From research to book trailers

As the last 5th grader printed out their citations from NoodleTools today I breathed a sigh of relief. A lot of information was covered in the four days I had with them. We went over plagiarism, taking notes, paraphrasing, searching databases, and citing their material with the aid of NoodleTools. Whew!

Now that they are off on the right foot for research in the coming year, it's time to move on to the next class. Over the next week, I'll be working with the 5th and 6th graders on using the library catalog and taking part in this year's book recommendation program that I discussed in a previous post. We'll go over searching the catalog and putting books on hold. Follett Destiny is fairly easy to navigate, but the kids still have to be shown where everything is located. In addition to the handwritten book reviews I'll be introducing them to Novelist and hopefully have them create their own book trailers...later on.

As a source of inspiration (hopefully), I created a book trailer for Doll Bones using Slide.ly. I've used JayCut and Animoto in the past, but due to the addition of subscription fees or transitioning to a Black Berry format(?), I needed to find something else. It was easy to upload photos and I simply typed the text in word, took a screen shot, and saved them as a jpeg in order to upload them. There's a plethora of music to choose from, which is credited automatically. I included the links to the pictures I used at the end. Also, the effects are simple, but effective. I'll definitely be using this tool again!

Doll Bones, by Holly Black by Slidely - Slideshow maker

Science in a Bag

This week has flown by, but I'm not complaining that Thursday is already coming to a close. :) 5th grade science classes have consumed much of my time this week, as I introduced them to plagiarism, citations, and research in general. Try explaining what a databases is to a 5th grader after recess...it's interesting. Everyone has to start somewhere, though, and the earlier the better. Ms. Stephan and Mrs. Van Wart set up the science in a bag project when we were still out for the summer, so they definitely live by this standard. The basis of the project is for the students to select something that relates to a personal experience and can also be tied to science in some way, find a small object representative of the the idea, experience or thing, find one database article pertaining to the topic, summarize the information on a notebook card, and cite their source. Of course, all of this is then placed in a plastic bag, thus, the name of the project "science in a bag." It sounds simple, because it is just that. Simple. For many of these students, this is the first time they have ever used a database, properly cited a source, or paraphrased an entire article, so a lot is covered in the few days I have with them.

NoodleTools has been a saving grace when it comes to citations. We begin using this online citation tool with 5th graders and it is used continually across subjects and instructors until they graduate. We pay a nominal fee for all of our students have access to all of the features, but you can also used the minimal version at no cost. I used NoodleTools for the first time a few years ago and was blown away by how simple it made citing any resource, no matter the citation format. Boy, do I wish I had it when I was in school! Through the years, the company has continued to improve the layout more user friendly and improved the usability of the additional aspects, like notes, tags, and end-notes.

Another online tool that I don't know what I would ever do without is LiveBinder. This resource has become the go-to place for organizing any project for any great. The layout consists of tabs, much like a file folder, onto which pictures, text, or sites can be loaded. Also, you can make your project password protected, so database log ins can be added without worry. It has a simple and clean layout that is perfect for kids that need as few clicks and as much information in one place as possible.

Short & Sweet

Last week, though shorter, seemed to be packed with just as much activity. Even though we are already well into the school year, I'm still tying up loose ends from last school year. One item that I was finally able to check off was cataloging and covering all of the new books from last Spring. New books on display always make me feel better!

With a feeling of satisfaction after finally completing one book order, I found myself scrambling to finalize another book order. With the addition of FollettShelf last year, another layer is added to the ordering process in first looking to see if a title is available in eBook format and then deciding if it is worth the money. Follett recently added a few more publishers to their deck, but there are monstrous variations in the pricing from one publisher to the next. The book order should arrive soon, which means there will be another stack of books to catalog and cover. One bright side to the eBook headache is that they are instantly available, cataloged, and don't have to be covered!

Speaking of cataloging, I'm in the process of re-cataloging the graphic novels, once again. With the Lower School collection now being in the same space as the rest of the collection it made sense to combine our 5th grade and up graphic novel collection with the Lower School's. Formerly, we signified this section with a green dot, but we will now be using "gn" for this section. We changed how we cataloged graphic novels a few years ago. We went from using the Dewey to using Graphic Novel (GN) or Upper School Graphic Novel (GNUS) first, then, the first three letters of the publisher, like DCC for DC Comics, and the first three letters of the title, like OWL for "Owly and Wormy." For example, the spine label may look like this:

 GN 

DCC

OWL

 The only exception would be if there is a main character, like superman. Since there is a more definite style from one graphic novel publisher to the next this has aided students in going straight to what they like and has also made it possible to keep series and characters together. 

Putting together a book review display kept my eyes from crossing due to all of the cataloging! In the coming year, I want to make the 5th and 6th graders feel more empowered to review books themselves. In the past, I have done book talks and regularly recommend books when classes come in for library day, but the students haven't done much, if any, recommending themselves. In sticking with our movie theme for the year, I put together a theater marque on which the students will then stick their book reviews. 

I purposely kept the sheet simple, so that it doesn't take long to fill out or read. 

If all goes well, I also want to introduce the kids to Novelist , so that they can read and write their own reviews online. This will help the kids to find books pertaining to specific topics and improve their writing. Also, knowing that people other than those at your school will be reading what you write ups the ante a bit.

Like I said, a lot happened in four days, but even the most tedious of tasks have their moments of contentment, making for an enjoyable ride overall.

Starting All Over Again

It's time for a new start in more ways than one. Today, was our last day at school without the most important part; kids! Soon, the buildings will be buzzing with the energy of students that have been the source of much of our energy for weeks, as we prepared for their arrival. On the second day of school, I celebrate my birthday! For  most of my 27 years, the beginning of school and tacking on another year of age have always coincided. It's always given me a sense of a fresh start, as if it's New Years. Now, is the time to dream big in terms of what the students can achieve, what the library offer, and how I can improve my own knowledge, impact, and love of life. Blogging at least one time a week about what has been going on in my library world is one of my goals for the coming year. I've never written much about myself, so it should be interesting to see how this goes. I look forward to the chance to reflect and grow from the ups and downs that will be recorded here.

With such high ambitions, the to-do list is long. Though, I've been whittling away at it, there is still much more to do. I've already met with Science, English, and Language teachers about research projects; some two months in advance (kudos to them). Tomorrow, I meet with Donna to discuss ideas for the coming year. As a group, we will be working on our scope and sequence in the coming year and I'm excited to map out exactly what we expect students to be able to do when they walk across the stage as seniors. Having set expectations for each grade throughout the school year, no matter the subject or teacher, will aid us  in having consistent expectations across the board and improve the overall understanding of the students due to practice and the backing of the teachers of all subjects and grades.

Well, that's all for now. On the agenda for tomorrow: welcome back our wonderful students, put together a book recommendation display and begin book review trailers. We'll see how many I can check off the list!

The Spindlers, by Lauren Oliver

Liza instantly knows there is something different about her brother, Patrick, the moment she sees him. On the outside he appears just the same as always, but it's something in his eyes, his soul even. When pleas to her parents that something is different about Patrick fall on deaf ears, Liza takes it upon herself to find out what has gone missing and make her brother whole again.

From tales told by her beloved babysitter, Anna, Liza is fairly sure spindlers are to blame. She knows she must go Below to retrieve Patrick's soul from them. With the helpful, though, cantankerous rat Mirabella as her guide, Liza makes her way deeper and deeper into the unknown where musical moles, terrifying troglods and rambunctious nids await to hurt and help her in her travels.

After making her way through fantastical creatures and human-like plants she finally arrives at the doorstep of the queen. If she makes it past her wrath, she will finally be able to put her hands on Patrick's soul.

The Spindlers is rich with lavish descriptions of the magical places and creatures Liza comes upon. I finished with the feeling I had just read a combination of Alice in Wonderland, The Labrinth, and The Wizard of Oz. Luckily, I love all of these books, so the read was a pleasure. 

Flipped, by Wendelin Van Draanen

Young love is often scoffed at, but Bryce and Juli would beg to differ that their relationship, or lack thereof, from 2nd grade is anything but serious. From the moment Juli saw Bryce helping his family move into the house across the street, she was in love. The eyes, the hair, the smile, there was no way to be sure what it was exactly, but there was no turning back. Bryce, on the other hand instantly knew he wanted to stay as far away from the spunky and spontaneous Juli as possible.

This continued for years, until 8th grade, in fact, when something flipped. A series of events in involving a sycamore tree, chickens, a grandfather, some yard work and a spattering of dysfunctional family here and there results in these two swapping feelings. Now, Bryce is gaga over Juli, while Juli could care less about Bryce.

Juli and Bryce tell their side of the story in alternating chapters, giving the reader the perspective that there are two sides to every coin.  In Flipped, Van Draanen shows us that everyone has their faults, but if you never get to know who someone truly is on the inside you'll spend your whole life worrying about the way things look, not how they feel. One of the best books out there when it comes to young love, family dysfunction, and the pains of growing up. 

The Dogs of Winter, by Bobbie Pyron

Judging from the cover, I thought, The Dogs of Winter, was going to be a feel good dog book. Boy, was I wrong. Now, there are some heart-warming parts, but there are just as many heart-wrenching aspects. We follow a boy, Ivan, who through a series of deaths and run-ins with horrible people becomes an orphan and has to find a way to scrape by on the streets. The presence of thugs and lack of welfare from organizations that aren't wanting to yank the kids into sub-par orphanages is bad enough, but the added element of the severe winters in Russia make survival especially difficult.

Ivan faces all of these tribulations at the early age of five and develops some advanced insights for such a young age from the exposure to the extreme harshness that the world has to offer. When he finds himself running out of options for survival, it is a pack of dogs that renew hope and the possibility of life in this young boy. He provides for them as best he can by begging for money and food, while they offer him protection, shelter, and companionship that is otherwise unavailable.

He is soon part of the pack and is so close with the dogs that they are able to communicate without words. For a few years, they spend their Springs and Summers in the forrest and make their way back to the city at the first sign of snow. Life is never easy for them. There is never certainty where their next meal will come from and Ivan is constantly in fear of being taken to an orphanage by the less than honest nuns.

While this book is full of sad moments, it is also brimming with one example after another of the strength of the human spirit and the love of a good dog. Though, this book doesn't have the happiest of endings it  reflects the harsh reality that many children endured during the 1990s in Russia, as the number of orphans exploded and the country did little to aid the situation. Definitely read, but keep tissues and funny book to switch between close by.