LM_NET: Library Media Networking
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Here is a compilation of the responses I received for 8th grade curriculum
ideas, etc. Thanks for being patient. Thanks to all who responded!
One lesson you can do with collaboration w/ the teacher, is a scavanger
hunt. Either you or the teacher makes up a scavenger hunt using the
different reference books and databases and then you put them in groups,
THEY
simply love it. I did this for my Masters degree practicum and I do it now
constantly.
I am answering your query from LM_NET for 2 reasons: to tell you what I do
and, secondly to benefit from the responses to your query. Prior to this
year, I have spent 15 years teaching high school special education. I
graduated with my MLS last May and was hired by DoDDS as the Information
Specialist at Osan High School, Korea (grades 7-12, just under 300
students). I am the only librarian (no tech), and monitor 15 Distance
Learning students in 5 subjects, and teach the 7th grade Media Skills course
(1 semester). I didn't have a curriculum either (nor have I seen one in the
catalogs). Here's the course as I organized it.
I decided that it should be an "How to become an excellent student" course
so it is Media/Study Skills. I broke the semester of 18 weeks into 3
sections of about 6 weeks each.
I. Learning modalities, note-taking skills/methods, study methods,
concept map construction, test-taking skills and reading and construction
of charts, maps, graphs. (computer applications for appropriate areas)
II. Library skills, using reference resources, Dewey,
fiction/nonfiction, OPACs, database searches, search engines, judging sites,
etc.
III. Constructing presentations using desktop publishing programs,
powerpoint, hyperstudio, etc.
FINAL PROJECT: oral presentation in which student has used the
library print resources combined with on-line sources to construct a
project of their choice.
I have found a number of excellent sources on-line to supplement the
individual components. There are also packets and reproducibles for units
ie. Dewey, Almanacs, Atlases, etc. I would love to see a HIT for your
query.
I do not know of a "text", but it sounds like what I do and I "make it up"
as I
go depending on the needs of the students and what the teachers want when I
conference with them. 8th grade has less "teaching time" than 6 and 7th in
my
building because we have already covered many topics with lessons. If
someone
comes up with a good "text" ideas, please pass on. I always found teacher
made
materials fit my needs better.
I don't have a curriculum or
book to suggest, but I thought I'd share an idea. My first year on the job
I taught at a middle school. One teacher liked to just dump her low-skills
7th and 8th graders in the library. They were totally uninterested in
reading, so I ended up making a special project for them. Basically they
each picked a topic of their own choosing, and they made a pathfinder
directing others to all the library's resources on the topic. So one week
we looked up books, another week magazines, another few weeks we found web
sites, etc. It ended up taking quite a while and in the end they learned
how to produce a brochure in Claris Works. (And they learned how to cite
their sources.) Picking their own topic was the key--I had one boy who
wouldn't do anything except rap singers, so even he was happy. And all
they had to do was find sources and evaluate them--they didn't have to do
any kind of report on the topic.
I was in the same boat except they combined 6th, 7th, and 8th graders in a
single 80 minute class. No objectives, books, lesson plans, etc. Peers
helped me find older media paperback workbooks - but it has taken way too
much time preparing. My admin.in charge informed me the first day of school
what they had decided to offer late the evenining before school started.
The workbooks our Library Assoc. offers could be helpful in your future.
It sounds like you're providing planning time for the 8th grade
teachers. Do they ever sit down with you to discuss their classroom
projects and lessons? I'm now in a high school, but back my junior high
days I spent a lot of time with classroom teachers insuring that what I
taught was needed that week for a lesson. ProQuest for a science
article, presearching for a social studies paper, reference for english,
music, and even p.e. I was lucky to co-teach many things with the
classroom teachers; they providing the content, and me the "technical"
how-to (even if it's how to hand-write a bibliography).
Nothing's more boring that learning "stuff" you don't need at the
moment. And, you're likely to have a more captive audience when they
need to know your information to complete a (graded) assignment.
As librarians we don't give grades, thus our students have no reason to
pay attention to us. See how much you can tie to the 8th grade
curriculum and classroom lessons. (I also did not have a curriculum,
but made it up as I went. I guess I was lucky to be in such a small
school [190 students] that I knew each student and teacher quite well.)
Bev, welcome to the cutting edge. It's all so new that almost
everyone is making it up as they go along. Consider how a curriculum
could be put together when no one has the same resources.
I hope you've gone to the websites for your databases or contacted
someone to see if they have teaching guides.
The days of everyone having the Readers' Guide and World Book are
over. But, you still have the equivalent of those two references in
the databases that you use. Readers' Guide is on First Search, just
constructed a bit differently. <grin>.
What about relating the skills to the curriculum? If they are studying
pioneers,
make your skills or research around that topic. You could also incorporate
things they are interested in - rock music, sports, movies, etc.
It certainly sounds like you have your work cut out for you. I know you
have to work with the situation in which you're given & when I was
inflexible
scheduled, I thought along similar lines. However, just know that the goal
is for flexible scheduling in which teachers are right in there
collaborating
with you. Then, you are teaching a curricular subject and the information
literacy skills are taught "just-in-time" as they pertain to the subject.
Also, here in Chicago, I am on a system-wide committee which is working
to align library activities with our structured curriculum--which is a
day-by-day way to teach the curriculum for new or inexperienced teachers.
Your information literacy skills are probably already tucked into the
general
curriculum.
--
Beverly A. Nelson
Media Generalist
Spring Grove Public School
Spring Grove, MN 55974
507-498-3221
bev.nelson@springgrove.k12.mn.us
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Content-type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>HIT: 8th grade media skills: Part 1</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR=3D"#FFFFFF">
<TT>Here is a compilation of the responses I received for 8th grade curricu=
lum<BR>
ideas, etc. Thanks for being patient. Thanks to all who respond=
ed!<BR>
<BR>
One lesson you can do with collaboration w/ the teacher, is a scavanger<BR>
hunt. Either you or the teacher makes up a scavenger hunt using the<B=
R>
different reference books and databases and then you put them in groups,<BR=
>
THEY<BR>
simply love it. I did this for my Masters degree practicum and I do i=
t now<BR>
constantly.<BR>
<BR>
I am answering your query from LM_NET for 2 reasons: to tell you what=
I do<BR>
and, secondly to benefit from the responses to your query. &nbs=
p;Prior to this<BR>
year, I have spent 15 years teaching high school special education. I=
<BR>
graduated with my MLS last May and was hired by DoDDS as the Information<BR=
>
Specialist at Osan High School, Korea (grades 7-12, just under 300<BR>
students). I am the only librarian (no tech), and monitor 15 Distance=
<BR>
Learning students in 5 subjects, and teach the 7th grade Media Skills cours=
e<BR>
(1 semester). I didn't have a curriculum either (nor have I seen one =
in the<BR>
catalogs). Here's the course as I organized it.<BR>
<BR>
I decided that it should be an "How to become an excellent student&quo=
t; course<BR>
so it is Media/Study Skills. I broke the semester of 18 weeks into 3<=
BR>
sections of about 6 weeks each.<BR>
<BR>
I. Learning modalities, note-taking ski=
lls/methods, study methods,<BR>
concept map construction, test-taking skills and reading and co=
nstruction<BR>
of charts, maps, graphs. (computer applications for appropriate areas=
)<BR>
<BR>
II. Library skills, using reference resources, Dewe=
y,<BR>
fiction/nonfiction, OPACs, database searches, search engines, judging sites=
,<BR>
etc.<BR>
<BR>
III. Constructing presentations using desktop publishing =
programs,<BR>
powerpoint, hyperstudio, etc.<BR>
<BR>
FINAL PROJECT: oral p=
resentation in which student has used the<BR>
library print resources combined with on-line sources to =
construct a<BR>
project of their choice.<BR>
<BR>
I have found a number of excellent sources on-line to supplement the<BR>
individual components. There are also packets and reproducibles for u=
nits<BR>
ie. Dewey, Almanacs, Atlases, etc. I would love to see a HIT fo=
r your<BR>
query.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
I do not know of a "text", but it sounds like what I do and I &qu=
ot;make it up"<BR>
as I<BR>
go depending on the needs of the students and what the teachers want when I=
<BR>
conference with them. 8th grade has less "teaching time" th=
an 6 and 7th in<BR>
my<BR>
building because we have already covered many topics with lessons. If=
<BR>
someone<BR>
comes up with a good "text" ideas, please pass on. I always=
found teacher<BR>
made<BR>
materials fit my needs better.<BR>
<BR>
I don't have a curriculum or<BR>
book to suggest, but I thought I'd share an idea. My first year on the job<=
BR>
I taught at a middle school. One teacher liked to just dump her low-skills<=
BR>
7th and 8th graders in the library. They were totally uninterested in<BR>
reading, so I ended up making a special project for them. Basically they<BR=
>
each picked a topic of their own choosing, and they made a pathfinder<BR>
directing others to all the library's resources on the topic. So one week<B=
R>
we looked up books, another week magazines, another few weeks we found web<=
BR>
sites, etc. It ended up taking quite a while and in the end they learned<BR=
>
how to produce a brochure in Claris Works. (And they learned how to cite<BR=
>
their sources.) Picking their own topic was the key--I had one boy who<BR>
wouldn't do anything except rap singers, so even he was happy. And all<BR>
they had to do was find sources and evaluate them--they didn't have to do<B=
R>
any kind of report on the topic.<BR>
<BR>
I was in the same boat except they combined 6th, 7th, and 8th graders in a<=
BR>
single 80 minute class. No objectives, books, lesson plans, etc. &nbs=
p;Peers<BR>
helped me find older media paperback workbooks - but it has taken way too<B=
R>
much time preparing. My admin.in charge informed me the first day of =
school<BR>
what they had decided to offer late the evenining before school started.<BR=
>
The workbooks our Library Assoc. offers could be helpful in your future.<BR=
>
<BR>
It sounds like you're providing planning time for the 8th grade<BR>
teachers. Do they ever sit down with you to discuss their classroom<B=
R>
projects and lessons? I'm now in a high school, but back my junior hi=
gh<BR>
days I spent a lot of time with classroom teachers insuring that what I<BR>
taught was needed that week for a lesson. ProQuest for a science<BR>
article, presearching for a social studies paper, reference for english,<BR=
>
music, and even p.e. I was lucky to co-teach many things with the<BR>
classroom teachers; they providing the content, and me the "technical&=
quot;<BR>
how-to (even if it's how to hand-write a bibliography).<BR>
<BR>
Nothing's more boring that learning "stuff" you don't need at the=
<BR>
moment. And, you're likely to have a more captive audience when they<=
BR>
need to know your information to complete a (graded) assignment.<BR>
As librarians we don't give grades, thus our students have no reason to<BR>
pay attention to us. See how much you can tie to the 8th grade<BR>
curriculum and classroom lessons. (I also did not have a curriculum,<=
BR>
but made it up as I went. I guess I was lucky to be in such a small<B=
R>
school [190 students] that I knew each student and teacher quite well.)<BR>
<BR>
Bev, welcome to the cutting edge. It's all so new that almost<BR>
everyone is making it up as they go along. Consider how a curriculum<=
BR>
could be put together when no one has the same resources.<BR>
<BR>
I hope you've gone to the websites for your databases or contacted<BR>
someone to see if they have teaching guides.<BR>
<BR>
The days of everyone having the Readers' Guide and World Book are<BR>
over. But, you still have the equivalent of those two references in<B=
R>
the databases that you use. Readers' Guide is on First Search, just<B=
R>
constructed a bit differently. <grin>.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
What about relating the skills to the curriculum? If they are studying<BR>
pioneers,<BR>
make your skills or research around that topic. You could also incorp=
orate<BR>
things they are interested in - rock music, sports, movies, etc.<BR>
<BR>
It certainly sounds like you have your work cut out for you. I know y=
ou<BR>
have to work with the situation in which you're given & when I was<BR>
inflexible<BR>
scheduled, I thought along similar lines. However, just know that the=
goal<BR>
is for flexible scheduling in which teachers are right in there<BR>
collaborating<BR>
with you. Then, you are teaching a curricular subject and the informa=
tion<BR>
literacy skills are taught "just-in-time" as they pertain to the =
subject.<BR>
Also, here in Chicago, I am on a system-wide commit=
tee which is working<BR>
to align library activities with our structured curriculum--which is a<BR>
day-by-day way to teach the curriculum for new or inexperienced teachers.<B=
R>
Your information literacy skills are probably already tucked into the<BR>
general<BR>
curriculum.<BR>
</TT>-- <BR>
Beverly A. Nelson<BR>
Media Generalist<BR>
Spring Grove Public School<BR>
Spring Grove, MN 55974<BR>
507-498-3221<BR>
bev.nelson@springgrove.k12.mn.us<BR>
</BODY>
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