Week of February 14, 2011

Who is Jim Arnosky and why are we learning about him?

Since all tracks are in I have informed the students Jim Arnosky will be out featured presenter on May 23, 2011, thanks to our wonderful PTA.

There are several reasons why I chose Mr. Arnosky to visit Highcroft. He is an author, illustrator, plays the guitar, sings, is a wildlife watcher, and is genuinely interested in teaching others about nature. His scientific sketches and field journaling are relative to our science curriculum and we are hopeful the students will be inspired when documenting in their own science notebooks in class.

Jim has been honored for his overall contribution to literature for children by the Eva L. Gordon Award and the Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Nonfiction. Many of his titles have been chosen as ALA Notable Books by the American Library Association, including Drawing from Nature, a Christopher Award winner.

He will be visiting Highcroft on May 23 for teachers and students to enjoy. Several of his books will be available for purchase and Mr. Arnosky will personally autograph books on the day of his visit.

To learn more about Jim Arnosky, students in grades 3 - 5 are creating an interactive poster about his life and books he has written with images from the titles of his books which are hyperlinked.

In grades K-2, students are learning about nature through listening to Jim Arnosky's books. We have made Crinkleroot character bookmarks in class and are discussing an upcoming science experiment with raindrops. Mrs. Combs, the music teacher, will be teaching students a couple of songs Jim Arnosky wrote. Mrs. Dahm, the art teacher, will also integrate art lessons which are inspired by Jim Arnosky.

We will continue to learn more about Mr. Arnosky and his wonderful contributions to children's literature.

Happy reading,

Mrs. Wetherell

Why do students need school libraries?

If you can find EVERYTHING online, then why do we need school libraries?

School libraries should be far from obsolete....In fact, now that the technological age is in full bloom, school libraries are needed more than ever.


Students need books...Not everything can be found online. Books also back up the facts found online. We also need to learn how to use indexes and glossaries. Even eReaders' pictures are nothing like looking at photographs in books, or magazines.


Students need space. Space is really important when it comes to school libraries. We need to house books, magazines, newspapers, and computers for easy access to information. The physical library itself is a place for students and others to study and learn; surrounded by intellectually stimulating resources, and a quiet place to focus. Collaboration with fellow teachers and students at tables or next to each other to complete assignments, do research, or to read books.

Students need computers. All students need to be able to access information, from beginning readers who listen to books online, to learning how to keyboard, to upload photos, learn web 2.0 and utilize those tools which are available to them. Learning key words to look up information is key as well. Being digitally responsible and learning about copyright is critical. But how will they learn all this new information?....


Students need a librarian. Yes, who better to help students navigate through online resources, junk that crowds the Internet and find reputable sources through web evaluation. Librarians also help find books pertaining to your topic for research or help find the right section depending on your purpose. Teaching students about copyright issues and online piracy.

While all of these skills are traditionally associated with school librarians, many do not know that a few of us are actully teachers and curriculum navigators who help the entire school.


So before you are too quick to write librarians or libraries off as "old school" think again. They are far from being obsolete, In fact, now we (teacher-librarians) are needed by students, and other teachers, more than ever.

160 Ways to use a Document Camera!

Compiled and posted by Ken Royal on Jan 11th, 2010 from Educator's Royal Treatment.

Geometric shapes
Fractions
Correcting homework
Classroom quizzes
Brainstorming
Sharing brochures
Microscope work – pond water
Documenting plant growth from seed to green plant
Dissection
Storyboards
Writing prompt editing
Daily sentence work
Spelling
Grammar
Sharing artwork
Sharing words for early reading skill
Sharing words for foreign language classes
Venn diagram work
Vowel Sound recognition and Phonics rules
Demonstrating art techniques
Sharing images for documenting stories/school days
Solving equations
Solving word problems
Sharing advanced math processes
Student of the day or week recognition
Sharing teacher classroom PowerPoints/Presentations
Open House demonstrations
Faculty meeting talks
Quick polls and Surveys
Student Presentations
Comparing book images with live materials
Claymation slideshows
Sharing a picture book
Dictionary work
Demonstrating basic math skills/operations – addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, etc.
Flash cards
Digital word wall
Map skills
Timeline work
Document capillary action
Puppet shows
Sharing live animals that cannot be passed around the class –mealworms, earthworms, insects, snakes, fish, etc.
Document daily classroom activities for Web posting
Podcasting
As a video camera
For video conferencing
How to tech ed construction modeling
Guidance counseling instruction and presentations
Demonstrate Poetry styles, construction, and write as a class
Demonstrate proper letters formation
Share lesson rubrics
Assemble a puzzle as a class
Take large amount of pictures of items to post online
Class read-aloud with book under camera instead of buying more books
Choose parts for a play
Readers’ theatre – from playbooks, magazines, or student plays
Cook/prepare favorite recipe in cooking class
Side-by-side comparison of animal and plant cells under microscope
Investigate fossils
Visualize reflection of lines through a prism
Demonstrate Sign Language and finger spelling
Count money/coins together as a class
Examine the parts of a camera, or other mechanical or technical equipment
Litmus tests—acid/base
Take a snapshot of a document to put online instead of scanning
Record your own narrated digital stories
Use for stop-motion animation
Create lessons ahead of time for learning centers
Create and archive lessons and post online
Lessons for homebound students—no lessons missed
Sharing dioramas
Morning warm-up exercises when students first enter the classroom
Fish tank observation
Ant farm observation
Bird feeder watch
Art color wheel demonstration
Art techniques
Classroom/Student photos for projects, identification, records, and special days
Anatomy lessons: skeletal structure, bone articulation lesson
Guess the mystery object and its use
Owl pellet dissection
Writing prompt starters
Direction helpers – avoid repeating lesson steps
Procedure steps, how to lessons
Focus on group sharing
Help presenting a group project
Teaching organizational skills
Checking homework
Study skills
Classroom Helpers announcements
Record class participation
Record Teacher Best Practices
Help classroom aides, and paraprofessionals with lessons and training.
Music to introduce new music/songs/composers
Music to learn notes
With an SD card to share images from other media devices
Gather what students know before a lesson
To share the essential question at the start of a lesson
To share project choices
summarize a lesson, chapter or unit with the class or individual students
Gather questions from students – subject, lesson, interest
Teachable moments –quick use
To compare literary styles
To compare literary genre
To demonstrate requirements for a 5-paragraph composition
Display charts/graphs—different types—bar, pie, as well
Measurement lessons – metric, standard, liquid
Lab procedure lessons
Emergency procedure lessons, diagrams—fire drill routes…lock down
Board of education presentations
Budget meetings
Writing the essential notes to help students with note-taking skills
Letter/number formation
For freezing the action – in an experiment/observation
Guidance – discussing college admissions
AP classwork enhancement – all areas
Vocabulary lessons
Library for sharing new books
Author/book discussions
Character sketches
Introduce new software to students and staff
Physical Education to introduce games and positions
Morning roster/roll call
Routine student line up
Post assignments and things to remember at end of class and day
Steps to writing letters or e-mail
Internet safety lesson
Best way to share 2D and 3D objects at the same time
Rotate/zoom objects/images without touching them
Images of student work saved for parent conferences.
Explain wiring/electricity—batteries, wires, bulbs and bells
Geology lessons—types of rocks

You're welcome,

Mrs. Wetherell

Welcome Mrs. Well's Kindergarten!

I hope you are having fun today learning about bears.


Here are a few websites to visit.


1. Bears of the world: http://www.bearsoftheworld.net/


2. Pandas: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/PhotoGallery/GiantPandas/default.cfm


3. Polar Bears: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/polar-bear/


4. Brown Bears: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/brown-bear/


Now let's visit some other fun websites.

A. Polar bear puzzle:http://www.first-school.ws/puzzlesonline/animals/polar-bear.htm

B. Goldilocks and the three bears puzzle:http://www.first-school.ws/puzzlesonline/fairytales/goldilocks-and-the-three-bears.htm

C. Giant Panda puzzle: http://www.first-school.ws/puzzlesonline/animals/panda.htm

D. Brown bear puzzle:http://www.first-school.ws/puzzlesonline/animals/bear.htm


Thanks for coming to school today and learning about bears with me. Mrs. Wells will be back Tuesday and we can tell her everything we learned.

Happy Saturday,

Mrs. Wetherell

What a great site....

School LIbrary MEdia Kids

School library media Kids is created and maintained by a licensed reading specialist and school library media specialist. Students have the opportunity to choose from many of the best literacy-related resources and educational tools found online through the use of this website. SlimeKids is designed to help connect students with print materials through our book reviews, book trailers and authors pages. Our SlimeKids games, search engines and reference pages can also help students have a more productive online experience. Check it out at http://www.slimekids.com/

Happy New Year 2011

Winter break was truly a winter wonderland. I haven't seen that much snow since I lived in New Jersey. We began the year off on a great start.

Fifth graders began by discussing New Year's resolutions...a promise to do something this coming year. We decided to choose an academic goal and a personal goal we would work on throughout the rest of the school year.

Our fifth graders will be off to middle school, some the beginning of July, others in August. We viewed a video about classroom survival skills and how to be successful as a student. It really is about responsibility and committment. I also shared a true story about a fifth grader that almost failed, he was called the class dummy. His mother made him check out books from the library and complete two book reports each week. In seventh grade he had earned a new class title, "smartest kid in school." Later he earned a scholarship to college and went on to medical school. You might have heard of Ben Carson??? What a great story...If you would like to read his autobiography, the title is "Gifted Hands."


Fourth graders listened to the biography of Wilson Bentley, or Snowflake Bentley. We learned a little bit about his life and his book of snowflakes. After going to the computer to do some research about snow, snowflakes and his life, we will move on to evaluating websites next week.


Third grade students were introduced to another hero, Helen Keller. We read A picture book of Helen Keller, did a picture walk through the book titled My life in pictures by Helen Keller, and discussed how medical care is different today. We also learned how she was able to learn different words by having her teacher, Anne Sullivan, sign in Helen's hand. Later in class we chose a partner and tried to duplicate the same technique. It was difficult. We could actually talk and ask our partner to "sign" again. I had an old Weekly Reader book written in braille for students to explore.


Second graders finished up their unit on Janelle Cannon's books with her book titled, Verdi. Verdi does not want to grow up. We compared our everyday duties with our parents. Many students really like their life now as youngsters, although most cannot wait to get their driver's license. Watch out everyone!


First graders read a biography about Tomie dePaola. We learned where the biographies are kept in the media center and how they are shelved. I tied in the Caldecott honor book (for the winners are announced Jan 10), Strega Nona. We discussed noodles and pasta, learned about the different shapes of pasta, and enjoyed reading aloud Strega Nona. (Big Anthony does not listen!)


Kindergarteners retold the story of the Gingerbread Man. We discussed the beginning, the middle, and end of the story. Afterward we talked about making connections. Next, I read Snow Dude, by Daniel Kirk. Several students made the comment that Snow Dude sounded like the Gingerbread Man....BINGO! A CONNECTION!!!! Yes, I love it when a plan comes together.

When reading, make connections! It helps with comprehension.


Happy Reading,

Mrs. Wetherell

Weeks of December 12 - 18, 2010

Classes in the media center focused on continuing the objectives from last week. We also included some holiday stories....Reasons for buying books as gifts include:

Why books make great gifts, especially for children
- Nurtures an interest in reading. Giving a book as a gift is one of the most effective ways of getting a child to develop an interest in reading. Kids, in general, are excited about the idea of unwrapping a gift and seeing what it can “do”. A carefully chosen book has the potential to become “the best gift ever” from a child’s point of view and to lay the foundation for a lifelong interest in reading. If the parents of the baby or child you’re buying the gift for haven’t started reading aloud yet or don’t read very frequently, your gift gives them a great reason to start. Which is why a book makes a great baby-shower gift as well.

- Books are rarely outgrown. Have you ever heard of a book that doesn’t fit a baby anymore? The beautiful thing about books is that they can be re-read hundreds of times, put away for weeks and then enjoyed again. Books can be shared with and passed on to siblings, cousins and friends. They are great for taking along on road trips or to the Doctor’s office. Many kids enjoy their baby books and picture books well into their preschool years. They find different ways to interpret them or different uses for the same book. A book about baby animals which my daughter enjoyed as a little baby is now her favorite whenever she wants to play a ‘zoo game’.

- Books serve as inspiration for other interests. I stare in awe at some of the amazing illustrations in children’s books. For a child who has an interest in drawing or painting, these books would be great not just for reading but for artistic inspiration as well. There’s so much more to reading a book with your child than putting words and letters together. You can help them learn a language, a new skill, about other cultures or countries. So when you choose a gift for a baby or child, keep in mind that with a book, there is a chance that the impact of your gift will last more than a few minutes, and probably a lifetime.

- Books can reinforce an ongoing interest in a hobby or subject. If your child is already into dinosaurs trains, trucks, stars, bugs or cartoon characters, a book on the subject will help him expand his learning. Have you noticed how very young babies enjoy books about babies or with lots of different human faces? It’s what they’re familiar with and so, what they like to see more of. For older kids, there’s no easier way to get them to sit down to read with you than to bring home a book about their latest favorite topic.

- Books – the unbreakable gift. Let’s face it. No parts to go missing. No batteries that die. Nothing that breaks. Isn’t this reason enough to consider books as gifts? Of course, you don’t want to put this to test with a brand new glossy chapter book in the hands of your active toddler. For very young babies and kids who haven’t outgrown the tendency to tear out pages, board books and cloth books are probably best. But, mostly, books tend to be hardy gifts that last years and are used by more than one child.

- Books are easy to find and carry. If you don’t know the child or the family too well, a book is a safe bet as a gift. First, because, they’re fairly easy to find and select. Just go to a local bookstore or browse an online collection. Books are generally arranged according to age and topic so, you should be able to decide on one fairly quickly. If you do know the child and his interests well, then, things couldn’t be any easier. Simply spend a little time browsing books in his area of interest and pick one(or a few) that you think he may enjoy. And in case he already owns it, getting a book exchanged is a breeze in most stores. I’ve found that in a time crunch, buying a book is quick, fun and almost always, the right choice for a gift. Besides, they’re compact, easy to wrap and take along to a party.

- Personalized children’s books make the most wonderful gifts. I’ve written about this before and it’s worth another mention. When you know a child very well, be it your own child, a niece or nephew or a friend’s child, consider a personalized picture book. There are several different ways you can do this, starting with creating a simple photo book of memories. You could do this yourself or order it at one of many different websites and stores that offer these gifts.

Happy Reading,

Mrs. Wetherell