February, 2012

Blog Bits


Here are some interesting resources about books and reading!

• Things to do while reading

• In defense of e-reading

Have you wondered how to "read" QR codes - those funny 3D barcode "boxes" popping up everywhere? Watch this video tutorial . . .

• How to read a QR code

Tumblebooks Now Work with iPad and iPhone

About 50 Tumblebooks in various languages have now been configured to work with Apple devices such as iPads, iTouches and iPhones [link will work from school].  This should be good news for parents as it enables convenient mobile access to this wonderful multilingual resource.  Also, we have iTouches in the library to use in connection with our Mac media lab.  Is anyone interested in piloting a small iTouch learning experience with Tumblebooks?  I would envision possibly dividing a class into two groups and alternating 15 minutes of listening to  several Tumblebooks with time for book checkout.  Perhaps we could ask each group to do a quick "book talk" about the book that they read.  Please let me know if you have ideas about how to use this new potential!

New Look to OASIS Library Catalog

The library catalog has a new look!  The OASIS program has been upgraded -- it mostly works the same.  One exception is the Enhanced Search.  To search for PYP units by subject, you must Browse, select the PYP subject heading for the unit, then click on Copy.  That will put the heading in the Subject search window.  From there on, all works as before.

Clickers Add Interest to Classes

Third, fourth and fifth graders have had lots of fun with Mimeo Vote, the new interactive board voting system that we are using in the story room.  Third graders have voted on their favorite books, fourth graders have practiced deciphering citations in a bibliography and fifth graders have expressed their opinions on how to properly paraphrase text.  The overwhelming conclusion?  Clickers make everything more fun!

Special thanks to our IT colleagues for giving us the
 opportunity to pilot the Mimeo program in the Story Room. 

Did You Know?

• Number of books checked out by Grades 2 through 5 so far this school year - Over 6,000!
• Number of ebooks for PS students -  Over 750 ebooks in various languages through our Ebook Library with EBSCO [accessible through our Oasis library catalog], Tumblebooks, Sylvan Dell and Bookflix.
• Total number of books read based on AR quizzes passed this school year - 2,478 (as of Feb. 27)
• New books in the PS Library  - Over 500 added to the catalog so far this school year. 
• Mac Media Lab - The library has four Mac computers with large monitors and ten iPod Touches available to PS classes especially for work with video, audio, photos and other forms of visual media.  

Flat Classroom Book Club

We are still looking for some teachers who imagine a global classroom collaboration in their future to join us in reading (and sharing ideas about) the newest book by Julie Lindsay and Vickie Davis, entitled Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds: Move to Global Collaboration One Step at a Time.   We can read the book, which was released in February,  at a pace which fits the group -- when several teachers put their minds together, interesting things can happen.  We want the library to be prepared when the classrooms flatten and the walls come down . . . come think and learn with us about what the journey might look like.  Send any one of us here in the library an email expressing your interest and we will get back to you with more information.

Curriculum Review

We are presently reviewing the K-12 information literacy curriculum in light of the Standards for the 21st Century Learner of the American Association of School Librarians.  Those standards include benchmarks for the end of grade two and grade five, as well as grades eight, ten and twelve.  We hope to send a very brief questionnaire out soon, asking you to identify where in your grade certain information literacy skills are taught.  As these skills are transdisciplinary in nature, we know that much great work is accomplished in the classroom and by other specialists.  We want to make sure that our new written curriculum and the taught curriculum are consistent as we all help students make progress toward these benchmarks.  We look forward to your responses and appreciate your taking your time to respond to the questionnaire!

Language Book Talks and the Anytime Book Clubs

We are continuing with language book talks in French, German and Spanish approximately once during each unit.   Pascale, Elke and Lucie respectively will be posting about the books that they shared with Grades 4 and 5 on the Anytime Book Clubs blog.  If you teach those grades, please encourage your students to add comments.  We want to know what they think of the books and we want to encourage discussion about books in all languages throughout the spring.  All comments are moderated.

October, 2011

Blog Bits and Interesting Links

• 25 Best Websites for Teaching and Learning  - this is a great list of free web-based tools that are organized by application to the Standards for the 21st Century Learner
• 100 Things to Do With Books   - a very handy list of simple activities as an alternative to the traditional written book report.  Look here for some fun ideas for the upcoming Book Week!
• International Education Blogs - here is a page for you to bookmark that feeds blogs in the area of international education.  If you can suggest others, please let me know as I am seeking the best of the best for this page which is part of a LibGuide I am developing for teachers on global education.                        

Accelerated Reader Teams 

Take a look at the display in the lobby of the PS building!  The four AR teams for this year are posted there.  All students from grades two through five should be on one of the team lists.  This year we have the Fire, Earth, Water and Air teams to go along with our theme "Reading is Elemental!"  Please encourage your students to take AR quizzes on books they have read.  The quizzes need to be taken at school.

Upcoming Library Programming  

Two primary school library workshops for parents are now on the calendar:

• October 13 - The Virtual Library - Online Resources for Primary School Students (slides from the presentation are posted on the Primary School Library Moodle)

• November 1 - Multicultural Children's Literature

Each will be offered in the Library Computer Lab from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

  

Ebook Resources Great for Smartboards

Now that Smartboards are in almost all the classrooms, our Ebook resources are hopefully even more useful for teachers.  If you have not already explored Tumblebooks, Bookflix and Sylvan Dell, please take the time to do so.  You will be glad you did!  If you have questions or would like a preview from a member of the library staff, just let us know.  We will be glad to help!

Updated Library Schedule and Curriculum

The library schedule has been tweaked in a few places and an updated schedule will be posted by the Book Return in the PS building entrance.  The full curriculum will be available on the J: drive under Faculty - Primary - Subject Areas - Library.  Library planners for each unit will be posted by the Story Room door.

Changes for This Year

• No paper overdue notices this year!!  We hope this will make life easier for you (and for us and the parents).  We now have the capability to send overdue notices by email.  You may still receive questions about overdue books via the agenda.  Please forward all inquiries on to us.

• The juvenile reference books (with the exception of some atlases and encyclopedias) are now shelved with the other nonfiction books.  This is to encourage students to use the reference books.  It does not change the fact that they remain in the library (i.e. they do not "check out").  Juvenile reference books are marked J REF on the spine label.

Meet Archie!

I am working on a new library friend, digital that is, named Archie (to go with the design of arches on the Primary School side of the library).  To see Archie, look for a link on Moodle under Library - Primary Library.  Once he is fully actualized, Archie will be multilingual and he will know A LOT about the library.

Video Tutorials on Moodle

We know that you need library info at all times of the day and during the year, not just when we are able to offer a workshop.  So we plan to provide more video tutorials on subjects related to use of the library and library resources.  Topics such as the library catalog, using the netbooks, how to schedule library time, databases and ebooks are on the list for video tutorials.  Can you suggest others that you would like to see posted on the Primary School Library Moodle?

March, 2011

Blog Bits and Interesting Links   

• Experts say E-Books and mobile devices are next for libraries
• Interested in more info about or for Third Culture Kids?
• TC Kid
• Families in Global Transition
• Global Education Explorer                                             

Library Unit Planners Posted by Story Room

Planners by grade for the library times within the current PYP unit are posted beside the Story Room door.  Please stop and take a look when you come over with your class.  I would appreciate any suggestions you can share about ways to connect library time to classroom by content or skill. 

  

  

New Quicklink for Primary School Library Resources

Many thanks to our webmaster Jay Denslow for creating a Quicklink from the homepage (www.aischool.org) for Primary School Library Resources!  A few more "clicks" eliminated for our younger students.  Please model use of this path to age-appropriate library resources with your students.  The library password key remains the same.

Donuts and Databases

It's time for Donuts and Databases!  I'll bring the donuts (or cookies or breads) and information about all the new online resources that we are considering for your grade for next year.  The more feedback we are given, the better the choices we can make for you and your students.  I will be contacting grade level leaders to find the best time for us to get together by grade.

Summer Reading

I need summer reading lists from each language group by the end of next week [April 1, 2011].  If you would like suggestions for new books from the library staff, please let us know.  Again this year, we will have our virtual summer reading book fair in May and we need to begin "stocking the stores" at Amazon by creating links to each of the books on the reading list.  Thanks for your help!

Accelerated Reader Team Finale 

Look for word soon on the Accelerated Reader team finale!  We plan to have a special activity for the students who are the top participants in their grade as well as a flag-signing event for the members of the team that comes out ahead.   Please encourage all your students to pass a quiz between now and the middle of May when the team competition will close.

 International Children's Book Day - April 2

International Children's Book Day is celebrated world-wide on April 2, 2011, the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen!  As it is on a Saturday, we will not be in session, but I encourage you to commemorate this day in some way on the following Monday, April 4.
 

Some suggestions include:

•    reading and promoting stories by Andersen
•    introducing folk tales from around the world

•    inviting parents from other cultures to share their childhood favourites and folk tales.

Here is a good book list for International Children's Book Day.  We have many of these books in our library.

February, 2011

Blog Bits and Interesting Links 

• Fascinating Article on the Way Language Shapes our Understandings
• International Children's Digital Library Accessible via IPhone, IPad
• What is a Learning Commons?

Library Unit Planners Posted by Story Room

Planners by grade for the library times within the current PYP unit are posted beside the Story Room door.  Please stop and take a look when you come over with your class.  I would appreciate any suggestions you can share about ways to connect library time to classroom by content or skill. 

  

  

Friday at the PS Faculty Lounge?

On Friday mornings in February, beginning February 11,  from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., I will be available in the PS Faculty Lounge to answer any questions you may have about library resources, including databases, video streaming, Noodletools, Accelerated Reader, ebooks (including NetLibrary), the library website or others.  Please feel free to stop by if you have a break and ask any questions you may have or give me information on resources that you need. I'll be working on this and that but mainly I want to be accessible to help with account questions and questions about using these resources.  If there is enough interest, I'll continue beyond February.

Donuts and Databases

Beginning after spring break, I would like to share "donuts and databases"with each grade level.  I'll bring the donuts (or cookies or breads) and information about all the new online resources that we are considering for your grade for next year.  The more feedback we are given, the better the choices we can make for you and your students.  I will be contacting grade level leaders to find the best time for us to get together by grade.

Video Streaming

Several teachers have asked recently about video streaming accounts.  If you would like to create a personal account linked to the AIS school account, you will need the school password key.  You can obtain this password key from the library and then create your own account at http://www.unitedstreaming.com/.  Also, when you stream video, it is best to do it OUTSIDE of the Xen environment. 

Accelerated Reader Teams

Please continue to encourage your students to take AR quizzes.  If you have read a book together in class and would like all students to take a quiz, I can set that up for you and assist with log-in questions.  

Right now, the ROCKETS team is in the lead.  I will have a second round of recognitions [handout of team stickers] for participating students around the beginning of March (right before spring break).

How to Request New Books

To request books for your units or that you think the students would like, please go to the Primary School E Bulletin Board (via PS Library Moodle) or from the Primary School Library Resources page under Academics on the school website.  You will see a link for recommending new books in English, Spanish, French or German.  You will also see a separate link for recommending books in other mother tongues of  faculty or students.  These links open to a  form. Requests submitted via the form go directly to our purchasing lists so this is the best way to be sure we will receive and retain your request.

September 2008

New School Library Standards for United States Stress Inquiry

The new school library standards from the American Association of School Librarians are strongly inquiry-based. At a recent conference, school librarians from around the world discussed the standards and remarked on the relative ease with which the standards can be incorporated in the IB curriculum. There are four components to the standards -- skills, dispositions, responsibilities and self-management.

The standards are based on the following common beliefs (which I have abbreviated somewhat for the sake of this post):

1. Reading is a window to the world.
2. Inquiry provides a framework for learning.
3. Ethical behavior in the use of information must be taught.
4. All individuals must acquire thinking skills that will enable them to learn on their own.
5. Learning has a social context.
6. School libraries are essential to the development of learning skills.
7. Technology skills are crucial for future employment needs.
8. The definition of information literacy has become more complex as resources and technologies have changed.
8. Equitable access is a key component for education.

The language of the standards is intended to provide bridges to and commonality with the standards for technology (NETS) and education.

Our AIS information literacy skills continuum is now reorganized to align with these new AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner.

Flexible Afternoon Library Blocks

Please remember to sign up for afternoon time in the library for research and library activities. The monthly sign-up sheet is posted in the Primary School Office above the sign in sheet (on the IT and Library Bulletin Board).

Book Review Journals in French, Spanish and German

This year the library is subscribing to several journals for the review of children's literature in French, German and Spanish respectively. We are also subscribing to publications which feature children's literature from the UK and Australia. We believe that these journals will help us with our collection development in the library. Hopefully they also will be of interest to you and useful for you as you contemplate purchases for your classroom and selection of summer reading list books. Please take a look at these new publications when you have time (the first issues have not yet arrived, but we will keep you posted!)

Interested in a Web 2.0 Online Workshop?

Librarians and teachers are full of great ideas to use new online social networking tools such as blogs, nings, wikis, great graphics and podcasts. When you hear "Web 2.0", think of these forms of communication and information sharing that are now available through programs on the World Wide Web. Would you like to know more? Here is a website for a self-managed online workshop that leads you each week through well known technologies in the Web 2.0 environment. Don't be left behind! Explore Web 2.0 in the safety of your own home and you'll develop the confidence to be part of this growing community of learners. Here is the website for this free online workshop sponsored by the California Library Association:

http://schoollibrarylearning2.blogspot.com

If you prefer to work through a course like this with a group of colleagues, please let me know. Shelley Paul, the leader of the IT workshop that Tom put together last spring, offers a very similar course and she encourages groups of teachers to sign up together to provide support for each other. I am taking Shelley's course right now and can let you know more about it.

Accelerated Reader and Antolin

All students currently in grades 2 - 5 are now enrolled in Accelerated Reader and can begin taking quizzes. I hope that very soon we will have the new reading "challenge" for this year lined up and will be able to share it with you. We have lots of new books with quizzes in English and Spanish. Please encourage students to take quizzes in the computer labs or the library during independent checkout times. You can also visit the library as a class to take quizzes and check out books. Please just let us know you are coming either by the FS Direct system or the sign up sheet in Primary School.

We are currently in the process of subscribing to Antolin, a German online reading quiz program. Hopefully Antolin will be available by the end of the month.