Learning about our Library Media Center

Clipart Panda

Grade 3 students and the new students to other grades in our school learned how to check out books during Term 1. 

Some important things for parents and guardians new to our school to know about our library  . . .
  • All Spofford students are issued a library card and an account.   Students keep a written journal log of the books they have checked out during a school year. This journal log helps to remind students of their growing independence and responsibility to keep track of the books they have on loan.
  • We all read at different speeds and in different ways (one book at a time, a few books at a time, digital rather than print , preference for graphic novels, etc.). Our library loan policies at the Spofford Pond School honor these differences by giving students the opportunity to make their own independent book choices.
  • Students are not required to check out a new book each week, nor are they expected to return a book one week after it was checked out.  Students are responsible for the books on their record and will determine when they no longer need a book within the 30-day loan period.  The general rule is that students may have up to (3) books on their accounts at a time.
  • Students with books on their records past the 30 day loan period will be reminded to return these books in a timely fashion.   Parents will be notified  via a print notice with information about any overdue library books on their child’s account.
  • Should a book be requested by another patron, a hold will be placed on the book as well as a flag on the patron’s account.
  • Students may return a book to the library at any time during a school day.  They do not have to wait for their library media class day.  There is book drop box  located outside the library  entrance.
  • Books are to be returned to the library when the student no longer needs them within a 30 day loan period.  The 30 day loan period is usually sufficient time for most students to read a book, thus eliminating the need for renewals.  Exceptions are made for books required for classroom assignments.
  • We believe that giving students independent selection of library books fosters the student’s confidence in his or her own curiosity and interests. Therefore, we do not censor, or direct, their selections.  If a parent or guardian objects to a book that their child has checked out from the library, they are encouraged to have the student return the book to the Book Drop Box the next school day and to check out a more suitable book.  There are district policies and procedures in place for book and/or material challenges. Parents should  contact the library and the principal’s office with any major issues or concerns about library books.

Gr. 3 students are also learning how to use our online library book catalog, Alexandria. Click on the icon below to search our library’s collection.

 MSLA Standard 8. Appreciate Literature
Students will gain an increased enjoyment of literature and grow in their abilities to locate and select appropriate reading materials independently.

“How-To” Books in Gr. 3

This spring, all Grade 3 students made “How-to” books using the Book Creator app on iPads from the Specialists’ iPad cart.

The students came up with several topic ideas for their books:  How to Use Alexandria Library Book Search, How to Sign Into Chrome, How to Find a Library Book, How to Type, How to Check Out a Library Book, were some popular choices.

The first step was to draft a pencil and paper storyboard with text and illustration ideas.  Students could either use a second app, Drawing Pad, for their illustrations, as in the book above, or they could use photos taken with the iPad camera, or a combination of drawings and photos.

The next step, was to add and design the text boxes of the book.  Students learned to choose visually appealing fonts and colors that also were also easily read.   Some fonts and color choices initially appealed to a student, but once they saw the book displayed on the SmartBoard, they realized that they needed to rethink their design choices so that their books could be read more easily.  Students also worked hard on punctuation and spelling!

Once the books were edited and complete, the students learned how to publish them as video files, add the file to their Google Drive accounts and then share them with me in a Google Classroom assignment.

This was a multi-step digital project that required students to help one another and take creative risks.

ISTE Standard for Students 6: Creative Communicator.  Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.

Gr. 3 Students Weigh-in on Keyboard Skills Programs

Touch-typing, or keyboarding,  isn’t perhaps, the most fun skill to learn, but it’s one of the most important.   At the start of Media class, Gr. 3 students have been choosing between two, free, online programs,  Dance Mat Typing or Big Brown Bear.

The focus of each 10 minute practice session is for students to use the correct fingers on the keys while improving their confidence and accuracy.

As an extension to Google for Education tools, students were asked to complete a survey that was created using Google Forms.  Which of the two programs did students’ like better?  Or did they like them both equally?

Google Forms turns the students’ responses into a spreadsheet that includes a pie chart.  The pie chart above shows Mrs. Gibson’s class responses.  Dance Mat Typing was the overall favorite of Gr. 3 students .

Students then learned how to create their own Google Sheets. They used the same data, but represented it in bar graph format.

D. Hixon, Mrs. Holt’s class

Next month, students will have a third choice, Typing Club.  All three of these programs are free and can be accessed both at school and at home.

ISTE Standard  for Students:  1c. Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.

 

 

 

Grade 3 Library Media

 Grade 3 students are looking up books in our online Alexandria library catalog by using a book’s call number.

seaturtles

A call number can be considered a book’s “address” on a bookshelf in the library.

The call number for folktales is 398.2 and the call number for poetry 811.

Students were enthusiastic about finding library books this way!

Next up, finding non-fiction books about animals by call number.

MSLA Standard 8. Appreciate Literature.  Students will gain an increased enjoyment of literature and grow in their abilities to locate and select appropriate reading material independently.

MSLA Standard 3.3  Understand that there is a relationship between spine label and book content and independently locate fiction and nonfiction sections in the school library.

What does a Gr. 3 Media class look like?

20160126-095853-zc9ghl.jpgA typical media class is divided between computer lab instruction and library time.

In Term 2, students in Gr. 3 are beginning each Media class with 5 – 10 minutes of keyboard skill practice.  They may choose between two fun-to-use programs, Type to Learn 4, or Dance Mat Typing.

Next, while in the computer lab, we work together on our keyword searching skills, using our school library’s online catalog from Alexandria.  Each week, students are given a different library book title  and take the “keyword challenge” .  Their goal is to find the most unique, or essential words in the title to successfully locate the book in our library database.  Spelling counts! but words like and, the, on, etc. do not.  Can you guess which word in the title Judy Moody and the Not So Bummer Summer is most “keyword”?  Ask your third grader!

Students can look up a book while in the computer lab before transitioning to the library, or they may choose to browse our library shelves themselves for something new to check out and read.

MSLMA Standard 2. Develop Information Seeking Strategies.

Students will be able to develop strategies to find information relevant to their question or personal need.