Christmas came to us in October!

*This post was written by our sweet and fearless leader, Meg Brooke! :)

Christmas came to us in October! J  There were some funds left in the account that we were approved to spend, and so I ordered these books for our professional development.  It does not look like we will be moving downstairs, and so I will keep these in my office upstairs.  I know that there is little time for much extra, but hopefully some of these references will be something that some or one of you needs to give that extra “umph” to take your library or you as a librarian to that next level!  Our students deserve this!

If you’re interested in any of these, let me know and I’ll send it by the PONY.  I plan to do some quick “reviews” of these in the future, too, to hopefully pique your interest.

These are the books:

I get pumped just reading the titles!  But the real worth is what’s inside………

TITLE	AUTHOR
School Libraries Matter: Views from the Research	Mirah Dow, ed
Growing Schools: Librarians as Professional Developers	Debbie Abilock, Kristin Fontichiaro, and Violet Harada, editors
Literacy: A Way Out for At-Risk Youth	Jennifer Sweeney
Get Those Guys Reading: Fiction and Series Books that Boys Will Love	Kathleen Baxter and Marcia Kochel
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program and the School Library: Inquiry-based Education	Anthony Tilke
The Library Catalogue as a Social Space: Promoting Patron Driven Collections, online Communities, and Enhanced Reference and Readers’ Services	Laura Tarulli
Copyright Catechism II: Practical Answers to Everyday School Dilemmas	Carol Simpson
iPads in the Library: Using Tablet Technology to Enhance Programs for All Ages	Joel A. Nichols
Travel the Globe: Story times, Activities, and Crafts for Children	Desiree Webber, Dee Ann Corn, Elaine Harrod, et al
Book Clubbing:  Successful Book Clubs ..	Carol Littlejohn
Reference Skills for the School Librarian	Ann M. Riedling, Loretta Shake, Cynthia Houston
Integrating Young Adult Literature through the Common Core Standards	Rachel Wadham and Jonathan Ostenson
The Learning Commons: 7 Simple Steps to Transform Your Library	Pamela C. Harland
Seven Steps to an Award-winning School Library Program	Ann M. Martin
A Guided Inquiry Approach to High School Research	Randell K. Schmidt
Guided Inquiry Design: a Framework for Inquiry in Your School	Carol C. Kuhlthau, Leslie K. Maniotes, and Ann K. Caspari

Copyright Resources

Look, none of us want to be the copyright police, but unfortunately it comes with the territory. Students (and teachers) will straight rip off others' work without a second thought. Crediting sources seems to be a foreign concept to many. 

Here are a few sites that might help: 

Teaching Students About Copyright (15 sites) 

10 Must-Have Resources for Teaching Copyright and Fair Use 

Teaching Students About Copyright With YouTube *Yeah, it's blocked. But if you watch it and then give the kids a synopsis, that might be a close second. 

Teaching Copyright 

Copyright with Cyberbee 

Teaching Copyright to Middle School Students

Alabama Virtual Library: Searchasaurus

Searchasaurus is the last in a series of posts on elementary resources provided by the Alabama Virtual Library. 

Searchasaurus is a fairly "fun" database for young researchers simply due to the dino theme. Kids dig dinosaurs. They just do. 

Once you click in to Searchasaurus, one of the first things your eye will notice is the categorical browsing capacity. Students can click on the icons for categories such as Animals, Sports, Stories, and People to learn more about what they find interesting. 

One of the second things you will notice is that there are 5 buttons at the top offering choices (Home, Dictionary, Encyclopedia, Pictures, etc.). These are like what we call bread crumbs in Sharepoint and remain at the top of the screen no matter where you click within the database. This provides a handy anchor for young students. 

Teachers can also limit each individual student's search by Lexile level to ensure they are perusing content most appropriate for their reading level. 

Enjoy using this with your students! 

The Big6 In Middle School: Teaching Information and Communications Technology Skills by Barbara A. Jansen

Spring is in the air which can only mean one thing in most of Alabama's public school libraries! Research. Paper. Season. It's an exciting time in the middle and high school library, but an anxiety-ridden time for those doing the research and writing papers.

Throughout the year I reach for The Big6 In Middle School: Teaching Information and Communications Technology Skills by Barbara A. Jansen to assist students and teachers with projects and research. But in the spring it is always within grasp. (The Big6 is a model of information problem-solving developed by co-authors Mike Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz, The Big6 in Middle School, xi).

This book features many types of research organizers for students and is chock-ful of information essential for school librarians.

One of my favorite tools is the Big6 Assignment Organizer for Grades 7-9. It is found on page 181 of the reference book. The first question asks the student to answer, "What am I supposed to do?" It seems a simple question, but students get stumped and they have to go back to their teacher if they can't answer it. The sheet continues with Information Seeking Strategies, Location and Access, Use of Information, Synthesis, Evaluation, and due dates. It is a tidy little organizer that keeps research on track for students. Many other presentation guidelines and planners are featured in the book that are extremely useful as well. I wish I could copy it here, but the cover of the book will have to do.

Here are some other useful tidbits in the book:

• Correlation Chart Between Big6 Skills and State Curriculum Standards or Tested Skills
• Checklists for Writing Assignments for Different Grade Levels
• Lesson Plan Examples
• Note-Taking Methods
• How To's of a Class Project Wiki
• Many Different Charts and Graphs

The book, published by Linworth, is available from different jobbers, Amazon, and your favorite online ordering spot. If you order now, you'll have everything you need to ease the stress of busy researchers.

Pebble Go

Although the Alabama Virtual Library offers several good databases for elementary aged children, they can still be a bit complicated for the youngest students in our buildings. 

Pebble Go is the best database for early childhood that I've ever used, and teachers of all grades here at North Highland LOVE using it with their children. You pay an annual subscription fee to have access, and then you will be given a school-wide user name and password to use. Our PTA paid for it the first year, and I have used library funds to split it with PTA the two years we've had it since then. Because it benefits every child in the school, the PTA really enjoys using their funds on this service. 

If you decide to subscribe, begin sending home notices to parents with the school login information. Print each teacher a sign for their class with the user name and password printed, and post several in your library and computer lab. 

Here are a few great reasons my teachers and students love Pebble Go:

Pebble Go truly is created for young readers/learners. It has all the basic features of a "big boy" database, but in simplistic terms and clicks that even first-week-of-school kindergarteners can operate. 

There are 3 different individual databases from which to choose (you can subscribe to one or all three). We use Animals most often with the lower grades, but the upper grades like Earth & Space and Biographies as well. Each database is filled with categories and sub-categories of entries. Here is an example of what you would see in PebbleGo Animals: 

Students can choose a category of animals and then a sub-category until they find an animal they are interested in. Most article have a "Watch" button, which students can click to view a short video of the animal in action. Each article also has a button students can click to have the article read to them aloud. Hyperlinked words provide students with definitions to unfamiliar terms as well. 

Click here to see how easy it is for a student to click on a video! 

Each article also has printing capability and citation support, which will generate a citation for students to use in reporting their research. It's always good to promote ethical use of information even from the very beginning! 

If you have any questions about Pebble Go or would like to order it for your school, I can direct you to the vendor who represents this company in our area. Just shoot me an email! 

Gettin' Digi with It

Over the next few days, you ladies and gentleman (especially elementary level folks) may find the following links/activities useful for working with excited students on the verge of the holiday break!

• Read Jan Brett's Gingerbread Baby, and use one of the following link to decorate a gingerbread house:
• http://www.janbrett.com/trim_a_jan_brett_gingerbread_baby_house.htm 
• http://www.highlightskids.com/flash/gingerbread-house (*shared by Jennifer Anders at West Jefferson Elementary)
• Facilitate a discussion among students about how Christmas is celebrated in various countries around the world. Direct students to gather some research about a country of interest to them and compile their findings in a video clip, poster, or Wordle. 
• Provide time for students to use the AVL or other sources to research prominent winter holidays (Kwanzaa, Christmas, Hanukkah, Chinese New Year, Eil Al Adha, Three Kings Day, Mardi Gras, etc.) and create a chart, table, or graphic comparing the various celebrations. This would provide great practice in using information ethically! 
• Guide students in completing this internet scavenger hunt on various winter holidays around the world: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/internet-field-trip-holidays-x2019round-world-wide-web
• Pull up a few of the sites on this blog on your interactive white board and let your students head off to Winter Wonderland! 

Alabama Virtual Library: SIRS Discoverer

SIRS Discoverer is one of the nine databases featured on the Alabama Virtual Library specifically for elementary students. 

One of the best features of this database is the alphabetical listing of global nations. When students click on a country, they are directly linked to scores of articles, multimedia resources, etc. supporting their research on that particular nation...all with nicely formatted citations at the end!  

There is also a specific link for the world almanac...which is one of those reference sources in which students continue to demonstrate a weakness. 

The real strength of SIRS, however, lies within the maps feature. Need historical maps, outline maps, topographical maps, continental maps....any kind of map? Hit up the SIRS Discoverer for a pleasant selection of maps of every shape, size, and intent. 

Wicked Wikipedia?

Wikipedia (to most librarians) is the devil. We spend hours teaching students how to evaluate information sources, how to disseminate what is worthy information apart from the gobs of goo out there on the WWW. We teach students over and over again that databases are the most reliable electronic resources for solid information, and are dismayed when some simple Googling is necessary that the first results (ugh) in a search list include Wikipedia. Ew. I have spent many hours of my life explaining why we must FLEE from this evil, Wicked Wikipedia.

Here's the deal...Wikipedia entries can be edited by anyone. ANYONE. Quickly. With fact-checking completed only by others who read and edit the article. This is dangerous. I use the example of  myself as an editor of the entry on algebraic equations as an example to illustrate the dangers of such practice. (Those who know me well will get this.) Bottom line: people who are far from experts are passing themselves off as such when they edit a Wikipedia entry. In the criteria for evaluating information, this would be called a major risk of authenticity. For me, (working with little, impressionable minds), it is not worth that risk. I want to fill their noggins with good, proven, tried and true, accurate information...not "Eh, maybe it's right."


But there's no doubt about it...Wikipedia isn't going anywhere. It is a piece of the information pie at which students are chomping away every stinkin' day; so, using this example of the To Kill a Mockingbird entry, let's consider for a moment a few ways Wikipedia can be used effectively when teaching information literacy.

• First off, each entry is structured with a Table of Contents. That's a handy reference skill every student needs to master, most especially when utilizing digital resources. 
• The various elements listed in the Table of Contents can be thought-provoking for students as well. This list could be of assistance to a student attempting to determine their three points for an essay on the novel. 

•  The "See also" section in each entry provides links to other Wikipedia entries related to this particular topic. Again, though researchers should think long and hard about citing Wikipedia, the tool itself can be helpful in providing some varying or even deeper points of view regarding a particular topic or issue. 

• The "Notes," "References," and "Bibliography" section toward the bottom is supposed to provide citations or further research for the work included in the entry (again, by various Joes from Anyplace, USA). The links quite possible could be reliable information, but then again, it is Wikipedia...who's fact-checking?

• "External links" is most commonly where students can find the gold Wikipedia has to offer. Non-wiki links are provided here which, hopefully (but not assuredly) verify the information within the entry. Students should not cite Wikipedia, but should consider these external links as potential sources for solid information. 

• This feature allows the article to be read to the student. This is a tool becoming fairly common on most websites, and is of great use to assisting students with exceptional learning needs or even English deficiencies. 

There you have it. What say you? Are you teaching your students to FLEE from the perils of Wicked Wikipedia, or are you allowing them to use the source within certain contexts?

For more info on the use of Wikipedia in the academic realm:

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/01/26/wiki

http://library.williams.edu/citing/wikipedia.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:What_Wikipedia_is_not

http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/wikipedia-founder-discourages-academic-use-of-his-creation/2305

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20071101/042649.shtml

Alabama Virtual Library: Britannica Elementary

My favorite AVL resource for elementary students is by far the Britannica Elementary database. The interface is very user-friendly, and it promotes authentic information searches rather than sheer visual browsing. There is always a fresh "Activity of the Day" and every single time I open the database there are current headlines in the "Student News Net."

Personally, I have always found Britannica Elementary to be most dependable when guiding young kiddos in information searches. This is a fun database that does have learning games and high quality visuals to engage their attention, but also 

Some of my favorite Britannica Elementary features:

• There is a timeline creator that can be really helpful for research activities about historical figures. 

• On the home page there is a "Discover America" link that students can use to discover facts about each state (with visuals of state flowers, flags, birds, etc.) as well as the states' geography. This is a solid tool for supporting the curriculum of those grade levels who teach U.S. states and geography. (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th)

• Also on the home page there is an "Animal of the Day" section. The animal articles always include vibrant visuals and links to nurture the children's curiosity about information beyond the article. 

• Every article has three features that are VERY important to our role as school librarians today. One is the ability to translate the article into Spanish, which benefits our English Learners. The second is the ability to click a button to have the article read aloud (in chunks) for the students who struggle with reading. The third is the ability to easily generate a citation for the resource. This promotes ethical use of information. 

Just for Fun

*Today's post is by Marcia Amason, one of the school librarians at Shades Valley High School/JCIB. 

If you enjoy making pictures, being creative with pictures, sharing pictures, and motivating others with pictures, then you will love Big Huge Labs!   One of the many utilities on the site is the Motivator.  Using the Motivator you can use your own digital photos to create your own inspirational, funny, parody, or  motivational poster for any occasion.  The possibilities are endless, especially for use in today’s library media center. 

To begin, click on the browse button to find a photo that you want to use and upload it.  Select your cropping option, orientation, border, and colors.  Next, enter the title of your poster and the motivational text.  Click on the box, add credit to the image, if the image belongs to someone else, or you can give yourself credit.  Now, you are ready to click the big blue Create button and see the finished product! 

When you are satisfied with the poster, you can download it to your PC in JPEG format; share it via e-mail, Flickr, or Facebook; post it to your wiki, blog, or website; and print it to run it through a poster maker if you want a large poster. 

We had fun making our poster!!  It was easy and it is FREE!!