How the ES library supports reading and writing at CAC

The CAC elementary school does a fantastic job of teaching reading and writing using a workshop model. Teachers guide students in acquiring literacy skills and strategies, and students have lots of opportunities to develop those skills.

The ES library supports the literacy workshop model in many ways. Here are a few of those ways.

The Library Catalog's Visual Tab

I use our Destiny catalog's Visual Tab as the central access point for library print and digital resources.

The Visual Tab is visible from all the pages of the library catalog. Students learn to go to the Visual Tab from grade 1. 

Each grade level has a page on the Visual Tab. 

Take your time to visit the library catalog and explore all of the different pages. Literature integration such as book lists or specific websites are in the "CAC Units of Study" page, which is broken down by grade level. In each grade level, there are links to the all the science and social studies units, and for some grades, links to literature integration resources. 

On this grade 4 page, there are links to the 6 science and social studies units, and links to language arts and literature integration resources.

Each unit page includes at least one book list and has many links to teacher-selected webpages.  

Library lessons for preK to grade 2

All ES classes are scheduled for a weekly checkout session. For preK to grade 2 classes, that includes a library lesson. Usually, those library lessons include a read-aloud and basic library skills, like how to use shelf markers to return books to shelves in the picture book section and how to care for books. We try to tie the read-alouds to topics that are being studied at each grade level or that illustrate the CAC core values. 

In second grade, as students become more proficient readers, we start introducing more advanced library skills, like using the call number to locate books on shelves and using the catalog for research. For example, grade 2 right now is embarked in a informational reading unit so I gave them an overview of how our non-fiction collection is organized by Dewey Decimal system and how to browse the shelves noticing the titles and call number stickers on the spine. 

Genre stickers, displays and book talks

Our fiction collection is organized alphabetically by author's last name. To help students locate books in different genres, we have label stickers that we place on the spine. We also place small selections of books in each genre on top of the chapter book shelves, with an accompanying poster. When students are engaged in genre studies, I give them a brief talk about how to find titles in those specific genres and we often designate our display table at the front of the library to selections that will support grade level units of reading or writing. I also give book talks where I promote the best examples of each genre at the request of the teacher. 

Research skills

Grades 3 to 5 come to the library for a scheduled weekly checkout. Instruction in research skills happens at different times as needed by the requirements of each unit. I go to classrooms to help introduce and review those skills. We have an information literacy skills continuum that helps guide the progression of skills to ensure that we are preparing our students for middle school and beyond. We use the Big Six research model at CAC, and I am usually working with students on Steps 2 and 3: "develop research strategies," and "locate and access information."

Starting in second grade, I encourage students to use online databases for class and homework. The databases that we subscribe to on behalf of CAC are listed on the Home Tab of the library catalog. To access that page, you will need to log in to the library catalog using your CAC single-sign-on or our Quick Login. If you are a CAC parent of a student in grades 2 to 5, you should be able to ask your child/ren to help you. We practice accessing the library catalog a lot!

Collaboration with teachers

Last, but not least, I try to collaborate with teachers as much as possible to integrate information literacy skills to their classroom programs. We have an incredibly talented and dedicated team of teachers in the ES. The work they are doing in the reading and writing workshop is really inspiring and the results from the students are impressive.  It is a privilege to work with them.

Library Assemblies Coming Up!

We have 2 exciting dates coming up for the ES Library.

March 28 - DEAR Assembly

Bring a book next Tuesday morning and drop everything and read on the ES lawn during the time we usually have assembly. Parents are welcome to read with us too.

April 4, ES Book Parade

Dress up as a favorite book character and show your love of reading! Our assembly on April 4 will be given over to the ES Book Parade, hosted by our ES Library Council.

Costumes can be store bought but it's fun to make your own. The costumes don't have to be very elaborate. See my Pinterest page for simple and fun ideas.


Post your character costume pics on social media and tag with #CACESBookParade or #CACESReads. Images on Instagram tagged with #CACESReads will show up on the right sidebar to this blog.

Where to find images for school

Need images for a school project? The best option would be to take your own pictures or create your own images to use for a school project, but when that isn't practical, here are some alternatives.

Not all images are free for use, and even if they are, digital citizenship requires you ask for permission before using. Instead of using Google Images to find a picture, head over to the ES library catalog for ethical alternatives so that you can demonstrate the CAC core values of integrity and respect.

Students in grades 2 and up will be learning how to find images for for which they have permission to use and how to cite the sources of those images. 

Here are a few places to start your search for images. 

Britannica Image Quest

This subscription database offers millions of high quality available for students to include in their work. Britannica Image Quest offers images from many reputable sources, including government archives, famous museums and stock photography collections.

Britannica Image Quest is a subscription database, which means that we pay a fee on behalf of our CAC community, and that log in credentials are required. Students in grades 2 to 5 receive a card from the library through their classrooms with all usernames and passwords for all of our databases, but CAC patrons can also use the Quick Login. (All ES students know the Quick Login. Ask your child or stop by the ES library to request it.)

Wikimedia Commons

This site from the Wikipedia family offers 36 million images uploaded by users. Each image is available for download in different sizes and permission details are included on the page. There's even a monthly challenge for photographers.

The search interface is not as elementary school friendly as some other sites, but it is a good option for our older students.

Creative Commons Search

Creative Commons licenses are  sets of permissions for work of all types. By invoking a Creative Commons license, creators of content let people know what type of credit they would like for their work. Here is a very easy explanation of the main four types of licenses. I've also link to this explanatory cartoon on the Visual Tab.

The Creative Commons Search link on the Visual Tab will take you a site where you can search for different types of media: images, videos, and sound files.

Photos for Class

My new favorite, Photos for Class,  offers copyright friendly images that include the proper attribution right on the image once you download it.

CAC ES Library Council Hard at Work!

It's been two weeks since my last blog post inviting CAC students to join our ES Library Council. The council is now established and it has been very busy!!

Our first meeting, on the first Sunday on the return from the December break, was dedicated to establishing essential agreements. We agreed to abide by the following agreements:

We will ALL:

• Work together. 
• Help others.
• Listen and respect each other.
• Respect each other’s reading choices. 
• Arrive on time. 
• Clean up after ourselves.
• Respect the books and library property.

That first meeting involved "a LOT of talking" in the words of one slightly disappointed council member, but the next 2 meetings made up for it. 

In the 2 meetings we have had so far, we have:

• read new picture books, classified them by CAC Core Value and awarded a "Library Council Recommended" sticker each to a new picture book

  

• added letter shelf markers to the DVD collection

 

• moved the back issues of magazines to a highly visible display rack at the front of the library

We will be announcing the next library visitor, origami instructor Lidia Coronado from Venezuela, at tomorrow's assembly. Preparing announcements for assembly is a very popular activity among the library council members. Be sure to come to assemblies for a chance to seeing them shine!

Join the CAC ES Library Council

It has long been a dream of mine to have a tween advisory board for my elementary school library. There's a great article in American Libraries that served as inspiration. In my dream, I see industrious and responsible book- and library-loving students working hard to make their library an even better place to be. I see students come up with great ideas to make the library more efficient and more attractive to their peers. I see them helping out with literacy and/or fun stations for the younger students, and turning the maker space from guided crafts to real inquiry-based projects. The tween advisory board of my dreams is recognized by their peers and the community as a valuable human resource of, and for, the library. It's a beautiful dream.

Until now, it has only been a dream. This year, I have made it a professional goal to force myself to step up to the plate and get it going once and for all. Our first meeting will be on the first day back from our December break.

I've had invaluable help from Ronna Zigmand, super duper librarian at the Delhi Embassy School. She generously shared her application forms and meeting minutes with me and I unabashedly copy-and-pasted to create my own application form. (Click here for my finished version.)

I invited the grade 4 and 5 students to apply this week when they came for their scheduled weekly check out sessions. I explained that this tween advisory board, which I'm calling the CAC ES Library Council for now, will be helping me with library projects, that we'd be meeting weekly and that we needed responsible lovers of books and libraries to apply. I handed out application form and worried about getting enough applications by today's deadline. I want to cap the library council to 12 students to ensure we have enough students to carry out the work but not so many that it is not efficient.

There are 2 questions on the application:
1. Why would you be a good library council member?
2. What idea/s do you have for the library council?

I have received nine 13 applications so far. The best part are the ideas that these students have offered. They cover circulation, collection development, signage and customer service. I love all of them, even the ones I don't agree with, like leveling books because "now one can get confused." Here's an opportunity for patron education! Our students are too focused on the F&P level and don't seem to understand that that is a teaching tool and not the only selection criteria. I'd love to get the library council to spread that word, or to demonstrate choosing great books based on author, recommendations, interests, etc. We could make posters and movies and who knows what other cool things they'll come up with!

Gifted graphic designer and library assistant Lena Rezk came up with these 2 buttons. One will be worn by each council member and the other one is "Library Council Recommends..." to put on books.

 

Having the library council will be a great way to start 2017. Can't wait to see what they'll do!

Grade 3 sound and light links on the Visual Tab

The grade 3 is currently studying a science unit on light and sound. As with other units, the library catalog has a page with links to support students in their inquiries.

How to access this Visual Tab page (for a step by step tutorial with images)

• Visit the library catalog and choose the elementary school library
• Look for the tab marked Visual. (It's above and to the right of the search field.)
• Click on the button with Talon. It's called "CAC Units of Study."
• Click on the grade level and then the unit. 

Each of the buttons on the page will take students to sources selected by the classroom teachers or the elementary librarian. I look for sources that are authoritative, accurate and reliable, and as current as possible. I welcome suggestions from the classroom teachers and from students. I give priority to informational sites over educational games sites. If you know of a good source for information on light and sound - or any other science topics - please let me know in the comments.

Note that Britannica Encyclopedia and BrainPop are subscription databases and require username and password. Students in grades 3 to 5 have been taught to access our passworded list of login credentials. The lower grade levels have printed out cards with the logins for the most used databases.

If you are a parent at CAC and missed our parent information session where we demonstrated how to access the library catalog's resources, please stop by the library for help from Mrs. Fitzgerald.

Grade 4 Social Studies on the Visual Tab

Grade 4 is currently studying a social studies unit called, Connections to History. The essential question for this unit is,

How do geography and people connect to build a nation?

Our fourth graders will focus this question by looking at Native Americans and specifically their settlements, use of resources like food, shelter and clothing, and cultural traditions. One of the projects that will track their learning throughout the unit is going to be a multi-layered map that will show Native American nations geographical regions and movement. We started that map today. 

Students came to the library to start on the map project and also to review the steps of the Big 6 research model. The Big 6 is an useful model to use when embarking on an academic task. More information on it can be found here.

The map that we created today is a physical map. It shows the landform regions of the US. Students accessed the Visual Tab to see the map they would be duplicating on paper. 

(To access the Visual Tab, visit the library catalog, then click on the tab marked "Visual." From there, click on CAC Units of Study, and then follow the picture clues to the grade level and unit you need. There are resources for most social studies and science units in grades 2 to 5, as well as links to poetry websites, mathematics websites including Mathletics, online newspapers for children, and much more. Go ahead and explore. If you would like a guided tour, please contact me at the library.)

The Visual Tab page for the grade 4 Connections to History unit looks like this. The map we reproduced today can be found by clicking the button "Map USA-Landforms."

The resources linked here include books from our library catalog, links to database articles from Britannica Online and TrueFlix, and websites. To access Britannica and TrueFlix, students will need to log in. Their teachers should have given them the log in credentials, but those can also be found by logging in to the ES library catalog. All g3 to g5 students have been taught how to do that. If they cannot remember, please contact the ES librarian, Mrs. Fitzgerald.