March 2019
This month in library classes…
Kindergarten classes are listening to trickster tales from around the world.
First and second graders are learning how to use different book features, such as the title page, table of contents and glossary. The grade 2 unit will go into greater detail so that students will continue to build on prior knowledge. Both grade levels are using the app Seesaw on our ipads to explore the book parts and show what they know.
Third and fourth graders will be learning how to find information in print sources this month to get ready for a spring research project.
Fifth graders continue their work on their library president campaigns. Students are charged with nominating a fictional children’s book character and then creating a persuasive video. They will be using green screen apps to superimpose themselves onto backgrounds of their own design. All videos will be shown internally. Content will not be published outside of our closed school domain. All students in grades 3 through 5 will be eligible to vote at the conclusion of the project.
February 2019
This month in library classes…
Kindergarten students are comparing fiction and nonfiction books. After the break we will begin looking at tricksters tales from around the world.
First and second graders are learning how to use different book features, such as the title page, table of contents and glossary. The grade 2 unit will go into greater detail so that students will continue to build on prior knowledge. Both grade levels are using the app Seesaw on our ipads to explore the book parts and show what they know.
Third graders are learning how to use the library catalog. They have already practiced how to find books on the shelves using call umbers. Adding these two sets of skills together help students to become more independent in the library and will help them gain greater autonomy as information seekers.
Fourth graders are practicing how to discern reliable websites from unreliable ones. We have been using a combination of independent Google searching as well as guided examination.
Fifth graders are beginning the highly anticipated library president campaigns. Students are charged with nominating a fictional children’s book character and then creating a persuasive video. They will be using green screen apps to superimpose themselves onto backgrounds of their own design. All videos will be shown internally. Content will not be published outside of our closed school domain. All students in grades 3 through 5 will be eligible to vote at the conclusion of the project.
January 2019
Happy New Year!
This month in library:
Kindergarten students will be listening to stories about winter and friendship. We’ll also start learning about fiction and nonfiction books.
Grade 1 students will be reviewing call numbers and leaning more about library organization.
Grade 2 students will be learning about how to find information using different sources.
Grade 3 students will continue to learn about library organization. We will now be moving on to the nonfiction side of the library.
Grade 4 and 5 students will begin learning how to find information online. This will help them when we move on to research projects a little later in the year.
December 2018
This month in library classes…
Grade 1 students are learning about how the library is organized.
Grade 2 students are learning about how to find information in different types of sources.
Grade 3 students are starting a long unit on how the library is organized and how to find books using the online catalog.
Grade 4 students are completing their Digital Citizenship projects then working on a short library catalog review.
Grade 5 students are starting a unit on stereotypes in the media. There will be a short homework assignment with this unit. Please email me with any questions at ejosselyn@concordps.org
November 2018
This month in library:
Kindergarten classes are listening to stories about trying new foods and Thanksgiving.
Grade 1 classes are practicing identifying different types of books by their call numbers.
Grade 2 classes are doing author studies.
Grade 3, 4 and 5 classes are finishing up their Digital Citizenship units and will be moving on to library catalog. For grade 3, this will be an introduction. For grade 4 and 5 it will be mostly review.
October 2018
It’s starting to feel a bit like fall.
This month in library classes…
The kindergarteners are listening to books featuring different kinds of problem solving.
First graders are beginning a unit on fairy tales. In this uint, they listen to variations of common fairy tales from around the world and come up with similarities and differences. They also learn about story elements that are found in most fairy tales.
Second graders are learning how to navigate Google Classroom and practicing a variety of computer skills, and terminology.
Students in grades 3 – 5 are working on their Digital Citizenship Units. These lessons are intended to give students the skills they need to appropriate, responsible and effective internet users. Some topics covered in all grades are personal information, strong passwords, and how to deal with cyberbullies. In grades 4 and 5, we will also be looking at issues of intellectual property and social media.
August / September 2018
Welcome to a New Year at Willard!
Due to the diligent work in the library and IT departments, library books will be able to go home on the first day of school. Students in grades K – 2 are each allowed 1 book while students in grades 3 – 5 may check out two at a time. Library books are always due back during the student’s library class and can be renewed if a student needs more time. Popular books may only be renewed once.
If a students forget their books, they may trade them in on a different day first thing in the morning.
This month in Library Classes:
Students will be acclimating to a new school year. Students in kindergarten will be learning about book care and library procedures. Students in all grades will be creating passports for use at the Willard International Fair. Students in grades 2-5 will also be learning about being responsible digital citizens as they create their passports using Google Apps for Education.
Fifth graders will be starting the Massachusetts Children’s Book Award project presented by Salem State College. This in an annual 5th grade project. Each student is required to read 5 books from the list by the end of February break. For each book that they read, they will write a short response and post it to the assignment in Google Classroom. Each student who reads all 25 books from the list will be invited to a special breakfast party in the library. All necessary information, including the reading log, is posted in Google Classroom.
Photo credit: http://dotcomplicated.co/content/2016/08/24/radio-recap-back-to-school-tech-etiquette/
May 2018
It’s finally starting to feel like spring and that means it’s time for research in the library!
The kindergarteners are listening to stories about gardens and garden animals.
Grade 1 students are finishing their weather research videos and will be starting a unit on book parts.
Grade 2 students will be researching important people and writing their own ebook biographies.
Grade 3 students are finishing a unit on reference sources. If we have time, we will do a mini-project on arthropods.
Grade 4 students are learning about difference literacy genres.
Grade 5 students are working on their research projects. They were allowed to choose their own topics, as long as they were related to elementary curriculum, and they will make a final product of their choice.
April Bookeaters
April 2018
This month is library classes…
Kindergarteners will listen to stories about spring and friendship.
Grade 1 students will conduct a short weather research project.
Grade 2 and 3 students will be finishing up their unit on reference sources.
Grade 4 students are working on a genre unit.
Grade 5 students will be conducting a research project on the topic of their choosing.