers were used by 6th & 8th grade music, 7th & 8th grade social studies, and 6th, 7th, & 8th grade language arts. Next week 8th grade language arts/reading classes dominate the computers. Nothing else is scheduled in the IMC next week, so Mrs. Wilson and I can return to preparing new books for checkout. Our production rate has tapered off the last few weeks as other activities such as the Halloween Trivia Contest and various book checkouts were scheduled.